Devastated co-workers are speaking to 13 Action News after a quadruple homicide.
"We lost one of our friends, one of our family members," said co-worker Allyson Wall. "She was one of the best people you would have ever met."
35-year-old Phoukeo Dej-Oudom was a spunky stylist who lived for her children.
Police said she was fatally gunned down by her husband early Thursday morning.
Her three children, Anhurak Jason Dej-Oudom, 9, Xonajuk J.J. Dej-Oudom, 14, and Dalavanh Ariel Dej-Oudom, 15, were also shot and killed by their father Jason Hagan Dej-Oudom.
"Her little babies were her life," said Wall. "She did everything for those kids and they knew it."
Detectives have not revealed whom Dej-Oudom killed first -- his wife or his kids -- but ultimately, he took his own life as well.
"I wish I could've talked to her one more time to see if there was something I could've done," said manager Taren Olson.
Dej-Oudom's work family is trying to cope with the stunning loss.
"It's going to be hard not working with her anymore," said Christina Kintzel.
They want to honor the life the mother lived.
Despite a messy divorce, friends said Phoukeo was upbeat.
"She was always always happy," said Wall. "You would never know if she was having a bad day."
Phoukeo, from Ohio, was a huge basketball fan.
"She was going to marry Lebron, everybody knew it," joked Kintzel.
Friends said she would often play practical jokes.
"She would hide in our vacuum and jumped out at us when we tried to clean up," said Wall. "That's just how she was, she lived life to the fullest."
Coworkers said they knew the 35-year-old's husband was troubled. The victim told friends she feared for her life.
"She had gotten multiple threats via texts," said Wall. "She had filed for divorce, tried to get a restraining order, was denied a restraining order."
"She was doing all the right things, people always say why don't they leave, she did leave, and it was out of her control," said Kintzel.
