George Zimmerman Reportedly 'Distraught' Over Martin Killing

Friend says Zimmerman has been praying for the family.

One of George Zimmerman's closest friend told People Magazine that the man who killed Trayvon Martin is "distraught" over the incident.

Joe Oliver, who appeared on CNN and MSNBC in recent days to speak about his relationship with Zimmerman, said that Zimmerman hasn't stopped praying for the victim and his family since the shooting.

Zimmerman, who has been in hiding since the incident, gunned down the defenseless Martin on February 26th last month.

Oliver said he believes his friend, who he's known for 6 years, may never recover.

"He's not the man that I knew before the shooting," said Oliver, a former TV reporter who is African American.

"He's a completely different man; he'll never be the same. He prays for Trayvon and he prays for the Martin family. He is so distraught that he took a life. That's the price he had to pay for saving his own."

Despite the nationwide belief that Zimmerman committed a senseless murder and should be arrested, Oliver is standing by his friend on what he calls a "gut feeling."

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"He's not a racist," says Oliver, "I wouldn't be speaking out on his behalf if he were. This didn't have anything to do with race. George was looking out for his neighborhood and he saw someone he didn't recognize acting suspiciously. In his mind, he shot in self-defense. He felt he had no other choice."