East Texas Woman Says She lost her “Best Friend”

DALLAS — Alexis Stossel of Kilgore says she was glad to take the stand in the trial of former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger for the murder of Botham Jean. According to our news partner KETK, Botham, she said, was one of, if not the, most genuine humans she has ever known. The two former classmates were best friends. Stossel met Botham while attending Harding University in Arkansas. And that friendship would blossom. From memories made in church to the lunches together after the Sunday service. Her favorite of those memories was a roadtrip from East Texas to Tennessee where they spent 10 hours in the car to go to another friend’s wedding.

Stossel was texting Jean the night was killed. That night of September 6, 2018, Stossel was texting Jean. On the witness stand in Amber Guyger’s trial, she shared about the moments after she found out of his death. “I was told that Botham had been shot and he didn’t make it,” she said. “I slumped to the floor and just kept screaming, ‘wait wait wait!’ I hung up the phone and I called Botham 7 times.” She says the worst part of this is knowing that he isn’t there anymore to pick up the phone. Stossel says she has one regret, and that was never telling Botham how much of an impact he left on her.