"We're going to stand by Matthew."

The family of suspected serial killer Matthew Macon says he's innocent...claiming he's not the killer, but rather a victim.

"Unfortunately a lot of time we are judged by our past," said Macon's cousin and family spokesperson Clifton Jackson. "Obviously there's no hiding what had happened before but again, it doesn't make him the person they're portraying him to be at this time."

Jackson says Macon was starting to get his life back. Paroled in June of this year, he started taking classes at LCC.

"Matthew was on track to build himself up to be a better person. He was making amends starting with school and working. He was just trying to do better."

The cousins grew up together, just a few years apart in age. They were close friends until Jackson says Matthew's crimes took him on a different path.

He says his family are praying daily for the victims and their families and continues to hope police will keep the case open. Jackson's even volunteered to help find the man he says is the real killer, a man he claims is not Matthew.

"For some odd reason he's being caught up in this whirlwind of drama."

A whirlwind that now has Matthew Macon facing murder charges.