BERTIE COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – Dashawn Boone was a father, son, and nephew. Now, the ones he leaves behind are mourning his loss.

“It really completely broke me down. The fact of me arriving there to the house and seeing him laying there, that really took a big toll on me,” said Moses Wilkins, Boone’s Uncle.

The Bertie County Sheriff’s Office says Boone was shot and killed at his home on Hexlena Road southeast of Aulander on March 13th. Wilkins said he remembers the way Boone lit up a room.

“No matter what the vibe was, no matter what the mood was, he could step inside of a room, and he had a smile that would brighten up everyone’s day,” said Wilkins.

While they are still emotional over the loss of Boone, they are seeing some peace in the fact that a suspect is now behind bars. 21-year-old Javyn Askew of Windsor was charged on Tuesday with Boone’s murder.

“That really brought a big closure to me and my family to the fact that the killer was apprehended on the day we laid him to rest. That there took like a burden off my family,” said Wilkins.

Wilkins also wants to urge his community not to choose violence.

“Once that bullet exits that gun, you can not grab it and take it back, and you’re taking things that you can’t give, and that’s life, and you shouldn’t take something that you can’t give back,” said Wilkins.

While Boone’s mom was still very emotional when we talked to her on the phone, she did make a point to tell WITN that no mother should ever have to bury her son.

Askew is being held at the Bertie Martin Regional jail without bond.