COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WKRN) — Neighbors, friends and family gathered Monday to honor the life of Paresh "Prince" Patel.

Patel was shot and killed nearly two weeks ago while he was working as a convenience store clerk at the Marathon gas station in the 1500 block of Mooresville Highway.

Prince's niece, Seema Patel, described him as a family man who always gave people a reason to smile.

"He always had a smile on his face, was always singing, talking,” Seema told News 2. "He loved his wife and daughter, he was obsessed with his daughter. Literally. he took her anywhere he could."

Even if you didn't need to buy anything, people would just drop by the store to say ‘hi.’

"I could have the worst day and I would come in and he would always make me happy,” Seema remembered.

People who knew Prince described him as more than just a friendly face behind the counter, but a cornerstone in people's daily lives.

"I don't think we necessarily realize, or he even realized, how big of a part he was to people's days,” Seema added.

Prince leaves behind his wife, five-year-old daughter, his parents, and loved ones back home in India.

Residents in Lewisburg said Prince was a shining example of what it meant to live with heart, adding his life will never be forgotten.

A day after the deadly robbery, the Lewisburg Police Department announced that a suspect—identified as 50-year-old David Theopolis Hamilton—was arrested for his connection to the incident. According to arrest documents obtained by News 2, Hamilton was charged with criminal homicide and aggravated robbery.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/he-would-always-make-me-happy-lewisburg-community-remembers-beloved-store-clerk-killed-in-armed-robbery/