FRANKLIN, Va. — In a residential neighborhood along Gardener Street in Franklin, neighbors are quiet and going about their business, just a few days after Franklin police were investigating on the street.
Soon, the neighbors learned police found the body of missing 17-year-old Ronnie Jerome Everette Jr.
"It's just a tragedy. He was only 17 years old," said long-time resident Lawrence Powell. "My heart just weeps for him because he was such a young age."
Franklin police said Everette's family members reported him missing after he was last seen getting dropped off at the Berkley Court Apartments on Cameron Street on Thursday, October 27.
After days of investigating, detectives said they found his body barely a block over near Gardner Street on November 1.
Following the results from the Norfolk Medical Examiner's Office, police officers learned Everette's death was a homicide.
Now, the mystery of who killed Everette is devastating close family friends like Chalsea Freeman.
Freeman said she styled Everette's hair for years as he grew up at NU Image Hair Salon. She said she got to know his family when she helped his mother by driving him to and from his grandmother's home.
She said his family and friends called him "Boosie."
"He was just really playful. Really talkative after a while. He was a super, super sweet spirit and now I just...yeah," Freeman said as her eyes started to water.
Freeman said she would often get groceries and offer to get Everette something from the store.
"He was always so humble, you know?" said Freeman. "He would tell me when he has kids, he'd bring them over to the salon and we'd be the salon aunties."
Now, since Freeman learned what happened, she said she wants people to remember Everette as a young heart with an old soul.
"It hit me different because he's just so young and I feel like he had so much to explore, so much life to go after," said Freeman. "He's not blood. He's not my little brother or anything, but he's somebody I looked after at a certain point...but I feel like, during his time here, he made a huge impact on a lot of people."
Family and friends held a candlelight vigil Friday evening with blue and white colors to honor Everette.
Franklin police never stated how Everette died. 13News Now reached out to detectives. They said they are still waiting on results from the medical examiner’s office.
Anyone with information about Everette's death is asked to call the police department at 757-562-8575 or Franklin Crime Solvers at 757-516-7100. You can also submit a tip online at P3Tips.com.