ROME, Ga. — A father said losing his 21-year-old son has been devastating and the family is still looking for answers after Aaron William Davis' body was found stabbed to death in Rome, Georgia while he was visiting a friend.
The recent Brigham Young University graduate was planning to soon become a teacher. His father, Randy Davis, said the 21-year-old seemed "happier than ever with so much future" ahead of him before the time of his death.
"He loved the Gospel, at the same time he was a goofball, he was a friend to everyone," he said.
Brandon Risner, Aaron's best friend, is accused of murdering him. Rome Police officers arrested Risner making Aaron's family question and search for more answers.
Police believe Risner and Aaron got into some sort of altercation, leading to the stabbing incident.
"He's been as much of a son to us as anyone. It's really like losing two kids at this point. It just felt like betrayal," Randy Davis said.
Randy said his son left Cumming Thursday to go to Rome to stay with Risner. He was then supposed to drive to Alabama to see his girlfriend. But that never happened, according to Aaron's father.
The father said he recently got a call from a Rome police officer asking about his car. That car was found in a ditch at Heritage Park Saturday morning. Aaron's body was later discovered off of Tumlin Drive, and soon after, Rome Police arrested Risner.
Randy said his other children looked up to Aaron and he was the glue that held their family together.
"You didn't want to do things, family activities, without Aaron there, because Aaron makes it fun...when the other kids struggled, they'd turn to Aaron for help," Randy said.
The Davis family is now left with questions they hope police can someday answer.
Aaron's family said they plan to bury him in Massachusetts in a few weeks. They are holding a memorial service for him in Cumming on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
"The most important thing was, he was just a joy to be with- and he's going to be missed. We'll find a way to go on without him but it's gonna be so hard," Randy said.