Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp declined to comment on whether Chris Emmanuel Harrison, 29, who was killed in what is believed to be a home invasion attempt, was able to kill a man wearing a green mask who apparently forced entry into Harrison's home.

Tripp would only say the man found wearing the mask, whose body was located between Harrison's house and an abandoned house, is believed to be Harrison's assailant.

The sheriff's office recovered a handgun within what Tripp called the crime scene but would not elaborate.

The assailant's body was discovered this morning. Identification is pending notification of next of kin.

As investigators combed the crime, down a dirt path off Zoo Road South, some of Harrison's family members observed.

“He was cool with me,” said Harrison's uncle, T.T. Parker. “He was cool with everybody.”

Parker, who lives next door to his nephew, said he wasn't at home at the time of the apparent home invasion.

Harrison's son had just left before the home invasion occurred, Parker said.

Parker said his nephew worked side jobs. He said he didn't know who would want to do harm to him.

The sheriff's office received a call around 11:30 p.m. that a person had been shot at his residence. Harrison was found lying face down inside the residence near the front door.

Harrison, who was first found by his mother and his uncle, had a gunshot wound to the head and left side of his torso.