Friends of an Abbotsford man murdered on Tuesday are expressing disbelief and shock at his death.

Homicide investigators have identified Alexander Vincent Paul, 32, as the man who was shot to death in a dispute at a residence on Sumas Prairie around 10 p.m.

"He was just such a good person. It's still a shock," said long-time friend Krystal Zacher who set up a Facebook memorial site for Paul.

She said the murdered man was like an uncle to her two kids, Breanna, eight, and six-year-old Andrew.

"They are devastated by this."

Paul himself was married with kids, and had adopted children from a previous relationship, she said.

"He loved life and his family. That's what mattered."

Robert Kenneth Hogan, 38, has been charged with second-degree murder.

Police said Hogan and Paul were associates, and investigators do not believe the murder is tied to drugs, gangs or organized crime.

Paul recently told CTV News he was the prime suspect in the murder of Angela Crossman, a 39-year-old Abbotsford woman whose body was found June 11 near a popular campsite outside of Agassiz.

Crossman was living at the same Hillcrest Avenue home as Paul before she was killed.

Paul denied he had anything to do with her death.

Zacher rejects the idea Paul could be involved in Crossman's murder.

"He would never do something like that... God no! He cared about everybody."

Investigators with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) have not confirmed that Paul was a suspect, nor have they linked Paul's death to Crossman's murder.

IHIT spokesman Cpl. Dale Carr said it would be inappropriate to identify any suspect in the Crossman case as it was still an active investigation.

"We're not going to talk about suspects if we have any. It's not something we do," he said.

"The only real link at this time is that [Paul] rented space to [Crossman] prior to her death."

Carr would not speak to what might have sparked the dispute leading to Paul's death.

"I don't know if Mr. Hogan has offered his explanation to investigators," said Carr, adding no ties between Hogan and Crossman have been established at this time.

Hogan was arrested at the house in the 3800 block of the Inter-Provincial Highway immediately after Paul's murder, and two other occupants of the home were detained as witnesses.

Abbotsford Police said they had attended the residence at least a dozen times for various reasons, but not for high-level criminal activity.

A neighbour said he didn't hear or see anything Tuesday night until he saw police officers around 10 p.m.

Three people – two men and a woman – were renting the rural property, he said.

He spoke to one of the residents named "Rob," who did work as a mechanic, that same evening around 8 p.m. and everything seemed fine.

Hogan remains in custody until his next court appearance July 24.

Investigators are asking anyone with information on Paul's death to call the IHIT Tip Line at 1-877-551-IHIT or make an anonymous please call to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

-with files from CTV

rbaker@abbynews.com