A San Diego County community is honoring the life of a local pastor who was shot and killed in his own home earlier this month. 

Pastor Felipe Ascencio is being remembered as a godly father-figure, mentor, and friend by members of Templo Monte Horeb in Ramona, California. 

"He really found a bunch of value in me when nobody really did," Jesus Flores told KGTV. Flores grew up in the Templo Monte Horeb church. 

Other church members shared how they too were impacted by the sudden death of Ascencio. 

"For a moment it was just something we couldn't believe," said Miguel Hernandez, a longtime churchgoer. "Even on Wednesday, we had church, and we were still thinking that he was going to walk in and say hello to everyone."

According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to calls about a shooting and found an individual with a gunshot wound. 

"Deputies requested paramedics, and they arrived soon after. Unfortunately, the individual succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene," the Sheriff's Office reported.

The Sheriff's Homicide detectives are continuing an investigation into the incident after law enforcement officials were able to identify 22-year-old Joel Martin Dukes III as the suspect. 

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"At this stage of the investigation, the motivation and circumstances of the crime are still under investigation," the office noted. 

"The San Diego Sheriff's Office extends our sympathies to the Ascencio family and all those affected by this tragic event," their statement continues. "Based on information gathered so far, this appears to be an isolated incident and there is no danger to the community."

The Ramona community is honoring the pastor's life, pointing to his impact beyond the four walls of the church. 

Francisco Tomas told KGTV that Ascencio was a close friend and once opened his home to him during a rough season. "For me, he was not just a pastor. He was a father, he was an uncle, he was a friend, he was a mentor," he said.

"He left an example that we should all follow—to love one another," Tomas added. "He was a good friend, a good husband, a loving father—the best pastor anybody can have."

A GoFundMe campaign has been started to raise funds to support Ascencio's wife, Abigail, and their two children. 

"She has suffered the heartbreaking loss of her beloved husband, Felipe — a devoted father of two and pastor of Mount Horeb Church here in Ramona. We are humbly asking for your support to help cover costs related to the crime, as this sudden loss has placed a great burden on the family. Any contribution, no matter the size, will mean so much and bring comfort during this painful time," reads the campaign. 

So far, the GoFundMe page has raised close to its $28,000 goal.