GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- A day after Troy Martinez died from a gunshot wound, friends are remembering him as having a wonderful personality and enormous heart.

Thursday night, they held a candlelight vigil for the teenager who just started his sophomore year at Central High School in Grand Junction.

The tears were flowing, the mood was somber as friends of Martinez stood in disbelief. They're left wondering how their friend could be here one day, but gone the very next.

It was a vigil organized by his friends at Central High School. Their relationship as students kept them together, but outside of school is what kept them close.

While they don't know what exactly happened yesterday afternoon, they do know one thing. They'll never forget the boy they knew; they'll always remember Troy.

"I came to represent my cousin, because I grew up with him and he meant a lot to me," Stefanie Timmins, a cousin of Martinez, said. "And now, I just want to show him my love."

The vigil started with a moment of silence. That was followed by family members and close friends sharing their memories with the hundreds of people that showed up.

While everyone celebrated Martinez's life, they're obviously taking his death very hard. Probably one of the hardest things is the lack of answers right now.

Troy is gone, but why?

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office is continuing the investigation. They know people close to Martinez want to know what happened, but they've got to cover every aspect of the case first.

Sheriff Stan Hilkey did offer his condolences, saying, "We offer our sympathy to the family of Troy and to his fellow students at Central High School. This is a great tragedy on many levels for our community."

It's certainly a terrible event and a loss that will sting for quite a while. A son, brother, friend, and 'homie,' as friends call him, is gone.

"I love you so much Troy," Timmins said, trying to hold back tears.

Troy Martinez is dead at the age of 16.