Father of Shooting Victim: My Son Was 'Kind-Hearted and Trusting'

The father of Sunday's shooting victim in Swansea said Tuesday that his son, Mitchell Stevenson of Tiverton, was "kind-hearted and trusting."

"He would have helped anybody out," said Michael Stevenson. "If you were alongside the road broken down he would have been the type of kid that would have stopped and said ‘whats the matter.’ He would have tried to help you. He would have taken you to get gas. He would have done whatever. That was my son, Mitchell. He had a good heart in that way, and that’s it."

Mitchell Stevenson, 37, was allegedly shot and killed by 43-year-old Swansea resident Christian Wilson in an apparent murder-suicide at Wilson's residence at Stephen French Road.

According to the Bristol County District Attorney's office, the incident resulted from a dispute over money.

Michael Stevenson said Wilson owed his son money for work done on a 1966 Chevy Impala convertible. He said he helped provide the car parts for the car his son was working on.

Stevenson said Wilson and his son had a business agreement, but they weren't friends with one another.

"Mitchell had a little bit of a problem with issues with trust," Stevenson said.  "And, here comes Chris Wilson, another friendly, smiling guy. He got involved with him on a business deal to work on this car."

Michael Stevenson said his son loved fixing cars and he is survived by a wife and a daughter and will be remembered for his kind spirit.

"My son, Mitchell, was a very kind-hearted, generous boy," he said. "There’s no doubt about that...People would say this doesn’t work, or this is broke or my car is broke… next thing you know, he’ll be in there fixing it for you."