Ahylea Willard, 32, of Asheboro, North Carolina, was a vibrant soul who you could count on to cheer you up.

“She was the life of the house, the life of the party,” mom Mary McMasters told local media.

Willard went to Charlotte to have dinner on October 23, 2022. Her mother said that something told her to call her daughter at that particular time.

“I was headed home from work - I work in Raleigh - and she just dropped in my spirit and I said, ‘Let me call Leah and see what she’s up to.’ When she answered the phone, I said, ‘Hey baby girl, what you doing?’ She said, ‘I’m out eating.’ And I said, ‘Well, I don’t want to bother you but I just want to tell you I love you and please be safe out there,’ and that was the last time I heard from her,” McMasters was quoted as saying.

"I said I'm not gonna hold you long. I just wanted to tell you I love you and please be safe," her mother told WFMY-TV.

Willard was fatally shot on Sunday, October 23, 2022, at a Charlotte apartment complex on Snow Lane, according to Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police.

According to her obituary, Willard was a very accomplished woman with so much to give.

“Lea was also a self- made ‘serial entrepreneur’,” her obit reads. “She became a licensed hairstylist and esthetician. Fulfilling her academic goals, she had a BIG vision and later produced her business brand “Leas’ Luxuries” that consisted of hair, nails, eyelashes, and fashion apparel. Lea, as we affectionately called her, impacted so many with her infectious love for others. She never met a stranger. Ahylea was loved by so many people.”

Law enforcement arrested Tyquawon Parker, 27, on outstanding warrants for murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to jail records.

Investigators said the motive appears to be armed robbery. Willard's Mercedes-Benz was stolen in the process, according to law enforcement.

The investigation into Willard's slaying continues, police say. Any person with information about this shooting or any other incident is asked to call Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Witnesses may also call 704-432-TIPS to speak directly with CMPD homicide detectives.