"Carl Johnson is a person worth showing up for," his son, John Johnson, said.
John remembered his father as a family man who loved to fish.
"Those are the things I'm going to miss most is just seeing him on a day-to-day basis," John said.
Carl was at Stewart Coleman's northwest Fresno home to pick up fishing gear from Coleman's late father, who was also Carl's fishing buddy.
Investigators believe the two began arguing in the backyard on Saturday morning. Police say Coleman shot Carl as he tried to leave.
"He's not a drug dealer," Carl's son said. "He's not someone who should be involved in an act of violence like this."
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Prosecutors charged Coleman with murder. On Tuesday, Carl's family packed the courtroom.
"I honestly didn't look at him once," John said. "He did not demand my attention."
Their blue shirts filled the courtroom gallery in what the Johnson family says was a message.
"I hope it sent a message," John said. "I hope it sent the message that Carl Johnson is not a bad man."
Coleman did not enter a plea. He is waiting for an attorney to represent him.
The Johnson family is now left to cope as the court process continues.
"I'm not strong enough to deal with this, so I go to my sister, and I go to my mom, I go to my brothers, I go to my cousins," John said. "All we have is each other right now because we lost the leader of my family."
John said he and his family members will return. They vow to attend all the future court dates, including next Thursday, when Coleman could enter a plea.
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