By Ava Benny-Morrison
A day after celebrating Christmas Day with his family, Jye McWatters was found sprawled on the grass with a gunshot wound to his head.
Now police are trying to find the person responsible for gunning down the 19-year-old in the front yard of his home in the NSW Illawarra region.
Jye McWatters was shot dead outside his home in NSW's Illawarra region on Boxing Day.Credit: Jye McWatters/Facebook
Mr McWatters was last seen in the early hours of Boxing Day after marking Christmas Day with his family.
It is believed a relative found him about 1pm on Saturday outside his Kippax Street home in Warilla.
Mr McWatters' close friends have since spoken with police in an attempt to piece together his final hours.
Fairfax Media understands Mr McWatters had been involved in a dispute with a teenage boy before his death.
The situation escalated to a point where police earlier this month applied for an apprehended personal violence order (AVO) to protect Mr McWatters and his grandmother from the teenager, who can't be identified due to his age.
The AVO application was scheduled to be heard in Port Kembla Children's Court next month but an interim order was put in place on December 7.
The teen, from the Illawarra area, was ordered not to assault, threaten or harass Mr McWatters and not go within 100 metres of his home.
However police aren't treating the dispute as a strong line of inquiry at this stage.
The Homicide Squad and local police have established Strike Force Briony to investigate the teen's death.
Tributes for the former Lake Illawarra High School student have been made on social media, including words from his brother, Dwayne McWatters.
"You were my best mate, my worst headache but most of all were the biggest piece of my heart," he wrote.
"My brother will always be with me."
Jay Lidbury wrote: "My brother my heart and soul I'll never forget you neither will any of us. We love you..."
Tina Bosch said she was still waking up every morning wishing it was a terrible nightmare.
"Blessed with many beautiful and funny memories of you with my kids," she wrote on his tribute page.
"You have a big heart of gold n touch so many ppls (sic) lives. I count my blessings and its a privilege to call (you) my friend."
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.