A Nevada teenager was fatally shot by his father on Thursday after repeatedly clashing with him about his sexual orientation. 14-year-old Giovanni Melton of Henderson, NV was killed by 53-year-old Wendell Melton in an apartment where the boy reportedly lived alone.

“He hated the fact that his son was gay,” the boy’s former foster mom Sonja Jones told 3 News Las Vegas. “I’m sure that inside of his mind, he would rather have a dead son than a gay son.”

She said it wasn’t the first time the father revealed he had an issue with his son’s sexuality.

“I’m hearing his dad had caught him with his boyfriend before and pulled out a gun on him,” Jones continued.

“Giovanni was abused physically and mentally and spiritually for many, many years,” she said.

Giovanni, who attended Coronado High School, was loved by friends for his radiant spirit. His killing occurred just one day before an Iowa man was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old gender fluid Kedarie Johnson.