BALTIMORE — Baltimore County Police continue to search for the killer of an 81-year-old man who was found dead in his Powhatan Farms home a week ago.

Police said in a news release Tuesday that Jaward Hannah was found unresponsive at his longtime home in the 3400 block of Kelox Road, in the western part of the county, on Nov. 10. The community is located off Route 26, inside the Baltimore Beltway and just west of Powder Mill Park.

Aaron Barnett, the community association president, called Hannah “a pillar in the community.”

Another neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said he was “real upset” to learn of Hannah’s killing.

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“I cried like a baby because he was a real good friend of mine, and I’m going to miss him,” the neighbor and longtime friend told WJZ reporter Mike Hellgren.

The neighbor said he was heartbroken over the death of a man he considered to be “like a brother.”

“I’m going to miss Jay. The rest of my life, I’m going to miss Jay,” he said. “Jay was a real nice person. I loved Jay. I’m getting kind of upset now, so I’m going to go on and let it be. Ain’t nothing you can do about it but just try to find out who done this.”

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He said Hannah once worked at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

Hannah loved his old Pontiac, which was still parked outside his home recently, with custom plates bearing his last name. The neighbor remembers seeing him working on a project for his carport.

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The neighbor said he spoke to him the day he was killed. “I said, ‘How are you doing man?’ He said, ‘I’m doing all right,’ because he was building that so he could park his car underneath of there — not knowing that was his last project that he would ever do in his life.”

A source told WJZ the victim was found face down with trauma to the head in his carport and had been robbed.

Police would only confirm he “suffered trauma to the upper body” and “was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

Family members at the home declined to comment Thursday.

Many in the tightknit community said they are hopeful police can find the killer.

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“He was a very kind gentleman and very helpful, a hard worker,” one woman said. Her husband chimed in, adding, “We’re very shocked because this doesn’t happen in this community.”

Anyone who has information about the crime should contact Baltimore County homicide detectives at 410-307-2020. Anonymous tipsters can call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

WJZ is a media partner of The Baltimore Banner.