Louis Alves used music to express his passion for life.

The 33 year old played the piano, and went to every party with his own compact discs, including Metallica, Jimi Hendrix, Megadeth and The Doors.

He also loved to sing karaoke, The Providence Journal reported.

His favorite song to sing was "You May Be Right," by Billy Joel.

Alves also was passionate for his family. The house he bought in Lincoln seven years ago is less than a half mile from the house where he grew up, and where his parents still live.

When Alves was still in high school, he got a job playing Santa Claus at a local mall to earn extra money to buy gifts for his family, but he didn't tell them until years later.

Alves was a senior designer for Poly-Flex Circuits in Cranston, and helped develop medical products, including a device used to detect carpal-tunnel syndrome and a sensor that measures brain activity during surgery.