Orem » Police arrested an Orem man Sunday in the shooting death of his brother-in-law.

Marvin Sidwell, 51, was killed in the basement of his Orem home about 12:30 p.m., said Orem police Sgt. Craig Martinez. Steve Strate, 54, was arrested on suspicion of murder.

The two men had a dispute before the shooting, but officers would not say whether or not the fight was physical.

"We don't know what sparked it," Martinez said. Strate immediately called 911 and told police he had shot Sidwell, Martinez said. Strate met officers on the lawn of the home, near 400 South and 300 West.

Sidwell lived there with his mother off and on, Martinez said. She was upstairs when the shooting took place and did not see it, Martinez said. Officers recovered the handgun on the porch of the home.

Sidwell's friend, Roger Peterson, said the two men sometimes worked together as welders. They had been friends for more than 30 years, Peterson said, and often went camping, fishing and horseback riding together.

"Marvin was a pretty mellow guy," Peterson said.

As a welder, Sidwell was "top-notch," Peterson said. Sidwell was once called to rescue Peterson during a job high on a ladder. Peterson had frozen in acrophobia after the wind blew his protective hood off his head.

"He came up and talked me down, one step at a time," Peterson said. "Then he went up and did the welding."

Sidwell also worked as a welder and rigger for his brother-in-law at Steve Strate Crane Service, Peterson said.

"I know that sometimes they had heated arguments" over work issues, Peterson said.

But, Peterson added, Strate was "generous" to his wife's brother, paying Sidwell well for his work and sometimes buying a carton of cigarettes for him at the end of the shift.

Strate's neighbor, Chris Mausser, echoed Peterson's description of Strate.

"He is always looking out for ways to help the neighbors," Mausser said. Strate bought breakfast each weekend for an elderly widow who lives next door, took neighbors out to dinner for their birthdays and helped Mausser with gardening and home improvements, she said.

Mausser said she was shocked by the allegations.

"It breaks my heart," she said.