HAMPTON, Va. - A Hampton man was arrested in Orlando, Florida, on arson and murder charges after the brother of Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was found dead in a Hampton home earlier this week.
Joshua Emmanuel Owusu-Koramoah, 23, was discovered inside a residence in the 400 block of Lake Tower Drive early Tuesday morning. Police said there was also evidence of a fire inside the home.
Ronald Ivan Scott, 33, remains in custody at the Orange County Jail awaiting extradition back to Virginia in connection with Joshua Owusu-Koramoah's death.
Friends are speaking out to remember Joshua Owusu.
They tell News 3 this is a big loss for the 757. Hampton Police continue to investigate Owusu's death, but the suspect involved has been arrested and charged with one count of murder and arson.
Cameron Bacote, a longtime friend of Owusu, said Owusu's death is a hard pill to swallow.
"I was in shock. I really couldn't believe it because, I mean, he's just a positive guy - always trying to do good things and help others," Cameron said.
Bacote and Owusu went to high school together, but their bond and friendship started over there love for basketball.
"[He was] somebody that myself and a lot of others that played on our team... we really did look up to him because he just had a lot of knowledge and wisdom. He was always sharing those things with others," Bacote said.
Their last conversation was an uplifting message.
News 3 caught up with the minister at the church Owusu attended. He considered the victim not only a good person, but a member of the family.
"He was like a son to us and a brother to my daughters," said minister Erin Otis.
A graduate of William and Mary who also played football, Owusu spent a lot of his time at Williamsburg Christian Church, where he was involved in many activities. And as Otis told us, Owusu was a mentor to many.
"I didn't know how close my own daughter felt with him and considered him her mentor and is the whole reason she has a relationship with God," said Otis.
And with emotions still lingering, everyone who knew Owusu hopes no one else has to suffer losing someone they love through gun violence.
"I just want my community to be better," said Bacote.
"If we can take a little bit of Josh on, we would all be better people," said Otis.
Drew Barker, a former high school teammate of Joshua’s, told the Associated Press that the Owusu-Koaramoah brothers, who were raised by a single mother and played sports together, were incredibly close.
“When we were kids, if you ever saw Josh, you would turn your head 360 and you would see Jeremiah somewhere — they were always together,” Barker said. “They were never not sticking together. They always played every sport together. (With) basketball, they were like a dynamic duo on the court. And then you had them on the football field: One on one side and one on the other.”
Owusu, who played football at William and Mary from 2016-18, was remembered by his coach.
“Joshua was an outstanding young man from a tremendous family,” William & Mary’s Mike London said. “He was a person of deep faith who was committed to helping others – and was always a positive force in his time around our football program. His tragic loss will be felt by many throughout both the William & Mary and Hampton communities.”
The Hampton Police Division said in a statement that it extends its gratitude to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance in this arrest.
