HAMPTON, Va. — A Virginia man was arrested in Florida on Thursday on arson and murder charges in connection with the death of the brother of Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah earlier this week.
According to Orange County Sheriff’s Office online booking records and The Associated Press, Donald Ivan Scott Jr., 33, of Hampton, was arrested in Orlando and faces one count of murder and one count of arson in the death of Joshua Emmanuel Owusu-Koramoah, 23. The body of the younger Owusu-Koramoah was found inside a Hampton home on Tuesday, WTKR-TV reported.
Several news outlets in Virginia, including the Daily Press of Newport News, WAVY-TV and WTKR, are reporting the accused man’s name as Ronald Ivan Scott.
Scott was booked into the Orange County Jail in Florida and faces additional charges in Florida of attempting to elude a police officer, a moving traffic violation and driving with a suspended license, online records show.
Scott is awaiting extradition back to Virginia, WTKR reported. The relationship between Scott and Joshua Owusu-Koramoah, if any, is unknown, police said.
Joshua Emmanuel Owusu-Koramoah, who played linebacker at William & Mary and is the older brother of Cleveland Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, was found dead inside a burned house in Hampton, Virginia. Police are investigating it as a possible homicide. https://t.co/05cdYM2kYQ
— AP NFL (@AP_NFL) April 7, 2022
After learning of his brother’s death, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah returned to the U.S. from Africa, where he was hosting a youth football camp, according to the AP.
Joshua Owusu-Koramoah, who played linebacker at the College of William & Mary, was found dead inside a burned house on Tuesday, Hampton Police Division spokesperson Sgt. Reggie Williams told the Daily Press. A dog also died in the fire, Williams told the newspaper.
Drew Barker, a former high school teammate of Joshua Owusu-Koramoah, told the AP that the 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.”
“Joshua was an outstanding young man from a tremendous family,” William & Mary coach Mike London said in a statement. “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.”
In a statement, the Hampton Police Division extended its gratitude to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance in Scott’s arrest.
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