The family of a 24-year-old Bronx man whose body was found in Canarsie last week is seeking answers. His relatives and Ghanaian officials identified him as the person found inside a duffel bag left on a Brooklyn sidewalk.
Joseph Owusu was identified by his family and Ghanaian officials after his body was discovered Friday morning in Canarsie by someone searching for scrap metal. Overnight surveillance footage showed two people removing a large black duffel bag containing his body from the trunk of a white sedan. They dragged the bag to the sidewalk, then drove away.
His brother, Kojo Yeboah, said the family is struggling with the loss.
“I need justice for Joseph. I want the truth to come out, the truth to come out because my brother didn’t deserve to die the way he did. He’s only 24. He had a lot of living to do,” Yeboah said.
Yeboah said he did not recognize the people in the surveillance video.
“No, I don’t recognize anybody. I wish, but those people just people I’ve never seen before,” he said.
Yeboah said he has watched the video again and again, hoping to spot a clue.
“I watch it plenty of times. I’ll just let it play just to see for anybody, and I’ll try to send it to the friends to see if they know anything,” he said.
The family said Owusu was a gifted musician who played the organ at their Bronx church.
“He loved the church. He loved things of God,” Yeboah said. “From the church, from his friends, he was loved by everyone, everyone.”
He said his brother was deeply committed to music.
“He would play for hours and hours and just, like, make sure that he doesn’t make a mistake,” Yeboah said.
His family said Owusu worked providing direct support to people with disabilities while studying computer science.
His relatives are still struggling to understand the circumstances surrounding his death.
“It’s like you just know he’s not going to come through the door, sit down at the piano, and spend time with us,” Yeboah said. “I don’t know how anything could fill the void. Our family is feeling that emptiness right now. I’m just trying to stay strong for my mom because she’s going through so much.”
As the investigation continues, Owusu’s family says they are focused on seeking justice and finding out what happened to their loved one.