Surveillance footage reviewed by GhanaWeb on November 6, 2026, shows two men removing a large black duffel bag holding the body of 24-year-old Ghanaian Joseph Owusu from the boot of a white saloon car in New York, days after his remains were found at a Bronx dump site.
The video, recorded overnight and first aired by ABC7, captures the two individuals dragging the bag onto the pavement before driving away. The next day, another man was filmed placing the same bag on a metal stretcher and wheeling it off. A scrap metal searcher later discovered Owusu's body at the site, according to GhanaWeb's reporting.
What the CCTV footage shows
The two men visible in the footage have not been identified. New York police have not classified the case as a homicide, and the medical examiner has yet to determine the cause of death.
ABC7 New York reported that the surveillance video showed two people unloading the large black duffel bag from the trunk of a white sedan, dragging it to the sidewalk and driving off.
Family demands answers
Owusu's brother, Kojo Yeboah, has called for justice and said the family cannot come to terms with the loss.
“I need justice for Joseph. I want 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. I cried till my nose was bleeding because I couldn't eat,” Yeboah said.
After watching the footage several times, Yeboah said he recognised neither of the men.
“No, I don't recognize anybody. I wish, but these people are just people I've never seen before. I watched it plenty of times,” he said.
Who was Joseph Owusu?
Owusu was a devoted church member who served as organist at his family's church in the Bronx. He worked as a direct support worker in the homes of people with disabilities and was studying computer science. His brother remembered him as a gifted pianist who practised for hours.
“He was loved by everyone. He would play the piano like hours and hours and just like make sure that he didn't make a mistake,” Yeboah said.
The family had spoken to Owusu early the previous week and had no reason to worry. They were preparing to attend a vigil for 15-year-old Ghanaian Javits Frimpong, also killed in the Bronx, when NYPD officers arrived at their home with the news.
A second tragedy for Ghanaian families in New York
Owusu's death comes weeks after the killing of Javits Frimpong, another young Ghanaian whose death shook the community. Two families from the same diaspora in New York now face grief within weeks of each other.
According to YEN News, the Ghana Embassy in the United States has confirmed Owusu's death, with reports indicating his body was discovered on November 3, 2026, and that he had been missing for roughly two weeks.
The New York Daily News reported that Owusu was a church-going Ghanaian musician whose body was dumped by two people outside a church on Avenue L near East 94th Street in Canarsie around 2 a.m. on October 30, citing the surveillance footage.
What happens next in the case?
The NYPD investigation continues. The medical examiner's findings on the cause of death are pending, and police have not said whether any arrests are expected. For now, the Ghanaian community in New York waits, and a family in mourning leans on a brother's resolve.
“I'm just trying to stay strong for my mom because my mom is going through it. I'm going through it,” Yeboah said.
FAQ
Who was Joseph Owusu?
Joseph Owusu was a 24-year-old Ghanaian living in New York. He worked as a direct support worker for people with disabilities, studied computer science, and played the organ at his church in the Bronx.
Where was Joseph Owusu's body found?
His body was found in a black duffel bag at a dump site in the Bronx, New York, after two men were captured on CCTV removing the bag from a car boot.
Have police classified the death as a homicide?
No. The NYPD has not classified the case as a homicide, and the medical examiner has not yet determined the cause of death.