Slain Red Bulls coach to be honored at game

WEST HARRISON, N.Y. -- While detectives scour Mexico City for the suspected killer of New York Red Bulls youth team coach Michael Jones, the team is preparing a tribute to him later this month.

The team announced Tuesday it would ask fans at its Oct. 20 game to join in a minute-long celebration of Jones' life just prior to kickoff as a photo-montage of his five-year coaching career plays on screens throughout Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.

For the game, against Sporting Kansas City, all Red Bull players will wear black armbands and Jones' number, 6, on their shorts.

Armonk United, the youth soccer team Jones had most recently been coaching, also has created the Mike Jones Memorial Fund in his honor.

Jones was stabbed to death in New York City before dawn on Oct. 7. The 25-year-old Briton lived with two friends in West Harrison and coached several youth soccer teams in the region. Hundreds of friends, players and fellow coaches filled the First Baptist Church in White Plains for a memorial service last week.

Meantime, New York Police Department detectives have named Orlando Orea, 31, as a suspect in the slaying. He is believed to have flown from New York to Mexico City on Oct. 9. Police immediately began working with Mexican authorities as well as Interpol and federal agencies from this country to track him down. A team of detectives and officers from New York flew south to join the chase.

As of Tuesday afternoon, police had made no arrests in the case.

Rauch writes for the (Westchester, N.Y.) Courier Journal.