His speech captured the attention and moved the entire audience at the funeral of James S. Khoury in Florida.
“I called him Grampy.
By blood, he was my grandfather.
As a person, he was my father.
He helped me rise.
He made me the person I am today,” declared Joshua Nareau on the microphone, paying a more than supportive tribute to this 71-year-old American, shot dead on December 28 in South Gulf Cove, a community located near 'Englewood (Florida).
The victim's relatives, like all those who attended the funeral eulogy for this beloved deacon, discovered with astonishment that the grandson of James Salomon Khoury, whose "objective in life was to be as good as this man”, is now the number 1 suspect in this crime.
This improbable twist occurred Thursday February 15 with the arrest of Joshua Nareau, 23 years old.
Those close to the septuagenarian killed three days after Christmas had difficulty accepting the news: James' own grandson would be involved in his violent death.
A real shock, especially as the investigation seemed set to last, with no witnesses having witnessed the events, which were also filmed by any video surveillance system.
After seven weeks of investigations gradually directed discreetly towards Joshua Nareau, who had become a “person of interest” as the Americans say, the investigators felt they had enough evidence to arrest him.
A projectile in a tree
On the day of the crime, police called early in the morning by Lynda Khoury, who had just discovered her husband fatally shot in the chest in the driveway in front of their residence, found the couple's grandson sitting on the lawn near the House.
Joshua said he was in bed at the time of the shooting, at his home a few hundred yards away, and had rushed to his grandparents' house after Lynda's frightened phone call.
After checking, the call was indeed made by his grandmother, but investigators later discovered that Joshua's cell phone data contradicted his alibi.
The dropout with his personal Wi-Fi and a geolocation near his grandfather's garage did not fit with his alibi.
Furthermore, a projectile found in a fir tree would correspond, after expertise, to a rifle owned by the young man.
The latter is now accused of 2nd degree murder, that is to say without premeditation.
Nothing has leaked about his possible motive.
Moreover, the young man who had described his grandfather with tremors in his voice as a “father figure” pleaded not guilty in writing.
He was held without bail at the Charlotte County Jail.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.
The potential elucidation of the murder of James Salomon Khoury, whom his wife had kissed moments before the fatal shooting, was commented on by the county sheriff, torn between affliction and relief.
“This further increases the grief to deal with for the victim's family, but it will bring peace to our community again,” said Bill Prummel, calling for prayers for the Khoury family who is going through an “unthinkable situation.”