Local News

MIAMI (CBS4) ― Students at the University of Connecticut are observing a day of silence to remember murdered football star Jasper Howard. The former Miami Edison High School cornerback was stabbed to death on UConn's campus early Sunday morning after a campus party.

The Black Student Association asked everyone on campus to wear dark clothing Tuesday to show the university is united in remembering the fallen star. A candlelight vigil is also scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Student Union mall.

The victim's family says it is confident the killer will be brought to justice. Stepfather Henry Williams spoke to reporters Tuesday. He also expressed gratitude for outpouring of love and support the family has received from the Connecticut community.

Police are expected to arrest a Connecticut man in connection with the crime, his lawyer told The Associated Press on Monday night. Police continued to investigate what happened during a fight outside a school-sponsored dance over the weekend.

The man's attorney Deron Freeman declined to identify him, but says the man and several others got into a fight "with about six" UConn football players early Sunday.

Freeman said his client did not stab Jasper Howard, but was present when Howard was mortally wounded. Freeman said police searched his client's home in Bloomfield, Conn. and removed some items. Freeman said police told him that his client and others will be arrested.

Jasper Howard was the first in his family to go to college and he often talked about his dream of making it in professional football so he could help support his family. Now, all Howard's mother is left with are memories of her son; from his glory days on Miami Edison's field in 2005 to last Saturday's game where the University of Connecticut cornerback made a memorable play to help his team beat Louisville.

"All he wanted to do was just make a career of his life and help me. That's all he used to tell me. They took that away from me," said Howard's mother Joangila. She remembers he called her after the Lousville game. "He said 'Mom, I'm going to party' and I said, 'Okay, please be careful'. That was the last time I talked, to my baby."

This was Howard's third year at UConn on a four-year scholarship. Howard enrolled in UConn as a way to escape the violence on the streets of Miami. Friends say he had hoped to take his mother and grandmother out of the low-income neighborhood he grew up in.

Howard's teammates are also heart-broken; two of them were with him when he was stabbed. Wide receiver Kashif Moore told the Hartford Courant that he was the one holding Howard in his arms as he was bleeding to death.

"It was right here, man," Moore said. "I held him in my arms as long as I could. I didn't want to let him go. They wouldn't let me go in the ambulance with him. It was right here. I can't believe he's gone.

The violence came less than 12 hours after UConn's 38-25 homecoming victory over Louisville.

Punter Desi Cullen, UConn's team captain, said they plan to honor Howard at UConn's next home game in two weeks. Students have been asked to wear his number – 6 – on their shirts.

"The team will also wear a sticker with Howard's initials on its helmets for the rest of the season and will carry Howard's helmet or jersey to away games," Edsall said.

Officials do not believe the stabbing was premeditated, nor do they think anyone else is in danger. The state's medical examiner's office said Howard died from a single stab wound to the abdomen; his death was ruled a homicide.

Howard had a career-high 11 tackles Saturday and made perhaps the game's biggest play, forcing a fumble as Louisville was driving with UConn up 21-13 in the third quarter.

"He played a great football game against us," Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe said Monday. "I had a lot of respect for him coming into the game and even more coming out of the game."

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

CBS4.com Top Videos

• Burned Teen's Family Staying Positive
• Teen Murder Suspect Seeks Jail Release
• Police Investigate Murder At Park
• Oprah's Out In 2011
• Spence-Jones To Run For Seat Again