Parents’ tribute to dead son as Florida police release CCTV

Police in Florida hope the pictures will give them new information about how the two Britons died.

The pictures have been released as the parents of James Cooper paid tribute to their son, describing him as “gentle, kind compassionate and clever”.

The 11 CCTV stills, which were taken in Smokin’ Joes bar and cover a time period from 12.13am to 1.23am, clearly show James Cooper and James Kouzaris talking to two women for at least 37 minutes.

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Police stressed the revellers were not suspects, but said they wanted to contact them to “learn more details about the victims’ activities”, and see if they may have been in contact with other people before they were murdered on Saturday April 16 in Sarasota.

Mr Kouzaris, wearing a grey crew-neck T-shirt, and Mr Cooper, dressed in a black V-neck T-shirt, stand directly in front of a camera in the bar in conversation with the two women.

The four are together in the footage from 12.13am and appear to go out of shot together at 12.50am.

Heaven has another angel, but this world is a colder and poorer place without you in it. James Cooper’s parents

The next still is from 1.02am and their place has been taken by two other women.

The two Britons reappear at 1.21am towards the middle of the bar, with their backs to the camera and talking to a blonde woman.

In the final still two minutes later, they are still talking to her.

Ninety minutes later they were lying dead in a rundown street 20 blocks away.

Family tribute

James Cooper’s parents Stanley and Sandra, from Hampton Lucy, near Warwick, had been on holiday with the two young men, staying in an upmarket area of Sarasota.

In a statement released through Warwickshire Police, the couple said: “As his parents, our lives have been shattered, but through us and his friends and family he will live on.

“God bless you, son, heaven has another angel, but this world is a colder and poorer place without you in it.”

Mr and Mrs Cooper spoke of their pride in their only son, who worked as a tennis coach in Warwickshire and once played Andy Murray in a junior tournament.

They added: “We loved our son and he loved us so strongly.

“We are blessed and so very proud to have him as our boy.

“A day never passed without telling each other ‘I love you’.

“He was gentle, kind, compassionate, clever and an athlete; but beyond all his achievements he was full of love.

“Always the man to keep his friends from childhood to university to work, together.

“His laugh, his voice, his humour filled every space. In his short life he lived it to the full and helped everyone lucky enough to know him to do the same.”