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Williamson inmate who died was star athlete

BY JOHN D. HOMAN, THE SOUTHERN

Tuesday, December 30, 2008 10:53 PM CST

MARION - The Williamson County Jail inmate who was pronounced dead Dec. 23 at Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion after being transported to the hospital by ambulance is believed to have died from a medical condition, authorities said Tuesday.

Phillip C. Okoro, 23, of Murphysboro was a former standout athlete in soccer and basketball at Carbondale Community High School. After graduating, he attended classes at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, where he played soccer.

Williamson County Coroner Mike "Junior" Burke said Tuesday that an autopsy was performed last week but he doesn't expect to get results of the test for a few weeks.

Sheriff Tom Cundiff said Okoro had been incarcerated at the county jail since October on a felony charge of criminal damage to property. He said Okoro had also been combative with officers and was in an isolation cell Dec. 23 when he was spotted on video on the floor.

"We got to Mr. Okoro in just a matter of minutes," Cundiff said. "We're very sorry for the family's loss."

Cundiff, who confirmed Okoro did suffer from multiple medical conditions, said the last inmate death in Williamson County was in 1999 when John Martin hanged himself.

Carbondale High School soccer coach Greg Kline said Okoro was a diabetic.

"But he never used that as an excuse on the field," Kline said. "Phillip was a person everybody liked. He was one of the nicest, most pleasant kids to be around I ever coached."

Kline described Okoro as "a quiet leader" and said he was a hero in the regional championship win over Marion in 2002.

Even though he hadn't played soccer since junior high, the senior scored two second-half goals from 25 yards out or more to rally the Terriers to a win over the Wildcats.

"I was shocked to get the phone call that Phillip had died," Kline said.

Another former coach, Mike Butler of Carbondale High School, was out of town Tuesday and stunned to learn of Okoro's death.

"He had a tough life," Butler said. "He was a foster kid who bounced around from home to home. It really saddens me horribly that he passed away."

Butler coached Okoro in basketball.

"He made the big shot with no time left on the clock to beat Belleville Althoff and give us the conference championship," Butler said. "Justin Dentmon missed the shot. Belleville rebounded and Phillip ripped the ball out of the kid's hands and, in one quick motion, shot the ball back up and swished it at the buzzer.

"I'll never forget the look in his eyes after that happened. That turned out to be one of the highlights of his life. And Phillip was so introverted. Sports were his way of communicating with those around him."

Jackson Funeral Home in Carbondale is in charge of arrangements.

john.homan@thesouthern.com

351-5805