The funeral for New York Red Bulls youth coach Michael Jones was held yesterday.

Liverpudlian Jones had been a Red Bulls youth coach for the past five years, until the West Harrison, N.Y., resident was brutally stabbed to death early Sunday morning on West 14th Street in Manhattan.

Jones was a popular member of staff and the First Baptist Church was filled to capacity by those that came to honor him.

Local police have a suspect shown in a surveillance video - Orlando Orea was seen arguing with Jones before the attack - but he flew to Mexico City earlier this week. Detectives are reportedly still searching for Orea in Mexico.

Red Bulls' director of training programs Dave Jervis said Jones' shocked family had stayed in Liverpool, though father Perry taped a message before the ceremony.

"His father did call before the memorial and left a voice message that we did play in the room at the end,'' Jervis told the New York Post. "Right now we're working with the family and the right people to get Michael back to the UK so that the family can host a funeral back in the UK…We believe it's happening right now. As we speak the process is underway.

"They're obviously in a deep amount of shock, and at the same time they realize such an impact he made in the U.S. They're still going through the grieving process…(His father) just shared what the family is going through, but more importantly just recognizing what a great life he'd set up here in the U.S., and just thanking all his associated family here in the U.S. for what they've done today.''