Former college basketball player Eric Cobb has been charged with the murder of his mother, Erika Winford.
Cobb spent a senior year at St. Francis Academy in Baltimore, averaging 13.0 points and 9.0 rebounds and ranked as the 21st power forward in the country and a four-star prospect by ESPN.com.
Highlights
- Eric Cobb was arrested for shooting at an occupied car with a BB gun in 2016.
- Cobb has been charged with the second-degree murder of his mother, Erika Winford.
- According to some of the relatives, Eric Cobb had schizophrenia.
In the 2015-16 season, he played 24 games as a true freshman at South Carolina, averaging 1.1 points and 1.9 rebounds and having an overall field goal percentage of .565.
During his sophomore season at Chipola College in 2016-17, he appeared in 29 games, starting 15. He averaged 10.9 points and 8.2 rebounds and had a .526 overall field-goal percentage.
As a junior in 2017-18, he scored 26 points and grabbed 40 rebounds in 15 points. He had five points and five rebounds against No. 18 Arizona in Tucson and six and four rebounds against Syracuse in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden.
As a junior college transfer at UConn, he played in 15 games, five of which were starts, and averaged 1.7 points and 2.7 rebounds.
He transformed his body during the spring and summer of 2018, dropping about 25 pounds and shedding body fat to have an impactful senior season.
Eric Cobb Shot His Mother And Left Her Body Wrapped In A Blanket
Eric Christopher Cobb, 28, was born on June 10, 1996, in Jacksonville, Fla., to his parents, Terrance Cobb and Erika Winford, 51.
Recently, Eric’s mother, Erika, who had pleaded for her son’s release from jail just months was found dead on Monday, February 10, 2025.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Eric Cobb on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, charging him with the murder of his mother, Erika.
According to the police, the incident happened on Sunday night in the Durkeeville area of Jacksonville.
Earlier, Eric was arrested for shooting at an occupied car with a BB gun in 2016, leading to his dismissal from the University of South Carolina.
Erika wrote a letter in May 2024 in which she pleaded with a judge for her son’s release.
She described her son as a victim of circumstance rather than a criminal, stating that his life had been derailed by forces beyond his control.
The situation took a turn on Sunday when police say Eric Cobb shot his mother multiple times and left her body wrapped in a blanket in their backyard.
Neighbors told police they heard 6 or 7 gunshots between 7 and 8 p.m. Sunday, but no one called 911, police said.
The friend who had spent most of Sunday with Winford said he called her Monday between 7 and 7:30 a.m., but after getting no answer, he drove to the house, knocked on the front door, then went to the back and knocked on Winford’s bedroom window.
He saw a large amount of blood on the rear doorstep and a pile of blankets in the driveway that extended into the backyard, police reported.
Eric’s arrest report revealed chilling details. Just days before the murder, Winford had confided in friends that she was afraid of her son, saying he was possessed and that they couldn’t afford his medication.
One of the relatives of Eric told police that he had schizophrenia.
With no bond set, former Husky forward Eric Cobb will appear in court on March 5, 2025.
Eric’s father, Terrance, recently contacted the media and provided details about family struggles. He said,
“We did everything we could to get my son help, however with him being an adult, there was nothing we could do,” “He has to agree to treatment. We also went through 13 months of court battles with the charge he received in October of 2023.”
Terrance Cobb
He told Eric had been staying with him after he was granted bond in June but said he left around Christmas to stay with his mother following a fight. He added,
“Erika paid the ultimate sacrifice for the love of her child, by giving her life,” “I am so so sorry she lost her life. I am doing the best I can with the unfortunate conditions.”
Terrance Cobb
Additional Information
- Eric Cobb grew up with his older sister, Makeda, and a younger brother, Terrick.
- Cobb stands 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 249 lbs.
- He was named to the Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll in the Spring of 2018.
