JACKSONVILLE, Florida — A former basketball standout at a college in New England has been arrested on a charge of murder in connection with the death of his mother, who was found dead Monday in a backyard in Florida, authorities said.
Eric Christopher Cobb, 28, of Jacksonville, Florida, is facing a second-degree murder charge in the shooting death of 51-year-old Erika Winford, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Officers responding to a report of a person found unresponsive and wrapped in a blanket and towels at a home on 15th Street West in Jacksonville around 8:30 a.m. discovered Winford’s body and pronounced her dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
Cobb, a member of the 2018-2019 basketball team at the University of Connecticut, was at the home and detained by officers for questioning. He was ultimately arrested and charged in his mother’s death.
The UConn Blog reported in 2018 that Cobb was suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. Cobb, who stands 6-foot-9, also played basketball at the University of South Carolina, the sheriff’s office noted.
Cobb is currently being held in custody at the Duval County Jail.
An investigation is ongoing.
𝐉𝐒𝐎 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 Your #JSO Homicide Unit swiftly arrested 28-year-old Eric...
Posted by Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, February 11, 2025
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
