Mikhail Markhasev fatally shot Ennis Cosby during an attempted robbery when he pulled over to the side of a Los Angeles roadway to change a tire.
Ennis Cosby was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was in college. He committed to helping future students who have learning difficulties.
Despite future scandals, Bill Cosby was recognized as one of America’s funniest men by the 1990s. Ennis Cosby, the late comedian’s only child, was shot and killed while changing a tire in Los Angeles.
Ennis, who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show and provided endless material for his father’s quips, suffered a flat tire while on vacation in Los Angeles. Mikhail Markhasev, 18, had intended to rob him while he changed the tire but instead shot him.
The Cosby family blamed two things in the tragic aftermath of his death. While Markhasev was guilty of the fatal shot that killed Ennis, they claimed that the crime was motivated by anti-American hatred.
Ennis William Cosby, born on April 15, 1969, immediately drew his father’s attention. Bill and Camille Cosby already had two daughters, and Bill yearned for a male as their third child.
Bill was overjoyed to have a son and frequently exploited his interactions with Ennis in his comedic routines. When Bill Cosby co-created The Cosby Show, which aired from 1984 to 1992, he modeled his son, Ennis Cosby, after Theo Huxtable.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Bill portrayed Theo Huxtable as a failing student who overcame his learning disability by incorporating Ennis’ dyslexia into the curriculum.
That is exactly how Ennis Cosby’s life unfolded. After being diagnosed with dyslexia, Cosby began attending specialized programs. His academic achievement was superb, and he was admitted to Teachers College at Columbia University in New York City after graduating from Morehouse College in Atlanta.
The Los Angeles Times said Bill Cosby’s son intended to pursue a doctorate in special education with a concentration on reading challenges.
According to The Washington Post, Ennis Cosby remarked in an essay, “I believe in chances, so I never give up on individuals or children.”
“I believe that if more teachers are aware of dyslexia and learning disabilities in the classroom, fewer students like myself will fall between the cracks,” the child went on.
In addition to being beautiful and athletic, Cosby inherited his father’s sense of humor. Bill Cosby reportedly recalled promising Ennis his dream Corvette in exchange for better grades. “What do you think about a Volkswagen, Dad?” According to Bill, Ennis inquired.
Ennis Cosby’s life was brutally cut short at the age of 27.
Ennis Cosby visited Los Angeles in January 1997 to see pals. However, on January 16, at about one a.m., he developed a flat tire while driving his mother’s Mercedes SL convertible on Interstate 405 in the Bel Air district.
Stephanie Crane, Cosby’s girlfriend, offered to help. The woman who had parked in front of Cosby pleaded with him to call a tow truck, but Ennis refused, insisting on replacing the tire himself. While Crane was still in her car, a man approached the window.
His name was Mikhail Markhasev. Markhasev, an 18-year-old Ukrainian immigrant, and his friends hid at a nearby park lot when they observed Ennis and Crane’s cars. Markhasev is accused of approaching the cars while under the influence of drugs to rob them.
He started by walking over to Crane’s car. She drove away, concerned. He then confronted Ennis Cosby. Markhasev, on the other hand, shot him in the head for taking too long to give him his money.
The news shocked the Cosby family and the rest of the world. “He was my hero,” a sobbing Bill Cosby told television cameras. CNN was chastised at the time for displaying a video of Ennis Cosby’s body on the side of the road.
It took authorities some time and a vital lead, however, to discover Ennis Cosby’s killer. Markhasev’s old friend Christopher contacted the police after the National Enquirer paid $100,000 for information on Ennis Cosby’s murder.
Authorities caught the 18-year-old in March and discovered the pistol he had thrown away wrapped in a hat, along with DNA evidence linking it to Markhasev. In July 1998, he was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Despite the fact that the Cosby family did not respond to Markhasev’s sentence with a statement, Ennis Cosby’s sister Erika talked to reporters as the family exited the courtroom. When asked if she was relieved, she responded, “Yeah, finally,” according to The Washington Post.
Ennis Cosby’s death, on the other hand, would leave his family with more than one gaping wound in the years to come.
Ennis Cosby’s family struggled to come to terms with their loss after Mikhail Markhasev murdered him. Camille Ennis blamed her son’s death on racism in America in a touching opinion article published in USA Today in July 1998.
“I believe America inspired our son’s killer’s anti-black bigotry,” she stated. Markhasev’s hatred of black people did not develop in his own country of Ukraine, where the black population was virtually nonexistent.
Camille believes that, regardless of economic or academic achievements, all African-Americans in America have been and continue to be vulnerable owing to their skin tones. “Unfortunately, my family and I discovered this is a racial reality in America.”
Mikhail Markhasev’s failure to accept responsibility for Ennis Cosby’s murder added to the family’s agony. Until 2001, he denied firing the gun. In February of the same year, Markhasev eventually admitted his guilt and stated that he would no longer appeal his sentence.
He added, according to ABC, “Although my appeal is still in its early stages, I don’t want to go any farther because it is based on lies and deception. I regret my error and sincerely apologize.”
Above all, Markhasev claimed he wanted to apologize to the victim’s family. “It is my responsibility and the least I can do as a Christian in light of the enormous immorality for which I am responsible.”
Bill Cosby’s life has changed dramatically since Ennis Cosby’s death. Since the 1990s, when several women accused him of sexual abuse, his star has dipped. Bill was found guilty of aggravated indecent assault in 2018 and sentenced to prison until his conviction was overturned in 2021.
He appeared to be preoccupied with his kid Ennis Cosby the entire time. In 2017, as the comedian prepared to stand trial, he acknowledged all of his children in an Instagram post. “I love you, Ennis, Ensa, Erika, Erin, Camille, and Evin; keep fighting for Spirit,” he said.
