Hoyt Bud Cobb

Murderer

2known / alleged victims

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Case Facts

Gender: male
Country: USA
Location: Georgia/Florida, USA
Date of birth: 1931
Age at first offence: 34
Characteristics: alcoholic, drug addict, robbery
Victim profile: A Georgia holdup victim / Frances Johnson, 58
Method of murder: B ludgeoned to death
Date(s) of murder: 196? / 1965
Years active: 1965
Date of arrest: June 6, 1966
Status: Released
Sentenced to concurrent life terms in prison in Georgia and Florida; paroled in 1989

Case Summary

Case record: Hoyt Bud Cobb

Hoyt Bud Cobb was an alcoholic and narcotics addict. He financed his expensive habits through robbery and eventually turned to murder.

The offence

Cobb was convicted in the fatal beating of a Georgia holdup victim. Later, an indictment for first-degree murder was returned against Hoyt Cobb.

On July 20, 1965, 58-year-old Frances Johnson, a door-to-door cosmetic saleswoman, vanished from her home in Tampa, Florida. Her decomposing body was discovered on September 26, beneath a quilt, on a deserted path northeast of Tampa.

Investigation

After Cobb’s disappearance, a federal warrant was routinely issued charging him with unlawful flight to avoid confinement.

One day after Frances Johnson vanished, Joe Cross, a gas station attendant in Dade County, noticed blood dripping from the trunk of a customer’s car. Cross made note of the license number, which matched that of Frances Johnson’s missing vehicle. Upon recovery, the car yielded fingerprints, and Joe Cross identified Cobb’s mug shot as a likeness of the nervous driver.

Arrest

Cobb was serving life when he escaped from the state prison, at Jessup, in April 1965.

His name was added to the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list on January 6, 1966. Five months later, to the day, a tip led federal officers to the address in Hialeah. At that location, their man—described as “Robert Jones”—had been residing. Cobb was taken into custody without resistance and returned to Tampa for his murder trial.

Trial

Cobb was returned to Tampa for his murder trial following his custody in Hialeah.

Sentencing

Cobb was sentenced to concurrent life terms in prison in Georgia and Florida. He was paroled in 1989.

Timeline

April 1965 — Cobb escaped from state prison at Jessup while serving life.
July 20, 1965 — 58-year-old Frances Johnson vanished from her home in Tampa, Florida.
September 26 — Frances Johnson’s decomposing body was discovered beneath a quilt on a deserted path northeast of Tampa.
January 6, 1966 — Cobb’s name was added to the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list.
Five months later, to the day — Federal officers, acting on a tip, located Cobb in Hialeah and took him into custody without resistance.
1989 — Cobb was paroled.

Other details

Michael Newton described Cobb’s type and motive as follows: “SEX: M RACE: W TYPE: N MOTIVE: CE-felony MO: Bludgeoned two victims in robberies . DISPOSITION: Concurrent life terms in Ga. and Fla. (paroled 1989)”.

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