Repeat offender convicted of rape, sex offense and other charges
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A New Hanover County jury has found Rodney Elroy Cobbs, 64, of Wilmington guilty of several charges.
Cobbs was convicted on charges of second degree rape, second degree sexual offense, and interfering with witnesses in New Hanover Criminal Superior Court.
On July 30, 2021, the 60 year old victim was leaving her close friend’s and neighbor’s house when Cobbs, who was a friend of the friend, offered to drop her off across the apartment complex. Cobbs then asked to use her restroom. While in her apartment, Cobbs sexually assaulted her. After he raped her, she was able to lock herself in her bathroom and Cobbs left the apartment. The victim called for emergency services.
The victim was treated at the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Emergency Department by a sexual assault nurse examiner who observed an injury consistent with sexual assault and took evidence swabs from her body. Detectives were able to identify the offender by his street name “Candyman.”
Wilmington Police Department Detective Barksdale compiled a photographic lineup and the victim identified Cobbs as the man who sexually assaulted her.
The sexual assault evidence collection kit was submitted to the North Carolina State Crime Lab Forensic Biology section for analysis and a match was made to Cobbs.
While in the custody of the New Hanover County Jail, Cobbs attempted to hire a hitman to ensure the victim and another witness would not be present to testify against him. Cobbs approached an inmate who later contacted the lead investigator to warn her of this plan.
Cobbs was charged with second degree rape in February of 1979 but those charges were later dismissed. Cobbs was convicted of felony breaking and entering, assault with a deadly weapon, and assault on a female in the early 1980’s. Cobbs was convicted of attempted second degree rape in November of 1985. The North Carolina Sexual Offender and Public Protection Registry was not enacted until 1996 and Cobbs was not subject to this law.
Cobbs was convicted of second degree kidnapping and common law robbery in New Hanover County in June of 1987. Cobbs posed as a potential homebuyer and attacked the real estate agent assigned to show him a house. He was released from prison ten years later.
Cobbs was ultimately ordered to register as a sexual offender for exposing himself to a minor child in Wake County, NC in 2011. He was still registered as a sexual offender at the time of the current offenses. Connie Jordan, the Assistant District Attorney assigned to handle the trial, said, “I fear for any
woman who finds herself in this man’s path. After a long career as a criminal and sexual predator, he will likely spend the rest of his natural life in prison.”
Superior Court Judge R. Kent Harrell sentenced Cobbs to the highest sentence allowed under North Carolina law, a minimum of 26.4 years and a maximum of 42 years in prison. If Cobbs survives to his release, he will be required to register as a recidivist sexual offender for the remainder of his natural lifetime.
