Ennis William Cosby, the only son of comedian Bill Cosby, was murdered on January 16, 1997, in Los Angeles, California. He was 27 when he was shot in the head by 18-year-old Mikhail Markhasev during a failed robbery while changing a flat tire near Interstate 405. A friend, Stephanie Crane, had been called for assistance and was present; her testimony and a composite sketch based on her description were central to the investigation.

An acquaintance of Markhasev provided information after a $100,000 reward by the National Enquirer, leading to an arrest in March 1997. Authorities recovered a .38-caliber firearm wrapped in a knit cap similar to the one described by Stephanie. Markhasev was tried and convicted of first-degree murder and attempted robbery on July 7, 1998, and sentenced to life without parole plus 10 years; he later admitted to the killing and asked that appeals be halted.