Former Springfield couple found dead in North Dakota
Steven Spearie Staff Writer @stevenspearie
Apr 2, 2019 at 12:17 PM Apr 3, 2019 at 11:26 AM
Briann Miller of Girard described Bill Cobb and his wife, Lois, as "true soulmates."
The former Springfield couple had moved into their new home three weeks ago just outside Bismarck, North Dakota, loved gardening and were building a chicken coop to house their new guests on their farm, she said.
"They were two amazing people," Miller said of her stepfather and mother. "So helpful, so kind to everybody. I always told them how much I envied their relationship.
"They loved their kids and their grandkids. We were their world. They were always looking out for us."
The Cobbs, who had lived in North Dakota for about seven years, were found dead Monday morning inside RJR Maintenance and Management in Mandan, a city of 22,000 residents just across the Missouri River west of Bismarck, where both of them were employed.
Also found dead were Robert Fakler, 52, who owned the business, and another employee, Robert Fuehrer, 42.
As of Tuesday evening, police had not identified a suspect or a motive or how the four victims died. No weapons have been recovered.
Police said the killings were specific to the people who died there and that the public was not in danger.
Amy Nicole Cobb of Springfield said the couple loved to bake and cook together.
"My dad," Cobb said, "made the best gooey butter cake. And (my stepmom) made the best fried okra, and I don't even like fried okra."
Bill Cobb, 50, was remembered around Springfield for his Elvis Presley impersonation and competed years ago in the Midwest Tribute to the King Competition in Springfield.
He proposed to Lois, 45, while they were visiting Graceland, Presley's mansion in Memphis.
The couple's wedding song, Miller said, was Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love."
"All we listened to as children in the car, it didn't matter if it was a two-hour-ride or 15 hours, was Elvis," Amy Cobb said, fighting through tears. "... He always had on Elvis Radio on XM Radio.
"And every Sunday they listened to Elvis gospel (music) and would cook us breakfast."
"Their dog's name was Presley," Miller added. "(Bill Cobb) was such a nerd for Elvis."
Cobb said the couple wanted "a new start" in North Dakota, where Bill Cobb's father lived, but has since died.
The couple moved from Springfield to South Carolina briefly, where Lois Cobb had family roots, before landing in North Dakota.
"They always talked," Miller said, "like North Dakota was the best thing that ever happened to them. They always wanted us to follow them."
The couple has two other children, Tyler Cobb and Todd Miller, both of whom live in Springfield. Both formerly lived in North Dakota.
Cobb said her father was always a handy man.
"He looked for as many maintenance jobs as he could," she said. "He started at RJR when he first moved out there. He started off as a basic maintenance guy and worked his way up to maintenance manager."
According to RJR's website, the family-owned company handled commercial and residential properties in the area for more than 20 years. Its services include collecting rent for landlords, paying mortgages, re-renting apartments, building and grounds maintenance, lawn care, and snow removal. It also rents out storage units.
Miller said her mother worked as an account specialist for the business.
"She was good at her job," she said.
Cobb said the waiting for more information is difficult.
"It's pretty much unbearable at this point," Cobb said. "All you want to do is be there."
"The minute I found something was wrong and I could not reach either of our parents, I wanted to get in my car and just drive," Miller said. "But it's a 14 1/2-hour drive."
Authorities have been in touch with Miller and Cobb, though they were offering few details so far.
"It's just a waiting game now," Miller said. "The (Mandan police) have been in touch with us. They're doing their absolute best. They're working hard to get to the bottom of this, so we can all have closure.
"They were good people who didn't deserve this," Miller said.
"None of them deserved this," Cobb added.
Both visited their parents in North Dakota a couple of times. They felt like the couple never left them behind.
"No matter what phone call they received from me in my craziness, they knew how to calm me down," Miller said.
"Or when I would text my dad at three in the morning and ask if I could move. It was an easy escape," Cobb said.
"All they talked about," Miller said, "was all the animals they were going to have, so the grandkids could play with them."
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up at www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-amp-paid-leave-expenses. Donations are also being taken at Harry's Adult Day Care Bar, 320 W. Highland Ave.
Contact Steven Spearie: 788-1524, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/stevenspearie. The Associated Press contributed to this report.