RHOSLC star Mary Cosby's son passed away at 23, raising a lot of questions. What was the cause of his sudden death? Read on to know.
Renowned American television personality, Mary Cosby’s son, Robert Cosby Jr. passed away at the mere age of 23. The news of his passing has left his family shattered and traumatised. As per multiple reports, a week before his death, Robert and his wife, Alexiana Smokoff finalised their divorce. As the news of Robert’s passing made its way to the headlines, people are curious how the 23-year-old passed suddenly.
Salt Lake City police officials recently spoke about Robert’s death and described the situation as a "full arrest/medical emergency." The exact cause of Robert’s death is still not revealed but as per the officials, it might be a case of d**g overdose as Robert had been dealing with d**g problems for some time.
Robert Cosby Jr. was often labelled as the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City (RHOSLC) star, Mary Cosby's troubled son. He had many run-ins with police officials related to his overdose. He was arrested in March 2022 related to substance abuse. He again faced an arrest in September 2025 on charges of assault, criminal trespassing and violating court orders after an incident at his father-in-law’s home. He was jailed in November 2025, for violating a protective order and assaulting a peace officer. After spending two months in jail, Robert was released in early 2026.
Soon after Robert’s demise, by his mother, Mary Cosby took to her Instagram handle and penned a heartfelt note sharing the tragic news of her son's passing. In her note, Mary shared that her son, Robert Cosby Jr., was called by God. She also though it is difficult to fathom Robert’s loss, the family have found comfort in the fact that he is now at peace. The note could be read as:
"Our beloved son Robert Jr. has been called home to the Lord. Though our hearts ache, we take comfort in God’s promise and in knowing he is finally at peace."
It was in August 2022, when Robert Jr. married his then-girlfriend, Alexiana Arian Smokoff. According to a report by TMZ, they tied the knot in a Utah courthouse. However, Robert kept the news of his marriage a secret from his parents for nearly a year. Expressing her doubts in the season 4 premiere of RHOSLC, Mary said that her son has a girlfriend, but everyone keeps telling her that it is his wife.
It was a year later when Robert Jr. confessed that he was married to marry Alexania. During a confessional, Mary revealed:
“They both live in my house, but I don’t see them much. We kind of have our own wings. One day, they were getting dressed, and he was rushing to go do something. And he was dressed up nice, and she was dressed up nice. But they were running — like, full-blown running with all their might. But I didn’t know they were running to go get married.”
May Robert Cosby’s soul rest in peace.
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