A ‘relentless obsession’: Family of man accused of domestic murder tried to keep woman safe

A Calgary man accused of gunning down his ex-girlfriend had a “relentless obsession” with her, according to his family members, who suspect him of planting a GPS tracking device on the young woman’s car. 

Devon Malik, 26, made his first appearance on a charge of first-degree murder Wednesday, four days after he is accused of fatally shooting Madisson Cobb, 23, in a parking garage along Macleod Trail, near her workplace.

On Wednesday, four members of Malik’s family — two aunts and two cousins — attended his first court appearance to support Cobb and to shed light on what happened in the weeks leading up to her death.

“One hundred per cent we are here to support Madisson. We’re here to provide justice for Madisson. We loved her,” said one of Malik’s aunts.

“She was so kind and all she wanted was for Devon to get help and maybe he thought that was hope.”

Court documents show Malik’s aunts and uncles had tried, for months, to protect Cobb and to work with Malik in getting him to leave her alone. 

The aunts say Malik has a complicated relationship with his mother and that his father isn’t in the picture. 

Devon Bradley Malik, 26, is charged with murder in the death of his ex-girlfriend Madisson Cobb. (Facebook/Devon Malik)

At the time of the killing, Malik was bound by three judicial orders to stay away from Cobb after she reported to both police and the courts that her ex was harassing her “non-stop.”

One of the aunts spoke in the lobby of the courthouse after Malik’s brief appearance. Out of safety and employment concerns, CBC News will call her Melanie.

Exhibits filed as part of Madisson Cobb’s restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, Devon Malik show Malik’s messages, in white. (Court exhibit )

Melanie says she became close with Cobb over the last seven months after the younger woman asked her for help following her breakup with Malik. 

At first, court records show Malik was incessantly calling, texting and leaving voice mails for Cobb, swinging between declarations of love and insults and veiled threats. 

‘I’m worried he might hurt you’

In early February, according to Cobb’s affidavit in support of the restraining order, Malik pretended to be in the hospital in an effort to get her to visit him. 

Then in March, he did end up in hospital, after stabbing himself in the stomach.

The court documents show, at that point, Malik’s aunts urged Cobb to get a restraining order.

“Devon is being discharged as I type this text,” wrote one of the aunts.

“He’s just going home. Refused psych. I’m worried he might hurt you or your mom because he’s super angry.”

A screen grab of a text message from one of Malik’s aunts to Madisson Cobb warns Cobb and urges her to get an EPO (emergency protection order) also known as a restraining order. (Court exhibit )

On May 30, four months after they broke up, Malik was served with the restraining order. Melanie says that happened in her living room.

“It’s done. You go your separate ways,” Melanie said she told her nephew. 

But later that evening, she said, a GPS tracker was discovered under Cobb’s vehicle. 

“That’s when we knew how serious this was, he was not going to give up,” she said.

This photo is a screen grab of a text message conversation between Madisson Cobb and the aunt of her ex-boyfriend. At the time, Cobb was concerned after finding what she believed to be a GPS tracking device on her car. The RCMP was working to analyze the device at the time of her death. (Submitted by family )

RCMP confirm that on May 30, Cobb reported that she’d found what she believed to be a GPS tracker on her car. The Mounties were working to analyze the device at the time of her death. 

After the homicide, RCMP handed the device over to the Calgary Police Service.

On June 1, Malik was charged criminally with harassment and stalking. His release conditions included a judge’s order to have no contact with Cobb and to stay away from her. 

‘All she wanted was to move on’

In a handwritten affidavit filed at the Calgary Courts Centre, Cobb detailed “non-stop” contact from Malik. She told a judge she lived “in fear every day from him.” 

The restraining order was supposed to be in place until June 2026.

“This needs to be a call to action.The system needs to change. Domestic violence isn’t taken as seriously as it should,” said Melanie. 

“This was a 23-year-old thriving young lady, all she wanted was to move on with her life.” 

‘Infectious passion for life’

Cobb, who lived in Okotoks, worked for Lasik MD after graduating from SAIT with a diploma to work as an ophthalmic assistant. 

Her obituary described her as having “an infectious passion for life.”

A favourite pastime was cheering on her dad and brother — a hockey player and a hockey coach — at the rink. “These moments became cherished memories she held close,” reads Cobb’s obituary. 

On Wednesday, the Okotoks Oilers Jr. A Hockey Club and its Minor Hockey Association issued a joint statement. 

“It is with profound sadness that [we] mourn the tragic loss of Madisson Cobb,” reads the statement.

“We extend our deepest condolences to her family — Brad, Jackie and Hunter — as they navigate this unimaginable loss … today, we stand with [Brad] and his family, not just as hockey organizations but as a united community, grieving alongside and offering our unwavering support to a family facing an unthinkable tragedy.”