Authorities find body believed to be Dr. J's son

The car of Cory Erving, with a body inside, is found submerged in a pond in suburban Orlando. He had been missing since Memorial Day weekend.

©Associated Press

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 7, 2000

SANFORD -- Cory Erving's car was pulled out of a pond Thursday and a body found inside appears to be that of the troubled 19-year-old son of basketball great Julius Erving.

An autopsy will be performed today to make a positive identification, but Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger said the clothing and other details of the body fit the missing teen.

No foul play was suspected, Eslinger said, and investigators believe the car has been in the pond since Erving disappeared Memorial Day weekend.

"The body does fit the description of Cory Erving, including clothing," he said. "The family has been notified. They're devastated."

The car was found 20 yards from the shoreline in an 8-foot-deep retention pond at the end of a dirt path near the Erving family home in Heathrow, near Orlando.

The car's windows were up and the interior was filled with water. The driver's side seat belt was not fastened, Eslinger said.

Erving disappeared May 28 on what was supposed to be a 20-minute shopping trip to buy bread for a family cookout.

His father went public June 13, asking for help in finding his son, who had a history of drug and alcohol abuse as well as run-ins with the law. Julius Erving said one of Cory's friends claimed Cory had been using marijuana and "roofies" -- a slang term for the illegal sedative Rohypnol -- the night before he disappeared.

A $50,000 reward was offered for his safe return. But despite more than three weeks of national media exposure, there was no sign of Cory or his black 1999 Volkswagen Passat until Thursday.

Cory had been working at a sandwich shop and taking courses geared toward getting a high school equivalency diploma. Despite past troubles with drugs and alcohol, and a learning disability, Cory's family believed he had turned his life around.

Cory was last seen at a mall in Lake Mary. Authorities said he has little money, and they considered him "endangered."

Erving, at news conferences pleading for help, said Cory was born with a learning disability that he described as a mild form of dyslexia and attention deficit disorder.

Erving, a Hall of Famer and former NBA MVP, revolutionized basketball with his high-flying slam dunks and was one of the sport's biggest stars. Dr. J's 16-year career, most of it with the Philadelphia 76ers, ended in 1987. He is the executive vice president of the Orlando Magic.

"Our prayers are with Julius and the family at this time," Magic spokesman Joel Glass said. 'He's a member of our family and we're all grieving at the news."

Last year, Erving acknowledged he is the father of tennis player Alexandra Stevenson. Her mother, sports writer Samantha Stevenson, raised her as a single parent. Last summer, Alexandra Stevenson became only the second qualifier to reach the semifinals at Wimbledon.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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