LeBron James Pleads for Help in Solving Murder of His Friend’s Sister

LeBron James is asking his hometown of Akron, Ohio for their help as police investigate the murder of his “brother’s sister” Ericka Weems.

Weems, 37, was the sister of Brandon, Cavaliers’ director of scouting and James’ longtime friend and St. Vincent-St. Mary teammate. Ericka’s body was found inside her Akron home by her sister Shermaine Weems-Reed on Monday afternoon. 

According to News 5 Cleveland, Ericka was supposed to watch the child of a family friend on Monday. When the mother of the child couldn’t get in touch with Weems, she called Weems-Reed, who visited her sister’s home with her husband. Weems was found dead in her upstairs bedroom. The Summit County Medical Examiner determined that she died from a gunshot wound to the head. Her case has been ruled a homicide. 

Weems’ father Darrell said he last saw her at his home on Saturday night. “She left me about 9 o’clock. I told her to call me when she got home, and she never called,” he said. “I called her all day Sunday. No answer.”

Ericka moved back to Akron over the summer to be closer to her family. She recently started running a daycare out of her home. “She had a passion and love for children,” Brandon said. “She could get kids to say and do things that even their parents couldn’t do.”