Arizona celebrity chef, motivational speaker and entrepreneur Anthony Milan Ross was convicted of killing his estranged wife and two children on Christmas Day in 2017.

What is Anthony Ross being charged with?

On Monday, a Maricopa County jury found Ross guilty on all three counts of first-degree murder in the murder of his estranged ex-wife, Iris, and their two children, 11-year-old Nigel and 10-month-old Anora, AZ Family reported.

Ross was also found guilty on three counts of aggravated assault stemming from the murder and 17 counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, according to the outlet.

Ross reportedly shot at officers who fired back during an hours-long standoff with the Phoenix Police Department before storming his apartment, per AZ Family.

How did Ross allegedly carry out the murders on Christmas Day?

People reported that the murders happened a day after Ross had shared a video on Instagram of himself and his son wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and singing “Santa is Coming to Town.”

“I’m smiling and hanging out with Nigel on Christmas Eve and we are about to embarrass ourselves,” Ross said, laughing.

“We are going to sing,” he added in the clip, before the pair started to sing.

The following day, 38-year-old Iris Ross was found dead on the front patio of her ex-husband’s Phoenix apartment after being shot, per People. Witnesses reported to police that Ross shot Iris as she tried to flee and then fired two to three additional shots after returning to his apartment.

Authorities later discovered the bodies of their children in separate rooms inside the home.

‘His five minutes of daytime TV fame was up’

Ross’s murder trial began in September with opening statements about the now-53-year-old’s celebrity status as a vegan cook, his wealthy lifestyle and his mental state, according to AZ Central.

Maricopa County prosecutor Richard Dusterhoft portrayed Ross as vain and obsessed with his celebrity, financially dependent on Iris to maintain his lifestyle. When she later filed for divorce in 2017, everything began to fall apart for him, the prosecutor said.

“His five minutes of daytime TV fame was up. The money, the success — all a facade. And so was the perfect family,” Dusterhoft said during his opening statement, per AZ Central.

He also stated that Ross had premeditated the murders and planned how to get away with it.

“He thought about it before he did it. He meant to do it, and then he did it. Why?” Dusterhoft said.

Dusterhoft continued, citing internet searches Ross made for guns, silencers, acids and news stories about family killings on Christmas Day, along with statements hinting at a “big” event.

Ross’s defense attorney argued against the premeditation claim

Meanwhile, defense attorney Carrie Gallagher countered by arguing that the prosecution must prove premeditation for first-degree murder, according to AZ Central. She described Ross’s behavior in 2017 as erratic due to worsening mental health and insomnia.

Gallagher suggested that Ross’s internet searches reflected obsessive thoughts rather than concrete plans. Ross had made plans for the future by adopting a dog, committing to hanging with friends, proposing to his girlfriend three days before Christmas and writing himself a check for his business on Christmas Eve, AZ Central reported.

She highlighted his depression and intoxication on the day of the killings, portraying Ross’s actions as impulsive rather than premeditated.

“Did Milan actually think about what he was doing before he did it?” Gallagher asked the jury.

Ross is commonly referred to as Milan in court. The trial is expected to continue until June 2026, and if convicted, the jury will also determine whether he should face the death penalty.

The post Black Celebrity Chef Convicted Of Killing Wife And Children On Christmas Day 2017 appeared first on Blavity.



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