| Revision as of 23:15, 22 March 2024 editParkwells (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Rollbackers178,672 edits →Career: Correct title of IFBB← Previous edit | Revision as of 23:24, 22 March 2024 edit undoParkwells (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Rollbackers178,672 edits →Murder of Melissa James: Add content and citesNext edit → | ||
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| ==Murder of Melissa James== | ==Murder of Melissa James== | ||
| On December 14, the gagged and bound body of Melissa James was found in a burning car in the Nevada desert. A trucker had reported the car to authorities, who put out the fire before all evidence was destroyed. | |||
| After tracing the car to ], both she and her husband Titus were interviewed by police. Melissa James was their live-in personal assistant. The police released the couple, pending more investigation. They fled across country to Massachusetts. Titus had admitted to detectives of having had an affair with James, but said he and his wife had ended their working relationship because of suspecting her of theft. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | After a nine-day investigation, the couple and their alleged accomplice, Anthony Gross, were apprehended near Boston. They were promptly extradited to ] and arrested for the murder of James, arson and kidnapping.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.criticalbench.com/craig-titus-murder-charge.htm |first=Frank |last=Curreri |title=Craig Titus Murder Charge |publisher=Criticalbench.com |date= |access-date=October 8, 2013 }}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | In February 2006 |
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| ⚫ | In February 2006, Titus and Ryan were denied bail. On March 29, both pleaded not guilty to a felony charge for killing Melissa James. The charge carried the possibility of the ]. | ||
| Days before their murder trial was set to begin in Las Vegas in 2008, both Titus and Ryan pleaded guilty on May 30, 2008 to various charges related to James's death as part of a deal to evade capital charges. | Days before their murder trial was set to begin in Las Vegas in 2008, both Titus and Ryan pleaded guilty on May 30, 2008 to various charges related to James's death as part of a deal to evade capital charges. | ||
Revision as of 23:24, 22 March 2024
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Craig Michael Titus (born January 14, 1965, in Wyandotte, Michigan) is an American convicted murderer and former professional bodybuilder. He was convicted in Las Vegas, Nevada of the murder of Melissa James, his personal assistant, in December 2005.
Early life
Titus was born in 1965 in Wyandotte, Michigan and lived most of his early life in Riverview, near Detroit. He is of Greek descent. He has a younger brother, Kevin, and a younger sister, Nicole. Titus went to public schools. He played high school football but quit because he felt he was too small, at 5'6". He also wrestled in high school.
Career
When Titus graduated from high school, he was 5'6" and 140 lbs. By the age of 21, he was 5'8" and 185 lbs. He began to see good results from weight training and decided to become a bodybuilder.
His first bodybuilding competition was the 1988 Houston Bodybuilding Championships. He won the Men's Open middleweight class and the overall title. Over the next several years of placing among top finishers in competitions, he established himself by 1996 and was accepted into the professional ranks of the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation. He continued to compete into the 2000s, often placing among the top ten in his class. (See list below.)
Criminal convictions
Titus had difficulties with controlled substances. In April 1995 in Louisiana, Titus pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute ecstasy. He was sentenced to 16 months' house arrest via monitoring with an electronic anklet. In July 1997, Titus was sentenced to 21 months in prison for violating his probation by using anabolic steroids.
Murder of Melissa James
On December 14, the gagged and bound body of Melissa James was found in a burning car in the Nevada desert. A trucker had reported the car to authorities, who put out the fire before all evidence was destroyed.
After tracing the car to Kelly Ryan, both she and her husband Titus were interviewed by police. Melissa James was their live-in personal assistant. The police released the couple, pending more investigation. They fled across country to Massachusetts. Titus had admitted to detectives of having had an affair with James, but said he and his wife had ended their working relationship because of suspecting her of theft.
After a nine-day investigation, the couple and their alleged accomplice, Anthony Gross, were apprehended near Boston. They were promptly extradited to Las Vegas, Nevada and arrested for the murder of James, arson and kidnapping.
In February 2006, Titus and Ryan were denied bail. On March 29, both pleaded not guilty to a felony charge for killing Melissa James. The charge carried the possibility of the death penalty.
Days before their murder trial was set to begin in Las Vegas in 2008, both Titus and Ryan pleaded guilty on May 30, 2008 to various charges related to James's death as part of a deal to evade capital charges.
On August 22, 2008, Titus was convicted of second-degree murder, kidnapping, and arson. He was sentenced to 21 to 55 years in prison. He is incarcerated at Lovelock Correctional Center, a state prison in Nevada.
Ryan was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 3–13 years in prison.
Anthony Gross, also charged as an accomplice in the crime, pleaded guilty in February 2009. He received a sentence of probation.
Representation in other media
The murder of Melissa James is featured in Season 4, Episode 1 of the TV series, ‘’Deadly Sins’’.
Competitions and titles
- 2005 IFBB Iron Man Pro—6th
- 2004 IFBB GNC Show Of Strength—6th
- 2004 IFBB Florida Xtreme Pro Challenge—7th
- 2004 IFBB Grand Prix Australia—6th
- 2004 IFBB Arnold Classic And Internationals—6th
- 2004 IFBB Iron Man Pro—5th
- 2003 IFBB Night Of Champions—3rd
- 2002 IFBB GNC Show Of Strength—7th
- 2002 Mr. Olympia—11th
- 2002 Night of Champions XIV—5th
- 2002 Southwest Pro—7th
- 2001 British Grand Prix—9th
- 2001 Mr. Olympia—12th
- 2001 Arnold Classic—6th
- 2001 San Francisco Grand Prix—2nd
- 2001 Ironman Pro Invitational—5th
- 2000 Toronto Pro—5th
- 2000 Arnold Classic—10th
- 2000 Night of Champions—11th
- 2000 Ironman Pro Invitational—8th
- 1996 NPC USA Championships—1st Heavyweight and Overall (earning pro card in the IFBB)
- 1995 NPC USA Championships—2nd Heavyweight
- 1994 NPC National Championships—2nd Heavyweight
- 1994 NPC USA Championships—2nd Heavyweight
- 1993 NPC USA Championships—4th Heavyweight
- 1991 NPC Ironman/Ironmaiden—Overall
- 1990 NPC Tournament of Champions—3rd Heavyweight
- 1990 NPC Western Cup—Overall
- 1989 NPC Houston Bodybuilding Championships—Overall
- 1988 NPC Houston Bodybuilding Championships—1st Middleweight and Overall
Representation in other media
See also
References
- "Bodybuilding.com - Craig Titus Pro Bodybuilding Profile". Bodybuilders.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2006. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
- ^ "Offender Detail Record". Nevada Offender Tracking Information System. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
- Daniels, Lisa; Curreri, Frank (28 December 2005). "Bodybuilders accused of murder". NBC News.com. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- Curreri, Frank. "Craig Titus Murder Charge". Criticalbench.com. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
- "Pro Bodybuilders Sentenced in Aides". News.aol.com.
- "Pro Bodybuilders Sentenced in Aide's 2005 Death in Vegas". Las Vegas, Nevada: 8 News NOW. August 22, 2008. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
- "Bodybuilder, wife get prison in slaying". Las Vegas Review-Journal. August 23, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
- "Bodybuilders Plead Guilty In Gruesome Slay". CBS News. May 31, 2008.
Bibliography
- Fire in the Desert: The True Story of the Craig Titus-Kelly Ryan Murder Mystery by Glenn Puit (Stephens Press, February 2007) ISBN 978-1-932173-74-1
- Swift Injustice: The Craig Titus Story by Tracy Mitchell-Milam (TMM Publishing, published July 17, 2015) ISBN 978-0-578-16457-1
External links
- Bodybuilder Craig Titus Tribute
- Contest history, Muscle Memory, competition history
- Indictment, Grand jury indictment of Craig Titus, Kelly Ryan, and Anthony Gross,
- 1965 births
- Living people
- American people convicted of arson
- American male bodybuilders
- American sportspeople convicted of crimes
- American people convicted of kidnapping
- American people convicted of murder
- American people of French descent
- American people of Greek descent
- American people convicted of drug offenses
- People convicted of murder by Nevada
- People from Detroit
- People from Wyandotte, Michigan
- Professional bodybuilders
- Sportspeople convicted of murder