Vegan chef arrested on Christmas Day in Phoenix in killing of ex-wife and two children
Anthony Milan Ross faces three charges of first-degree murder for the Christmas day killings.
On Christmas morning, 45-year-old Anthony Milan Ross posted a video on Facebook of him and his son smiling, laughing and singing “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”
“Merry Christmas, everybody,” says the vegan chef, a minor celebrity in the health-food world. “Merry Christmas,” says 11-year-old Nigel.
Four hours later, police responded to reports of gunshots at Ross’ Phoenix apartment complex and found a much different scene. He was arrested after a long standoff and accused of killing his ex-wife and their two children.
When police arrived, 38-year-old Iris Lea Sutherland, who he divorced in September, was dead on the front patio of the complex.
Witnesses told officers that they saw Ross shoot her as she tried to run away, and that he proceeded to go through her pockets, according to court records. When the witnesses approached, he pointed a gun at them, they said.
Ross then ran to his apartment. Witnesses told police they heard two or three gunshots coming from the apartment and that they believed Ross’ two children were inside.
Police tried to negotiate with Ross for several hours, uncertain whether his children were still alive. At one point, officers sent a robot inside and saw that Anora, Ross’ 9-month-old daughter, was dead. When police tried to enter the apartment in search of Nigel, one officer was shot in the shoulder. Eventually they got in and found the boy dead.
At 10:15 p.m. Monday, Ross was taken into custody uninjured.
Ross told officers that he was going through his wife’s pockets because he wanted the key fob to her vehicle because it was blocking his and he wanted to leave, according to court records.
Ross faces three counts of first-degree murder, 19 counts of aggravated assault on officers, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of discharge of a firearm within city limits.
He is being held without bail. Because the counts filed against him include a capital offense, prosecutors could seek the death penalty. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 5.
Ross is a vegan chef who has been featured on the cover of Vegan Lifestyle magazine and appeared as a guest on the CBS television show “The Doctors.” His biggest claim to fame was losing almost 200 pounds in one year, which he attributed to a lifestyle change.
He and Sutherland were married Sept. 24, 2009, in Houston, according to court records.
“The marriage is irretrievably broken with no hope for reconciliation,” their divorce decree from this September reads.
As part of their divorce, they had submitted a parenting plan to the court, which included joint decision making for their children, and Sutherland was to pay Ross $800 per month for child support.
The couple’s divorce decree notes that neither had been charged or convicted of domestic violence, child abuse or child neglect.
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