Chef Anthony Milan Ross Found Guilty of Christmas Day Murders

PHOENIX, Arizona — Celebrity chef Anthony Milan Ross was found guilty of murdering his estranged wife and two children on Christmas Day in 2017. On November 3, a Maricopa County jury convicted the 53-year-old Ross of three counts of first-degree murder.

Ross fatally shot his wife, 38-year-old Iris, and their children, 11-year-old Nigel and 10-month-old Anora, after Iris arrived to pick up the children. The jury also found Ross guilty of three counts of aggravated assault and 17 counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer.

Following the shootings, Ross barricaded himself in his apartment with the children. A tense standoff with Phoenix police lasted several hours, during which Ross fired at officers before being taken into custody.

Prosecutors described Ross as obsessed with his celebrity status, claiming that his life began to unravel when Iris filed for divorce six months prior to the murders. They argued that after Ross’s brief fame as a vegan chef, he resorted to violence when he saw his world collapsing.

During the trial, it was revealed that on the day of the murders, Ross had shared a cheerful video online featuring himself and Nigel singing Christmas carols. Just hours later, he was accused of killing Iris as she attempted to flee from him.

Iris’s sister, Mary Wogas, testified that Ross had previously threatened Iris and exhibited erratic behavior leading up to the divorce. She said that he claimed to work with a voodoo priest to ‘hex’ her, highlighting his unstable state of mind.

The prosecution also stated that Ross had researched various means of committing violence leading up to the murders, which included searching online for weapons and substances to use against his family.

Sentencing for Ross is scheduled for January 9, 2026. He faces the possibility of life in prison or even capital punishment.