PHOENIX, ARIZONA — A former celebrity chef once celebrated for his vegan lifestyle and cookbook success has been convicted of murdering his estranged wife and two children on Christmas Day in 2017, an attack prosecutors described as both “cruel” and “premeditated.”
Anthony Milan Ross, 53, was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and 20 additional charges, including aggravated assault and assault on peace officers, after a jury verdict Monday in Maricopa County Superior Court.
The victims — his estranged wife, 38-year-old Iris Ross, and their children, 11-year-old Nigel and 9-month-old Anora — were killed after what prosecutors said was a violent outburst triggered by Iris’s decision to end their marriage.
Christmas Day Turns to Tragedy
According to court testimony, Iris Ross had filed for divorce six months before the killings. On December 25, 2017, she went to Anthony’s Phoenix apartment to pick up her children as part of a scheduled visit…