Brian Allen, Reporter
Bodybuilder Charged with Murder Appears in Las Vegas Court
Jan 31, 2006, 07:47 PM PST
Last month, 28-year-old Melissa James was found dead inside a burned out car near Sandy Valley. So far, three people have been charged in connection with her death. Today, Eyewitness News spoke with one of them.
Pictures of Melissa James can be found all over the Internet, such as this picture from body building website
www.getbig.com. She was a former fashion model and dancer who first moved to Las Vegas in 2003 to work as a personal trainer alongside her friend Craig Titus.
When things didn't work out, she moved back to Florida, but returned to Las Vegas in October of last year, again to work with Titus and his wife, Kelly Ryan. Two months later, her burned body would be found in a car near Sandy Valley.
"Have you received a copy of that complaint? Yes sir your honor," Kelly Ryan, a champion bodybuilder, told the court at her Tuesday morning appearance. She appeared in court through closed-circuit television. Her appearance lasted only a few minutes. Ryan, who was wearing a standard blue jumpsuit, answered politely to the judge while in court.
Now Ryan, Titus and a friend, Anthony Gross are charged in her death. Ryan was in court this morning but her attorneys wouldn't talk to us. But Craig Titus' attorneys were eager to get their message out. Richard Schonfeld spoke with Eyewitness News. "Our client is innocent and when all the facts and circumstances come to light I think the public is going to have an entirely different perception of this case."
Clark County Prosecutors perceive this case as one of jealousy, saying James and Titus were having an affair, Ryan found out, and James ended up dead while Titus and Ryan fled to Massachusetts, where they were arrested.
Titus is charged with murder while Ryan and a friend, Anthony Gross are charged with helping Titus carry out the crime. Contacted by phone this afternoon, Anthony Gross disavows the charges. "I wouldn't do anything like that to anyone," Gross said.
Anthony Gross is currently free on bail, prosecutors say he has been cooperative throughout this entire matter. On Wednesday, Titus and Ryan will find out if they will be eligible for bail or if they'll have to stay behind bars for the entire proceeding.
Attorneys for Craig Titus tell Eyewitness News they believe they will be able to secure bail for their client during the Wednesday court hearing.
http://www.klastv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4435660&nav=168Y