Kelly Ryan

Case overview

Kelly Ryan (born July 10, 1972 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) was a former International Federation of BodyBuilders professional fitness competitor. She had an early start in fitness, beginning to train in gymnastics at age eight. Later, she used that background in other athletic activities in high school, including cheerleading and basketball. After high school, she pursued journalism at the University of South Carolina. While studying journalism, she worked as a choreographer, which later proved useful in her decision to become a top fitness athlete.

She won eight fitness competitions. She became a familiar face at fitness expositions and appeared in fitness magazines. Her “Flyin' Ryan” Routine at the Arnold Classic was mixed by David “KrusH” Wilmore, who also provided the voice over for the announcer in her “Flyin' Ryan” Intro. She was previously married to bodybuilder Craig Titus. Ryan filed for divorce while in prison in connection with the murder of Melissa James; the divorce became final in December 2009.

Background

Ryan and Craig Titus went into hiding together after the death of their live-in personal assistant Melissa James. After Ryan and Titus were arrested, the case proceeded with separate proceedings involving co-defendant Anthony Gross.

While awaiting trial, Ryan’s mother died of a heart attack said to have been precipitated by stress.

The offence

On December 14, 2005, the burnt corpse of Ryan and Titus’ personal assistant Melissa James was discovered inside a Jaguar car belonging to Kelly Ryan. Melissa James had lived with the couple. The couple were alleged to have been involved in the events around Melissa James’ death and the destruction of her body.

Investigation and arrest

A nine-day investigation led to Ryan and Titus’ arrest along with suspected accomplice Anthony Gross. The couple awaited trial in Nevada on charges related to the murder of their live-in assistant Melissa James. A prosecutor alleged in open court that Titus was part of a plot to murder three witnesses due to testify in the case; no charges were filed on that allegation, and Titus’ defence lawyer said he did not think there was enough evidence for charges.

Ryan and Titus were arrested in a Boston suburb after a nine-day nationwide manhunt. Ryan was getting her nails done at a Stoughton, Mass., salon while Titus waited outside.

Trial and pleas

The trial of co-defendant Anthony Gross on arson and accessory to murder charges was separated from the murder trial for Titus and Ryan.

On May 31, 2008, rather than proceeding to trial, Ryan and Titus pleaded guilty to reduced charges. Ryan entered an Alford plea to arson and battery with a deadly weapon resulting in significant bodily harm. The Alford plea meant Ryan did not admit guilt but acknowledged that enough evidence existed to convict her.

Sentencing

Ryan was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 3–13 years in prison. She was serving her sentence at Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Facility in Nevada.

The record indicated that she would not be eligible to walk out of prison until 2015, when her next parole hearing would be granted. It also stated she was denied parole in December 2011 for undisclosed reasons. The record further stated she remained in custody at the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Facility in Nevada.

A separate sentencing account stated that Ryan pleaded guilty to arson and entered an equivalent of no contest to battery with a deadly weapon, and she was sentenced to 6 to 26 years, with the plea allowing her to avoid trial and avoid the murder charge. It stated she would be eligible for parole as early as 2011.

Co-defendant and related proceedings

In February 2008, Anthony Gross, Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan’s accomplice pleaded guilty in the Melissa James murder case. Gross pleaded guilty to accessory to arson and accessory to commit first degree arson, both felony charges. If Gross successfully completed his probation, Gross would be permitted to withdraw his guilty plea to the two felony offenses, plead guilty to the gross misdemeanor charge of Conspiracy to Commit 3rd Degree Arson, and receive credit for time served. If Gross did not complete probation, the two felony charges would remain.

Quotations

Glenn Puit, a former newspaper reporter who wrote a book about the case, said: “It's a situation where two very successful people flamed out in America's Sin City.”

Glenn Puit added: “That's not sensationalizing it. You've got two beautiful, popular people charged with murdering a woman in the most horrific manner possible.”

Deputy District Attorney Robert Daskas said: “We've always believed that Craig Titus was responsible for Melissa's death and Kelly was primarily involved in covering up the death. Whether we obtained those results by a jury verdict or guilty plea was unimportant to us.”

Ryan stated in court: “I am truly, truly sorry,” Ryan said. “I know I did not kill. But I did aid in the events. I know I was not in a state of mind emotionally or physically to make the right decisions or to, oh God, to take appropriate control of what was happening.”

Craig Titus said: “I am ashamed and sickened of my actions after Melissa (James) passed away. I let drug use get way out of control in my home,” he said. “I failed my wife. I failed my family. And most regretfully, I failed Melissa (James), who was my friend.”

Prosecutor Robert Daskas said: “I think both defendants recognize that a train was coming down the tracks and either they resolved it today or we were going to go to a jury trail and leave it up to a jury,”

Titus’ attorney Marc Saggese said: “As we approached trial, Craig Titus became more and more worried about the exposure his wife was going to have to first degree murder,”

Ryan’s attorney Michael Cristalli said: “She was faced with more serious charges -- significantly more serious charges. We feel that this is a fair resolution for her,”

Prosecutor Robert Daskas said: “We had strong evidence that they purchased lighter fluid that was used to ultimately light the car with Melissa James in the trunk,”

Prosecutor Robert Daskas also said: “We've always believed, and I think the guilty pleas reflects that there was a confrontation between Kelly and Melissa and that Craig intervened, and ultimately it was Craig Titus that killed Melissa James,”

Titus’ attorney Marc Saggese said: “He has never had an opportunity to talk to her or say he was sorry or to discuss how this unfolded,”

Charles Kelly said: “The defense can make hay out of it,” regarding autopsy results.

Former Prosecutor Charles Kelly, now a local defense attorney, was cited as saying: “The defense can make hay out of it.”

During the discussion of tape-recorded statements, Titus told detectives in a Dec. 24 taped interview in Boston: “Found her (James) in the (expletive) car dead, stinking up my (expletive) car,” Titus told detectives in a Dec. 24 taped interview in Boston. “I panicked. That gets in the newspaper, we're ruined. Dead girl, car, OD'd, Craig Titus, Kelly Ryan. We're (expletive) ruined,” Titus said. “Plus, not to mention that my car's ruined ... so I think OK, let's put her in the trunk and burn it and play stupid. That's what we did. Period. Finito. End of story.”

In an FBI-related statement, the FBI agent quoted Titus as saying: “Yeah, we were having sex and she OD'd,” the FBI agent quoted Titus as saying. “Let's go with that. That's a good story.”

Titus told police: “I'll tell ya something right now,” Titus said. “If I find this (expletive) guy before you guys do, I'm gonna (expletive) him up. I'll call you when I do.”

Ryan said: “OK. one example, she went online and changed my pass codes.”

Ryan also said: “OK. She requested new security information be sent to her and new banking cards sent to her.”

In a later statement, Ryan said: “Craig and I started thinking, ah, she's got drugs in the house, ah, he (Titus is) a felon,” Ryan said. “Well, there's steroids.”

Ryan said: “She wasn't stiff.,” “She was very heavy. Very heavy. Very, very. And I remember that she, she was (a) mess, and so heavy I think I probably ended up dropping her.”

Titus told detectives: “We took her out of the car and put her in the fetal positionand put her in the trunk of my car and we burned it. Drug her in the house,” Titus said.

Ryan said: “She (Ryan) is the number one fitness athlete in the world,” Titus said.

Titus said: “Highly respected in the sport, and if you think of fitness, Kelly Ryan. Period. ... And here we walk in our garage and our friend's OD'd in our (expletive) car. So if that gets out to the public, we're ruined.”

Titus told police: “If I really wanted to ... burn her and it was a murder, I would of dug a hole out in the desert and dumped her in the hole, and burned my car myself,” Titus said.

Titus asked detectives: “Did you guys find my steroids?” Titus asks the detectives.

Titus also said: “(Expletive,) man. That's pretty good investigation.”

Titus said: “If I find this (expletive) guy before you guys do, I'm gonna (expletive) him up. I'll call you when I do.”

In an FBI-agent posed scenario, the FBI agent said: “You admitted to placing a ligature around (James') neck and placing duct tape around her face,” the FBI agent said he told Titus. “You'd previously admitted that the three of you had sex together. Also, you did drugs together. Could this have been a sex act gone bad? You were having kinky sex together and something went wrong,” the agent said he told Titus. “You were having sex. You had her tied up. You were using drugs and maybe she OD'd.”

The FBI agent summarized Titus’s response: “Titus responded words to the effect, 'Yeah, we were having sex and she OD'd. Let's go with that. That's a good story.' ”

The record included: “After making this statement, Titus paused for a moment and then stated 'No more questions.' ”

In another quoted exchange, Ryan said: “We just basically got rid of a body, and how we gonna explain it,” Ryan said. “Um, you know, obviously if we thought that, you know, by burning the car it would get rid of ah, of the person completely. Um, I don't know, I don't know why.”

Other details

Ryan had previously married Craig Titus, and the divorce became final in December 2009.

Titus was said to have a drug history, including serving almost two years in federal prison after being convicted of selling Ecstasy in October 1995, with probation revoked when he tested positive for steroids. He was released in April 1999.

Friends told police that Titus and Ryan used the prescription painkiller OxyContin, and witnesses testified that Titus once bought $500 worth of morphine. Both Titus and Ryan told police they injected the synthetic opiate Nalbuphine, and Ryan tried methamphetamine.

An indictment unsealed later in District Court charged Titus and Ryan with murder with use of a deadly weapon, first-degree kidnapping and third-degree arson; Gross was charged with accessory to murder and arson in connection with allegations he helped dispose of James’ body. The induction was unsealed in the courtroom of District Judge David Wall.

An autopsy showed Melissa James had morphine and heroin byproducts in her system and indicated she had previously used methamphetamine. The cause and manner of death were listed as undetermined, which was described as allowing the defence attorneys to maintain that James died of a drug overdose.

A coroner’s report noted that “opiate intoxicants” were in James’ system, and it described ligature findings around James’ neck, including head wrapping and duct tape around her head and face, plus a cloth strip and wires around her neck. Her body was described as badly burned with an accelerant. Ryan was described as captured on Wal-Mart surveillance video buying accelerant shortly before the body was found.

Ryan’s statement and Titus’ statements to police included their discussions of duct tape, blankets, and placing James into the trunk, along with their explanations for disposing of her body.

At one point Titus asked officers about steroids: “Did you guys find my steroids?” and after confirmation Titus said: “(Expletive,) man.

In a described investigation narrative, the barbecue set was later found burned in Ryan’s car, and Gross drove the trio back to Las Vegas after they set Ryan’s Jaguar ablaze in the desert outside Las Vegas.