Phoenix man sentenced to death for killing his estranged wife, 2 children

Jury hands down death sentence to Phoenix chef

A jury handed down a death sentence for a Valley chef who was convicted of killing his family on Christmas Day in 2017.

PHOENIX - A Phoenix man convicted of killing his estranged wife and their two children on Christmas Day in 2017 has been sentenced to death.

The backstory:

On Dec. 25, 2017, prosecutors say Anthony Milan Ross shot and killed 38-year-old Iris Ross in the parking lot of an apartment complex near 16th Street and Highland Avenue.

"After Iris had told Ross that she would not take him back, he shot her multiple times as she tried to run away," the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said. "He then stood over her and shot her additional times after she had fallen to the ground."

After shooting his estranged wife, prosecutors say Ross went inside his apartment and shot his 11-year-old son, Nigel, and 8-month-old daughter, Anora.

From left to right: Nigel Ross, Iris Ross and Anora Ross.

"Ross then returned to the parking lot, where two witnesses saw him going through Iris’ pants pockets," MCAO said. "They asked him if she was ok. Ross said no, pointed a gun at them, and went back into his apartment after the witnesses had fled from him in terror."

When police arrived at the apartment complex, an hourslong standoff ensued, during which time Ross shot at the officers.

"Officers then immediately made entry into the apartment, where the defendant fired multiple gunshots at them until he ran out of ammunition," MCAO said.

Dig deeper:

Ross was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and 20 counts of aggravated assault by a jury last November.

In addition to the death sentence that was handed down on May 7, MCAO says Ross was also given 18 years in prison for the aggravated assault charges.

Anthony Milan Ross

What they're saying:

"This defendant was supposed to protect his family; instead, he made a deliberate choice to take their lives on Christmas Day when his wife wouldn’t take him back," Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement. "Today's sentence reflects the gravity of what he did, and he deserves the ultimate punishment. Thanks to prosecutors Kirsten Valenzuela, Jordan Uglietta, and Richard Dusterhoft, there is justice for Iris, Nigel, and Anora."

Map of area where the shooting happened: