Fighter, Wife Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide

Levens had been banned from mixed martial arts circuit for pain killer
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 19, 2008 5:47 AM CST
Fighter, Wife Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide
Justin Levens of the Condors has his hands taped before contests begin for the International Fight League at Oracle Arena last year in Oakland, Calif.   (Getty Images)

An extreme martial arts fighter known as "the executioner" and his wife have been found dead in their California home in what police are investigating as a murder-suicide, reports the Los Angeles Times. A gun was found next to the body of Justin Levens, 28, who died from a gunshot to his head. His 25-year-old wife was shot in the heart.

Levens, a former contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting, was banned from competition earlier this year by the California State Athletic Commission after testing positive for a banned pain-killer, and had recently been plagued by losses. The deaths appeared to be similar to the situation police found last year at the home of professional wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed his wife and young son before committing suicide.
(More martial arts stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X