Jury has reached verdict in penalty phase of Valley cookbook author convicted of murdering his family

PHOENIX — A jury has reached a verdict in the penalty phase of a Valley cookbook author convicted of killing his family. 

Anthony Milan Ross, 53, was found guilty of killing his wife and two children in November 2025. 

RELATED: Arizona cookbook author found guilty of killing kids, ex-wife on Christmas Day 2017

The jury convicted Ross of first-degree murder and aggravated assault. The sentence is set to be read Thursday morning. 

Iris Ross and her two children, baby Anora and 11-year-old Nigel, were shot to death on Christmas Day in 2017. The mother had reportedly gone to the defendant’s home near 16th Street and Highland Avenue that day to pick up her kids.

An Instagram account shows Ross posted a video with his son hours before the shootings, wishing people a Merry Christmas.

The defendant was arrested after an hours-long barricade situation with police.

Ross was a vegan author who openly spoke about his weight loss journey. About a month before the murders, Ross appeared on 12News to share how losing 300 pounds had changed his life and improved his relationship with his family.

You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere, thanks to the 12+ app! 

The free 12+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like “Today in AZ” and “12 News” and our daily lifestyle program, “Arizona Midday”—on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. 

12+  showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. 

Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives. 

Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for “12 News KPNX.” 

Amazon Fire TV: Search for “12 News KPNX” to find the free 12+ app to add to your account, or have the 12+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app. 

Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.