Justin Levens, Former MMA Fighter, Found Dead in Possible Murder-Suicide

Justin Levens, a former mixed martial arts fighter, was found dead in his home in Southern California on Wednesday. His wife, Sarah McLean-Levens, was also found, and police are investigating their deaths as a murder-suicide.

Sports Deaths in 2008

Dec. 17: MMA fighter Justin Levens and his wife are found dead in their California condominium in what police believe is an apparent murder-suicide.

Jeff Gross, Getty Images

Sammy Baugh, Dec. 17: Perhaps the greatest Washington Redskin of all time and the last surviving member of the first Pro Football Hall of Fame class dies at the age of 94.

Chris Richardson, Dec. 11: The Harlem Globetrotter, and former standout at UNLV, dies in his sleep. It is believed he died of natural causes.

D. Clarke Evans, NBAE / Getty Images

Billey Joe Johnson, Dec. 8: The High school football star from Alabama dies at a police stop.

Rivals.com

Ted Rogers, Dec. 2: Rogers, the founder of Canada's largest cable company and the owner of the Toronto Blue Jays since 2000, dies in his home at the age of 75.

Adrian Wyld, The Canadian Press / AP

Pit Martin, Dec. 2: The 64-year-old four-time NHL All-Star dies after his snowmobile plunges into an icy lake near his home in Quebec.

Steve Babineau, Getty Images / NHLI

Armand Guidolin, Nov. 24: He was the youngest player to ever play in the NHL and went on to coach Boston and Colorado.

Will Barrow, Nov. 22: The rising lacrosse star was only 22 years old. A cause of death has yet to be released.

Jim Rogash, Getty Images

Bob Jeter, Nov. 20: The NFL cornerback, seen here late in his career with the Bears, started in Super Bowls I and II for the Packers.

NFL

Pete Newell, Nov. 17: The Hall of Fame basketball coach led California to a national championship in 1959 and the United States to Olympic gold in 1960.

Dino Vournas, AP

CNN reports, via the Orange County Sheriff's Department, that Sarah McLean-Levens' mother found their bodies in their Laguna Niguel condominium. The bodies were found in a bedroom and a gun was found at the scene. The Sheriff's Department said homicide investigators are looking into the case as a possible murder-suicide, and there were no signs of a struggle.

A light heavyweight who trained out of Newport Beach, Levens fought twice for the UFC in 2006, losing both fights. He hadn't fought in more than a year and wasn't under contract to any MMA organization. His professional MMA record was 9-8.

UPDATE: Levens was described as "never the same" after the suicide of a close friend and fellow MMA fighter.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-19-2008 @ 6:16PM

Blair said...

RIP

12-19-2008 @ 2:08PM

Cappyboy said...

My condolences to both the Levens and McLean in this trying time. It can't be easy for this to happen at any time. Much less this time of year when joy to the world and goodwill to men are the themes of the day.

But if I hope one thing for Justin and Sarah is that their memories get better respect on these comment lines than those of Chris and Nancy Benoit did a year and half ago. Their bodies had barely been found when folks on these comment lines starting taking pot shots at them because they'd chosen pro wrestling to make their lives and their fortunes. I hope MMA's fashionable enough that doesn't happen in this case.

Let's please remember the time for judging fault in this case or judging where Justin and Sarah's souls belong is not now. There is plenty of time for that. Now is the time to remember two promising lives have been cut short and mourn their loss.

12-18-2008 @ 12:32PM

Bgehl2007 said...

^Amen to that^

12-18-2008 @ 12:59PM

ed baggett said...

Who was the shooter ?

12-18-2008 @ 1:00PM

LHickland said...

The sad fact about these blogs is there is always someone stupid enough to write something totally stupid without thinking about anything or anybody. We have two people who are dead here and that is a shame. There was possible abuse going on before this and she did not get out. Cases like this are living proof that some abusers are not satisfied until the abuse reaches a stage of total self destruction and whoever gets in their way had it coming to them.
Was he disgruntled because he wasn't a good MMA fighter and not making it to the bigger fights? id he take his frustrations out on her? We will never know for sure what happened in thier last moments, but there will be people who will say, I saw it coming. Why shouldn't they have said something not only to the abused, or abuser but to authorities? Even in the case of Chirs Benoit, his "roid" rage was noticed by others, and if that is the case they should have said something and gotten his wife and son out. We blame the person who killed and then was killed for this awful act, but is it not us who are to blame as well? We sit back and watch people do thigns and we never say a word. Columbine took place and there were kids and parents who said, those two boys acted strangely, and said they would do such a thing. The Virginia Tech shootings was another example of someone screaming out for help and no one saying anything. Yet we have idiots on here who will say stupid things and I really wonder who they are, and how close they live to me so that if they are close to me, I can keep my eyes out for them. Thsi is a sad story, but the sadder staory is someone will say something stupid about this story or my post here. Another will say that they say thins coming and didn't do anyhing about it. As long as both things keep happening, we will have more stories like this. End the violence now, stop the abuser whether they abuse with words or actions.

12-18-2008 @ 1:37PM

Toria said...

I hope this wasn't a murder-suicide. But if it was, Justin Levens was wrong to kill his wife just because he wanted to die. If he wanted to kill himself, that was his right. But to take the life of his wife was not his right. I don't understand people who believe they have the right to kill someone else just because they are too punked out to continue living.

12-18-2008 @ 1:48PM

Federalist said...

Toria,

You are assuming he shot her. What if it was the other way?

12-18-2008 @ 2:01PM

Mel said...

I PRAY FOR THERE FAMILIES TO GIVE THEM PEACE FOR THERE LOSS. I REALLY WISHED THEY WOULD OUTLAW UFC. THERE HAS BEEN MORE DEATHS AND GUYS THAT ARE SO MESSED UP IN THEIR MIND THAT THEY ARE IN SO MUCH VIOLENCE AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. YOUNG GUYS ARE LANDING IN PRISON.

12-18-2008 @ 2:09PM

lilprincessgmk said...

R.I.P

12-18-2008 @ 4:23PM

randal said...

For those wonding why it is important to clean criminals like zuffa out of the sport, this is it.

Stop supporting zuffa. MMA must go to its roots and we can't do that if you watch the ufwwe.

12-18-2008 @ 5:15PM

Eric said...

He had 2 fights in the UFC & not recently ... what the hell does this have to do with Zuffa!

12-21-2008 @ 10:57PM

analia said...

What the hell does this have to do with ufc??? These tragedies happen every day. There was obviously something else going on. We may never know the true story. I met Justin at an event a few years back and he was very respectful to me and my family. I never had the honor of meeting his wife. I pray for both of the families. May they rest in peace....