MMA Fighter, Wife Found Dead; Murder-Suicide?

By MIKE CHIAPPETTA

Updated 11:33 AM PDT, Thu, Dec 18, 2008

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Mixed martial arts fighter Justin Levens and his wife Sarah were found dead in their Laguna Niguel, Calif., condominium on Wednesday, the victims of possible gunshot gunshot wounds. Orange County sheriff's investigators are looking into the possibility of a murder-suicide.

The bodies of Levens, 28, and Sarah McLean-Levens, 25, were found in their bed in the 100 block of Fleurance Street by McLean-Levens' mother, spokesman Jim Amormino of the Orange County Sheriff's Department told The Orange County Register.

McLean-Levens' mother called 911 about 2:30 p.m. to report her discovery.

Levens, nicknamed "The Executioner" had a 9-8 record in his career, and fought in several promotions, including the UFC, WEC and IFL. Levens made his pro debut in 2004 and immediately made a name for himself, winning his first seven matches.

Levens made it to the UFC in April 2006, and fought former middleweight champion Evan Tanner, losing via first-round triangle choke. He lost a second UFC match, this time against Jorge Santiago, before moving on to other organizations.

Levens lost 8 of the last 10 matches he participated in, including five in a row. He was scheduled to fight in last July's Affliction: Banned show, but the bout was scrapped at the last minute due to time constraints. Afterward, Levens tested positive for oxymorphone and was suspended for six months.

An anonymous source that spent time with Levens in recent months told NBCSports.com that he was "never the same" after the suicide of one of his close friends, former IFL fighter and teammate Jeremy Williams.

Williams, who also lived in Liguna Niguel, shot himself in May 2007.

Levens had a rough upbringing in the projects of southeast Philadelphia and first discovered his fighting skills in streetfights there before moving to California and polishing his skills with MMA pioneer Marco Ruas.