Vegas Heat

Trapped Inside a World of Glamour, Fitness and Fury, a Vegas Dancer is Found Dead

(CBS)  The morning after her car was found burned in the desert, Kelly continued to insist to police that she didn't know where Melissa was.

So police tried to find out more about Melissa.

Samantha was Melissa's close friend. "She's always been the type of person who can walk into a room full of 20 people and not know a single person and walk out with 15 of 'em… And they’re best friends."

Everyone knew that Melissa loved dance. "She had danced her whole life and that was her dream, to grow up and teach people, these children, how to dance," Samantha remembers.

At just 19, Melissa opened her own dance studio. She was in her mid 20’s when she first met Craig in 2001 at a bodybuilding competition in Panama City, Fla.

Melissa was fascinated by the bodybuilding world. She was also attracted to Craig.

Samantha says they began a long friendship. "She was very proud that she knew him. He was impressive to her-here was this guy, he's wealthy, he's big. He's from Vegas, he's got talent," she says.

But in 2005, Melissa fell on hard times and lost her dance studio. Craig invited her to Las Vegas to help run a new clothing store he and Kelly wanted to launch.

Melissa moved in with the bodybuilder and his wife. Samantha worried Melissa was being drawn into life in the fast lane. "I know that the person she was, she started changing when she met them," she says.

Everyone knew Craig used steroids, and he shared them with clients, like Motley Crue lead singer Vince Neil. "He would shoot me full of steroids and human growth hormone, all that stuff. So obviously, he was really into that," Neil says.

But Craig and Kelly were also known to use illegal drugs - cocaine and painkillers. And Samantha believes Craig introduced Melissa to a world of drugs.

Months went by in Vegas. The clothing store Melissa was going to manage never opened, and tensions began to rise between Melissa and Kelly.

"Kelly and Craig's marriage was definitely on the rocks and they were having issues left and right. And obviously, a lot of that comes down to the fact that Melissa had moved in," says Kelly's best friend, Megan Foley.

Kelly was already insecure about her looks, and at Craig's insistence had multiple plastic surgeries, dramatically changing her appearance over the years.

"You see this athlete that's so strong and wonderful, yet when it comes to her marriage, she was the weakest person on the planet. She would just roll over and allow him do anything that he wanted," Megan says.

Including bringing a beautiful, younger woman into their home. There were whispers of an affair between Craig and Melissa, and Kelly was at her breaking point.

Asked if Melissa ever talked about arguing with Kelly, Samantha says, "Not really. But it was getting a little weird towards the end, and she was ready to come home."

But Melissa never made it home, and now Craig and Kelly accused her of stealing their Jaguar - the very same car found burning in the desert.

And that's not all: the couple led detectives into Melissa's messy room to show them a debit card, which they claimed Melissa was using to steal from them.

"They said this is the card that Melissa had. They were really intent in me focusing on the card, and lucky for us, because that card later in our investigation would become be very significant," Detective Wilson says.

Asked what he was thinking after the leaving the Titus' house, Wilson says, "Now I'm thinking that Melissa James is the one that's probably in the trunk of that car. And I'm thinking either one or both of them may had had something to do with Melissa’s death. We were a long way away from proving it at that point."

After detectives left, Craig and Kelly left as well. They locked up their home and went into hiding.

Jeff Schwimmer, a wealthy businessman who retired young in Vegas, was a close friend of Craig, and the couple came to him after the police left.

Asked if Craig ever told him there was a jealousy between Kelly and Melissa," Schwimmer says, "Yes, Kelly did not like Melissa. According to Craig, she did not like Melissa at all."

Schwimmer wouldn't allow them to stay the night, so Craig and Kelly moved on to another friend's house.

Mandy Polk was a fitness athlete who sometimes trained with Kelly; she was renting a house from Craig. "She said, 'Homicide was at our house. They found our car burned in the desert.' I was trying to put two and two together. 'What does homicide have to do with your car? How did it get there? Why are you crying?' It was very strange," Mandy remembers.

[j88833]

how in the world does it happen that these 2 sickening pigs are even offered a plea deal....are you kidding me. if melissa's family allowed this to happen then they got what they deserved. i'm amazed a family can be this stupid to actually agree with this. secondly, the prosecution is just as ridiculous for offering any plea in this cas....period. this country is so unbelievably naive, ignorant, stupid, ridiculous, and downright embarrassing when it comes to our criminals

[wyo-kid]

Craig looked like a freak, even at his best I wonder if Melissa ever had any hots for such a freaky looking guy, as I understand his personality wasn't anything to crave. Was jealousy really the cause ?

[hercule1122]

The recurring theme in so many of these cases is drug use and abuse. I see these creepy guys at the gym who strut around and probably have the IQ of their body heat. I don't judge someone on body mass, but these guys can be real turn-offs. I have no doubt that these evil people will never again have a pleasant day, and wish them their just rewards. They planned it and ran like hell when they thought they were on the radar of the police. I hope you have time to realize the trauma you have caused so many people.

[csi-lover]

This was the same judge in the OJ Simpson case. OJ got more time than these 2 losers, and he didn't kill anyone (or at least he wasn't convicted). OJ's biggest mistake was he went to trial instead of just admitting he did it and entered into a plea bargain like these 2 "bodybuilders'. Kelly and Craig should have gotten more time in prison than they did. Notice Kelly without her makeup on? Just another dog in my opinion, as makeup is just an illusion. Always look below the surface. It's no wonder she was jealous of Melissa. And Craig? What an ugly duckling! Their ego is what got in their way. To see Kelly cry after being caught was pathetic. What got me was the camera that caught them putting the lighter fluid in their car, then saying they didn't have anything to do with it. Yea right. These scumbags almost got away with it, as the fire and heat were so intense the body of Mellissa was unrecognizable. They are truly devils, and someone may hunt them down like packrats when they get out of prison.

[andacar]

I have never understood any of this. I'm so lucky to be married to my wife: big and curvy and beautiful. Too many couples think it's all about being ripped and having not an ounce of fat. When are they going to realize the fat is all in their pea brained heads? Somebody once said about the fashion industry something that applies to entertainment; when you scratch the surface, all you find beneath is more surface. Kelly and Craig are sad, pathetic people.

[abcabt1]

...my heart goes out to the mother and family of Melissa...she was a woman, beautiful, and caring...she did not deserve this whatever her faults...i guess the moral here is be very careful who you make your friends...this crew turned out to be her worst enemies...i hope mom is part of a survivors group so that she now can help others avoid this kind of horror and a mothers worst nightmare...take care mom!
abt

[capecodgurl]

I worked for Corelle Co. in 2005. I had no idea Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan were on the run, and famous body builders. They both came into the store a few days before Christmas and both made purchases for kitchen items with their debit cards. I remember them for a variety of reasons. Its scary to think they had just murdered their live-in assistant. My heart goes out to her family, especially her Mother. Shortly after they were in the store they both were arrested. Thank God! If I had known I would of called the police while they were in the store casually shopping. Justice is not served with a 6 yr sentence. I do believe they BOTH should of gotten LIFE with No chance of being out in society.
Craig Titus got what he deserves~ he's sitting in a jail cell.

EG from MASS

[dsmffar]

Neither of these 2 got what was due them! It is obvious they did it just be hearing one of his friends and then one of her friends tell about the discusions they had. They each told their friend the same story. Gees, what a justice system we have, horrible and unfair. Melissa's poor mother. God Bless her. I can not begin to feel what she feels and has to live with.

Final remark - they both look nasty, ugly, and disguisting!

[britter368]

They took about 60 years of life from Melissa, and Kelly only gets six years taken from hers? However, the real judgement will come from God. That's not something she can escape.

[roistacher35]

As a former competitive bodybuilder I have seen all sides of the sport. There are many positive aspects to it such as goal setting, dedication, focus etc.. Of course there is the downside as well. Everyone needs to realize that Craig and Kelly were extreme cases of drugs, partying lifestyle, and swinging. You can safely assume that 99% of the bodybuilding world is not doing cocaine, meth, and commiting murder. I owe a lot of my success as a doctor to my days of bodybuilding. I set my goals and worked incredible hard to accomplish them. I take the positive things I learned from the bodybuilding lifestyle.

[johnman12]

There%u2019s 2 gym types: Narcissists & humble fitness enthusiasts. Narcissists always look in the mirror and look around to see if anyone%u2019s bigger than them. Their motivation to workout is to feed their egos and improve their looks for their own personal self-gratification. The humble fitness enthusiast enjoys doing his own thing quietly, competing with himself & trying to improve only his own personal best. He''s not about "outdoing" anyone else. You can spot the narcissist a mile away. They''re usually wearing revealing/tight clothes, doing ''roids, prepping for a competition; bodybuilding%u2019s consumed their lives. They are obsessed with their looks and the reflection in the mirror. The humble fitness enthusiast just enjoys healthy exercise & only competes with himself. He doesn''t feel the need to take steroids to be the "biggest kid on the block". Fitness to him is about improving his OWN personal best (that''s why it''s called "personal" fitness) and not trying to outmuscle the other guy. Bodybuilding has become a twisted sport. There should be drug testing in it like any other sport. We%u2019ve got "juice freaks" in our gyms. Bodybuilding should be about improving your OWN personal best, and not outmuscling the next guy by using drugs as a crutch. Supplement companies should finance accurate and stringent drug testing for the sport, and their own products should be (independently) tested also.

[NMlost]

jstnthrguy- The quote is beautiful, and so true! It would be nice if more people could differentiate between the good and the beautiful... Oh, and Judge Jackie is righteous!

[roistacher35]

I knew Craig back in the day. He was known to sell steriods and other drugs. He actually went to jail in a big exctasy bust for over a year. Also, Kelly''s mom died while she was in prison. Doesn''t it come a point when Craig should just tell the truth for the sake of the family? The fact that he continues to change his story I''m sure was a major factor in getting the maximum sentence. Kelly was a pawn in all this and has ruined her life. They both look terrible but that''s what the exact opposite of the bodybuilding lifestyle will do to you. The real them is gray hair and looking older than they are.

[johnman12]

Another really good 48 Hours video episode to watch, with a strikingly similar storyline (and outcome!), i.e.: bodybuilding, narcissism, etc., gone to the extreme is "Rage on the Run", but I can''t seem to access it anywhewre in the 48 Hours Video archives...Hey, what''s up 48 Hours Staff? Why don''t you guys make this one video viewable again, it would seem to me to be the appropriate time!
John from Calgary, Canada

[roscoezzz]

Good Post johnman12 -- I agree totally.

It was all about Abuse of Steroids, Cocaine, Painkillers and Grand Illusions. Underneath all those chiseled muscles were two grotesque human beings in Craig and Kelly. What was the Lure? Fame and Fortune in Las Vegas? Stardom? It eventually became drug abuse and the power to push people to murder.
Kelly deserves more than what she got. She was an accessory to murder! Did you see her grey hair and the fallen plastic surgery? I didn''t believe her crying act at all. Craig is just a fool. A fool!

[NJCher]

The problem with these people is they spent all their time on the physique and not enough time developing their minds. There was no balance.

In addition, Kelly was lacking in self esteem, as evidenced by the fact that she altered her appearance to suit Craig.

Craig sounds like a narcissist.

No normal married couple allows a third party into their home unless, of course, it is family that is desperate for a place to live.

Craig and Kelly appear to have been unable to develop any kind of a giving friendship, as evidenced by the fact that no friend wanted to take them in after they murdered Melissa (which the friends didn''t even know about at the time).

Put this all together and there is vast pool of dysfunction.

It''s sad that as a culture, we don''t have some way of helping people like this who are so out of balance. But as a culture, the U.S. isn''t much better off.

[johnman12]

I used to be into the whole body building & fitness scene, the "getting big" scene, etc., myself, although not to the extent of using steroids. For alot of guys, it''s an ego thing about being the "biggest kid on the block", even stemming from childhood. A childish endeavour, really. I''m a big boy myself, about 280 lbs, but not because of weight training. I was always just a big boy. Period. I was just born that way. But in all my travels with this kinda crowd, however, it''s always seemed to me to be all about "ego", "self-gratification", "showing off", "recognition", "getting big", etc., etc. (whatever you want to call it), and not really anything to do with real "fitness". The people you see who are truly into (and enjoy!) fitness in life don''t need to go out for the recogniton or the competitions. This is an industry solely & completely about feeding fragile (yes, fragile!) egos, and most of what I''ve seen in these people is that, deep down, many of them desperately need the recognition in their lives in order to feel good about themselves. The truth is, many of them are confused & troubled people with very low self-esteem...
John, from Calgary, Canada

[jstnthrguy]

That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful. ~Ninon de L''Enclos