Former UFC, IFL and WEC middleweight fighter Justin Levens and his wife were found dead on Wednesday afternoon. The bodies of Levens and Sarah McLean-Levens were found in their condominium in Laguna Niguel, California by the woman's mother, who then called authorities, according to Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department.Authorities said the bodies were found in a bedroom and a gun was also found at the scene.
Amormino said homicide investigators are looking into the case as a possible murder and suicide. There were no signs of a struggle, he said.
Levens fought in several different MMA promotions over the past few years including UFC, IFL and WEC. The former Marco Ruas' Vale Tudo student was scheduled to compete at Affliction: Banned in July of this year, but due to delays at the event, the fight was scrapped at the last minute. He later returned positive results for the painkiller Oxymorphone as part of his pre-fight drug testing. He was fined $1,000 and suspended until January 15, 2009.
Levens (9-8) had a promising career early on, winning his first seven fights and landing himself in the UFC, but he was never able to string together more than two wins from that point on. Levens's career ends on a five-fight losing streak and eight losses out of his last ten fights.
Coincidentally enough, Levens had actually once fought the late Evan Tanner at UFC 59. Tanner also found dead earlier this year due to dehydration in a California desert.
Levens, born in Philadelphia on April 18, 1980, was 28 at the time of his death. His wife, Sarah, was 25.
We also want to send out our sincere apologies to the Levens' family, friends and relatives.
