Justin Eilers Killed
by Luke Thomas on Dec 26, 2008 3:38 PM EST
in MMA News
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MMA Weekly has the tragic story:
When officers arrived on the scene they found that an adult male, later confirmed by Cox as Eilers, had been shot and killed. James Robert Malec, 48, was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder.
Details surrounding the incident have not yet been revealed by police, but sources close to Eilers indicate that Malec is the boyfriend of Eilers' mother. He and Eilers reportedly got into some sort of argument and Malec allegedly produced a gun and shot Eilers.
Emergency workers attempted to revive Eilers, but were unsuccessful, according to KTRV.
The incident is still under investigation by the Canyon County Sheriff's Office.
This is terrible news and my condolences to the Eilers family. Eilers was a credible professional MMA fighter who competed for a title at the highest level of the sport. While he may not carry the Couture or Liddell moniker, he was a part of the community and will be sorely missed.
This is also the second death within a week inside the MMA community. A very bruising time particularly during what is supposed to be a celebrated portion of the year.
Eilers' record here. His Wikipedia entry here.
UPDATE: A reader points to some sordid details on Loretta Hunt's article on the matter:
Cox said Eilers had gathered with relatives for the holidays, but tensions escalated with an ex-girlfriend, also in attendance. Eilers was asked to leave the residence, but was said to have refused and began throwing dishes and other objects in protest. The home’s owner was then said to have pulled a gun on Eilers and shot him in the chest after a brief verbal confrontation.
Eilers’ ex-girlfriend, mother, and young son were said to have been in the room at the time of the shooting.
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What kind of degenerate pulls a gun on someone over thrown dishes? And secondly, what kind of piece of garbage shoots someone in front of their mother and son? Jesus, such a tragedy.
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
exactly...
What ever happened to giving or taking a good ol’ fashion beatdown.
Without details, I think it’s a bit early to be calling someone a piece of shit.
It would be my guess that a person would only pull a gun on someone if that someone was an extremely large, angry, menacing person and he felt his family was threatened.
by jebushchrist on Dec 26, 2008 4:06 PM EST up reply actions
No, I don’t think it’s too early to call someone a piece of shit. He had a gun and fired it in front of not only Eilers’ mother, but his son. If you do that, you’re a piece of shit, end of story.
Maybe Eilers was drunk or disorderly or something… but that’s what the police are for.
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Dec 26, 2008 4:08 PM EST up reply actions
You weren’t there and you clearly don’t know much about guns. Regardless, it’s not like this guy hunted Eilers down on the streets and killed him. He was in his own home, and again, not knowing the details, I find it hard to say what the appropriate response was.
by jebushchrist on Dec 26, 2008 4:12 PM EST up reply actions
When details come out, if they actually do, I’m sure there will be something said about a history between these two guys that isn’t pleasant. Something along those lines, especially if a small argument escalated into this.
Editor-in-chief of MMA-Analyst.com
by Leland Roling on Dec 26, 2008 4:15 PM EST up reply actions
Like three little fonzies!
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Dec 26, 2008 6:26 PM EST up reply actions
I read stories like this and I wonder why the US dont tighten up their gun laws. Surely human life is worth more than some obscurely worded ‘freedom’.
Justin’s family will carry this tragedy with them for the rest of their lives now.
My thoughts are with them.
1. Because it’s not obscurely worded; it’s pretty clear it’s my right to own a gun.
2. Because I have the right to shoot the criminal threatening me with a gun, which (being a criminal) more gun laws would do nothing to prevent him from having.
3. If our government becomes overly repressive, the American public needs the ability to violently overthrow the government. You know, kinda like how the country was founded…
Politics aside, my condolences go out to the family. Whether the shooting was justified or not, this is going to be a very hard time on them all.
guns dont kill people. stupid assholes do. he coulda stabbed him with an icepick and he’d still be just as dead, but none would be calling for the banning of icepicks.
Come on, I don’t want to start a thread on guns or anything but last I heard the little boys and girls that find daddy’s ice picks aren’t blowing their heads off.
Guns = terrible things
I hate when gun advocates try and bring up the founding fathers and the reason why we have the right to bear arms. We don’t live in those times anymore and from what I can see, the Government wants to take over no gun in some rednecks hands will stop that from happening.
please !
For someone who owns more then a handful of guns I am open to gun control to a point. When the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution was written they did not know how deadly Guns would be today especially hand guns and semi automatic weapons. They made that amendment based on musket’s not AK-47’s and Desert Eagles.I would think if our for fathers could see the damage lets say a semi auto SKS or MAC 10 can do on a crowded street during a drive buy or how many hand gun deaths we have in the U.S every year they would have BIG time second thoughts and opinions on the issue ?
Please stop discussing politics in this thread.
I don’t care what your opinion on gun control is nor does anyone else.
Bolts from the Blue // "It is what it is." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken
by Richard Wade on Dec 26, 2008 7:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I think the peole above stated there opinion berfoe I did- So someone cares ad what better topic to talk about guns then this ?
Yours was the final comment in the thread. I was talking to all of you. As for what topic would be better for talking about guns, try one on a different website.
Bolts from the Blue // "It is what it is." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken
by Richard Wade on Dec 26, 2008 9:07 PM EST up reply actions
Amen!
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Dec 26, 2008 9:47 PM EST up reply actions
How exactly do you propose this man protect himself/others from a HW MMA fighter? It’s in the man’s job description to put people to sleep in a split second. From what we know, Eilers was asked to leave and began throwing dishes.
Nobody could get KTFO quite J.E I always looked forward to his scraps cause he came to fight.
I’m ready. It doesn’t matter with who or where. On foot or on horseback. With maces or poleaxes. To fight. To first blood or to death. It doesn’t matter, I’m ready to fight.
I went hunting. For bears. With a knife.
I’ve hung out with Justin a couple times while he was still in Davenport, thats sad as hell he was a hella cool dude and fun to kick it with. I even drank with him and he wasn’t trying to start shit with anyone. Sucks that we lost a fighter like him, he was on his way to light heavy and would have done awesome. RIP Justin.
The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.
- Sun Tzu
by LUCKYME1321 on Dec 26, 2008 5:34 PM EST reply actions
Well I guess I’d be the first family member to post a comment and also to give the correct facts.
Justin, his girlfriend (not ex), mother , mother’s husband Jim and Grandmother were at the house. Thank god no kids were present. Justin’s mom and Jim were in a heated argument over custody of Jim’s kid with his ex wife. That’s when Justin stepped in, confronted Jim and then he pulled a gun told him to get out of the house, Justin would not leave and said what are you gonna do with that and then was shot once fatally. Currently Jim was arraigned this morning for 2nd degree murder…..My question is why would you be carrying a gun on Christmas? And did he have to take matter’s in his own hands, hell I fought with Justin almost every time I seen him, but shooting him was a little overboard…..Burn Jim Burn And that’s from family
Just because you are a fighter doesn’t give you the write to act like an asshole and throw dishes. He should have left when he was asked and he wouldn’t be dead right now.
by Jerret Anderson on Dec 26, 2008 6:21 PM EST reply actions
uh no Jerret….
throwing dishes or not, you dont get to shoot someone in the chest point blank…in front of their mother.
i dont know all the details but it is safe to say he is not dead because he didnt leave. he is dead because some insecure dumb ass had a gun….at christmas dinner.
Other than defending your life, Jerret when is it ok to shoot someone? If someone shoots me the bird in traffic is it ok? I’ll just tell the family that he’d be alive if he hadn’t shot me the bird.
throwing dishes or not, you dont get to shoot someone in the chest point blank…in front of their mother.
Don’t “get to.” Why not? Who gives us the permission who to shoot, where to shoot them and in the presence of certain people?
I’m genuinely curious to hear your answer to this.
The way I see it, people can do whatever they want, as long as they are cool with the consequences. It doesn’t matter what it is, every action has a reaction. If you can handle the reaction, then do whatever the hell you like. That’s unfortunately the way life is.
Would I shoot someone in the chest? Probably not, because I’d be afraid of going to jail and ruining my life. But if I didn’t have to go to prison and ruin my life, would I shoot a guy I didn’t like. Probably. As long as I knew I wouldn’t be remorseful afterwards (which I probably would).
That...
is insane.
It’s cool to kill someone as long as you’re willing to go to jail? Not so much. I’m not cool with the idea of people being killed as long as the killer goes “if I go to jail then so be it.”
Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 26, 2008 10:30 PM EST up reply actions
I guess it’s more a question of morality. I think only defending a life justifies murder (let’s not get into war for now). Someone having a hissy fit in my home does not.
People can do whatever they want, of course they can. We’re talking about ‘should’ and right and wrong.Taking a life has serious implication far beyond remorse and jailtime.
When a world class fighter, who happens to be huge, is causing a disturbance throwing dishes and probably angry then you need to do something. I don’t agree with shooting a guy in the chest, and it probably would not have been the way I have dealt with it, but I can see how if you are nervous and scared you might see that as a viable option.
Flipping you off is harmless. Being in your home and throwing your dishes and acting violent gives you the right to handle the situation as you see fit.
by Jerret Anderson on Dec 26, 2008 6:45 PM EST reply actions
So if you shot and killed a man – named Osama Bin Laden – you’d lament that?
I’m not sure I understand your point.
I’m not comparing Justin Eilers to an international terrorist, but rather using an international terrorist to expose the obvious flaw in your logic, here.
The way I see it, killing a man is perfectly fine, depending on who the man you’re killing is. Perhaps Justin didn’t deserve to be killed, but we’ll never know if he did or didn’t because we never knew him as a person.
You’re not sure you see my point?
Peyote is a hell of a drug..
by Blackout612 on Dec 26, 2008 11:02 PM EST up reply actions
Hey now...
Just because the guy managed to bring Osama Bin laden into a discussion on gun control (that should only be about a death in the MMA world to begin with) is no reason to assume…
oh hell, you may be right.
it’s about killing to save a life.
arguably that’s why it would be ok to kill osama or hitler or whatever. people can argue that this is ok.
justin DID NOT deserve to be killed, no matter how big a dick head he was. repeat:being an asshole is not a reason to murder someone
justin DID NOT deserve to be killed, no matter how big a dick head he was. repeat:being an asshole is not a reason to murder someone
What if the step-father had the gun because Justin had threatened him in the past?
What if Justin picked up a knife and said, “I’m going to kill you” and the step-father shot in self-defense?
What if Justin grabbed his mother/girlfriend by the throat and was choking her, and the step-father shot to prevent a murder?
Oh right, you weren’t there so you shouldn’t be giving any definitives yet. Let the legal system figure it out.
i said self-defense of a life was justifiable homicide. (several times)
if we could only speak about things we witnessed 1st hand this wouldnt be much of a forum.
i’m stating an opinion based on what info i have available. i will let the legal system figure it out.
if we could only speak about things we witnessed 1st hand this wouldnt be much of a forum.
Clearly I can’t speak for everyone here, but I think the majority of people who come to this blog (it isn’t a forum) do so because of its tendency towards accuracy over sensationalism. If you feel the need to make assertions based on ‘feelings’ and ‘hunches’, that’s up to you. But I don’t think you are right that without such nonsense the blog would be worse off. I think it’s better without it.
sheesh man.
I’m stupid. You’re smart. I was wrong. You were right. You’re the best. I’m the worst. You’re very good-looking. I’m not attractive.
by Headkick on Dec 27, 2008 2:43 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I love Happy Gilmore.
Bolts from the Blue // "It is what it is." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken
by Richard Wade on Dec 27, 2008 5:16 PM EST up reply actions
You don’t know the dynamic of the relationship between the two. I’m sure he regrets shooting Eilers, but nobody here knows exactly what kind of situation Eilers put him in. The man must have had some reason to be carrying a gun around, and a troubled relationship with Eilers makes perfect sense.
From what we know, Eilers is the physically threatening one, and the one who was the aggressor at the Christmas party. I don’t agree with shooting him, but it isn’t difficult to imagine why he was shot.
Also
The police were called before the shooting, for a domestic disturbance. So clearly there’s more than a thrown dish and a shooting.
“We initially received the call as being a domestic disturbance at the residence,” began Maxfield. “While deputies were en route to the residence, they were updated that a shot had been fired and a person had been shot at the scene.”
sad
real sad shit man, horrible news. my condolances to his family
his ex was not there. he didnt throw any dishes. shot point blank. thats from justins sister.
The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.
- Sun Tzu
by LUCKYME1321 on Dec 26, 2008 7:28 PM EST reply actions
Well
I will hold off my opinions until everything clears. I would also will not be quick to assume none of that stuff happened based upon people who got their info from a friend of a friend of their sisters friend who is friends with Eiler’s sister.
by Jerret Anderson on Dec 26, 2008 7:35 PM EST reply actions
It's probably too early to say this, but
this has the making of an extremely interesting legal case. This may never end up in court, but if it does, the defense’s strategy is obvious.
R.I.P.
Another tragedy
I’ve met Justin on several occasions and spent some time with him in Minneapolis. He actually fought one of my friends and training partners a few years back and was extremely benevolent afterwards. He was just a really nice guy.
There’s no way to justify shooting a man in the chest who was unarmed. Smashing plates is no reason to lose your life, and now it appears that he didn’t even do that. Just sad, sad news. I hope this recent trend goes away soon; it’s been a depressing month for the MMA community.
Not who you think he is.
I went to school with Justin in Iowa and was a teammate of his. Justin was busted for roids at the end of the 2001 season, and his roommate said he would shoot Justin up (needle in the butt). He was arrested a dozen times for beating is girlfriend and they final broke up after he throw her in to the apartment wall (she was stuck in the wall, because she was thrown so hard). This incident is when the cops found a 6 month supply of roids at his apartment. The hallway leading to his apartment had about 20 to 30 holes in it from Justin punching the walls after coming from the bars on Welch ave. Besides that he has been arrested about 10 to 20 times for fight in Ames and Des Moines. He was a VERY VIOLENT man, Justin being shoot is sad, but it doesn’t surprise me, and I’m surprise he wasn’t shoot a few years ago. My heart does go out to Justin’s family.
Cmon Bonfire
Don’t you know that once most fans see a guy fight on TV. All his personal transgressions don’t exist? Surely it had to be someone else’s fault that this guy was in a home (not his) refused to leave, and probably got shot in self defense. Surely this old man lured this meek mild Heavyweight martial artist into his home. Just so he could shoot him in cold blood. It makes total sense.
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
Wow...
Just when I couldn’t think the insensitivity level of some people on this site couldn’t get any lower… you sir, have kicked it up another notch.
Congratulations.
by Gunslinger20 on Dec 27, 2008 1:16 AM EST up reply actions
“aaronb” Your comments are beyond ridiculous. You have know idea what the background of this “old man” is and know idea if he was drinking or what? To immediately jump to his defense without knowing anything about the guy personally or how the argument started or why it escalated is way off base.
by tylerdurden1 on Dec 27, 2008 2:03 AM EST up reply actions
Good Bye
Justin Eilers. Even though you were not the greatest, flashiest, most fun fighter to watch, you were apart of the large growing family that I have become apart of, and that is a mixed martial art athlete. Even though you never became that UFC or Elite XC champion, you still fought like a warrior and gave it all. With that you earn respect, and even though I never met you or saw you in person, I respect you.
Justin Eilers, rest in piece.
The Justin I remember...
I went to elementary and junior high school school w/ Justin. I played sports with him while I was growing up… knew his family pretty well since my dad coached him in every sport we played. I lost touch w/ him once I moved to Colorado when I was 16 but oddly enough, I ran into him in last Xmas. He appeared to be a great and loving father… some people can bring up “apparent” past discretions of his but I’ll remember the guy that I grew up with playing football and baseball with.
Rest in PEACE, Justin…
We miss you cousin!!!!!
First of all I would like to set the story straight. Whoever, said Justin had a sister is obviously mistaken him for another Justin, Justin Eilers people had one older brother, no sisters.
There was a breif ’ VERBAL’ confrontation between Jim ( his mom’s new husband) and Justin.
Who in their right mind packs a loaded pistal on their hip at Christmas dinner? I’ll tell you who, a pussy mother f***** who was scared shitless of Justin, simply because Jim is weak and insecure. Jim deserves whats coming to him. Justin stood up for what he believed and had a very giving heart. He was an amazing father to his son and did not deserve to be shot intentionally by that stupid piece of shit on Christmas with his mom, 7 yr. old son, EX-girlfriend, and grandma watching. I hope Jim Burns in HELL, for what he did.
Justin was always fun to be around. My husband enjoyed his company, especially after the fights, hanging out was something they both enjoyed. He loved his family very much, he will forever be remembered and missed…. Much Love Justin, from family in California!!!!!
by justin's cousin on Dec 27, 2008 2:55 AM EST reply actions
As I said above...
it is now 1:55pm eastern and here is the deal.
There will be absolutely no more:
A) Talk about politics (including gun control)
B) Name calling. I will say that had it been me that first saw some of these comments and not other members of the staff there would have been bans thrown around not warnings.
We can absolutely talk about this situation without resorting to name calling, we can absolutely talk about this situation without getting into heavy politics.
I’m done fucking around in this thread. Get it together or get banned.
Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 27, 2008 1:59 PM EST reply actions
Don’t let me stop you. Ban away.
Bolts from the Blue // "It is what it is." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken
by Richard Wade on Dec 27, 2008 5:17 PM EST up reply actions
Quick side note
for whoever talks to the programmers of this site.
I noticed when the messages were deleted here, new messages indicators weren’t shown anymore. It said no new messages (was 80, then 74), and I saw new messages but they weren’t colored at all.
I think the coder must do a tally of posts, and indicate new based on that, but it doesn’t decrease the tally when posts are deleted? Dunno but figured the programmer may want to know.
Sorry for the intrusion.
Missed!
For those of you who have nothing better to do with your time than to talk about politics, or your own opinion of what went on that night – stay off this board. Justin was my cousin and I do not appreciate those of you who are trying to put him down or make him into someone who he is NOT. Yes we all have a “past” and that is what molds us into the people we are today. I had not seen Justin for awhile and when we went back into town he took his time and came to see my son and worked out with him and gave the best gift anyone could give – his time. My son is taking this very hard as the rest of the family – please repect that and just think about what you say before you say it – we are greiving. Thank you and love to you always Justin.
by foreverremembered on Dec 28, 2008 12:23 PM EST reply actions
More details emerge
(from http://www.idahopress.com/news/?id=18033 )
• Canyon County Sheriff’s units were dispatched just after 10:45 p.m. to a domestic disturbance in the home of Malec and Eilers’ mother in the 4600 block of South Happy Valley Road. Emergency dispatchers then indicated that shots had been fired and a male had been hit. Early reports to officers en route were that the suspect still had the gun and wasn’t putting it down.
• As units arrived at the scene about 11 p.m., dispatchers advised that the suspect had put the gun down and was leaving the residence. A responding deputy ordered Malec, who exited onto the front porch, to the ground and told him not to move as yells for help were heard from inside the home. Officers handcuffed Malec at gunpoint, searched him and found no visible injuries before placing him in the back of a patrol car. Malec asked about Eilers’ condition more than once when officers returned to the patrol car.
• Upon entering the home, deputies saw Eilers laying on his back on the living room floor, not alert, with blood visible as two women applied pressure to his chest and back. Another man, woman and two children in a bedroom were asked to leave the residence as officers cleared the house and paramedics approached.
• Investigators found drops of blood on the kitchen floor area, near a gray and black semi-automatic handgun, which was in the locked position on the counter with the magazine removed. One officer observed several shot glasses and alcoholic beverage containers along with broken glass on a kitchen counter.
• In a laundry closet near the kitchen, an unknown type of rifle was found on top of the washer and dryer. Deputies saw more rifles and boxes of ammunition in a bedroom of the home.
• Paramedics entered the home shortly after 11:15 p.m. and began CPR on Eilers. Wounds were visible on his chest and back.
• A neighbor in a nearby home in the 4700 block of South Happy Valley Road indicated he did not hear any sounds of a disturbance or gunshots.
• Paramedics advised they had stopped CPR about 11:36 p.m. Shortly afterward, the coroner, suspect and family were notified of Eilers’ death.
• Malec was transported to the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigation Division to be interviewed. After that, he was transported to the Canyon County jail and booked on a charge of second-degree murder.
———————————————————————————————————————————
from http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20081228/SPORTS020602/812280330/1091/SPORTS02
Eilers, 30, a linebacker at Iowa State in 2000 and 2001, challenged James Robert Malec, 48, to a fight before the shooting, police reports indicated.
…
A woman who identified herself to police as Eilers’ former girlfriend called 911 after the shooting, according to police reports.
Eilers and his ex-girlfriend had gotten into a dispute, court documents indicate.
Deputies said in court filings that the former girlfriend is also the mother of Eilers’ son.
A detective said the woman said Eilers started yelling at her about parenting, and the altercation continued to elevate.
Hum… It appears that their are many people giving their opinions here, educated or not.
So, from someone who did know Justin for a brief period of time. Peace be with you & your family. When I knew him, he wasn’t a good guy by anyone’s standards. However NO ONE deserves to have their life cut short in such a manner. I never thought I would take his side under any circumstance… But I hope he finds peace and his family knows that God has a plan and someday they will understand it.
Justin Eilers will be greatly missed! He was an awesome friend!
Justin was an awesome friend, everytime I saw him he had that huge cocky smile that he walked around with plastered on his face!!!
I’ll never forget the first time I met Justin, it was at Weigh Ins for the Coliseum Carnage in Ames, Iowa. He walked in wearing womens jeans, and died purple hair.
Here’s what makes me mad… I have yet to find something about this on UFC’s website. You will find all kinds of crap for Evan Tanner, yet nothing on Justin.
Justin you will always be a friend, and my thoughts are with everyone else back here in Iowa. We will miss you deeply and can’t wait until we can spar with you in your womens jeans again!!!
R.I.P
One of Justin’s younger cousins is one of my bestfriends. He’s taking it really hard so I would appreciate if you leave the negitive stuff about Justin off the internet. I’m sure the family would too. Thanks.
R.I.P Justin—-You’ll be missed.
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