Oct. 2005 Melissa James becomes personal assistant to Craig Titus and wife Kelly Ryan, moving: Into their home in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Dec.14, 2005 The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department releases a report that a 2003 Jaguar belonging to Kelly Ryan was found abandoned and afire off a stretch of Nevada highway near Las Vegas. James' burned body was found in the trunk by firefighters.
Dec. 21, 2005 The LVMPD issues arrest warrants for Craig Titus, Kelly Ryan and Anthony Gross.
Dec. 23, 2005 Titus and Ryan are captured in Stoughton, Massachusetts, by the FBI without incident--Ryan was getting a pedicure at a nail salon at the time.
Dec. 27, 2005 Titus and Ryan are arraigned in Stoughton where they enter a plea of not guilty on the charges against them.
Jan. 17, 2005 Titus and Ryan waive extradition in Massachusetts.
March 30, 2005 Titus and Ryan both plead not guilty to the charges of murder with a deadly weapon, first-degree kidnapping and third-degree arson during a brief arraignment hearing.
Apr. 18, 2006 Bail is denied for the couple; the judge rules that they pose a "significant" flight risk,
July 18, 2006 Titus and Ryan appear in court in regard to arguments for the defendants' request for a Writ of Habeas Corpus ( a request for a dismissal of the charges and release from custody).
Oct. 21, 2006 Nelson Brady, 34, is arrested and charged with three counts of solicitation to commit murder. Police allege that Brady attempted to hatch a plot to put out a hit on three key witnesses in [section] the Titus case, including codefendant Gross. Titus is not charged and through his always denies any involvement.
Nov. 27, 2006 Brady's bail set at $150,000, and his preliminary hearing is continued to.
Dec. 5,2006 In a report by Glenn Puit of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, it is revealed that police had Gross pose as a corpse and be photographed in the trunk of a car in the hopes of getting an admission of guilt from Titus maintains his innocence.
Dec. 8, 2006 Titus releases a letter alleging he was mistreated by prison staff. Video screen shots from security cameras are later released, showing Titus handcuffed, strapped to a chair and blind folded.
Jan. 8, 2007 Fire in the Desert: The True Story of the Craig Titus-Kelly Ryan Murder Mystery is released. The author is Review-Journal reporter Glenn Puit.
Feb. 23, 2007 At a pretrial hearing, Ryan announces she has fired attorney Greg Denue, and attempts to replace him with a law partner of Titus' defense attorney, Michael Cristalli. Later, Judge Jackie Glass would deny Ryan's request.
March 26, 2007 A pretrial hearing for Titus and Ryan is set for May 29, 2007, and a trial date set for June 4, 2007 (the date is vacated the next day, and the case continued).
May 3, 2007 Trial setting for Titus and Ryan continued to May 17, 2007, pending a ruling on Ryan's request for a lawyer change from the Nevada Supreme Court,
May 15,2007 Trial setting pushed to June 21,2007, by Judge Jackie Glass, as the Supreme Court ruling remains unresolved. It would be rescheduled again multiple times.
Aug. 28, 2007 Another book on the case, Killer Bodies: A Glamorous Bodybuilding Couple, A Love Triangle; and a Brutal Murder, by Michael Fleeman, an associate bureau chief for People magazine, is released
Oct. 11,2007 Nevada Supreme Court rules Ryan can select attorney Michael Cristalli to represent her.
Oct. 23,2007 New trial date of June 2.2008, set for Titus and Ryan; the trial for Gross is set for July 24,2008.
Feb. 1, 2008 Titus, Ryan and Gross are notified that the parents of victim Melissa James--Maura and Dennis James--have filed a wrongful death civil case against them, seeking compensatory and punitive damages in the death of their daughter.
Feb; 5, 2008 At trial, Brady is found guilty of three counts of solicitation to commit murder.
May 30,2008 Titus and Ryan plead guilty, avoiding their trial, which was to begin June 4. Titus pleads guilty to second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and arson in the death of James. Ryan pleads guilty to arson and enters an Alford plea to battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial harm. Sentencing set for July 18, where Titus faces 17-55 years in prison, while Ryan faces 2-15 years on each charge. Each has served two-and-half years in prison thus far.
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