MMA Fighter Justin Eilers Shot Dead at 30

Former UFC, WEC, and EliteXC heavyweight fighter Justin Eilers was shot in the chest in Canyon County, Idaho, during an apparent domestic disturbance at an acquaintance's home and died soon after in a tragic turn of events. Eilers was only 30 years old at the time of his death on Friday morning.

Though Canyon County sheriffs arrived at the residence while Eilers was still alive, efforts of emergency medical staff at the scene were unsuccessful in keeping him alive.

According to a Sherdog.com report, Eilers’ longtime manager Monte Cox indicated that he had been with relatives for the holidays. Unfortunately, tensions flared with an ex-girlfriend that was also in attendance, causing the owner of the house to ask the MMA fighter to leave. Eilers didn’t and began throwing dishes and other objects around, which eventually resulted in him being shot in the chest by the home's owner after a verbal exchange.

James Robert Malec, 48, was arrested and charged with second degree murder in relation to the shooting. Eilers’ mother, young son, and ex-girlfriend were also believed to have been in the room at the time of the shooting.

Eilers had won 10 of his last 12 fights. The three fighters he lost to while competing in the UFC previous to the aforementioned streak— Paul Buentello, Andrei Arlovski, and Brandon Vera – were all upper echelon fighters at the time of his loss. That said, after falling in his most recent fight to Antonio Silva in EliteXC, Eilers had made it known that he planned on dropping from the heavyweight ranks to the light heavyweight division (205 pounds).

The MMA community had already been reeling from the recent death of Justin Levens . These have been some dark days.