Sub-4 Miler Blames Smoking Medication For Murder

Tim Danielson, the second high school boy to break four minutes in the mile, was convicted by a San Diego jury today for the first-degree murder of his ex-wife in 2011. They had reportedly had a disagreement over her boyfriend.

Danielson was supposed to be the next big thing when he ran 3:59.4 as a prep in 1966. But he never did. He attended BYU, but was unable to break four minutes again, and eventually drifted into an obscure bit of trivia for running aficionados. To this day, only five high school boys have ever gone sub-four.

Danielson and his ex-wife, his third, were divorced in 2008, but continued living together for financial reasons, the Times of San Diego. After their argument, the ex-wife tried to run away. Danielson shot her six times, and then tried to take his own life through carbon monoxide inhalation by a portable generator.

Danielson's lawyer argued that his client was on Chantix, a smoking cessation medication which side effects can include "changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions," according to its website. But to no avail: the judge is expected to sentence Danielson for 50-years-to-life on July 11.

[Photo: AP Images]