WWE star Chris Benoit dead in murder-suicide

[DickHardman]

Investigators believe World Wrestling Entertainment star Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son over the weekend and then killed himself on Monday.

Benoit, his wife Nancy and young son Daniel were all found dead at their suburban Atlanta home at about 2:30 (et). Tommy Pope of the Fayette County, Georgia Sheriff’s Department told ABC News that Benoit missed several appointments over the weekend and neighbors and WWE personnel both asked the local police for a "welfare check." and the bodies were found.

Pope indicated there were no signs of gunshot wounds or stabbing but said the instruments of death were located on scene and the police were not actively searching for any suspects outside of the house.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. (et).

The 40-year old Benoit was scheduled to win the ECW heavyweight tile on Sunday at a pay per view event in Houston, Texas but bowed out of the match citing a "family emergency.”

Following the announcement of the deaths, the WWE issued the following statement: "Chris was beloved among his fellow superstars, and was a favorite among WWE fans for his unbelievable athleticism and wrestling ability. He always took great pride in his performance, and always showed respect for the business he loved, for his peers and towards his fans. This is a terrible tragedy and an unbearable loss. WWE extends its sincere condolences and prayers to the Benoit family and loved ones in this time of tragedy."

WWE then canceled its scheduled sold out live three-hour "Monday Night RAW" television taping in Corpus Christi. The event was originally programmed as a "memorial service" for WWE chairman Vince McMahon, whose character was recently killed off in an over the top scripted storyline.

Instead McMahon, looking worn and disheveled, opened the program from center ring in an empty arena and told his viewing audience that Benoit and his family had died "in reality." McMahon then called Benoit "one of the greatest WWE superstars of all-time" and aired a three-hour tribute to the former world champion.

http://daily.phanaticmag.com/2007/06/wwe-star-chris-benoit-dead-in-murder.html

[DickHardman]

man, what a tragedy. the life of pro wrestlers are so sad, nothing but tragedy after tragedy. what a bummer. he was a great wrestler. RIP.

[DickHardman]

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his 7-year-old son and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself with a weight-machine pulley, authorities said Tuesday.

Investigators found anabolic steroids in the house and want to know whether the muscle man nicknamed "The Canadian Crippler" was unhinged by the bodybuilding drugs, which can cause paranoia, depression and explosive outbursts known as "roid rage."

Authorities offered no motive for the killings, which were spread out over a weekend, and would not discuss Benoit's state of mind. No suicide note was found.

"In a community like this it's bizarre to have a murder-suicide, especially involving the death of a 7-year-old," District Attorney Scott Ballard said. "I don't think we'll ever be able to wrap our minds around this."

The Montreal-born Benoit was one of the stars of the WWE wrestling circuit and was known for his wholesome family-man image. His wife, Nancy, was a wrestling stage manager who worked under the name "Woman." They married in 2000.

When he won the world heavyweight championship in 2004, Benoit (pronounced ben-WAH) hoisted the belt over his head and invited his wife and child into the ring to celebrate. Asked by the Calgary Sun that year to name his worst vice, Benoit replied: "Quality time with my family is a big vice. It's something I'll fight for and crave."

Despite those appearances, Nancy Benoit had filed for a divorce in 2003, saying the couple's three-year marriage was irrevocably broken and alleging "cruel treatment." She later dropped the complaint, as well as a request for a restraining order in which she charged that the 5-foot-10, 220-pound Benoit had threatened her and had broken furniture in their home.

In the divorce filing, she said Benoit made more than $500,000 a year as a professional wrestler and asked for permanent custody of Daniel and child support. In response, Benoit sought joint custody.

The bodies were found Monday afternoon in the house, off a gravel road in this suburb about 20 miles south of Atlanta.

Benoit's 43-year-old wife was killed Friday in an upstairs family room, her feet and wrists were bound and there was blood under her head, indicating a possible struggle, Ballard said. Daniel was probably killed late Saturday or early Sunday, the body found in his bed, the district attorney said.

Benoit, 40, apparently hanged himself several hours and as long as a day later, Ballard said. His body was found in a downstairs weight room, his body found hanging from the pulley of a piece of exercise equipment.

A closed Bible was placed next to the bodies of the wife and son, authorities said.

The prosecutor said he found it "bizarre" that the wrestler spread out the killings over a weekend and appeared to remain in the house for up to a day with the bodies.

Ballard said Benoit had sent two text messages to acquaintances, one saying that his wife and son were sick. The other, to a neighbor, said the door to the house was open and that the pets were outside. The prosecutor said the messages appeared to be an attempt to get someone to the home to find the bodies after his suicide.

The boy had old needle marks in his arms, Ballard said. He said he had been told the parents considered him undersized and had given him growth hormones.

"The boy was very small, even dwarfed," Ballard said.

Toxicology test results may not be available for weeks or even months, Ballard said. As for whether steroids played a role in the crime, he said: "We don't know yet. That's one of the things we'll be looking at."

Benoit received drug deliveries from a Florida business that sold steroids, human growth hormone and testosterone on the Internet, according to the Albany County, N.Y., District Attorney's Office, which is investigating the business, MedXLife.com.

Six people, including two of the pharmacy's owners, have pleaded guilty in the Albany investigation, and 20 more have been arrested, including doctors and pharmacists.

Steroids have been linked to the deaths of several professional wrestlers in recent years. Eddie Guerrero, one of Benoit's best friends, died in 2005 from heart failure linked to long-term steroid use.

The father of Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig blamed steroids and painkillers for Hennig's drug overdose death in 2003. Davey Boy Smith, the "British Bulldog," died in 2002 from heart failure that a coroner said was probably caused by steroids.

The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., issued a news release Tuesday evening saying steroids "were not and could not be related to the cause of death."

"The physical findings announced by authorities indicate deliberation, not rage," the company said, adding that Benoit tested negative April 10, the last time he was tested for drugs.

Benoit was a quiet, roughhewn figure amid the glitz and bluster of pro wrestling. He performed under his real name, eschewed scripted personas and didn't bother to fix a gap where he had lost one of his front teeth. (According to the WWE Web site, he lost the tooth while roughhousing with his pet Rottweiler.)

His signature move was the "Crippler Crossface," in which he would lock his hands around an opponent's face and stretch his neck.

"You always rooted for him, because he was a good guy and he overcame the odds," said Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer, a weekly news letter. "It's like if you watched `Rocky,' and in the end it comes out that Rocky killed his wife and his son."

Benoit met his wife in the 1990s when she was married to rival wrestler Kevin Sullivan. As part of the scripted rivalry, Benoit and Nancy were supposed to act as if they were having an affair. A real romance blossomed, and she left Sullivan for Benoit.

Neighbors said the Benoits led a low-key lifestyle.

"We would see Chris walking in his yard from time to time. He wasn't rude, but he wasn't really outwardly warm," said Alaina Jones, who lives across the street.

Jimmy Baswell, who was Benoit's driver for more than five years, placed a white wreath at their gate. "They always seemed like they were the happiest people," he said.

World Wrestling Entertainment said on its Web site that it asked authorities to check on Benoit and his family after being alerted by friends who had received "several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning."

"He was like a family member to me, and everyone in my family is taking it real hard," said fellow Canadian Bret Hart, a five-time champion.

The WWE canceled its live "Monday Night RAW" card in Corpus Christi, Texas, after the bodies were discovered.

Monday's show was supposed to be a memorial service for WWE owner Vince McMahon. In a storyline concocted by the WWE, McMahon was supposedly "assassinated" in a limousine explosion two weeks earlier. McMahon appeared at the beginning of Monday's telecast and acknowledged the bombing was made up.

The McMahon storyline has been dropped.

[Yu Law]

I agree, this is really sad. When i first heard that Benoit had died, I like many others immediately thought about steroids or a drug overdose of some sort.

When I heard that his whole immediate family was dead, I thought that they were in a car accident. Then when I heard that they died in the house i was thinking Burglary/murder. At the back of my mind i knew it sounded odd that they died in the house and that investigators were not looking for outside suspects.

When I heard that the bodies were all in separate rooms, I knew that Benoit had murdered his family and himself. I'm still shocked about this and very depressed. Chris Benoit demanded respect and through hard work and dedication earned it from everyone whom he wrestled and from all wrestling fans aorund the world. It took him years to earn that respect and in one weekend he lost it all.

I really don't know what to think still, this was one of my favorite wrestlers as a kid and still now. He was not a superstar, he was never as popular or as marketable as The Rock, Stone Cold or his even his counterpart Bret Hart for that matter but he was technically superior to everyone besides Bret and prob. Kurt Angle.

Hearing that he was murdered or died of a drug overdose would have been better than this. It's strange how i say this as i would still be feeling the same way but less betrayed. Chris Benoit was the epitome of hard work and the poster boy of the never giving up attitude, but in the end he sort of gave up didn't he?

[DickHardman]

I agree, this is really sad. When i first heard that Benoit had died, I like many others immediately thought about steroids or a drug overdose of some sort.

When I heard that his whole immediate family was dead, I thought that they were in a car accident. Then when I heard that they died in the house i was thinking Burglary/murder. At the back of my mind i knew it sounded odd that they died in the house and that investigators were not looking for outside suspects.

When I heard that the bodies were all in separate rooms, I knew that Benoit had murdered his family and himself. I'm still shocked about this and very depressed. Chris Benoit demanded respect and through hard work and dedication earned it from everyone whom he wrestled and from all wrestling fans aorund the world. It took him years to earn that respect and in one weekend he lost it all.

I really don't know what to think still, this was one of my favorite wrestlers as a kid and still now. He was not a superstar, he was never as popular or as marketable as The Rock, Stone Cold or his even his counterpart Bret Hart for that matter but he was technically superior to everyone besides Bret and prob. Kurt Angle.

Hearing that he was murdered or died of a drug overdose would have been better than this. It's strange how i say this as i would still be feeling the same way but less betrayed. Chris Benoit was the epitome of hard work and the poster boy of the never giving up attitude, but in the end he sort of gave up didn't he?

honestly, i think it had to be the roids. remember bluewave posting about how he took roids and alcohol and it made him hear voices and go crazy and he got thrown in jail and then sent to an institute. all cause of roids. i mean, we dont know for sure, but im guessing roids and other drugs had something to do with this.

damn shame.

[Ahsen]

lets hope it gets the positive approval for Mike brewer

[Blue Wave Gym]

God rst their souls in heaven I can't imagine anything worse that a parent kiloing hteir own child or a husband killing his wife. The steriod i was on was a low dose for an injury presecribed by a doctor and hte problem arose from ging on and off it and combinig it iwth alchol. i had one previous incodent with it when i went off it and I had shoulder spasms and was crying for no reason while drunk. Then the freakout of last year. Benoit was presumably on a much bigger does plus on psyco-active medication and drinking. If that is the case it's easy to see why he went berserk but a complete tragedy that should not have happend. There should be manditory steroid testing in professional wrestling. just ask some of the foot ball players and body builders whoes minds and lives have been wrecked by steroid use. Or just ask Bob Hazelton the former boxer.

[Garland]

Benoit was presumably on a much bigger does plus on psyco-active medication and drinking.

...something tells me if he was on psychoactive medications, perhaps the steroids played a lesser role in this tragedy THAN THE FUCKING MENTAL CONDITION HE WAS BEING TREATED FOR with the psychoactive medications. Just a hunch, you know...

Man kills wife and child...what type of agenda should we springboard off this??? Let's blame STEROIDS. Opportunistic vulture fucks. And yet you all buy into it- hook, line and sinker.

Here's what this shit's coming off like- "Benoit was a good athlete and a good man, until he started the 'roids and went fucking batty. It's the 'roids that're responsible..." The guy was a violent ****, beat his wife, had some serious mental health conditions that went unchecked, and just.............sssssssllllllliiiiiiiddddddd off the deep end. Stop looking for scapegoats.

untermench.

[slayer31]

guys, hate to break it to ya... but roid rage is a common logical fallacy... people are so uneducated about the subject and the media demonization of it is absolutely rediculous. People blame it on steroids because they have heard stories about people taking sauce and then being an asshole.... her is the thing, those people are simply using the sauce as an excuse to act in such a manner. plus, if you were an asshole off steroids, you will be one on them... now do synthetic male hormones have the ability to increase aggressiveness... yes, but not in the way it is portrayed in things like THE PROGRAM... even though lattimer is the balls. its exactly what it is, a scapegoat... garland couldnt be more right. there are a lot more people than you think that are using anabolics, and yet you would never know judging by their personality and dameanor.... its the idiot assholes that do steroids to say that they are on steroids are just using the term "roid rage" as a method of intimidation (easily facilitated and justified by uneducated people such as media stating that roid rage is scientifically real). hell i have known people that have chewed up 50mg of halo and been on over 3000mg of testosterone and there temperment was fine... there were other factors in this wrestlers case... roid rage even if it were real wouldnt last for over a period of 2 days when the killings took place... any type of heightened irritability would only last minutes... hell this guy was probably jsut using test an growth, not slamming super high androgens like finaplex and halo. steroids were not Chris Benoit's undoing.

[Blue Wave Gym]

[QUOTE=Garland;272633]...something tells me if he was on psychoactive medications, perhaps the steroids played a lesser role in this tragedy THAN THE FUCKING MENTAL CONDITION HE WAS BEING TREATED FOR with the psychoactive medications. Just a hunch, you know...

Man kills wife and child...what type of agenda should we springboard off this??? Let's blame STEROIDS. Opportunistic vulture fucks. And yet you all buy into it- hook, line and sinker.

Here's what this shit's coming off like- "Benoit was a good athlete and a good man, until he started the 'roids and went fucking batty. It's the 'roids that're responsible..." The guy was a violent ****, beat his wife, had some serious mental health conditions that went unchecked, and just.............sssssssllllllliiiiiiiddddddd off the deep end. Stop looking for scapegoats.
No one is loooking to scape goat steroids first it hasn't been confirmed that he had am enatal problem or that he was taking psycoactive drugs or drinking when it happened that is jst a rumore so untill the toxocology report comes back lets not assume either way what we do know is that he had been taking steroids for at least two decades in cycles and htat he had some alleged domestic troubles with his wife in the past. Husbadns do horriable thigns ot their wives and children without being on steroids and not eveyone who uses steroids had roid rage althoug prolonged use of them certainly increases the chances. It's too bad there isn't a study on this to see what the percentage is.At this time we still don't know why he did waht he did but being on steroids for two decades certainly didn't help his thinking process.The murdrs lok premedititated and occured over two days so who's to say what the motive was. But steroids are known to produce a paronia in people let's see what the toxocology report says.

[Garland]

No one is loooking to scape goat steroids first it hasn't been confirmed that he had am mental problem or that he was taking psycoactive drugs or drinking when it happened that is jst a rumore so untill the toxocology report comes back lets not assume either way what we do know is that he had been taking steroids for at least two decades
i

It's too bad there isn't a study on this to see what the percentage is.

The murdrs lok premedititated and occured over two days so who's to say what the motive was.

He put bibles next the the bodies of his wife and child whom he murdered and then offed himself. Each little detail of that sentence would be a rather good indication that he had some rather serious mental health concerns.

It's actually very good there wasn't a decent study to see what the percentage is...they don't screen domestic violence perps for steroids...it would have to be posthumous.

Last time I checked " 'roid rage " indicated impulsive violence...not premeditated and semi-ritualistic murders.

[DickHardman]

He put bibles next the the bodies of his wife and child whom he murdered and then offed himself. Each little detail of that sentence would be a rather good indication that he had some rather serious mental health concerns.

It's actually very good there wasn't a decent study to see what the percentage is...they don't screen domestic violence perps for steroids...it would have to be posthumous.

Last time I checked " 'roid rage " indicated impulsive violence...not premeditated and semi-ritualistic murders.

actually, that all supports the roid rage theory even more. sounds lioke he killed his wife and kid in a fit of roid rage, and then after he came to his senses and realized what a horrible thing he had done, he put the bibles next to their bodies and went to his basement and killed himself with his weight set in grief. who really knows though.

[Garland]

actually, that all supports the roid rage theory even more. sounds lioke he killed his wife and kid in a fit of roid rage, and then after he came to his senses and realized what a horrible thing he had done

...doesn't seem lioke that to me.