Chris Benoit Dead At Age 40

[Talon Karrde]

From Bloomberg.com:

"Wrestler Chris Benoit Is Found Dead With Wife, Son (Update1)

By Erik Matuszewski

June 26 (Bloomberg) -- Professional wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and 7-year-old son were found dead in their Georgia home yesterday, said local law enforcement officials.

The death of the 40-year-old wrestler, a former heavyweight champion once known as the ``Canadian Crippler,'' and his family is being investigated as a murder-suicide, police said. The Associated Press today reported that Benoit strangled his wife, smothered his son and hanged himself, citing a law enforcement official that it didn't identify.

``It's very shocking,'' Fayette County detective Bo Turner said in televised comments to reporters last night. ``Until we get the crime lab reports, it's unclear what happened.''

Lt. Tommy Pope, who is leading the investigation, didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.

Benoit had performed with Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. for the past eight years after starting in the business in 1985. He failed to compete in a pay-per-view title match on June 24, due to what the WWE said during the broadcast was a ``family emergency.''

The company said on its Web site that police were asked to check on the wrestler and his family after several friends received ``curious text messages'' from Benoit. When sheriff's department officials arrived at Benoit's house outside Atlanta, they found Benoit's body in a weight room, his wife in an office and his son in an upstairs bedroom, Turner said.

WWE canceled last night's live show in Corpus Christi, Texas, and instead aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit's career on the USA Network, where its matches were the two highest-rated programs on basic cable the week of June 11, according to Nielsen Media Research Inc.

Benoit, whose signature move was the ``Crippler Crossface,'' won the WWE's heavyweight championship in 2004 by defeating a wrestler named Triple H.

``Chris was beloved among his fellow superstars, and was a favorite among fans for his unbelievable athleticism and wrestling ability,'' WWE said in a statement. ``He always took great pride in his performance, and always showed respect for the business he loved, for his peers and toward his fans. This is a terrible tragedy and an unbearable loss.''

Benoit's 43-year-old wife, Nancy, was a manager for several wrestlers, and the two met when they were with now-defunct World Championship Wrestling. In addition to their son, Daniel, who was found dead, Benoit had two children from a previous relationship, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said."

[Talon Karrde]

From WrestlingINC.com:

"June 27, 2007 1:15 PM PST]: The press conference in regard to the Benoit family tragedy and preliminary autospy results of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and their son Daniel has just concluded. Here are the highlights:
- Lt. Pope said they found all three bodies in the home mid-afternoon after a call from WWE at 2:30 to check on them. “Double Homicide Suicide” is the official ruling.

- It was said that Benoit killed his wife on Friday, his son Daniel the next day, then hanged himself either late Saturday night or early Sunday with a cord in his basement weight room. Toxicology reports can take up to several weeks to obtain. Asphyxiation is the official ruling for Benoit’s wife and son deaths.

- There was no suicide note and Benoit was arrested for a DUI in the past, but there were no calls to his current residence for domestic abuse.

- They found a lot of prescription medication that were believed to be legal prescriptions. Anabolic steroids were also found.

- No comment on a possible motive or the contents of the text message that Benoit had sent to a friend (believed to be Chavo Guerrero). The friend saw it several hours after it was received.

- Several hours passed, no more than a day, between the son's death and Benoit's. The wife's body was found in the office area, Daniel in his bedroom, and Benoit in the basement home gym. He estimates close to a full day between the deaths of his wife and son.

- There was no evidence of Nancy resisting. The doctor from the crime lab estimates Nancy died some time on Friday.

- District Attorney Scott Ballard stated that a Bible was placed near each murder victim. There was no bible found near Chris Benoit's body, however.

- Benoit tied Nancy's hands and feet and she was wrapped in a towel. Blood was found near Nancy's body.

- In 2003, a temporary restraining order was sought by Nancy but later dropped.

- Benoit made no attempt to hide the bodies.

- The DA has not heard from WWE.

- Benoit apparently called WWE stating that Daniel was coughing up blood, thus likely the 'personal reasons' for missing weekend house shows.

- Ballard did not know if there were firearms in the house.

That concluded the press conference, and it was noted that investigators were still at work in the Benoit house.

A report from the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution states that Nancy Benoit filed for divorce in May 2003 and cited domestic abuse in her court filings. According to the report, she got a restraining order on May 12, 2003 against Chris Benoit. In the divorce petition, Nancy Benoit alleged that Chris Benoit, "lost his temper and threatened to strike the petitioner and cause extensive damage to the home and personal belongings of the parties, including furniture and furnishings. Petitioner is in reasonable fear for petitioner's own safety and that of the minor child." However, on August 19, 2003, Nancy Benoit filed to dismiss the divorce petition and the restraining order. Other than the separation for those three months in 2003, Chris and Nancy lived together since 1997. The couple had married in 2000.

All the major media outlets have been covering this story with most having it as their top story. The story is also being covered on all the major news networks.

One source told TMZ that Benoit was texting friends during Sunday's WWE "Vengeance" Pay-Per-View -- possibly watching the show with his son, who may have been alive at the time.

As of Monday night, WWE removed all Chris Benoit merchandise from their website, as well as removing. They also removed the 'I Did It' T-Shirts, which were associated with the Vince McMahon death storyline. On Tuesday, they began removing articles and galleries associated with Chris Benoit, replacing them with promotional articles. They also removed their tribute to Benoit late this morning. Benoit's profile on the ECW website section has been removed as well. However, their press release about the tragedy remains on the home page of their website.

Chris Benoit, 40, his wife Nancy (who was a manager in WCW in the 1990's as Woman) and his son Daniel, 7, were found dead in their home on Monday.

WWE has provided this timeline on the events over the past several days:

- Benoit was not at the Smackdown/ECW house show in Beaumont on Saturday, or in Houston for the Vengeance PPV, informing WWE that he had a family emergency.

- Benoit sent "curious text messages" to friends on Sunday morning, and concerns over the messages were sent to WWE representative Richard Hering.

- Richard Hering spoke to local authorities on Monday morning, requesting a "wellness check" at the Benoit residence.

- Local authorities found the bodies of Chris, Nancy, and Daniel at 2:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon after. Initial evidence has led authorities to believe Nancy and Daniel were killed sometime during the weekend, then Benoit killed himself on Monday.

- WWE officials in Corpus Christi were informed of the deaths at 4:00 p.m on Monday. WWE then held a meeting with wrestlers and talent, informing them of the deaths. WWE scrapped it's plans for Raw that night and made it a tribute to Chris Benoit and his family. Fans were sent home. Wrestlers were also allowed to leave and mourn.

WWE also released 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."

We here at WrestlingInc.com would like to offer our condolences to all the family and friends affected during this tragic time."

[Talon Karrde]

From CBS News Website:

"Doctor Probed In Death Of 2nd Pro Wrestler
Georgia Doctor Under Microscope For Deaths Of Two Former Pro Wrestlers, Authorities Say


NEW YORK, July 8, 2007


(CBS) Federal authorities have already indicted Dr. Phil Astin on seven counts of over-prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two of his patients, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.

"Dr. Astin allegedly prescribed these drugs like candy without regard for appropriate medical practice or recipients' health," said U.S. Attorney David Nahmias.

Now the Georgia doctor facing life in prison on those charges is also under the microscope for the deaths of two pro wrestlers who were his patients: Michael Durham, AKA Johnny Grunge, who died in his sleep in February 2006, and Chris Benoit, WWE's star wrestler whose shocking death ignited an investigation into prescription drug and steroid abuse.

Police found anabolic steroids prescribed by Dr. Astin inside Benoit's home after he allegedly strangled his wife and son before hanging himself in late June.

According to the search warrant, Astin had prescribed Benoit with a ten-month supply of steroids every three to four weeks between May of 2006 and May of this year.

Still, Astin has not been charged in connection with the Benoit case, adds Miller.

"There's no link to steroids charged against him — there's nothing," said Manny Arora, Dr. Astin's attorney. "There's nothing sensational in this case."

Steroid use has greatly increased in sports from baseball to wrestling over the last decade.

Sportswriter Luis Fernando Llosa has been investigating their use by pro athletes, and he suggests that the time has come for regulating pro wrestling.

"They are dying at 10 to 20 percent higher rates than other people their age," said Llosa of Sports Illustrated.

Toxicology reports on Michael Durham are pending, and Benoit's are due out this week. The Drug Enforcement Administration, now in charge of the investigation, told CBS that Astin has plead not guilty and faces 20 years for each of the counts against him."