Chris Benoit and family found dead

[Dutchy]

REPORTS say Chris Benoit, one of TV wrestling's leading personalities, and his family have been found dead in their home.

The bodies of Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their young son were found after the wrestler missed an engagement to attend to a "family crisis", according to TMZ.com.

Police are investigating the scene.

The official WWE website reported the deaths and said the upcoming episode of Raw would serve as a tribute to Benoit.

[JK]

Thats **** .. Back when I followed the wrestling the Crippler was pretty much my fave ... So many wrestlers, many top-liners, passing on far far too early - WTF is going on over there??

[JK]

Whilst looking for info on it, I discovered that "sensational" Sherri Martel also passed away recently, aged 49, I'm scared to look any further!

[Interceptor]

That's a shocker alright.
Haven't been watching much wrestling lately, but certainly know "The Crippler" as one of the all-time greats.

It seems if you're a wrestler and get past 50, you're doing well

Perhaps I shoudn't speculate, but in this case, it sounds like a murder-suicide.

[MightyEagles]

I thought that it was just the wife.

[silicone skyline]

WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and family found dead

BY ALFONSO A. CASTILLO
mailto:alfonso.castillo@newsday.com

June 25, 2007, 8:58 PM EDT

Renowned pro wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and their 7-year-old-son, were found dead Monday afternoon in their Fayetville, Ga. home, Atlanta police said.

Police would not give any details on how Benoit, 40, his wife Nancy, and son Daniel died, other than to say they were not shot to death, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported Monday. Authorities are investigating the deaths.

The news came just a day after Benoit mysteriously pulled out of a World Wrestling Entertainment pay per view event, during which he was expected to be crowned Extreme Championship Wrestling world champion. Various pro wrestling news sources reported that Benoit was unable to appear at the event due to a family emergency.

"There are no further details at this time, other than the Benoit family residence is currently being investigated by local authorities," the WWE said in a statement on its Web site.

Benoit was a 22-year ring veteran and perennial favorite of wrestling purists, who praised his high-intensity style and technical acumen. His aggressive wrestling technique earned him the nicknames "The Crippler" and "The Rabid Wolverine." In 2000 and 2004, he was named Oustanding Wrestler of the Year by the Wrestling Observer newsletter and in 2004 he was named Wrestler of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine.

The Edmonton, Canada native trained to become a wrestler in Calgary, and honed his skills in Japan before becoming a regular on U.S. national promotions in the mid-1990s. Benoit's career highlight took place in New York, when he won his first World Wrestling Entertainment world heavyweight championship in Madison Square Garden in the main event of WrestleMania XX.

Benoit cried as he celebrated in the ring with his wife and son, as well as best friend, wrestler Eddie Guerrero, who died in 2005.

"Wrestling has consumed my life," Benoit said in a 2004 WWE career retrospective video. "Wrestling is my mistress. It's my passion. It defines who I am as a person."

WWE last night canceled its scheduled live 3-hour "Monday Night RAW" program, which coincidentally was originally billed as a "memorial service" for WWE chairman Vince McMahon, whose character was recently killed off in a controversial scripted storyline.

McMahon opened the show from center ring in an empty arena and clarified that Benoit and his family had died "in reality." McMahon called Benoit "one of the greatest WWE superstars of all-time."

[Strawb]

I am in shock i am a big crippler fan. His best match was against Bret Hart in WCW in the same arena that owen died in. RIP crippler you are the greatest champion of all time.

[Strawb]

Police in Atlanta have ruled a double murder suicide on Chris Benoit they are looking into how. according to WWE.com

[Booney]

More to come it appears:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/26/sport ... ref=slogin

[smac]

We must have 20 items at home that have his name or likeness on them - smac jr will be crushed.

Sounds a terribly sad situation.

[JK]

Still can't believe this has happened

[Dutchy]

Unreal, wrestling just cant escape this sort of controversy....many seem to live life like their wrestling...

One thing I can never get my head around with murder suicides, how could you kill your own kids???

[smac]

Agreed Dutchy, it is incomprehensible.

Only knowing what I observe when watching with smac jr, I have no idea really about most of these characters. Was he a roid head? Striking out in roid-rage and then realising what he had done and ending his own life is the first scenario that popped into my head.

[Dutchy]

yeah 90% of the problems in wrestling have always stemmed from the roid's....add them to the contstant injuries and playing with pain and performing 5 nights out of the week for 50 weeks of the year it makes a deadly cocktail for the brain I feel

[Strawb]

the wwe introduced a wellness program and anyone using drugs would be suspended or sacked by the WWE. We will not know what exactly happened for up to two weeks.

[Snaggletooth Tiger]

With the tragedy of his two best mates Owen Hart & Eddie Guerero's deaths (Wrestling related)
& possibly the callous way the WWE treated Latino Heat's passing with that tasteless storyline involving Chavo, Rey Mysterio Jr & Eddie's Missus may or may not be a contributing factor to
the 'Rabid Wolverine' finally going over the edge in a big way!
Just a theory I might add!
R.I.P. Chris Benoit aka 'The Pegasus Kid'

[The Real Number 3]

This is unbelievable.

[bayman]

what a shock, for those that dont know but do remember 'miss elizabeth' she died from a drug overdose a few years ago while at 'lex lugers' (cant think of their real names) place

[Dutchy]

just reading a wrestling board it seems he had been missing for a couple of days and the WWE didnt know where he was before the PPV.....heres a list of recent Wrestling deaths -

January 7, 2000 Gary Albright Heart Attack 34
January 22, 2000 Al Costello Pneumonia 80
January 24, 2000 Bobby Duncum Jr. Drug Overdose 34
February 29, 2000 Liz Chase Died During Surgery 45
April 19, 2000 Masakazu Fukada Bleeding of the Brain 27
April 25, 2000 Tom Renesto (Assassin #1) Heart Failure 72
May 16, 2000 Tomomi "Jumbo" Tsuruta Internal Bleeding 49
July 27, 2000 Gordon Solie Cancer 71
August 18, 2000 Tony Parisi Heart Attack 58
August 25, 2000 Chris Duffy Seizure 36
August 22, 2000 Toru Tanaka Natural Causes 70
October 3, 2000 "Klondike" Bill Soloweyko Bulbar Palsy 68
October 17, 2000 Leo Nomellini Stroke 76
October 22, 2000 "Yokozuna" Rodney Anoia Heart Attack 34
December 16, 2000 The Blue Demon Heart Attack 78
March 26, 2001 Benny McGuire Heart Attack 54
March 26, 2001 "Red Shoes" Dugan Parkinson's Disease ??
April 24, 2001 Johnny Valentine Natural Causes 73
July 16, 2001 Terry Gordy Heart Attack 40
July 27, 2001 Rhonda Singh (Bertha Faye) Unknown 40
July 29, 2001 Dennis Coraluzzo Stroke 48
October 7, 2001 Chris Adams Shot to Death 46
October 28, 2001 Chief Dave Foxx Heart Attack 44
November 4, 2001 Helen Hart Organ Failure 77
December 15, 2001 Russ Haas Heart Failure 27
December 25, 2001 "Maniac" Mike Davis Heart Attack 46
January 7, 2002 Mighty Igor Heart Failure 60's
February 2, 2002 Nelson Royal Heart Attack 70
February 20, 2002 Swede Hanson Alzheimer's Disease 68
April 18, 2002 Wahoo McDaniel Stroke 63
April 28, 2002 Lou Thesz Natural Causes 86
May 7, 2002 Randy "Pee Wee" Anderson Natural Causes 41
May 14, 2002 Erich Kulas (Mass Transit) Unknown 22
May 16, 2002 Alex "Big Dick Dudley" Rizzo Unknown 34
May 16, 2002 Shoichi Arai (FMW President) Suicide 36
May 17, 2002 "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith Heart Attack 39
September 21, 2002 Ted Petty (Rocco Rock) Heart Attack 49
October 31, 2002 Edward "Moose" Cholak Natural Causes 72
November 22, 2002 Billy Joe Travis Heart Attack ??
November 29, 2002 Jeff Peterson Cancer 22
November 30, 2002 "Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods Heart Attack ??
January 18, 2003 "The Original Sheik" Ed Farahat Natural Causes ??
February 10, 2003 Curt Hennig Drug Overdose 44
February 20, 2003 Tony Altomare Heart Attack 74
March 19, 2003 Hiromichi "Kodo" Fuyuki Cancer 42
March 20, 2003 Sailor Art Thomas Cancer 79
April 17, 2003 Ray Mendoza Natural Causes 73
May 1, 2003 Miss Elizabeth (Elizabeth Heulette) Drug Overdose 42
June 2, 2003 "Classie" Freddie Blassie Natural Causes 85
July 8, 2003 Giant Ochiai Brain Injury 30
September 26, 2003 Anthony "Pitbull #2" Durante Drug Overdose 36
October 16, 2003 Stu Hart Pneumonia 88
October 19, 2003 Road Warrior Hawk (Mike Hegstrand) Heart Attack 46
November 6, 2003 Mike "Crash Holly" Lockwood Asphyxiation 32
November 24, 2003 Richard "Dick" Hutton Natural Causes 80
November 29, 2003 Moondog Spot (Larry Lathman) Heart Attack 51
December 5, 2003 Jerry "The Wall/Malice" Tuite Heart Attack 36
January 24, 2004 Jack Tunney (Former WWE President) Natural Causes 68
January 28, 2004 Don (Hard Boiled) Haggerty Natural Causes 78
March 6. 2004 Hercules Hernandez Heart Attack 45
May 6, 2004 Pepper Gomez Kidney failure 77
July 3, 2004 Billy Redwood Auto Accident 28
July 17, 2004 Pat "Bomber" Roach Cancer 67
August 1, 2004 Ken Timbs Heart Failure 53
September 12, 2004 Dr. Wagner Sr. Heart Attack 68
September 17, 2004 Jim Barnett (Promoter) Cancer and Pneumonia 80
September 22, 2004 Ray "Big Boss Man" Traylor Heart Attack 42
October 4, 2004 Marianna Komlos Breast Cancer 35
November 27, 2004 Dandy Jack Donovan Construction Site Accident 76
January 18, 2005 "Pistol" Pez Whatley Heart Failure 54
April 28, 2005 Chris Candido Blood Clot after Surgery 33
June 17, 2005 Ron Trongaurd (AWA Announcer) Liver Cancer 72
July 11, 2005 Shinya Hashimoto Brain Anresum 40
July 21, 2005 Lord Alfred Hayes Stroke 77
August 13, 2005 Chris Tolos Natural Causes 75
August 18, 2005 Chri$ Ca$h (Christopher Bauman Jr.) Motorcycle Accident 23
August 25, 2005 Ed "Sailor" White (Moondog King) Unknown 56
October 22, 2005 The Crusher (Reggie Lisowski) Natural Causes 79
November 13, 2005 Eddie Guerrero Heart Failure 38
December 10, 2005 Chad Floyd (Chazz Rocco) Heart Failure 37
January 15, 2006 El Texano (Juan Aguilar) Respiratory Failure 47
January 16, 2006 Ricky Romero Complications of Diabetes 74
January 28, 2006 Victor Mar (Black Cat) Heart Attack 51
January 29, 2006 Emory Hale Complications of Kidney Failure ??
February 16, 2006 Mike "Johnny Grunge" Durham Complications from sleep apnea 39
April 2, 2006 Victor Quinones (Owner of IWA Puerto Rico) Natural Causes 46
May 4, 2006 Sammy "Steamboat" Mokuahi Complications from both Alzheimer's and Diabetes 71
May 27, 2006 Apache Bull Ramos Complications of Shoulder Infection and Diabetes 71
June 7, 2006 John "Earthquake" Tenta Bladder Cancer 42
June 24, 2006 "Crazy" Luke Graham Heart Failure 70
June 28, 2006 Marlon Kalkai (Tiger Khan) Unknown Mid-30's
July 14, 2006 Bob Orton Sr. Heart Attack 76
August 8, 2006 Karl Von Stroheim Heart Attack 78
October 6, 2006 Antonio Peña (Mexican Promoter) Heart Attack 57
October 15, 2006 Jumping Joey Maggs Unknown 37
October 26, 2006 Kintaro Oki (Kim Ill) Natural Causes 77
November 1, 2006 Daniel Garcia (Huracan Ramirez) Natural Causes 80
November 2, 2006 Sputnik Monroe Natural Causes 77
November 13, 2006 Dennis "Tiger" Conway, Sr. Massive Stroke 74
December 16, 2006 Don Jardine (The Original Spoiler) Complications of Heart Attack and Leukemia 66
January 19, 2007 Scott "Bam Bam" Bigelow Drug Overdose 45
February 17, 2007 Mike Awesome Suicide 42
March 6, 2007 Bad News (Brown) Allen Coage Heart Attack 63
March 8, 2007 Alejandro Cruz (Black Shadow) Pneumonia 82
March 10, 2007 Ernie "The Cat" Ladd Cancer 68
March 13, 2007 Arnold Skaaland Natural Causes 82
March 18, 2007 Angel Azteca Unknown 43
March 28, 2007 Abe Coleman Natural Causes 101
May 4, 2007 Mephisto Lephanto Sudden Heart Attack in the Ring 31
May 5, 2007 Sonny Myers Natural Causes 83
June 2, 2007 Sandy Barr Heart Attack 69
June 15, 2007 Sensational Sherri Martel Unknown 49
June 23, 2007 Shane "Biff Wellington" Bower Unknown 42
June 25, 2007 Chris Benoit Unknown 40
June 25, 2007 Nancy Daus (Woman from WCW) Unknown 42

[Dutchy]

Written: June 25, 2007

According to lead investigator Lt. Tommy Pope, of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, in Fayetteville, Ga., the deaths of WWE Superstar Chris Benoit, wife Nancy and son Daniel were the result of a double murder-suicide, WWE.com has learned.

Benoit failed to appear both at Saturday’s live event in Beaumont, Tx., and WWE’s Vengeance: Night of Champions in Houston Sunday night, after informing WWE of a family emergency. Several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning prompted concerned friends to alert Richard Hering, VP of Government Relations for WWE, Inc. Hering, in turn, spoke with Fayette County sheriffs Monday, and requested that they respond to the Benoit residence to check on him and his family.

Authorities representing the Sheriff’s Department initially had a difficult time entering Benoit’s new Fayetteville home Monday afternoon, which had been guarded by two large German Shepherds roaming freely around the property. Once authorities entered the residence, they quickly located the bodies of Benoit, Nancy and Daniel. WWE was notified of the discovery at approximately 4 p.m.

At 10 p.m. Monday night, Lt. Pope held a press conference in conjunction with Scott Ballard, the district attorney for Fayette County. The press conference officially ruled authorities’ findings as a double murder-suicide from within the home.

WAGA, a FOX-owned and operated television station in Atlanta, reported that investigators believe Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old son over the weekend, then himself on Monday.

The three bodies have been received by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab, in Decatur, Ga., where autopsies will be performed Tuesday morning. Toxicology reports will not become available for at least two weeks.

WWE.com has further information relating to both the investigation and the cause of death, but the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department has requested that WWE.com not release any additional details at this time.