Benoit strangled wife, smothered son

[Bond]

ATLANTA - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son before hanging himself in his weight room, a law enforcement official close to the investigation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Authorities also said they are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Benoit, his wife and their 7-year-old son. Steroid abuse has been linked to depression, paranoia, and aggressive behavior or angry outbursts known as "roid rage."

"We don't know yet. That's one of the things we'll be looking at," said Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard. He said test results may not be back for weeks.

Autopsies were scheduled Tuesday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Authorities were investigating the deaths at a secluded Fayette County home as a murder-suicide and were not seeking any suspects. The official who described the manner of death spoke on the condition of anonymity because the information was to be released at a news conference later Tuesday.

Investigators believe Benoit (pronounced ben-WAH) killed his wife, 43-year-old Nancy, and son Daniel during the weekend and then himself Monday. The bodies were found Monday afternoon in three separate rooms of the house, off a gravel road about two miles from the Whitewater Country Club.

Nancy Benoit filed for a divorce in May 2003, saying their three-year union was irrevocably broken and alleging "cruel treatment." But she later dropped the complaint, as well as a request for a restraining order in which she charged that 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 his response, Benoit sought joint custody.

Fayette County Coroner C.J. Mowell did not return calls seeking comment. The answering service for his funeral home said he was out of town.

Asked about the condition of the interior of the house, sheriff's Sgt. Keith Whiteside said investigators found "nothing really out of the ordinary." He said Benoit was found in the home's weight room, his wife in an office and the son in an upstairs bedroom.

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 the Benoits' 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 received "several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning."

The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., said authorities asked that it not release further information on the deaths.

Benoit, born in Montreal, was a former world heavyweight champion, Intercontinental champion and held several tag-team titles. His names in the ring included "The Canadian Crippler."

"WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the company said in a statement on its Web site.

"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 with the World Wrestling Federation. The federation has since changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment.

Benoit had maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling. The Fayette County Tax Assessors Office lists the value of the house, situated on more than 8.5 acres, at nearly $900,000.

The WWE canceled its live "Monday Night RAW" card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled wrestling telecast.

Benoit's wife managed several wrestlers and went by the stage name "Woman." They met when her then-husband drew up a script that had them involved in a relationship as part of a story line on World Championship Wrestling, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Benoit has two other children from a prior relationship.

Source: Yahoo News

Very disturbing.

[Dyne]

My coworker told me this morning. This is really creepy.

Condolences to the rest of the family.

[Professor S]

Until the WWE lightens up on their worker's schedules, wreslers are going to contnue to die early for various reasons, whether through drugs or events such as this. Its just not healthy.

[Typhoid]

Originally Posted by Professor S

Until the WWE lightens up on their worker's schedules, wreslers are going to contnue to die early for various reasons, whether through drugs or events such as this. Its just not healthy.

But they choose to get into that line of work - they know they're sacrificing a life, to be on TV for 20 or so years, with a chance of being the 'next' Hogan.

They need to be giganticly huge to be appealing on the screen, so they "need" to do steroids, because it's the fastest, and easiest way to build muscle, and is most likely widely accesable to them.

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

But they choose to get into that line of work - they know they're sacrificing a life, to be on TV for 20 or so years, with a chance of being the 'next' Hogan.

Well by this logic a professional that works onskyscrapers or high voltage lines shouldn;t be afforded any protection or regulations for their health and safety? After all, their career is their choice right? Who cares if they get hurt or worse, die?

I'm not saying that Benoit is not at fault here, but there is a systemic problem in wrestling that is more related to a lack of options than anything else. If you want to be a pro wrestler and make a decent living, you have three options. 1) WWE. 2) TNA. 3) Japan. That doesn't leave for a lot of options for the up and comer trying to make a name for themselves. So things such as drugs and living through a hellish schedule become musts to get noticed.

This means that organizations can force their workers to suffer through mentally and physically unhealthy schedules. Afterall, the alternative is not practicing their trade.

My point is that wrestlers shouldn't have to do steroids, wrestle over 300 times a year and pop pain killers to do what they want/love to do. Its that lack of choices that leads to this type of abuse. Any other industry in the US with so few choices would have been regulated by the government years ago, but wrestling has always slipped by, for reasons more sadly prejudicial than legal. Wrestling is "silly", therefore wreslers are "silly" and do not need to have the same safeguards that any other dangerous industry would have.

Its just sad and wrestlers keep dying before their time. This is a list of well known that have died before the age of 50. If I were to name those that never made it to the big time, the list would go on much further.

Chris Von Erich - 21
Mike Von Erich - 23
Louie Spiccoli - 27
Art Barr - 28
Gino Hernandez - 29
Jay Youngblood - 30
Rick McGraw - 30
Joey Marella - 30
Ed Gatner - 31
Buzz Sawyer - 32
Crash Holly - 32
Kerry Von Erich - 33
D.J. Peterson - 33
Eddie Gilbert - 33
The Renegade - 33
Owen Hart - 33
Chris Candido - 33
Adrian Adonis - 34
Gary Albright - 34
Bobby Duncum Jr. - 34
Yokozuna - 34
Big Dick Dudley - 34
Brian Pillman - 35
Marianna Komlos - 35
Pitbull #2 - 36
The Wall/Malice - 36
Leroy Brown - 38
Mark Curtis - 38
Eddie Guerrero - 38
Davey Boy Smith - 39
Johnny Grunge - 39
Vivian Vachon - 40
Jeep Swenson - 40
Brady Boone - 40
Terry Gordy - 40
Bertha Faye - 40
Billy Joe Travis - 40
Chris Benoit - 40
Larry Cameron - 41
Rick Rude - 41
Randy Anderson - 41
Bruiser Brody - 42
Miss Elizabeth - 42
Big Boss Man - 42
Earthquake - 42
Mike Awesome - 42
Ray Candy - 43
Nancy Benoit (Woman) - 43
Dino Bravo - 44
Curt Hennig - 44
Bam Bam Bigelow - 45
Jerry Blackwell - 45
Junkyard Dog - 45
Hercules - 45
Andre the Giant - 46
Big John Studd - 46
Chris Adams - 46
Mike Davis - 46
Hawk - 46
Dick Murdoch - 49
Jumbo Tsuruta - 49
Rocco Rock - 49
Sherri Martel - 49

SOURCE: http://prowrestling.about.com/od/wha...lersdeaths.htm

[GameMaster]

Its funny this has yet to make it into CNN's top ten list of most popular stories.