Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
Encyclopedia
The Chris Benoit double murder suicide occurred over a three-day period ending on June 24, 2007. World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) professional wrestler
Chris Benoit
killed his wife, Nancy Benoit, strangled his seven-year-old son, Daniel, and subsequently committed suicide by hanging
. Autopsy
results showed that Benoit first murdered his wife, Nancy. She was bound at the feet and wrists and died of asphyxiation
some time on Friday, Fayette County
District Attorney
Scott Ballard told a news conference. She was wrapped in a towel and some blood was found under her head but Ballard said there were no other signs of a struggle. The couple's son, who also died of asphyxia, was apparently killed as he lay in bed on Saturday morning, hours before Benoit committed suicide by hanging himself in his weight
room. Benoit placed copies of the Bible
alongside the bodies of his wife and son, as well as a third copy of the Bible on his weight lifting machine.
Since Benoit's suicide
, numerous explanations for his actions have been proposed, including concussions, steroid
abuse, and a failing marriage with his wife. The murder led to numerous media accounts, and federal investigation into steroid abuse in professional wrestling
.
was left by her body. Injuries indicated that Benoit had pressed a knee into the back while pulling on a cord around the neck, causing strangulation
. Blood was also found under her head, suggesting she may have tried to fend off her attacker. However, officials stated there were no signs of immediate struggle
received a voicemail
message from Benoit's phone stating that he overslept and missed his flight and would be late for that night's house show
in Beaumont, Texas
. Guerrero called Benoit back and Benoit sounded tired and groggy as he confirmed everything that he had said in his voice message. Guerrero, who was "concerned about Benoit's tone and demeanor", called him back twelve minutes later. Benoit did not answer the call and Guerrero left a message asking Benoit to call back.
At 3:44 p.m. EDT, Benoit called Guerrero back, stating that he did not answer the call because he was on the phone with Delta Air Lines
changing his flight. Benoit stated that he had a stressful day due to Nancy and Daniel "being sick with food poisoning". A coworker who often traveled with Benoit called him from outside the Houston airport and Benoit answered. Benoit told the coworker that Nancy was vomiting blood and that Daniel was also vomiting.
On Sunday, June 24, five text messages were sent to co-workers between 3:51 a.m. and 3:58 a.m. using both Chris Benoit's and Nancy Benoit's cell phones. Four of them were the Benoit's address and the fifth said that the family's dogs were in the enclosed pool area also noting a garage side door was left open.
It is also known that during this time, Benoit called and left a voicemail for an unknown friend. Benoit later called WWE's talent relations office stating that his son was vomiting and that he and Nancy were at the hospital with him. He also stated that he would be taking a later flight into Houston, but would not make the live event in Beaumont.
and likely unconscious when he was killed. A large butcher knife
was found underneath Daniel's bed, but the knife was not used in either murder.
It was later alleged that Daniel had Fragile X syndrome
, and that this was the cause of domestic problems in the Benoit family. It was also suggested that needle marks in Daniel's arms were the result of growth hormones given to him because Benoit and his family considered him undersized due to Fragile X. Benoit's coworker and friend, wrestler Chris Jericho
, stated that from his own research on the condition, the symptoms "fit Daniel to a tee, all across the board." With regard to those who had publicly stated that they had no knowledge of Daniel suffering from the condition, Jericho said, "If Chris had decided that he wanted to keep it to himself, you wouldn't have been able to pry that out of him with anything." Despite Chris Jericho's initial statements regarding Daniel, he later stated in his 2011 book Undisputed, "It turned out that Daniel didn't have fragile X, but at the time it made sense because I was grasping at straws."
However, District Attorney Ballard later released a statement saying that a source with access to Daniel's medical files found no mention of any pre-existing mental or physical ailments. Likewise, Daniel Benoit's educators reported that he was on par with other students and not about to be held back as previously thought. Whether Daniel suffered from Fragile X Syndrome has never been officially established.
by hanging
. Benoit apparently used a weight machine cord to hang himself by creating a noose
from the end of the cord. When Benoit released the weights — approximately 240 pounds (110 kg), a total weight six pounds greater than that of Benoit's body — the move caused his strangulation
. Ballard said the pull-down
bar had been removed and Benoit was hanging from a pulley.
and Scott Armstrong. The company asked the Fayette County Sheriff's Department to check on the Benoit family. After discovering the bodies, the police notified WWE around 4:15 p.m., informing them that they had discovered three bodies at the Benoit home and the house was now ruled as a "major crime scene
".
A suicide note
was not discovered during the initial investigation, but a note was later discovered in another Bible that had been included in Benoit's possessions that was sent to his first wife. According to Benoit's father Michael, "There was a note that was found in a Bible by the mother of Chris’s two children (Martina Benoit) that lives in Canada... The Bible was mixed in with Chris’s personal belongings that were shipped to them. He had a hand-written notation in there saying I'm preparing to leave this Earth.".
on July 17, 2007 and said that Benoit was prescribed testosterone
as part of a treatment for testosterone replacement therapy, which McDevitt said was a common medical practice for people who had used steroids
in the past, and had suffered testicular
damage as a result.
Former wrestler Christopher Nowinski
stated that Benoit may have been suffering from repeated, untreated concussions throughout his wrestling career, ultimately leading to an unstable mental state. Nowinski was quoted as saying that Benoit "was one of the only guys who would take a chair shot to the back of the head ... which is stupid." Tests were conducted on Benoit's brain by Julian Bailes, the head of neurosurgery
at West Virginia University
, and results showed that "Benoit's brain was so severely damaged it resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's
patient." Tests conducted on Benoit's brain tissue
revealed he did in fact suffer from severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy
(CTE), and had brain damage in all four lobes of the brain
and brain stem
. Bailes and his colleagues concluded that repeated concussions can lead to dementia
, which can contribute to severe behavioral problems. Benoit's father suggests that brain damage may have been the leading cause of the double murder-suicide
. A statement released by WWE dismissed this idea as "speculative".
Nancy Benoit had filed for divorce in May 2003, allegedly after domestic abuse
from Chris, but had withdrawn it in August 2003. In February 2008, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(AJC) reported that Nancy may have suspected her husband of having an affair with a WWE Diva
, and that they may have also argued over a life insurance
policy. The AJC claimed the source was a recently released report from the Fayette County
Sheriff's Office.
WWE canceled the scheduled three-hour-long live Raw show on June 25 (which, coincidentally, was supposed to be a scripted memorial for the Mr. McMahon
character), and replaced the broadcast version with a tribute to his life and career, featuring past matches, segments from the Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story DVD
, and comments from wrestlers and announcers from the RAW, Smackdown! and the now-defunct ECW brands. Shortly after the program aired, many of the aired comments were posted on WWE.com. It was not until the program was nearly over that reports surfaced that police were working under the belief that Benoit murdered his wife and son before killing himself.
The next night, after some of the details of the deaths became available, the company aired a recorded statement by its Chairman Vince McMahon before their ECW broadcast:
After learning about the full details of his and his family's deaths, WWE quickly distanced itself from Chris Benoit:
In 2003, Benoit had been inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
. As a result of the double murder-suicide
, his induction underwent a recall election in 2008. Benoit was retained as a member by a narrow margin.
and Fox News Channel
. Benoit made the cover of People
magazine. ECW Press
announced on July 16 that noted wrestling writer Irvin Muchnick had written a book on the Benoit case, due out in 2008. At the Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav in August 2007, Jimmy Kimmel
joked to honoree Flavor Flav
that "Chris Benoit is a better father than Flavor Flav", which drew a shocked, appalled response, and laughs from the crowd.
Immediately following the deaths WWE Classics On Demand, WWE's subscription video on demand
service, began removing the likeness and mentions of both Chris and Nancy Benoit from archival footage. They eventually returned Nancy to programming, but continue to remove Chris from bi-weekly uploaded episodes of WCW Monday Nitro
.
abuse, WWE is currently under investigation by the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform regarding their talent wellness policy. As of June 2009, Congress has taken no action against either the WWE or any other professional wrestling company. In January 2009, Henry Waxman
, outgoing chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, requested that the Office of National Drug Control Policy
chief, John P. Walters
, "examine steroid use in professional wrestling and take appropriate steps to address this problem." In the letter, Waxman stated "In the first year of WWE's testing program, which began in March 2006, 40% of wrestlers tested positive for steroids and other drugs, even after being warned in advance that they were going to be tested." He also wrote about how wrestlers who test positive for performance enhancers receive light punishment and afterwards can often participate in wrestling events. The committee investigation also uncovered how easily wrestlers can secure "therapeutic use exemptions" (TUEs, permission to take banned substances for medical reasons) so they can continue performing while using steroids. When Waxman's staff interviewed Dr. Tracy Ray, a physician contracted by WWE, Ray claimed there was "shadiness in almost every [TUE] case that I've reviewed."
that a steroid-induced rage
may be the cause of Benoit's actions, as some doctors
have linked steroid use to uncontrollable anger, among other psychological issues which include paranoia
. WWE released a press-statement, challenging the "roid-rage" claims. One part of the statement reads:
Prosecutors in New York
investigated the deliveries Benoit received from Signature Pharmacy and MedXLife.com, which sold steroids and human growth hormone
(HGH) over the internet
. Terence Kindlon, the lawyer for MedXLife co-owner Dr. Gary Brandwein, denied allegations that his client's company sold steroids to Benoit. Brandwein plead not guilty to six counts in New York state court related to the criminal sale of a controlled substance. According to a report from Sports Illustrated
, three packages sent to Benoit were from Signature Pharmacy with the first one sent in December 2005 to San Antonio, Texas. The second package was sent on February 13, 2006 to an address in Peachtree City, Georgia
and the third package was sent in July 2006 to Fort Walton Beach, Florida
. This followed eleven superstars that were announced in a Sports Illustrated steroids investigation that began March 2007, which included Kurt Angle
, Eddie Guerrero
, Oscar Gutierrez (Rey Mysterio, Jr.), Paul Levesque (Triple H), Adam Copeland (Edge)
and Gregory Helms
, with both Copeland and Levesque receiving a high amount of steroids.
WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt stated that "they believe the facts of this crime do not support the hypothesis that 'roid rage' played a role in the murders." They cite evidence of premeditation
in addition to the lack of a toxicology
report, and the fact that the steroids found within Benoit's home were legally prescribed. Dr. Gary I. Wadler
who currently serves on the World Anti-Doping Agency
's Prohibited List and Methods Committee and has served on its Health, Medicine, and Research Committee agreed stating that "that was a premeditated act and that's not rage". Investigators seized both Chris and Nancy's medical records. They also have medical records of Mark Jindrak
, Hardcore Holly (Robert Howard)
, Lex Luger (Lawrence Pfohl)
, Rey Mysterio, Jr., Buff Bagwell (Marcus Bagwell)
, and Johnny Grunge (Mike Durham)
, all of whom were patients of Dr. Phil Astin. The toxicology report on Chris Benoit's body was released Tuesday, July 17, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. EDT.
at 2:30 p.m. EDT on July 17, 2007, it was announced that three different drugs were found in Nancy Benoit's system: hydrocodone
, hydromorphone
and Xanax
. All three drugs were found to be at levels investigators considered normal for therapeutic treatment (as opposed to recreational use or abuse.) A blood-alcohol level
was found at 0.184. Dr. Kris Sperry added it was impossible to say whether any of the blood findings was due to ingestion of alcohol or the post-mortem process. It was also ruled out that Nancy was sedated by Chris before she was murdered.
Xanax was found in Daniel Benoit's system. District Attorney Scott Ballard noted this was not a drug that would be given to a child under normal circumstances. It is believed that Daniel was sedated
prior to being murdered, with Dr. Sperry ruling out that Daniel died of a drug overdose. The GBI, however, said in the press conference that it could not perform tests for steroids or human growth hormones on Daniel because of a lack of urine
.
Xanax and hydrocodone were also found in Chris Benoit's system, at levels investigators called consistent with therapeutic use. Elevated levels of testosterone
cypionate were found in his urine; investigators believed that the level found suggested it had been taken recently. No artificial steroids were found in Chris's urine (with the exception of this testosterone cypionate) nor was there evidence of GHB, contrary to speculation. Benoit also tested negative for blood alcohol.
. According to the Associated Press
in February 2008, Astin had been charged with overprescribing medication in a case not connected to Benoit. On January 29, 2009, Astin admitted he illegally prescribed drugs, sometimes without even examining the patients first and pleaded guilty to all 175 counts against him. Astin faced a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million on each count. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegally prescribing medicine to his patients.
article fourteen hours before police discovered the bodies of Benoit and his family. This seemingly prescient addition was initially reported on Wikinews
and later on Fox News Channel
. The article originally read: "Chris Benoit was replaced by Johnny Nitro for the ECW World Championship
match at Vengeance
, as Benoit was not there due to personal issues, stemming from the death of his wife Nancy." The phrase "stemming from the death of his wife Nancy" was added at 12:01 a.m. EDT
on June 25, whereas the Fayette County police reportedly discovered the bodies of the Benoit family at 2:30 p.m. EDT (14 hours, 29 minutes later). The IP address
of the editor was traced to Stamford, Connecticut
, which is also the location of WWE headquarters. After news of the early death notice reached mainstream media, the anonymous poster accessed Wikinews to explain his edit as a "huge coincidence and nothing more."
Police detectives "seized computer equipment from the [man held] responsible for the postings" and called the posting an unbelievable "hindrance" to their investigation, but believed he was otherwise uninvolved, declining to press charges. The man had found several rumors on-line which supported his theory about the Benoit "family emergency" as reported in wrestling news; the IP from which he made the edit in question has been tentatively traced to vandalizing the Wikipedia entries for Ron Artest
, Stacy Keibler
, and Naugatuck, Connecticut
.
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
killed his wife, Nancy Benoit, strangled his seven-year-old son, Daniel, and subsequently committed suicide by hanging
Suicide by hanging
Suicide by hanging is the act of intentionally killing oneself by suspension by a ligature. Hanging is a very simple yet highly effective suicide method. It is one of the most commonly used suicide methods and has a high mortality rate; Gunnell et al. gives a figure of at least 70 percent. The...
. Autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
results showed that Benoit first murdered his wife, Nancy. She was bound at the feet and wrists and died of asphyxiation
Asphyxia
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to breathe normally. An example of asphyxia is choking. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which primarily affects the tissues and organs...
some time on Friday, Fayette County
Fayette County, Georgia
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 91,263. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 106,144. The county seat is Fayetteville....
District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Scott Ballard told a news conference. She was wrapped in a towel and some blood was found under her head but Ballard said there were no other signs of a struggle. The couple's son, who also died of asphyxia, was apparently killed as he lay in bed on Saturday morning, hours before Benoit committed suicide by hanging himself in his weight
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
room. Benoit placed copies of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
alongside the bodies of his wife and son, as well as a third copy of the Bible on his weight lifting machine.
Since Benoit's suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, numerous explanations for his actions have been proposed, including concussions, steroid
Steroid
A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...
abuse, and a failing marriage with his wife. The murder led to numerous media accounts, and federal investigation into steroid abuse in professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
.
Nancy Benoit
On Friday, June 22, Chris Benoit killed his wife Nancy in an upstairs office. Her limbs were bound, and her body was wrapped in a towel. A copy of the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
was left by her body. Injuries indicated that Benoit had pressed a knee into the back while pulling on a cord around the neck, causing strangulation
Strangling
Strangling is compression of the neck that may lead to unconsciousness or death by causing an increasingly hypoxic state in the brain. Fatal strangling typically occurs in cases of violence, accidents, and as the auxiliary lethal mechanism in hangings in the event the neck does not break...
. Blood was also found under her head, suggesting she may have tried to fend off her attacker. However, officials stated there were no signs of immediate struggle
Between the two murders
At about 3:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, June 23, Chavo GuerreroChavo Guerrero, Jr.
Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling...
received a voicemail
Voicemail
Voicemail is a computer based system that allows users and subscribers to exchange personal voice messages; to select and deliver voice information; and to process transactions relating to individuals, organizations, products and services, using an ordinary telephone...
message from Benoit's phone stating that he overslept and missed his flight and would be late for that night's house show
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
in Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
. Guerrero called Benoit back and Benoit sounded tired and groggy as he confirmed everything that he had said in his voice message. Guerrero, who was "concerned about Benoit's tone and demeanor", called him back twelve minutes later. Benoit did not answer the call and Guerrero left a message asking Benoit to call back.
At 3:44 p.m. EDT, Benoit called Guerrero back, stating that he did not answer the call because he was on the phone with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
changing his flight. Benoit stated that he had a stressful day due to Nancy and Daniel "being sick with food poisoning". A coworker who often traveled with Benoit called him from outside the Houston airport and Benoit answered. Benoit told the coworker that Nancy was vomiting blood and that Daniel was also vomiting.
On Sunday, June 24, five text messages were sent to co-workers between 3:51 a.m. and 3:58 a.m. using both Chris Benoit's and Nancy Benoit's cell phones. Four of them were the Benoit's address and the fifth said that the family's dogs were in the enclosed pool area also noting a garage side door was left open.
It is also known that during this time, Benoit called and left a voicemail for an unknown friend. Benoit later called WWE's talent relations office stating that his son was vomiting and that he and Nancy were at the hospital with him. He also stated that he would be taking a later flight into Houston, but would not make the live event in Beaumont.
Daniel Benoit
Daniel Benoit was suffocated and killed in his bedroom, and a copy of the Bible was left by his body. The boy had internal injuries to the throat area, but showed no bruises. Daniel's exact time of death is unknown. The reports determined Daniel was sedated with XanaxAlprazolam
Alprazolam is a short-acting anxiolytic of the benzodiazepine class of psychoactive drugs. Alprazolam, like other benzodiazepines, binds to specific sites on the GABAA gamma-amino-butyric acid receptor...
and likely unconscious when he was killed. A large butcher knife
Butcher knife
A butcher knife is a knife designed and used primarily for the butchering and/or dressing of animals.During the late 18th century to mid 1840s, the butcher knife was a key tool for mountain men. Simple, useful and cheap to produce, they were used for everything from skinning beaver, cutting food,...
was found underneath Daniel's bed, but the knife was not used in either murder.
It was later alleged that Daniel had Fragile X syndrome
Fragile X syndrome
Fragile X syndrome , Martin–Bell syndrome, or Escalante's syndrome , is a genetic syndrome that is the most commonly known single-gene cause of autism and the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability...
, and that this was the cause of domestic problems in the Benoit family. It was also suggested that needle marks in Daniel's arms were the result of growth hormones given to him because Benoit and his family considered him undersized due to Fragile X. Benoit's coworker and friend, wrestler Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
, stated that from his own research on the condition, the symptoms "fit Daniel to a tee, all across the board." With regard to those who had publicly stated that they had no knowledge of Daniel suffering from the condition, Jericho said, "If Chris had decided that he wanted to keep it to himself, you wouldn't have been able to pry that out of him with anything." Despite Chris Jericho's initial statements regarding Daniel, he later stated in his 2011 book Undisputed, "It turned out that Daniel didn't have fragile X, but at the time it made sense because I was grasping at straws."
However, District Attorney Ballard later released a statement saying that a source with access to Daniel's medical files found no mention of any pre-existing mental or physical ailments. Likewise, Daniel Benoit's educators reported that he was on par with other students and not about to be held back as previously thought. Whether Daniel suffered from Fragile X Syndrome has never been officially established.
Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit, according to District Attorney Ballard, committed suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
. Benoit apparently used a weight machine cord to hang himself by creating a noose
Noose
A noose is a loop at the end of a rope in which the knot slides to make the loop collapsible. Knots used for making nooses include the running bowline, the tarbuck knot, and the slip knot.-Use in hanging:...
from the end of the cord. When Benoit released the weights — approximately 240 pounds (110 kg), a total weight six pounds greater than that of Benoit's body — the move caused his strangulation
Strangling
Strangling is compression of the neck that may lead to unconsciousness or death by causing an increasingly hypoxic state in the brain. Fatal strangling typically occurs in cases of violence, accidents, and as the auxiliary lethal mechanism in hangings in the event the neck does not break...
. Ballard said the pull-down
Pulldown exercise
The pulldown exercise or the cable lat pulldown is a strength training exercise designed to develop the latissimus dorsi muscle. It performs the functions of downward rotation and depression of the scapulae combined with adduction and extension of the shoulder joint.-Muscles:The standard pulldown...
bar had been removed and Benoit was hanging from a pulley.
Discovery of the bodies
On Monday, June 25, WWE was notified of the text messages sent to Chavo GuerreroChavo Guerrero, Jr.
Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling...
and Scott Armstrong. The company asked the Fayette County Sheriff's Department to check on the Benoit family. After discovering the bodies, the police notified WWE around 4:15 p.m., informing them that they had discovered three bodies at the Benoit home and the house was now ruled as a "major crime scene
Crime scene
A crime scene is a location where an illegal act took place, and comprises the area from which most of the physical evidence is retrieved by trained law enforcement personnel, crime scene investigators or in rare circumstances, forensic scientists....
".
A suicide note
Suicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
was not discovered during the initial investigation, but a note was later discovered in another Bible that had been included in Benoit's possessions that was sent to his first wife. According to Benoit's father Michael, "There was a note that was found in a Bible by the mother of Chris’s two children (Martina Benoit) that lives in Canada... The Bible was mixed in with Chris’s personal belongings that were shipped to them. He had a hand-written notation in there saying I'm preparing to leave this Earth.".
Possible motives
WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt appeared on Live with Dan AbramsVerdict with Dan Abrams
Verdict with Dan Abrams was a newscast on MSNBC, hosted by former MSNBC general manager Dan Abrams. It aired Monday-Friday at 9 p.m. Eastern.-Timeline:...
on July 17, 2007 and said that Benoit was prescribed testosterone
Testosterone
Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands...
as part of a treatment for testosterone replacement therapy, which McDevitt said was a common medical practice for people who had used steroids
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
in the past, and had suffered testicular
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
damage as a result.
Former wrestler Christopher Nowinski
Christopher Nowinski
Christopher John Nowinski is an author and a former professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment. Nowinski is renowned for being WWE's first Harvard alumnus, as he graduated with an A.B. in sociology. He is also recognized as the youngest Hardcore Champion in WWE history...
stated that Benoit may have been suffering from repeated, untreated concussions throughout his wrestling career, ultimately leading to an unstable mental state. Nowinski was quoted as saying that Benoit "was one of the only guys who would take a chair shot to the back of the head ... which is stupid." Tests were conducted on Benoit's brain by Julian Bailes, the head of neurosurgery
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
at West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
, and results showed that "Benoit's brain was so severely damaged it resembled the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
patient." Tests conducted on Benoit's brain tissue
Human brain
The human brain has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times larger than the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size. Estimates for the number of neurons in the human brain range from 80 to 120 billion...
revealed he did in fact suffer from severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive degenerative disease found in individuals who have been subjected to multiple concussions and other forms of head injury. A variant of the condition, dementia pugilistica, is primarily associated with boxing...
(CTE), and had brain damage in all four lobes of the brain
Lobes of the brain
Brain lobes were originally a purely anatomical classification, but have been shown also to be related to different brain functions. The telencephalon , the largest portion of the human brain, is divided into lobes, but so is the cerebellum...
and brain stem
Brain stem
In vertebrate anatomy the brainstem is the posterior part of the brain, adjoining and structurally continuous with the spinal cord. The brain stem provides the main motor and sensory innervation to the face and neck via the cranial nerves...
. Bailes and his colleagues concluded that repeated concussions can lead to dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
, which can contribute to severe behavioral problems. Benoit's father suggests that brain damage may have been the leading cause of the double murder-suicide
Murder-suicide
A murder–suicide is an act in which an individual kills one or more other persons before or at the same time as killing himself or herself. The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms, including:...
. A statement released by WWE dismissed this idea as "speculative".
Nancy Benoit had filed for divorce in May 2003, allegedly after domestic abuse
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
from Chris, but had withdrawn it in August 2003. In February 2008, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the only major daily newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, and its suburbs. The AJC, as it is called, is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the result of the merger between The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta...
(AJC) reported that Nancy may have suspected her husband of having an affair with a WWE Diva
WWE Diva
Diva is a term used by World Wrestling Entertainment , an American professional wrestling promotion, to refer to its female talent. The term is applied to women who appear as wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers....
, and that they may have also argued over a life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
policy. The AJC claimed the source was a recently released report from the Fayette County
Fayette County, Georgia
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 91,263. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 106,144. The county seat is Fayetteville....
Sheriff's Office.
World Wrestling Entertainment
The event was first reported to fans of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on their WWE Mobile Alerts Service and posted to their official website soon after. On their website, the company released the following statement:WWE canceled the scheduled three-hour-long live Raw show on June 25 (which, coincidentally, was supposed to be a scripted memorial for the Mr. McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
character), and replaced the broadcast version with a tribute to his life and career, featuring past matches, segments from the Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, and comments from wrestlers and announcers from the RAW, Smackdown! and the now-defunct ECW brands. Shortly after the program aired, many of the aired comments were posted on WWE.com. It was not until the program was nearly over that reports surfaced that police were working under the belief that Benoit murdered his wife and son before killing himself.
The next night, after some of the details of the deaths became available, the company aired a recorded statement by its Chairman Vince McMahon before their ECW broadcast:
After learning about the full details of his and his family's deaths, WWE quickly distanced itself from Chris Benoit:
- With the exception of his results and listings in WWE's title history (though the summaries of his title reigns have been removed), and select press releases from WWE's corporate subsite, the WWE website removed all past mentions of Benoit, including all news articles relating to the specific details of the incident, as well as his biography and the video tribute comments from Benoit's peers.
- WWE pulled the tribute episode from international markets which aired Raw on a tape delay basis. Several channels announced the episode was being withheld for legal reasons. A substitute Raw, hosted by Todd Grisham from WWE Studios, was created featuring recaps of John Cena's WWE Championship victories, mainly the ones that had occurred over the past year.
- Some countries that received WWE programming up to three weeks late had all Chris Benoit matches edited out.
- Their merchandising website, wweshop.com, followed suit with regard to all Benoit-related merchandise.
- All mentions of Benoit have been removed from archived footage broadcast on WWE Classics whenever possible. This policy also originally included footage of Nancy Benoit, although footage of her appearances has since been allowed to air. Matches and other footage involving Benoit have appeared very sparingly on any new DVD releases by WWE.
- Benoit, along with his "Crippler Crossface" and other signature moves. were removed from the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS video game consoles by THQ in November 2007. Amaze Entertainment oversaw development for the Nintendo DS...
video game, after Benoit was originally included in the game as a playable character. - Benoit is listed in the WWE Encyclopedia, where his wrestling career up to where he lost the World Heavyweight ChampionshipWorld Heavyweight Championship (WWE)The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
to Randy OrtonRandy OrtonRandal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
is detailed, along with his title history.
Professional wrestling industry
Numerous individuals in professional wrestling, past and present, commented on the deaths and their aftermath:- Semi-retired professional wrestler Hulk HoganHulk HoganTerrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
commented solely on the personalities of Benoit and his thoughts on the crime, saying: "He was peaceful and kept to himself" and "I think it had to be something personal, a domestic problem between him and his wife." - Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) employee and former WWF/E co-worker Kurt AngleKurt AngleKurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
chose to comment more on the frenzy created by the crime, stating "This is not WWE’s fault and this is not Vince McMahon’s fault. Chris Benoit was responsible for his own actions." - Eric BischoffEric BischoffEric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, on his website, also commented on the media frenzy, saying: "It's clear that the media wants to blame steroids, professional wrestling, Vince McMahon, or anyone or anything else that further sensationalizes this family tragedy. I refuse to join the choir. I don't have enough information. I wasn't there. I am not a psychiatristPsychiatryPsychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
. I just can't imagine how or why this could have happened." - Other wrestlers have also commented, including Lex LugerLex LugerLawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl , better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy...
, Marc MeroMarc MeroMarc Mero is an American retired amateur boxer and professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation as Marc Mero and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Johnny B. Badd...
, Ted DiBiase, Sr.Ted DiBiaseTheodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
, Bret HartBret HartBret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, Lance StormLance StormLance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
, Chyna, Steve BlackmanSteve BlackmanSteve Blackman is a American professional wrestler who is best known for his career in the World Wrestling Federation under his own name.-Stampede Wrestling and South Africa :...
, The Ultimate WarriorWarrior (wrestler)Also see Warrior .Warrior is an American retired professional wrestler who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior...
, Chris JerichoChris JerichoChristopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
, and William Regal. Vince McMahonVince McMahonVincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and his wife LindaLinda McMahonLinda Marie McMahon is an American professional wrestling magnate and politician. She is notable for her career developing WWE with her husband Vince McMahon. She was in the company from 1980 to 2009. During this time, WWE grew from a small regional business in New York to a large multinational...
(WWE CEO) were interviewed (separate and jointly) by various news outlets. - Adam Copeland (Edge) and Chavo Guerrero, Jr.Chavo Guerrero, Jr.Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling...
openly spoke about how Benoit's death affected them. Copeland said Benoit was one of the three people he was close to in the WWE and Guerrero said Benoit was a very private person yet a close friend to the Guerrero family. - CM PunkCM PunkPhillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
, in an 2011 interview with GQ, briefly touched on the subject of the Benoit murder/suicide (which occurred over four years prior to the interview). He described it as "a pretty... low point in everyone's life. A lot of people don't like to talk about it. It still blows my mind."
In 2003, Benoit had been inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
. As a result of the double murder-suicide
Murder-suicide
A murder–suicide is an act in which an individual kills one or more other persons before or at the same time as killing himself or herself. The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms, including:...
, his induction underwent a recall election in 2008. Benoit was retained as a member by a narrow margin.
Media
When the news was released about Benoit's death, most mainstream news outlets covered the story, including MSNBCMSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
and Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
. Benoit made the cover of People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine. ECW Press
ECW Press
ECW Press is a North American small press book publisher located in Toronto, Ontario. It was founded by Jack David and Robert Lecker in 1974 as a Canadian literary magazine named Essays on Canadian Writing. Five years later, ECW published its first books - trade and scholarly titles...
announced on July 16 that noted wrestling writer Irvin Muchnick had written a book on the Benoit case, due out in 2008. At the Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav in August 2007, Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel
James Christian "Jimmy" Kimmel is an American television host and comedian. He is the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that airs on ABC. Prior to that, Kimmel was best known as the co-host of Comedy Central's The Man Show and Win Ben Stein's Money...
joked to honoree Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
that "Chris Benoit is a better father than Flavor Flav", which drew a shocked, appalled response, and laughs from the crowd.
Immediately following the deaths WWE Classics On Demand, WWE's subscription video on demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
service, began removing the likeness and mentions of both Chris and Nancy Benoit from archival footage. They eventually returned Nancy to programming, but continue to remove Chris from bi-weekly uploaded episodes of WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
.
Government
With Benoit and his death allegedly linked to steroidAnabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
abuse, WWE is currently under investigation by the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform regarding their talent wellness policy. As of June 2009, Congress has taken no action against either the WWE or any other professional wrestling company. In January 2009, Henry Waxman
Henry Waxman
Henry Arnold Waxman is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1975. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is considered to be one of the most influential liberal members of Congress...
, outgoing chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, requested that the Office of National Drug Control Policy
Office of National Drug Control Policy
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy , a former cabinet level component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, was established in 1989 by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988...
chief, John P. Walters
John P. Walters
John P. Walters is the former Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy . He held that position from December 7, 2001 to January 20, 2009. As the nation's "Drug Czar," Mr...
, "examine steroid use in professional wrestling and take appropriate steps to address this problem." In the letter, Waxman stated "In the first year of WWE's testing program, which began in March 2006, 40% of wrestlers tested positive for steroids and other drugs, even after being warned in advance that they were going to be tested." He also wrote about how wrestlers who test positive for performance enhancers receive light punishment and afterwards can often participate in wrestling events. The committee investigation also uncovered how easily wrestlers can secure "therapeutic use exemptions" (TUEs, permission to take banned substances for medical reasons) so they can continue performing while using steroids. When Waxman's staff interviewed Dr. Tracy Ray, a physician contracted by WWE, Ray claimed there was "shadiness in almost every [TUE] case that I've reviewed."
Background
Steroids were found in the home, leading some media organizations to hypothesizeHypothesis
A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. The term derives from the Greek, ὑποτιθέναι – hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". For a hypothesis to be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it...
that a steroid-induced rage
Rage (emotion)
Rage is a feeling of intense anger. It is associated with the Fight-or-flight response and oftentimes activated in response to an external cue, such as the murder of a loved one. The phrase, 'thrown into a fit of rage,' expresses the immediate nature of rage that occurs before deliberation. If left...
may be the cause of Benoit's actions, as some doctors
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
have linked steroid use to uncontrollable anger, among other psychological issues which include paranoia
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
. WWE released a press-statement, challenging the "roid-rage" claims. One part of the statement reads:
Prosecutors in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
investigated the deliveries Benoit received from Signature Pharmacy and MedXLife.com, which sold steroids and human growth hormone
Growth hormone
Growth hormone is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. Growth hormone is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior...
(HGH) over the internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. Terence Kindlon, the lawyer for MedXLife co-owner Dr. Gary Brandwein, denied allegations that his client's company sold steroids to Benoit. Brandwein plead not guilty to six counts in New York state court related to the criminal sale of a controlled substance. According to a report from Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, three packages sent to Benoit were from Signature Pharmacy with the first one sent in December 2005 to San Antonio, Texas. The second package was sent on February 13, 2006 to an address in Peachtree City, Georgia
Peachtree City, Georgia
Peachtree City is a city in Fayette County, Georgia, United States.Census estimates in 2005 indicated a population of 34,524. In 2007, the city announced a plan to formally annex an unincorporated area between Georgia State Route 74 and the border with Coweta County that is commonly referred to as...
and the third package was sent in July 2006 to Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of 2005, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach was 19,992, and as of 2010, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach is 19,507 recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau...
. This followed eleven superstars that were announced in a Sports Illustrated steroids investigation that began March 2007, which included Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
, Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
, Oscar Gutierrez (Rey Mysterio, Jr.), Paul Levesque (Triple H), Adam Copeland (Edge)
Adam Copeland
Adam Joseph Copeland is a retired Canadian professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract....
and Gregory Helms
Gregory Helms
Gregory Shane Helms is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment where he wrestled as The Hurricane and Gregory Helms. He is also known for his time with World Championship Wrestling where he wrestled as "Sugar" Shane Helms...
, with both Copeland and Levesque receiving a high amount of steroids.
WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt stated that "they believe the facts of this crime do not support the hypothesis that 'roid rage' played a role in the murders." They cite evidence of premeditation
Premeditated murder
Premeditated murder is the crime of wrongfully causing the death of another human being after rationally considering the timing or method of doing so, in order to either increase the likelihood of success, or to evade detection or apprehension.State laws in the United States vary as to definitions...
in addition to the lack of a toxicology
Toxicology
Toxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...
report, and the fact that the steroids found within Benoit's home were legally prescribed. Dr. Gary I. Wadler
Gary I. Wadler
Gary I. Wadler is an internist with special expertise in the field of drug use in sports. The lead author of the book Drugs and the Athlete, Gary Wadler currently serves on the World Anti-Doping Agency's Prohibited List and Methods Committee and has served on its Health, Medicine, and Research...
who currently serves on the World Anti-Doping Agency
World Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
's Prohibited List and Methods Committee and has served on its Health, Medicine, and Research Committee agreed stating that "that was a premeditated act and that's not rage". Investigators seized both Chris and Nancy's medical records. They also have medical records of Mark Jindrak
Mark Jindrak
Mark Robert Jindrak is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Hardcore Holly (Robert Howard)
Bob Holly
Robert "Bob" Howard better known by his ring name Bob "Hardcore" Holly, is a American professional wrestler. He is best known for his 15-year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment ....
, Lex Luger (Lawrence Pfohl)
Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl , better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy...
, Rey Mysterio, Jr., Buff Bagwell (Marcus Bagwell)
Buff Bagwell
Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling between 1991 and 2001, where he was a five time World Tag Team Champion.-Professional wrestling career: Bagwell...
, and Johnny Grunge (Mike Durham)
Johnny Grunge
Michael "Mike" Durham was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Johnny Grunge...
, all of whom were patients of Dr. Phil Astin. The toxicology report on Chris Benoit's body was released Tuesday, July 17, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. EDT.
Toxicology results
At the press conference held by the Georgia Bureau of InvestigationGeorgia Bureau of Investigation
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation or GBI is an independent, U.S. state of Georgia agency that provides assistance to the state's criminal justice system in the areas of criminal investigations, forensic laboratory services and computerized criminal justice information.-Organization:The agency is...
at 2:30 p.m. EDT on July 17, 2007, it was announced that three different drugs were found in Nancy Benoit's system: hydrocodone
Hydrocodone
Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from either of two naturally occurring opiates: codeine and thebaine. It is an orally active narcotic analgesic and antitussive...
, hydromorphone
Hydromorphone
Hydromorphone, a more common synonym for dihydromorphinone, commonly a hydrochloride is a very potent centrally-acting analgesic drug of the opioid class. It is a derivative of morphine, to be specific, a hydrogenated ketone thereof and, therefore, a semi-synthetic drug...
and Xanax
Alprazolam
Alprazolam is a short-acting anxiolytic of the benzodiazepine class of psychoactive drugs. Alprazolam, like other benzodiazepines, binds to specific sites on the GABAA gamma-amino-butyric acid receptor...
. All three drugs were found to be at levels investigators considered normal for therapeutic treatment (as opposed to recreational use or abuse.) A blood-alcohol level
Blood alcohol content
Blood alcohol content , also called blood alcohol concentration, blood ethanol concentration, or blood alcohol level is most commonly used as a metric of alcohol intoxication for legal or medical purposes....
was found at 0.184. Dr. Kris Sperry added it was impossible to say whether any of the blood findings was due to ingestion of alcohol or the post-mortem process. It was also ruled out that Nancy was sedated by Chris before she was murdered.
Xanax was found in Daniel Benoit's system. District Attorney Scott Ballard noted this was not a drug that would be given to a child under normal circumstances. It is believed that Daniel was sedated
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
prior to being murdered, with Dr. Sperry ruling out that Daniel died of a drug overdose. The GBI, however, said in the press conference that it could not perform tests for steroids or human growth hormones on Daniel because of a lack of urine
Urine
Urine is a typically sterile liquid by-product of the body that is secreted by the kidneys through a process called urination and excreted through the urethra. Cellular metabolism generates numerous by-products, many rich in nitrogen, that require elimination from the bloodstream...
.
Xanax and hydrocodone were also found in Chris Benoit's system, at levels investigators called consistent with therapeutic use. Elevated levels of testosterone
Testosterone
Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands...
cypionate were found in his urine; investigators believed that the level found suggested it had been taken recently. No artificial steroids were found in Chris's urine (with the exception of this testosterone cypionate) nor was there evidence of GHB, contrary to speculation. Benoit also tested negative for blood alcohol.
Dr. Astin
Dr. Philip C. Astin III was the personal doctor for Chris Benoit. Attorneys for Dr. Astin had asked a judge to throw out evidence seized during a raid on Astin's office after the death of Benoit and his family. Astin's attorney, Manny Arora claimed that the search exceeded authority granted in a search warrant and that authorities seized patients' records other than Benoit as well as three years of bank records and computers. This comes from Wrestling Observer, a newsletter dedicated to professional wrestlingProfessional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. According to the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
in February 2008, Astin had been charged with overprescribing medication in a case not connected to Benoit. On January 29, 2009, Astin admitted he illegally prescribed drugs, sometimes without even examining the patients first and pleaded guilty to all 175 counts against him. Astin faced a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million on each count. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegally prescribing medicine to his patients.
Wikipedia controversy
A statement regarding Nancy Benoit's death was added to the Chris Benoit English WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia
The English Wikipedia is the English-language edition of the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Founded on 15 January 2001 and reaching three million articles by August 2009, it was the first edition of Wikipedia and remains the largest, with almost three times as many articles as the next...
article fourteen hours before police discovered the bodies of Benoit and his family. This seemingly prescient addition was initially reported on Wikinews
Wikinews
Wikinews is a free-content news source wiki and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. The site works through collaborative journalism. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has distinguished Wikinews from Wikipedia by saying "on Wikinews, each story is to be written as a news story as opposed to an...
and later on Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
. The article originally read: "Chris Benoit was replaced by Johnny Nitro for the ECW World Championship
ECW World Heavyweight Championship
The Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
match at Vengeance
Vengeance: Night of Champions
Vengeance: Night of Champions was the seventh annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment within its Vengeance chronology, and the last to be promoted with the Vengeance name until 2011. It featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brands. The...
, as Benoit was not there due to personal issues, stemming from the death of his wife Nancy." The phrase "stemming from the death of his wife Nancy" was added at 12:01 a.m. EDT
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on June 25, whereas the Fayette County police reportedly discovered the bodies of the Benoit family at 2:30 p.m. EDT (14 hours, 29 minutes later). The IP address
IP address
An Internet Protocol address is a numerical label assigned to each device participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing...
of the editor was traced to Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, which is also the location of WWE headquarters. After news of the early death notice reached mainstream media, the anonymous poster accessed Wikinews to explain his edit as a "huge coincidence and nothing more."
Police detectives "seized computer equipment from the [man held] responsible for the postings" and called the posting an unbelievable "hindrance" to their investigation, but believed he was otherwise uninvolved, declining to press charges. The man had found several rumors on-line which supported his theory about the Benoit "family emergency" as reported in wrestling news; the IP from which he made the edit in question has been tentatively traced to vandalizing the Wikipedia entries for Ron Artest
Ron Artest
Metta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
, Stacy Keibler
Stacy Keibler
Stacy Keibler is an American actress, model, and former professional wrestler and valet, best known for her work with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment ....
, and Naugatuck, Connecticut
Naugatuck, Connecticut
Naugatuck is a consolidated borough and town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town spans both sides of the Naugatuck River just south of Waterbury, and includes the communities of Union City on the east side of the river, which has its own post office, Straitsville on the...
.