On Monday June 25th 2007, WWE Wrestler Chris Benoit was found dead along with his wife Nancy and their 7 year old son Daniel. Their bodies were found by authorities who entered his home on a welfare check after several missed appointments and concerns. Initial investigations later revealed that Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son before hanging himself by the chord of a weight machine in his basement. Both his wife and son died of asphyxiation. Nancy Benoit’s wrists and feet were tied and she had bruises on her back and stomach consistent with someone pressing a knee into the small of the back while pulling on a cord around the neck. It is believed that his son was killed with a chokehold as he had internal injuries to the throat area but had no other injuries.
But the real question that is baffling everyone is why Benoit would all of a sudden turn into a monster. Steroids are being suspected as one of the primary reasons. It was no hidden fact that steroids were rampant in the wrestling profession during the old days. But stricter legislations more than a decade and a half ago had made it difficult for the wrestlers to obtain and abuse the usage of steroids. The WWE, predictably, has strongly denied the possibility of steroid abuse stating that Chris Benoit was found clean even in his last checkup.
Chris Benoit image courtsey: salem-news.com
However, as was illustrated by the sudden demise of Eddie Guerrero (also a close friend of Chris Benoit), the ghosts of those carefree days will always continue to haunt pro-wrestling. Adding fuel to the steroid rumor is the fact that steroids (albeit legally obtained) were found at Benoit’s home. The Authorities also believes that alcohol too was consumed. Steroids are known to cause uncontrollable rage and paranoia. The state of mind that Benoit was in can be ascertained by the 5 text messages that he had sent to a co-worker; four of these stated “My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane, Fayetteville Georgia. 30215”. The fifth said “The dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open”. This certainly throws a glance at the man’s mental state.
There are also reports that Benoit and his wife often used to bicker over the time spent by him in taking car of his autistic son Daniel. It is believed that this was often a constant source of tension between the couple. Nancy Benoit had filed for divorce and had even obtained a restraining order against Chris Benoit in 2003. This would therefore suggest that not everything was well in the Benoit household.
Chris Benoit image courtsey: stuff.co.nz
Then there is the disturbing fact that the deaths happened on three separate days. While it is reported that his wife died on Friday, his son died on Saturday. Authorities believe that Benoit may have then killed himself later Saturday evening or early Sunday morning. A Bible was found next to the both Nancy and Daniel’s body. It can therefore be speculated that he killed his wife premeditatedly and then committed the rest of the events out of sheer guilt. Maybe he initially thought of covering up the crime, as can be seen by his conversations with a co-worker on Saturday where he tells the co-worker that he overslept and therefore missed the flight for that night’s house show. He even told the co-worker that his wife and kid were suffering from food poisoning. This shows that he was capable of making up stories at the time and hence not as completely out of mind as commonly believed.
Adding to the mystery of it all is an entry in wikipedia.org about the death of Nancy half a day before the police even found her body. Some one had made an entry in it stating that Benoit would be replaced by Johnny Nitro in WWE’s Vengeance show. It continued to state that this was because of the death of his wife Nancy. The IP address of the editor was traced to Stamford Connecticut, the same place where the headquarters of the WWE is located. Could it be that whoever made that post may have some information that the rest of the world does not? Could it even be that the WWE knows more than it is letting on? Only time will tell.
Roderick George Toombs image courtsey: wikipedia.org
I think its appropriate to remember the lone wrestler who spoke for the wrestling community and was subsequently fired for doing so. Roddy Piper - "Rowdy" . The HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumble covered a story about the death rate among wrestlers. and That segment featured Vince McMahon mocking the interviewer and slapping the notes from his hands.
Stinging Shock
In June 2003, WWE decided to stop using Piper (who was working without a contract at the time) after a controversial interview with HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel in which Piper discussed the darker side of the wrestling business. On his 2006 DVD, Piper claimed that HBO took parts of his interviews out of context to make wrestling look worse. - Source Wikipedia
Although wrestling is fake and should be viewed strictly as an entertainer one thing thats not so entertaining about wrestling is the death rate among wrestlers which is alarmingly high.
Wrestling Obituaries
Comprehensive list of deceased professional wrestlers.
Name, Age, Date and Cause of Death
Frank Gotch 40 December 16, 1917 Uremic Poisoning
The Terrible Turk ?? July 4, 1898 Drowning
Wayne Munn 35 January 9, 1931 Kidney Problems
William Muldoon 88 June 3, 1933 Dies At Home
Farmer Burns 75 February 9, 1937 Unknown
Gus Sonnenberg 46 September 12, 1944 Tuberculosis
Bull Montana ?? January 24, 1950 Dies at Home
Danno O'Mahoney 37 November 4, 1950 Auto Accident
Maurice Tillet 51 August 4, 1954 Heart Disease
Jess McMahon 72 November 22, 1954 Unknown
Rikidozan 38 December 15, 1963 Stabbed
Gorgeous George 48 December 26, 1963 Heart Attack
Ed "Strangler" Lewis 76 August 7, 1966 Dies at Home
Sandor Szabo 60 October 16, 1966 Heart Attack
Primo Carnera 51 June 29, 1967 Cirrhosis of Liver
Stanislaus Zbyszko 88 September 22, 1967 Dies at Home
George Hackenschmidt 90 February 19, 1968 Dies at Home
Wladek Zbyszko ?? June 10, 1968 Unknown
Mike DiBiase 45 July 2, 1969 Dies in Ring
Skull Murphy 39 March 23, 1970 Heart Attack
Hercules Cortez 39 July 23, 1971 Auto Accident
Dory Funk Sr. 54 June 3, 1973 Dies at Home
Bobby Shane 29 February 20, 1975 Auto Accident
Jim Lindos 78 August 19, 1975 Heart Attack
Pepe Lopez 39 July 27, 1976 Auto Accident
Antonio Rocca 49 March 15, 1977 Unknown
Chris Taylor 29 June 30, 1979 Prolonged Illness
Billy McGuire ?? July 14, 1979 Heart Attack
Peter Maivia 47 June 13, 1982 Cancer
Frank Tunney ?? May 20, 1983 Heart Attack
The Grand Wizard 54 October 12, 1983 Heart Attack
El Santo 67 February 5, 1984 Heart Attack
David Von Erich 25 February 10, 1984 Acute Enteritis
Vince McMahon Sr. 69 May 17, 1984 Cancer
George Zaharias 76 May 22, 1984 Dies at Home
Argentina Apollo 46 August 2, 1984 Heart Attack
Eddie Graham 55 January 21, 1985 Suicide
Jay Youngblood 30 September 1, 1985 Heart Attack
Rick McGraw 30 November 1, 1985 Heart Attack
Tarzan Tyler ?? December 20, 1985 Auto Accident
Gino Hernandez 29 February 4, 1986 Cocaine Overdose
Warren Bockwinkle 74 March 24, 1986 Alzheimer's Disease
El Solitario 40 April 6, 1986 Heart Attack
Mike Von Erich 23 April 12, 1987 Suicide
Malcolm "King Kong" Kirk ?? August 24, 1987 Heart Attack
Adrian Adonis 34 July 4, 1988 Auto Accident
Pat Kelly ?? July 4, 1988 Auto Accident
The Canadian Wildman ?? July 4, 1988 Auto Accident
Bruiser Brody 42 July 17, 1988 Stabbed
Leroy Brown 38 September 6, 1988 Heart Attack
Leroy McGuirk 78 September 9, 1988 Dies at Home
Mildred Burke 73 February 18, 1989 Stroke
Paul Boesch 76 March 7, 1989 Dies at Home
Happy Humphery ?? March 14, 1989 Heart Attack
Eduardo Perez 61 September 7, 1989 Dies at Home
Haystacks Calhoun 55 December 7, 1989 Diabetes
Bronko Nagurski 81 January 7, 1990 Dies at Nursing Home
Whipper Billy Watson 74 February 4, 1990 Dies at Home
Gory Guerrero 69 April 18, 1990 Unknown
Pat O'Connor 65 August 16, 1990 Cancer
Ed "The Bull" Gatner 31 December 31, 1990 Suicide
Duke Keomuka 70 June 30, 1991 Heart Failure
Vivian Vachon 40 August 25, 1991 Auto Accident
Chris Von Erich 21 September 12, 1991 Suicide
Gene Anderson 58 October 31, 1991 Heart Attack
Dick the Bruiser 62 November 10, 1991 Internal Bleeding
Wilbur Snyder 62 December 25, 1991 Heart Failure
Buzz Sawyer 32 February 7, 1992 Dies At Apartment
Tojo Yamamoto 65 February 19, 1992 Suicide
Jimmy Lennon Sr. 79 April 20, 1992 Heart Failure
Buddy Rogers 71 June 26, 1992 Stroke
Uncle Elmer 54 June 30, 1992 Diabetes
Danny McShain ?? July 14, 1992 Unknown
Roy Heffernan 67 September 24, 1992 Heart Attack
Andre The Giant 46 January 27, 1993 Heart Attack
Kerry Von Erich 33 February 18, 1993 Suicide
Dino Bravo 44 March 11, 1993 Drive-By Shooting
Wally Karbo 77 March 25, 1993 Heart Attack
D.J. Peterson 33 May 25, 1993 Unknown
Don Kent 61 June 14, 1993 Leukemia
Brazo de Oro ?? October 26, 1993 Brain Aneurysm
Rufus R. Jones 60 November 13, 1993 Heart Attack
Larry Cameron 41 December 13, 1993 Heart Attack
Eddie Creatchman 66 March 9, 1994 Heart Attack
Ray Candy 43 May 23, 1994 Heart Attack
George "Crybaby" Cannon 62 July 1, 1994 Cancer
Joey Marella 30 July 4, 1994 Auto Accident
Boris Malenko 61 September 1, 1994 Cancer
Art Barr 28 November 23, 1994 Drug-Related Cause
Jerry Blackwell 45 January 22, 1995 Pneumonia
Eddie Gilbert 33 February 18, 1995 Heart Attack
Big John Studd 46 March 20, 1995 Hodgkin's Disease
Ilio DiPaolo Auto 68 May 10, 1995 Auto Accident
Killer Karl Krupp 62 October 24, 1995 Heart Attack
Little Beaver 61 December 4, 1995 Emphysema
Ray Stevens 60 May 3, 1996 Heart Attack
Dick Murdoch 49 June 15, 1996 Heart Attack
The Missouri Mauler 45 July 19, 1996 Heart Attack
Herb Abrams 41 July 23, 1996 Drug Overdose
Neil Superior 33 August 23, 1996 Heart Attack
Sapphire 61 September 10, 1996 Heart Attack
Dr. Jerry Graham 58 January 24, 1997 Stroke
Bulldog Bob Brown 58 February 6, 1997 Heart Attack
Dr. Bill Miller 69 March 24, 1997 Heart Attack
Stan Stasiak 60 June 12, 1997 Heart Failure
Larry O'Day 53 June 30, 1997 Liver Cancer
Plum Mariko 29 August 16, 1997 Brain Aneurysm
Jeep Swenson 40 August 19, 1997 Heart Attack
Dale Lewis 62 August 30, 1997 Leukemia
Fritz Von Erich 68 September 10, 1997 Cancer
Dick "Bulldog" Brower 63 September 16, 1997 Diabetes
Brian Pillman 35 October 5, 1997 Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
Big E Sleaze 22 October 26, 1997 Suicide
Stanley Blackburn 80 November 20, 1997 Unknown
Bobo Brazil 74 January 20, 1998 Heart Problems
Louie Spiccoli 27 February 15, 1998 Carisopridol Overdose
Junkyard Dog 45 June 1, 1998 Auto Accident
The Spoiler 56 June 20, 1998 Heart Failure
Shane Shamrock 23 August 17, 1998 Shot by Police
Terry Garvin 60 August 17, 1998 Cancer
Giant Haystacks 55 November 30, 1998 Stomach Cancer
Brady Boone 40 December 15, 1998 Auto Accident
Sam Mushnick 93 December 31, 1998 Internal Bleeding
Shohei "Baba" Giant 61 January 31, 1999 Bowel Cancer
The Renegade 23 February 23, 1999 Suicide
Kurt Von Hess 65 March 13, 1999 Heart Attack
Rick Rude 41 April 20, 1999 Heart Attack
Owen Hart :-( 33 May 23, 1999 Accidental Fall
The Sarge Donnie York Sr. 50 May 25, 1999 Complications of Diabetes
Jackie Sato 41 August 9, 1999 Stomach Cancer
Mark Curtis 38 September 8, 1999 Stomach Cancer
Gorilla Monsoon 62 October 6, 1999 Heart Illness
Tony Rumble 43 November 13, 1999 Heart Attack
Hiro Matsuda 62 November 27, 1999 Cancer
Gary Albright 34 January 7, 2000 Heart Attack
Al Costello 80 January 22, 2000 Pneumonia
Bobby Duncum Jr. 34 January 24, 2000 Drug Overdose
Liz Chase 45 February 29, 2000 Died During Surgery
Masakazu Fukada 27 April 19, 2000 Bleeding of the Brain
Tom Renesto (Assassin #1) 72 April 25, 2000 Heart Failure
Tomomi "Jumbo" Tsuruta 49 May 16, 2000 Internal Bleeding
Gordon Solie 71 July 27, 2000 Cancer
Tony Parisi 58 August 18, 2000 Heart Attack
Chris Duffy 36 August 25, 2000 Seizure
Toru Tanaka 70 August 22, 2000 Natural Causes
"Klondike" Bill Soloweyko 68 October 3, 2000 Bulbar Palsy
Leo Nomellini 76 October 17, 2000 Stroke
"Yokozuna" Rodney Anoia 34 October 22, 2000 Heart Attack
The Blue Demon 78 December 16, 2000 Heart Attack
Benny McGuire 54 March 26, 2001 Heart Attack
"Red Shoes" Dugan ?? March 26, 2001 Parkinson's Disease
Johnny Valentine 73 April 24, 2001 Natural Causes
Terry Gordy 40 July 16, 2001 Heart Attack
Rhonda Singh (Bertha Faye) 40 July 27, 2001 Unknown
Dennis Coraluzzo 48 July 29, 2001 Stroke
Chris Adams 46 October 7, 2001 Shot to Death
Chief Dave Foxx 44 October 28, 2001 Heart Attack
Helen Hart 77 November 4, 2001 Organ Failure
Russ Haas 27 December 15, 2001 Heart Failure
"Maniac" Mike Davis 46 December 25, 2001 Heart Attack
Mighty Igor 60's January 7, 2002 Heart Failure
Nelson Royal 70 February 2, 2002 Heart Attack
Swede Hanson 68 February 20, 2002 Alzheimer's Disease
Wahoo McDaniel 63 April 18, 2002 Stroke
Lou Thesz 86 April 28, 2002 Natural Causes
Randy "Pee Wee" Anderson 41 May 7, 2002 Natural Causes
Erich Kulas (Mass Transit) 22 May 14, 2002 Unknown
Alex "Big Dick Dudley" Rizzo 34 May 16, 2002 Unknown
Shoichi Arai (FMW President) 36 May 16, 2002 Suicide
"British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith 39 May 17, 2002 Heart Attack
Ted Petty (Rocco Rock) 49 September 21, 2002 Heart Attack
Edward "Moose" Cholak 72 October 31, 2002 Natural Causes
Billy Joe Travis ?? November 22, 2002 Heart Attack
Jeff Peterson 22 November 29, 2002 Cancer
"Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods ?? November 30, 2002 Heart Attack
"The Original Sheik" Ed Farahat ?? January 18, 2003 Natural Causes
Curt Hennig 44 February 10, 2003 Drug Overdose
Tony Altomare 74 February 20, 2003 Heart Attack
Hiromichi "Kodo" Fuyuki 42 March 19, 2003 Cancer
Sailor Art Thomas 79 March 20, 2003 Cancer
Ray Mendoza 73 April 17, 2003 Natural Causes
Miss Elizabeth (Elizabeth Heulette) 42 May 1, 2003 Drug Overdose
"Classie" Freddie Blassie 85 June 2, 2003 Natural Causes
Giant Ochiai 30 July 8, 2003 Brain Injury
Anthony "Pitbull #2" Durante 36 September 26, 2003 Drug Overdose
Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and his 7 year old son Daniel have been found dead in their Fayetville, Ga. Home. Police has not given out any details regarding the family’s death. Already investigating authorities have stated that they are treating this as a homicide-suicide case. They have also stated that nothing can be confirmed until evidence was examined by a crime lab. A local TV station is reporting that the investigators believe that Benoit murdered his wife and kids before taking his own lives.
Wrestling fans all over the world must be shocked by the news of the Chris Benoit being found dead. This brings a surge of questions to ones mind like how did chris benoit die, is chris benoits death murder or is it suicide, who killed chris benoit ?, The relationship between Vince McMahon & Chris Benoit, Why did Chris Benoit cummit Suicide ? etc.
Us Title won by Chris Benoit image courtsey: itis.mn.it
Date Won: 5/8/06, 5/15/06, Defeated: fatal four way/ edge in a hardcore, Title Defenses: 2
He has always been admired as one of the greatest workers in pro-wrestling. His best of 7 matches against Booker T during his WCW days raised the bar as far technique goes. He was one of those wrestlers who appealed to the purists and his career was a success wherever he went.
It is also reported that Chris Benoit missed the pay-per-view ‘Vengeance’show of the WWE last weekend. It is reported that he was supposed to win the ECW title. During the show it was reported that he couldn’t attend because of ‘Personal Reasons’. His reasons must have been pretty serious for him to have missed such an important event. The signs should have been clear then itself that something was wrong as Benoit would never have a missed a match unless the circumstances were dire.
Chris Benoit image courtsey: champsarehere.com
Today another man who has been ‘presumed’ dead announced the death of Chris Benoit and his family. After cancelling Raw, Vince McMahon announced to the world the tragic news, bringing to an end the minority belief that he may be dead for real. So controversial was his death storyline that Vince had to categorically state that Benoit’s tragedy is “Real”. The irony is that this Raw show was billed to be McMahon’s memorial service. Wonder if he has ever heard the saying about tempting fate.
Even though we may hate McMahon’s tactics we feel that right now the more pressing matter is to remember the man who gave his whole life to wrestling and thereby tried to entertain us. Know as the crippler and the rabid wolverine he emerged from Stu Hart’s training as one of the most promising wrestlers ever and has lived up to that expectation ever since.
In his own words he has said earlier "Wrestling has consumed my life. Wrestling is my mistress. It's my passion. It defines who I am as a person." No other tribute could be greater to the man.
Video - A Tribute to Chris Benoit
Video - A Tribute to Chris Benoit courtsey youtube.com