(my source: fox sports on MSN)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit canceled a pay-per-view appearance at the "Vengeance" event in Houston because of "personal reasons" a day before he, his wife and their 7-year-old son were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide.
Details of the deaths "are going to prove a little bizarre" when released to the public, Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Autopsies were scheduled Tuesday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in DeKalb County.
Authorities were investigating the deaths at a secluded Fayette County home as a murder-suicide and were not seeking any suspects.
Investigators believe Benoit, (pronounced ben-WAH) killed his wife and son over the weekend and then himself sometime Monday. The bodies were found Monday afternoon in three different rooms of the house on Green Meadow Lane, in a subdivision off a gravel road about two miles from the Whitewater Country Club.
Ballard told The Associated Press a gun was not used in any of the deaths. But he declined to say how the three died.
"We're pretty sure we know, but we want to confirm it with the crime lab," Ballard said early Tuesday.
Fayette County Coroner C.J. Mowell did not return phone calls. The answering service for his funeral home said he was out of town.
Chris Benoit, his wife and son were found dead on Monday in their Georgia home.
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."
Sheriff's Lt. Tommy Pope told WSB-TV that the three were found about 2:30 p.m., but he wouldn't release other details.
Stamford, Conn.-based WWE also said on its Web site it had been asked by authorities not to release further information on the deaths of Benoit, 40; his wife, Nancy, 43; and son, Daniel.
Benoit was born in Montreal. He was a former world heavyweight champion, Intercontinental champion and held several tag-team titles over his career. He was known by several names including "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.
Benoit had maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling.
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," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
They met when her then-husband drew up a script that had them involved in a relationship as part of an ongoing story line on World Championship Wrestling, the newspaper said.
Benoit has two other children from a prior relationship.
Further news....
(Sourced at MSNBC.msn.com)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his 7-year-old son and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself with a weight-machine pulley, authorities said Tuesday.
Investigators found anabolic steroids in the house and want to know whether the muscle man nicknamed The Canadian Crippler was unhinged by the bodybuilding drugs, which can cause paranoia, depression and explosive outbursts known as roid rage.
Authorities offered no motive for the killings, which were spread out over a weekend, and would not discuss Benoits state of mind. No suicide note was found.
In a community like this its bizarre to have a murder-suicide, especially involving the death of a 7-year-old, District Attorney Scott Ballard said. I dont think well every be able to wrap our minds around this.
The Montreal-born Benoit was one of the stars of the WWE wrestling circuit and was known for his wholesome family-man image. His wife, Nancy, was a wrestling stage manager who worked under the name Woman. They married in 2000.
When he won the world heavyweight championship in 2004, Benoit hoisted the belt over his head and invited his wife and child into the ring to celebrate. Asked by the Calgary Sun that year to name his worst vice: Benoit replied: Quality time with my family is a big vice. Its something Ill fight for and crave.
Despite those appearances, Nancy Benoit had filed for a divorce in 2003, saying the couples three-year marriage was irrevocably broken and alleging cruel treatment. She later dropped the complaint, as well as a request for a restraining order in which she charged that the 5-foot-10, 220-pound 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 response, Benoit sought joint custody.
The bodies were found Monday afternoon in the house, off a gravel road in this suburb about 20 miles south of Atlanta.
Benoits 43-year-old wife was killed Friday in an upstairs family room, her feet and wrists were bound and there was blood under her head, indicating a possible struggle, Ballard said. Daniel was probably killed late Saturday or early Sunday, the body found in his bed, the district attorney said.
Benoit, 40, apparently hanged himself several hours and as long as a day later, Ballard said. His body was found in a downstairs weight room, his body found hanging from the pulley of a piece of exercise equipment.
A closed Bible was placed next to the bodies of the wife and son, authorities said.
The prosecutor said he found it bizarre that the wrestler spread out the killings over a weekend and appeared to remain in the house for up to a day with the bodies.
Toxicology test results may not be available for weeks or even months, Ballard said. As for whether steroids played a role in the crime, he said: We dont know yet. Thats one of the things well be looking at.
Steroids have been linked to the deaths of several professional wrestlers in recent years. Eddie Guerrero, one of Benoits best friends, died in 2005 from heart failure linked to long-term steroid use.
The father of Curt Mr. Perfect Hennig blamed steroids and painkillers for Hennigs drug overdose death in 2003. Davey Boy Smith, the British Bulldog, died in 2002 from heart failure that a coroner said was probably caused by steroids.
Benoit was a quiet, roughhewn figure amid the glitz and bluster of pro wrestling. He performed under his real name, eschewed scripted personas and didnt bother to fix a gap where he had lost one of his front teeth. (According to the WWE Web site, he lost the tooth while roughhousing with his pet Rottweiler.)
His signature move was the Crippler Crossface, in which he would lock his hands around an opponents face and stretch his neck.
He met his wife in the 1990s when she was married to rival wrestler Kevin Sullivan. As part of the scripted rivalry, Benoit and Nancy were supposed to act as if they were having an affair. A real romance blossomed, and she left Sullivan for Benoit.
Neighbors said the Benoits led a low-key lifestyle.
We would see Chris walking in his yard from time to time. He wasnt rude, but he wasnt really outwardly warm, said Alaina Jones, who lives across the street.
Jimmy Baswell, who was Benoits driver for more than five years, placed a white wreath at their 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 had received several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning.
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.
The WWE canceled its live Monday Night RAW card in Corpus Christi, Texas, after the bodies were discovered.
Mondays show was supposed to be a memorial service for WWE owner Vince McMahon. In a storyline concocted by the WWE, McMahon was supposedly assassinated in a limousine explosion two weeks earlier. McMahon appeared at the beginning of Mondays telecast and acknowledged the bombing was made up.
The McMahon storyline has been dropped.
What pissed me off was the fact that Vince had the balls to apologize for the tribute show the next night on ECW. I understand that they didn't know the full extent of the incident at the moment, but you just can't be allowed to simply ignore one of your own who invested as much blood, sweat, and tears to entertain the masses for you going on 20 years.
I came home from a date monday and turned the TV on to catch the last 15 mintues of Wrestlemania which is where Benoit won the title for the first time. I was intrigued by it until I saw the graphics in the corner before they went to commercial. I was speechless until the came back and J.R. and The King informed me of what happened and finished the match.
Lucky for me I managed to record the show and spent the next morning watching it. It marked the second time I completely broke down into sobs. The first was when Eddie passed away several months earlier.
Yes I am a diehard wrestling fan.
