Benoit, Wife and Child Found Dead in Home in Atlanta

[Paulie]

Several sites are reporting that Chris Benoit, his wife, Nancy (who worked as Woman in ECW and WCW) and their son, Daniel, were found dead today in their Atlanta home. No details have been released regarding cause of death, etc.

Tonight's "tribute" to Mr. McMahon has been scrapped (one can only hope the whole tasteless storyline will be abandoned now). Instead, the three-hour show will be a tribute to the life and career of the Rabid Wolverine.

Rest in Peace, Chris, Nancy and Daniel.

Paulie

[JoviFan]

It was also reported that Chris had to leave sunday to go home for a family emergency and could not compete in i believe it was vengence. I just wonder what happened.

[boykrazee_201]

PW Headlines stated that Benoit called in to WWE Sunday and said he would be unable to make it back as his family was ill and they were spitting up blood.

[boykrazee_201]

I hope we get the truth behind this shocking tragedy.

http://www.wwe.com/shows/ecw/superstars/chrisbenoit/articles/benoitupdate

[suzanne]

You posted the truth.

[Stopanimalabuse]

This is so tragic. Some reports are claiming he killed his wife and child, then killed himself. Benoit seemed like one of the last wrestlers who would do something like that, so I have a hard time believing that.

[JoviFan]

It's been reported all over the place that he did this and it is so out of character for him. We don't know why he did this it is very tragic.

[Stopanimalabuse]

It's been reported all over the place that he did this and it is so out of character for him. We don't know why he did this it is very tragic.
I agree. Could his wife and child have been very ill, and he decided life isn't worth living without them? I'm thinking that could be a possibility, but it just still seems odd to me.

[JoviFan]

There was no gun used to kill anyone i'm just wondering how he killed them and then himself.. poisoning?? This is just getting more weird as the hours pass.

[JoviFan]

update:
http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=20007
apparantly there was an object used in these killings. very sad..

[brunette5587]

I heard about this last night. I was out eating dinner with my mom and they had it on one of the TVs. Very sad. =[

[Paulie]

The latest reports, including on espn.com, are saying that Chris strangled Nancy, smothered Daniel, then hung himself, possibly due to "roid rage".

So sad.

Paulie

[Stopanimalabuse]

Do they think he was taking steroids and just snapped? I never realized that steroids can have that kind of an impact on a person. He seemed to be the person everyone got along with, so I'm surprised he even thought of taking steroids. We may never have all of the answers.

[JoviFan]

There apparantly was no steroids read the following:
STAMFORD, Conn., June 26, 2007 – World Wrestling Entertainment is stunned and saddened by the details released by local authorities concerning the double homicide-suicide involving Chris Benoit, his wife, Nancy, and his son, Daniel.

However, WWE is concerned with the sensationalistic reporting and speculation being undertaken by some members of the media following the press conference held by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney. During the press conference, the investigating authorities made the following points, all of which run contrary to the media speculation that "roid rage" was a factor in the senseless murders and suicide:

1. The authorities stated that all drugs found in the house were believed to be legal prescriptions.

2. Steroids were not, and could not, be related to the cause of death (asphyxiation). Authorities had no factual basis to speculate as to Benoit’s state of mind, and rightly did not do so.

3. Toxicology tests have not even been completed, so there is no current evidence that Benoit even had steroids or any other substance in his body. In that regard, on the last test done on Benoit by WWE's independently administered drug testing program, done on April 10, 2007, Benoit tested negative.

4. The physical findings announced by authorities indicate deliberation, not rage. The wife's feet and hands were bound and she was asphyxiated, not beaten to death. By the account of the authorities, there were substantial periods of time between the death of the wife and the death of the son, again suggesting deliberate thought, not rage. The presence of a Bible by each is also not an act of rage.

5. WWE strongly suggests that it is entirely wrong for speculators to suggest that steroids had anything to do with these senseless acts, especially when the authorities plainly stated there is no evidence that Benoit had steroids in his body, pending the toxicological reports, and that they had no evidence at this time as to the motive for these acts.

WWE is continuing to monitor the ongoing investigation being conducted by local authorities
http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/benoitpressrelease

[suzanne]

The steroid speculation is because he worked for the WWE and when ever a wrestler dies no matter what the reason the so called media ALWAYS assume that is because of steroids.

[Stopanimalabuse]

I guess all of their tributes to Benoit have been taken down. I can see them doing this if these claims are true, but they should have at least waited a few weeks before they had all of the facts.

[suzanne]

They have more then enough facts to take everything down.

[Stopanimalabuse]

Benoit has won almost every major title so he'll definitely be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I'm curious as to what they do and don't mention about him in their tribute. It'll be odd circumstances.

[pinky]

Fox News was saying last night that there was evidence that Benoit had been injecting his son with some kind of drug, possibly Human Growth Hormone.

Now, granted, it was Fox, but if that's true, he shouldn't be admitted to any hall of fame for any reason, regardless of his success in the ring.

[JoviFan]

the boy had a genetic condition called Fragile X Syndrome which i asked my pharmacist who i work with today because we were talking about this and he said yes its common to have steriods injected into his body for growth. So that could explain the needle marks.

[pinky]

I'm wondering if that condition might be caused by steroid use by a parent. To be honest, I don't know if steroids can cause birth defects, but it wouldn't surprise me if that could be a side effect.

[suzanne]

I seriously doubt he will ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The reports about his son being injected with something is true. What he was injected with and for what reason is debatable.

[Cameron Frye]

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- Investigators are looking into who altered pro wrestler Chris Benoit's Wikipedia entry to mention his wife's death hours before authorities discovered the bodies of the couple and their 7-year-old son.

Benoit's Wikipedia entry was altered early Monday to say that the wrestler had missed a match two days earlier because of his wife's death.

A Wikipedia official, Cary Bass, said Thursday that the entry was made by someone using an Internet protocol address registered in Stamford, Connecticut, where World Wrestling Entertainment is based.

An IP address, a unique series of numbers carried by every machine connected to the Internet, does not necessarily have to be broadcast from where it is registered. The bodies were found in Benoit's home in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, and it's not known where the posting was sent from, Bass said.

Benoit strangled his wife and son during the weekend, placing Bibles next to their bodies, before hanging himself on the cable of a weight-machine in his home, authorities said. No motive was offered for the killings, which were discovered Monday.

Something's just off about that.

several sources have stated something about a rumor that had been spreading that his death may have been more common in Murder/staged suicide.

Let's just assume that the Wikipedia page was posted by a member of the WWE staff. Why would he tell anybody, why would the person report it on Wikipedia before calling police, why would it still take neighbors to get suspicious the next DAY (monday) for anything to get done?

I'm 90% sure the man did it, but still..it'd be a pity if he didn't. I mean, I haven't heard anything linking ANYBODY to ANYTHING. It seems the fact that his death appears to be a suicide is the only reason they're putting this on him. I mean everything else is circumstantial and based on his career.

The fact that Daniel was under-size, the fact that the kid was apparently injected with growth hormone, the fact that he had a genetic condition, etc. These wouldn't be issues had the dad not been a professional wrestler. They just assume based on those things that he must have been an *******, who didn't want a dwarf for a kid.

But as Brett Hart told Greta the other night, Benoit was a small guy himself, and was probably small for his age when he was 7 as well. So, why not assume he was a good father, and didn't want his son to suffer the same stuff he did as a kid. Circumstance is a 2 way street.

[Cameron Frye]

Oh, and JoviFan...Dr. Michael Baden said tonight on "On The Record" that it is NOT common (or possible) to treat Fragile X with hormones or steroids. But he said it's not unheard of for a misinformed person to try it.

[Stopanimalabuse]

I seriously doubt he will ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
He's won the WCW and WWE titles along with almost every other major title in both leagues. I thought Hulk Hogan has admitted to taking steroids, but they inducted him. What reason would they have not to induct Benoit?

[JoviFan]

He's won the WCW and WWE titles along with almost every other major title in both leagues. I thought Hulk Hogan has admitted to taking steroids, but they inducted him. What reason would they have not to induct Benoit?
Vince said himself last night on msnbc that Chris won't ever be inducted into the hall of fame because he is a murderer. Has nothing to do with steroids. I heard from Hulks mouth that he didn't take steroids on his hogan knows best show. John Cena also has said he never took steroids.

[JoviFan]

I believe that while in the end, there is no way to not be outraged at the situation, nor any valid excuse whatsoever, you will see what is a very complex, sad and horrifying story. I don't believe it's a roid rage story. I don't rule out steroids being one of numerous aspects that could have played a part in the story. There were numerous stresses, personal, professional, and Chris had a dark side.
http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=20031

[Stopanimalabuse]

Vince said himself last night on msnbc that Chris won't ever be inducted into the hall of fame because he is a murderer. Has nothing to do with steroids. I heard from Hulks mouth that he didn't take steroids on his hogan knows best show. John Cena also has said he never took steroids.
I haven't seen Hogan's show, but I've read numerous reports that Hogan has admitted to this in the past. I haven't heard Vince make that statement, but I think the Hall of Fame should be based on talent. I don't think morals should be an issue, and Benoit was one of the best wrestlers ever IMO. Pete Rose and William Perry are in the Hall while a great wrestler like Benoit won't be. It has no credibility as far as I am concerned.

[JoviFan]

They are never going to induct someone who killed their family.

[pinky]

I haven't seen Hogan's show, but I've read numerous reports that Hogan has admitted to this in the past. I haven't heard Vince make that statement, but I think the Hall of Fame should be based on talent. I don't think morals should be an issue, and Benoit was one of the best wrestlers ever IMO. Pete Rose and William Perry are in the Hall while a great wrestler like Benoit won't be. It has no credibility as far as I am concerned.
What Hall is Pete Rose in?

And, if we're being honest, no one who wins in professional wrestling is doing it on athletic talent alone. Everything is scripted, and WWE decides who is going to win each match. It's staged entertainment, not athletics.

[JoviFan]

Yes its staged however they are athletics these people still get hurt when a staged fight goes wrong. They still have to stay in shape and they don't get any time off like football and baseball and basketball. 3,4 sometimes 5 shows a week can still wreck havock on someones body.

[pinky]

I never said they aren't athletes. But the outcome of every match is predetermined, so it can't be called athletic competition. So I don't know why they even have a hall of fame.

[suzanne]

The post was NOT posted by a anyone in the WWE. The IP adress was NYC NOT Standford like it was wrongly reported.

The person who posted the false info on that website got the info from a chat that was going on during the Vengance PPV. Where someone claimed they read that Woman died on a wrestling website except the person who claimed that they read that on the website made it up.

It wasn't the neighbors it was the WWE that called the cops on Monday after Chris no showeded some house shows and the PPV, and after a couple of the wrestlers got text messages from Chris.

The cops have said that they know for a fact what happened. The only thing that is not known is the WHY.

Injected your own kid with HGH is weird no matter what your job was.

We don't know for a fact yet that Chris was on anything muchless steroids, but even if he was that is NOT what will keep him out of the Hall of Fame. Him being a murderer is what will keep him out of the Hall of Fame.

Hogan is a lair. It is a known FACT that he still takes steroids.

Its staged athletics.

No one gets into the Hall of Fame based on titles or win/loss record but rather importance to the sport. As JBL always said on SMACKDOWN during Chris' matches he is a future Hall of Famer and he was. If he would have just killed himself eventually he probably would have gotten in but not now.

[Stopanimalabuse]

What Hall is Pete Rose in?
The WWE inducted Rose into their Hall of Fame two years ago. At least Rose was great at playing baseball so he's a much better choice than William Perry, but I just hope they don't put anymore celebrities in and just wrestlers.

[Stopanimalabuse]

I never said they aren't athletes. But the outcome of every match is predetermined, so it can't be called athletic competition. So I don't know why they even have a hall of fame.
Even hamburgers have a Hall of Fame. I saw one in Cooperstown. Of course wrestling should have one if hamburgers do.

[pinky]

The WWE inducted Rose into their Hall of Fame two years ago. At least Rose was great at playing baseball so he's a much better choice than William Perry, but I just hope they don't put anymore celebrities in and just wrestlers.
Why in the world would the WWE put Pete Rose in their Hall of Fame? :scratch:

[pinky]

Even hamburgers have a Hall of Fame. I saw one in Cooperstown. Of course wrestling should have one if hamburgers do.
You could do a competition about hamburgers, with people doing taste tests. That would be actual competition, unlike WWE events.

Besides, hamburgers should NOT have a hall of fame.

[suzanne]

They put the celebrities in because it gets media attention which in theory helps buy rates and TV ratings.

With this whole mess I would think they would avoid doing that for a couple of years.

[Stopanimalabuse]

You could do a competition about hamburgers, with people doing taste tests. That would be actual competition, unlike WWE events.

Besides, hamburgers should NOT have a hall of fame.
Wrestling is certainly a competition. Wrestlers are always trying to improve their abilities and trying to win titles. You have greats such as Shawn Michaels or Hulk Hogan and you also have a lot of wrestlers who never amount to much. Wrestling should definitely have a Hall of Fame and hamburgers should not.

[Stopanimalabuse]

They put the celebrities in because it gets media attention which in theory helps buy rates and TV ratings.

With this whole mess I would think they would avoid doing that for a couple of years.
Hopefully you're right. I don't see how Perry gets media attention. He had one good rookie season, and I'm pretty sure he was involved with the rapping when the Bears won their Super Bowl. He didn't have much of a career other than that, so they could have gotten much bigger names than Perry.

[pinky]

Wrestling is certainly a competition. Wrestlers are always trying to improve their abilities and trying to win titles. You have greats such as Shawn Michaels or Hulk Hogan and you also have a lot of wrestlers who never amount to much. Wrestling should definitely have a Hall of Fame and hamburgers should not.
How can you call the predetermined outcome of anything a competition? It's theatrics, nothing more, once they get into the ring.

Am I impressed by the commitment some of the wrestlers put into keeping in shape? Other than the steroids, yes, absolutely. But the ONLY competition in WWE is to position yourself to be the one the powers that be decide will win this week.

[suzanne]

He brought local attention because WrestleMania that year was in Chicago.

Again the Hall of Fame has to do with importance to pro wrestling not win/loss records.

[Stopanimalabuse]

How can you call the predetermined outcome of anything a competition? It's theatrics, nothing more, once they get into the ring.

Am I impressed by the commitment some of the wrestlers put into keeping in shape? Other than the steroids, yes, absolutely. But the ONLY competition in WWE is to position yourself to be the one the powers that be decide will win this week.
You have to be a good wrestler(at least in most cases) and the crowd reaction is considered very important as well. If a heel(a bad guy) can't get much of a reaction, they're not going to be in the league very long. It is a combination of a few things, but it would certainly be labeled a competition.

[Stopanimalabuse]

I can understand why the WWE was angry. I was watching the news a few days ago, and they were talking about the explosives being found in England and were saying how this is the way terrorist groups function. There was no evidence presented anywhere that a terrorist group had any involvement, but they made an assumption. It sounds like they're assuming the same thing regarding wrestlers and steroids, but I haven't seen any evidence regarding this case either. Hopefully they'll state the facts next time and not make an assumption, but there are just some people you can't expect honesty from.

[pinky]

Steroids were found in his home, and his doctor has been arrested.

[Stopanimalabuse]

I haven't been following this lately, but they have to show evidence that he was taking steroids when he snapped. I don't believe any evidence has been found yet that shows that to be the case.

[pinky]

Yes, but the effects of steroids can be cumulative. And, there WERE steroids in the house at the time.

My point is not that Benoit was a bad person. He made a bad choice to use illegal steroids in order to further his career. That makes him one of many, not an exceptionally evil or stupid man. My point is that steroids are bad for the body when taken for the wrong reason, in the wrong amounts, for the wrong amount of time.

[suzanne]

He is a MURDERER no matter if he was or wasn't on steroids which we still don't know yet. So YES he was a bad person.

[suzanne]

He is a MURDERER no matter if he was or wasn't on steroids which we still don't know yet. So YES he was a bad person.

[jade.]

He is a MURDERER no matter if he was or wasn't on steroids which we still don't know yet. So YES he was a bad person.
Do you really think he wanted to murder his own wife & kid? No, I don't think so. There would of been something wrong mentally. You can't class him as a murder, he killed himself which means something was obviously wrong mentally, you don't just kill yourself & family for nothing.

[pinky]

I was referring to him not being a bad person for using the steroids. Obviously, for him to have killed his wife and son is evil.

If his mind was damaged by the drugs he used, that's certainly a mitigating factor, though.

[Stopanimalabuse]

Do you really think he wanted to murder his own wife & kid? No, I don't think so. There would of been something wrong mentally. You can't class him as a murder, he killed himself which means something was obviously wrong mentally, you don't just kill yourself & family for nothing.
A person who met him a few days before said there was nothing wrong with him, he signed an autograph, and was "nice". Chris Jericho reportedly said he was suffering from depression for quite some time. Some people just snap, and I think that's what happened.

[suzanne]

YES it is possible that their was something mentally wrong with him but that is as much of a guess is steroids is. I think their are many different possible reasons as to why he did what he did.

I don't think anyone has ever said he was a bad person for using steroids.

[Stopanimalabuse]

I haven't really been following the news about this lately, but it does seem that every wrestler is saying something. I guess the toxicology reports are supposed to be coming out today.

[Cameron Frye]

No Steroids were found in Benoits bloodstream.

Elevated Testosterone levels.

and generic Vicodin found in Nancy.

found in Benoit.

And found in Daniel.

How can we be sure Daniel wasn't killed by Nancy, Benoit comes home from the doctor and finds out, goes into a rage and kills Nancy, realizes he has nothing left, and kills himself? If he lived, he'd still have no child, and be arrested for killing his wife.

They died within days of one another, how can we be perfectly sure who died first?

[Stopanimalabuse]

[B]No Steroids were found in Benoits bloodstream.
I thought I read there were steroids in his bloodstream.

[~MysteriousMs.~]

Chris Benoit's body contained an "elevated" level of testosterone and therapeutic levels of and the painkiller hydrocodone, Sperry said.

But, he said, the level of testosterone revealed nothing conclusive about the wrestler's state of mind before his death.

"There's no reliable scientific data that says elevated levels of testosterone lead to psychotic rage," Sperry said.

"The only thing we can ascertain is that this level of testosterone indicates that he had been using testosterone at least in some reasonably short period of time before he died," he said. "It could be an indication he was being treated for testicular insufficiency."

The investigators found no other drugs, including steroids, in Benoit's body.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/17/wrestler.murder/

Here's a video:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/17/wrestler.murder/#cnnSTCVideo

[suzanne]

Thats easy because she was killed 1st.

[Stopanimalabuse]

Thats easy because she was killed 1st.
Do they know that, or is that just a guess? The local newspaper is claiming steroids were involved. Is testosterone considered a steroid?

[pinky]

Forensic medicine specializes in determining things like time of death. It's not an exact science, but they can usually pinpoint the time to within a few hours. Apparently, there was enough time between the killings to determine who died first.

[Stopanimalabuse]

Forensic medicine specializes in determining things like time of death. It's not an exact science, but they can usually pinpoint the time to within a few hours. Apparently, there was enough time between the killings to determine who died first.
Doesn't it take days or even weeks to figure out something like that though?

[pinky]

I don't think so. I could be wrong, but I think they rely on things like the settling of bodily fluids and degree of decomposition, which starts almost immediately.

[suzanne]

All the reports have stated that the son was killed last.

YES it is a forn of a steroid. However they don't believe that is why he killed his family.

It depends on the condition of the body when it is found on how quickly they know when someone dies or in this case who died first.

[Stopanimalabuse]

I'm curious to see what investigations come out of this. I'm surprised it took something like for them to come up with the idea when wrestlers have been dying for a long time. Some are even saying Vince should step down, but would Shane or Stephanie be a good replacement? I'm not sure if they're ready at this point.

[suzanne]

Nothing the WWE does will save anyones life. Wrestling is not like any other sport. If you are kicked out of MLB you are retired but if you are kicked out of the WWE you can go to any number of other wrestling companies.

[JoviFan]

Most of the wrestling companies are all owned by the McManns

[Stopanimalabuse]

Most of the wrestling companies are all owned by the McManns
There are a large amount of independent wrestling leagues throughout this country, so I don't think they really own too much of it.

[suzanne]

They only 1 company and their are hundreds around the World. Hell their are 4 on TV right now that they don't own and if you have the Dish Network as of this fall their will be 5.

[Stopanimalabuse]

if you have the Dish Network as of this fall their will be 5.
Which company are you referring to? Anyways, it's funny that all of these wrestlers feel the need to speak out against Vince. I know Chyna was one of them. One suggestion would be to give each wrestler one month off for every six months. That would create a better atmosphere and wrestlers would be happier. Other than that, there is nothing that I can see Vince do that would have prevented something like this. I can't recall one wrestling league that has done something like that(not saying it hasn't happened though) so it's not just Vince who is to blame. I'm not this huge supporter of Vince, but I wish people would stop blaming him for something like this.

[suzanne]

The NWA will be on one of the DISH Network Channels this fall. http://youtube.com/watch?v=FgTK9Zooqpk

I don't really think that the wrestlers now adays need more time off because they don't wrestle nearly as often as they did in the '80's.

Most of the wrestlers you see on these shows are bashing Vince because they aren't happy about how they left the company.

[Stopanimalabuse]

http://www.pwtorch.com/artman/publish/article_21098.shtml
This is related to the case in a way, so I figured it should have been posted. It's wierd that a Fox News correspondant would do something like that. I live pretty close to Albany, so it's a shame that the city only gets brought up when something like this happens.

[suzanne]

Since steroids weren't the cause of death it is not related to the case.

[Stopanimalabuse]

http://www.pwtorch.com/artman/publish/article_21613.shtml
I don't watch the early morning shows, so did he say anything newsworthy?