Official: R.I.P Christ Benoit

Chris Benoit, family found dead


Written: June 25, 2007


STAMFORD, Conn., June 25, 2007 – World Wrestling Entertainment was informed today by authorities in Fayetteville County, Ga., that WWE Superstar Chris Benoit, his wife, Nancy, and his son were found dead in their home. Authorities are investigating, but no other details are available at this time.

Instead of its announced programming for tonight on USA Network, WWE will air a three-hour tribute to Chris Benoit.

Chris was beloved among his fellow Superstars, and was a favorite among WWE fans for his unbelievable athleticism and wrestling ability. He always took great pride in his performance, and always showed respect for the business he loved, for his peers and towards his fans. This is a terrible tragedy and an unbearable loss.

WWE extends its sincere condolences and prayers to the Benoit family and loved ones in this time of tragedy.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For our global activities, go to www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

According to lead investigator Lt. Tommy Pope, of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, in Fayetteville, Ga., the deaths of WWE Superstar Chris Benoit, wife Nancy and son Daniel were the result of a double murder-suicide, WWE.com has learned.
Benoit failed to appear both at Saturday’s live event in Beaumont, Texas, and WWE’s Vengeance: Night of Champions in Houston Sunday night, after informing WWE of a family emergency. Several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning prompted concerned friends to alert Richard Hering, VP of Government Relations for WWE, Inc. Hering, in turn, spoke with Fayette County sheriffs Monday, and requested they respond to the Benoit residence to check on him and his family.
Authorities representing the Sheriff’s Department initially had a difficult time entering Benoit’s new Fayetteville home Monday afternoon, which had been guarded by two large German Shepherds roaming freely around the property. Once authorities entered the residence, they quickly located the bodies of Benoit, Nancy and Daniel. WWE was notified of the discovery at approximately 4 p.m.
At 10 p.m. Monday night, Lt. Pope held a press conference in conjunction with Scott Ballard, the district attorney for Fayette County. The press conference officially ruled authorities’ findings as a double murder-suicide from within the home.
WAGA, a FOX-owned and operated television station in Atlanta, reported that investigators believe Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old son over the weekend, then himself on Monday.
The three bodies have been received by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s crime lab, in Decatur, Ga., where autopsies will be performed Tuesday morning. Toxicology reports will not become available for at least two weeks.
WWE.com has further information relating to both the investigation and the cause of death, but the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department has requested that WWE.com not release any additional details at this time.

Chris Benoit


DisplayAd("LargeBody");





Related Content

• Chris Benoit's Superstar page
  

DisplayAd("RightTower");


var zflag_nid="162"; var zflag_cid="2322/1730/1"; var zflag_sid="750"; var zflag_width="160"; var zflag_height="600"; var zflag_sz="7";

ATLANTA -- Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his 7-year-old son and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself by the pulley of a weightlifting machine, authorities said Tuesday.
Investigators also found prescription anabolic steroids in the house, Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department. He would not comment on Benoit's state of mind or possible motive.
In this undated photo released by World Wrestling Entertainment, pro wrestler Chris Benoit is seen. Benoit, his wife and 7-year-old son were found slain Monday, June 25, 2007, at their home in Fayetteville, Ga., authorities said. (AP Photo/John Giamundo, WWE) (John Giamundo - AP)
Autopsies showed all three died of asphyxiation, Pope said.
Benoit's wife, Nancy, 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, Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard said.
The son, Daniel, was likely killed late Saturday or early Sunday, the body found in his bed, Ballard said.
Benoit apparently killed 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.
The prosecutor said he found it "bizarre" that the WWE wrestling star spread out the killings over a long weekend and appeared to remain in the house for up to a day with the bodies.
"I'm baffled about why anybody would kill a 7-year-old," Ballard said. "I don't think we'll ever be able wrap our head around that."
Earlier, a law enforcement official speaking on a condition of anonymity said Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son.


______________________________________________________________

i don't want to believe it but it's true now as officials have said in the press conference. after wwe.com learned this they took down all his memorial stuff

OMG that is so sad. Wow I can't believe he murdered his family.
And his son was only 7 years old.

i've read every article now and all the text messeges he's sent.

he gave wwe his address many tmies like he wanted the police there. nothing of what i've read adds up. he also said the dogs were encolsed in the pool area but when the police got there they were outside guarding the house almost. and he said the garage dorr was open when he sent messeges. burt closed when police got there. there was an intruder. i just know it.

I was a huge Benoit fan, and I respected the hell out of him. But if this is true, and he killed his family, man that makes me so sick!

That is not only sad, but bizarre. Talk about roid rage gone too far. I can't imagine what would drive someone to such madness. God bless them all.

he is basically throwing his wrestling career in the trash.

i know the signs point to him but don't you guys have faith in him.

sure he may have done something really bad but that shouldn't take away your respect for his wrestling careeer

Sad news, it's hard to believe it's real.

He wasn't on Sunday's PPV due to "Personal Problems", I wonder if the 2 are related. His wrestling ability is the greatess next to the bret hart himself. I will miss benoit. I still cant beleive it.

Either way this is shocking news

In all seriousness, it's scary to think about the fact that he left the PPV due to a family emergency. What was going on? The most likely suspect right now, if it was a domestic issue, is murder/suicide. That's a terrible thing to consider, but it certainly wasn't something spur of the moment because of the "family emergency" that caused him to go home in the first place.

damm man, i cant belive this happened, he is my favorite. again i say may he rest in peace.

rabbid wolverine= the greatest

Excuse my language but this was really fucked up...did any details get relased, all i know is cops thinks he and his family was murdered...which is really bad...

the question i had was does anyone think, this had to do with Mr. Mic's fake death, like some crased fan thought Mr. Benoit had something to do with it so he went out and got revenge?

I dont know this is really bad news though...

some of you are kinda like retarded caz yes they (family emergency and deaths) are related. they were killed over a timeline of the weekend. and there are police reports every day

Rusty9 wrote:

i've read every article now and all the text messeges he's sent.
.

Can youi post a link for benoits text messages?

* 3:53 AM - Chris Benoit's cell phone: "My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane, Fayeteville Georgia. 30215"
* 3:53 AM - Chris Benoit's cell phone: "The dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open."
* 3:54 AM - Nancy Benoit's cell phone: "My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane. Fayeteville Georgia. 30215"
* 3:55 AM - Nancy Benoit's cell phone: "My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane, Fayeteville Georgia. 30215"
* 3:58 AM - Nancy Benoit's cell phone: "My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane, Fayeteville Georgia. 30215"

i still don't believe it was an intruder. it had to be? why would he want the police to come? why haven't police taken fingerprints? i have tons more questions

Very Weird

Yes this does sound weird and you make an interesting point there rusty. Maybe their was an intruder and benoit was trying to give hints or something, or maybe he really did kill his family. Thats is very bizzaire man.
This is some freakish shizznit. I am very shocked disappointed and sad from all this news.

after almost 50 articles and police reports, i am positive benoit didn't do it

also notice how he (and i use that loosely) also used nacy's phone

Rusty9 wrote:

also notice how he (and i use that loosely) also used nacy's phone

Exactly

Benoit was a MAN. He woudnt dare touch a woman. so I know he would even harm his wife, especially to kill her. It was setup. Im starting to look at the picture. Benoit was a True Man. and A Man wouldnt do that to his family. It is very weird and you make some interesting points

Crippler 401 wrote:

Rusty9 wrote:

also notice how he (and i use that loosely) also used nacy's phone

Exactly

Benoit was a MAN. He woudnt dare touch a woman. so I know he would even harm his wife, especially to kill her. It was setup. Im starting to look at the picture. Benoit was a True Man. and A Man wouldnt do that to his family. It is very weird and you make some interesting points

i don't know, because everybody knows how the media likes to hype stuff up and change the story with their own story.

i know. and i'm not reading anything from the news and shit. all the stuff i posted is directly from wwe.com and police reports.

Rusty9 wrote:

also notice how he (and i use that loosely) also used nacy's phone

In a very strange way, I hope they were too. Cause, if they were not, then I have to come to grips with the fact that a man that I have followed since his debut in Stampede, a man that I have marked out for all this time, a man that I have admired, is a murder. And that, I can not believe....

Chris, Nancy, Danielle.....Rest In Peace. And say Hello to Eddie, Curt, and Davey Boy.