Chris Benoit, family found dead

Fios · Post by **Fios** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:03 pm

Saw this on another site:

http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=25101&p=1

Too early to speculate but sad all the same, the man was a superb wrestler

Steve Spurrier III · Post by **Steve Spurrier III** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:19 pm

The whole thing is just sickening. Truly tragic. Chris Benoit was truly an amazing wrestler, and by all accounts, an amazing person. Rest in peace.

HailSkins94 · Post by **HailSkins94** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 9:53 pm

I think it was definitely a robbery at this point thats all I could think of. That is just terrible though.

redskindave · Post by **redskindave** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:39 pm

Wow, Very sad news, My prayers go out to his family, God bless you Chris

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:21 pm

I've been watching wrestling for over 25 years... Chris Benoit has been my favorite wrestler for a good portion of it.

He was simply the best technical wrestler ever.

Very sad.

Chavo Guerrero's speech on Raw was heart-breaking. Vince looked truly shaken.

What a loss.

RIP.

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 12:33 am

Wow....

my condolences to all his family and friends...

may peace be with you all.....

Steve Spurrier III · Post by **Steve Spurrier III** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 12:34 am

Uh oh. From FOXNews.com:

...investigators believe Benoit killed his wife and son over the weekend, and then himself sometime Monday.

I don't know how I was hoping this would turn out, but this certainly wasn't it. Here's to hoping the investigators have it wrong.

Fios · Post by **Fios** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:34 am

http://sports.aol.com/news/articles/_a/ ... 0809990001

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (June 25) - WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife, and son were found dead Monday and police said they were investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide.

Detective Bo Turner told television station WAGA that the case was being treated as a murder-suicide, but said that couldn't be confirmed until evidence was examined by a crime lab.

The station said that investigators believe the 40-year-old Benoit killed his wife, Nancy, and 7-year-old son, Daniel, over the weekend, then himself on Monday. A neighbor called police, and the bodies were found in three rooms.

Lead investigator Lt. Tommy Pope, of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, told The Associated Press the deaths were being investigated as homicide, and that the causes of death awaited autopsy results on Tuesday. Pope said the bodies were discovered about 2:30 p.m., but refused to release details.

The house is in a secluded neighborhood set back about 60 yards off a gravel road, surrounded by stacked stone wall and a double-iron gate. On Monday night, the house was dark except for a few outside lights. There was a police car in front, along with two uniformed officers.

Benoit was a former world heavyweight and Intercontinental champion. He also held several tag-team titles during his career.

"WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the federation said in a statement on its Web site.

Benoit was scheduled to perform at the "Vengeance" pay-per-view event Sunday night in Houston, but was replaced at the last minute because of what announcer Jim Ross called "personal reasons."

The native of Canada 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.

"My relationship with Chris has extended many years and I consider him a great friend," Carl DeMarco, the president of WWE Canada, said in a statement. "Chris was always first-class - warm, friendly, caring and professional one of the best in our business."

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 8:32 am

What an absolute shock that this is a double murder suicide.

While I obviously never knew the man, he was always so gentle and reserved, and I've NEVER heard a wrestler say a bad thing about him.

I think when it all comes out in the wash, this could be the result of a Roid Rage. He desn't seem to really fit any appropriate psychological profile otherwise.

What a terrible story. And what a terrible way for a man who was a shining EXAMPLE all of his life to end it all.

There's no bringing logic to such a completely insane happening, so I won't try.

Retrospective of this news, the WWE must feel like a complete horse's ass for having the tribute last night. While Benoit definitely deserves the accolades as far as wrestling goes, it all just seems too macabre considering the actual course of events.

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:13 am

I can understand how people can kill other people. I don't condone it, and I probably couldn;t do it unless I was protecting my family or myself, but I'll NEVER understand how someone can kill their own child, any child for that matter, but especially your own.

What a tragic story, and as BH said, the WWE must feel like a schtein.

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:34 am

If he did kill his wife and child, he has serious mental issues. I don't buy the whole roid rage thing because he still would know what he is doing while killing his wife and child. It's like saying a person who is coked up or drunk killed someone because they were under the influence of drugs. There is some other underlying problem with that person as to the reason why they just murdered their wife and child like that.

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 9:41 am

I don't exactly agree with that statement. They are called "mind-altering" drugs for a reason. I don't think Roid Rage is an excuse to kill anyone, but I do see it as a valid problem. If I kill a family driving drunk, it is 100% my fault, but you can't deny that the alcohol affected my judgement.

Steve Spurrier III · Post by **Steve Spurrier III** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:21 am

Before we go ahead and blame it on steroids, the reports are that Benoit killed his wife on Saturday, his child Sunday and himself sometime Monday. To me, that would indicate a more permanent sickness than roid rage.

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 12:01 pm

JansenFan wrote:I don't exactly agree with that statement. They are called "mind-altering" drugs for a reason. I don't think Roid Rage is an excuse to kill anyone, but I do see it as a valid problem. If I kill a family driving drunk, it is 100% my fault, but you can't deny that the alcohol affected my judgement.

I have done quite a few "mind-altering" drugs before (unfortunately) and all they can be is an excuse. An excuse why someone did something wrong. It probably did affect his judgement but not to the extent of going off the deep end and killing his wife and child. It's not like he "accidentally" killed his family on the way home. Bad judgement aside, a drunk driver doesn't "intend" to kill anyone on their way home. Benoit murdered his family in cold blood. To strangle your wife with a cord and slit your child's throat on different days while you stay in the same house takes a mad man.

Punu · Post by **Punu** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:59 pm

I'd like to also add that I thought he was a tremendous wrestler and wonderful person. Just watched the my RAW special that I recorded and I was truly heartbroken. He will be missed. As well as his wife and son. RIP.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 3:21 pm

Cappster wrote:If he did kill his wife and child, he has serious mental issues. I don't buy the whole roid rage thing because he still would know what he is doing while killing his wife and child. It's like saying a person who is coked up or drunk killed someone because they were under the influence of drugs. There is some other underlying problem with that person as to the reason why they just murdered their wife and child like that.

Actually, that's not neccessarily what many people believe...

Brower cautions that young people may think steroids are safe when they hear of their sports idols taking them. In reality, the risks of steroid use can include serious and irreversible physical effects, as well as mental perils such as severe depression, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and violent aggression, known as "'roid rage."

http://www.emaxhealth.com/25/1895.html

Doing steroids is not at all like using some of the mentioned 'mind-altering' drugs. Use of steroids is known to lead to depression... real clinical depression that can make you suicidal... not 'gee, i'm a little off today' depressed.

So the depression, combined with the roid rage, could definitely have brought about the events. Please understand that I'm not at all trying to justify the act or rationalize it, I'm just saying that Benoit did not live the life of a man that would commit such a heinous act. Yet here we are. Perhaps steroids had something to do with it and will help explain some of the madness of it all.

KazooSkinsFan · Post by **KazooSkinsFan** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 4:00 pm

JansenFan wrote:I don't exactly agree with that statement. They are called "mind-altering" drugs for a reason. I don't think Roid Rage is an excuse to kill anyone, but I do see it as a valid problem. If I kill a family driving drunk, it is 100% my fault, but you can't deny that the alcohol affected my judgement.

I agree with you, and I'd have had sympathy for him if he had gone for help instead of apparently terrorizing and murdering his wife and son, and you didn't disagree with that.

Sounds like OJ, seems to be the nicest guy in the world with the abuse dumped on those who he should be protecting, not attacking. I don't believe in hell but if I did it would be for people like him unless what I'm reading about his ongoing domestic abuse and murders aren't true. Just because he's dead now doesn't mean he wasn't a monster.

But I will add my trust of the press is extremely low and I'm only saying IF the reports are true.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:43 pm

I can understand why WWE would air such a tribute on Monday if they did not know all the main details about the murders and suicide. I assume they just knew about the deaths and nothing else.

This is just a sad, sad, horrible story. I tuned into Raw for the first time in a while and was sad to see this. Originally I just assumed it was heart failure from drugs or steroids considering his physique.

Here's an excerpt from an article on WWE.com:

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.

http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/benoitpressrelease

I'm not too shocked to see young(er) wrestlers die anymore but to murder your own wife and son and then yourself was very upsetting and surprising to me.

RIP Nancy and Daniel.

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:52 am

I don't want to argue scemantics because I really DON'T want to come cross as defending such a heinous, horrible act... but I just wanted to address a couple of quick things:

1) It's not just the roid rage that is the problem, the depression is as real and as potentially harmful as the rage can be. And the two together are a lethal combination.

2) the WWE has NO right to say that steroids had nothing to do with it (without a full investigation), but what do you expect them to say? "yeah it was because of the steroids he took to compete in the WWE."

Ever heard of culpability or spin control?

Vince McMahon was pressed on the Today Show (this morning) and conceded that there was NO WAY THEY COULD KNOW UNTIL TOXICOLOGY RESULTS CAME BACK. He also stated that they made the statement to try and dampen the huge press speculation that it categorically WAS caused by steroid use. So he pretty much retracted the statement completely and said that they were just referring to the rage aspect. When Vine was asked about the depressive quality of steroid use being a possibility, he conceded that there was also no way that they could know if that was the case yet.

So the press release was PURE SPIN CONTROL and Vince said so this morning.

Vince also went on to say how Chris was everything everyone thought he was - quiet, unassuming, a good family man, and NOBODY EVER saw this coming.

But of course he's going to say that too.

I will also point out that the depression that results from coming OFF of steroids is even more dangerous than the depression that a user can have during steroid use.

Again, I offer only some information Personally, I'll wait until all the facts come out before I pass judgement. I'm surprised with people who are willing to judge anything based on press reports to be honest with you - we know how untruthful some of them can be.

My 2 cents

KazooSkinsFan · Post by **KazooSkinsFan** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:19 am

BossHog wrote:I'm surprised with people who are willing to judge anything based on press reports to be honest with you - we know how untruthful some of them can be.

Curious what you're referring to in this quote from your post. I was the harshest and like you I said "But I will add my trust of the press is extremely low and I'm only saying IF the reports are true." Pretty much dead on agreement with your statement. I didn't see the others as passing judgment, so I don't get it, what were you talking about?

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:32 am

I dunno, I kinda feel for the entire family. I feel for the wife and child for obvious reasons. But I also feel for Chris and can't imagine what a person must feel to do such things. There are wackcos all over the place but he seemed to have been a level headed/decent guy and I wonder what had to have snapped for him to flip out.

I don't think things like this just happen over night, it may have been something he has been in anguish over for quite some time.

I guess the one thing to take out of this is that when you feel overwhelmed you gotta seek some sort of vehicle to vent through.

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:22 am

Chris Luva Luva wrote:I dunno, I kinda feel for the entire family. I feel for the wife and child for obvious reasons. But I also feel for Chris and can't imagine what a person must feel to do such things. There are wackcos all over the place but he seemed to have been a level headed/decent guy and I wonder what had to have snapped for him to flip out.

I don't think things like this just happen over night, it may have been something he has been in anguish over for quite some time.

I guess the one thing to take out of this is that when you feel overwhelmed you gotta seek some sort of vehicle to vent through.

The BTK killer seemed like a level headed guy to most people and was a leader of his church. Things aren't always what they seem because no one seemed to think he was serial killer. A lot of people seem "normal" on the cover but when you open up their book you'll find a whole different story.

KazooSkinsFan · Post by **KazooSkinsFan** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 8:44 pm

Chris Luva Luva wrote:But I also feel for Chris and can't imagine what a person must feel to do such things

Just curious, if the current reporting is true (a highly dubious proposition given the pathetic disregard of the truth as practiced by the elisist liberal media, but let's say it is and the story's pretty complete and accruate), how can you say that about someone who did what he did? He had a choice. And again if true it wasn't a snap but a long time coming and he clearly had the resources to get help and didn't. His job as a man was to protect his family, not terrorize and murder them.

The three things that do make me think it's possible the reports are essentially true are

#1) As badly as the press skews the news they tend not to make factually false statements like the wife had gone for a restraining order at one point. They will just lie, but they prefer to spin if possible.

#2) I'm not so far hearing the stories are false by alternative sources, like in the Duke case where the eventual truth which was being ignored by the leftist media was in fact being reported by other sources, like the girl's statements conflicting with both her friends and her own.

#3) And most important, I don't see a left angle here for the media to pound, like in the Duke case where a "poor" black stripper had to be advocated over three rich white boys motivating the leftist media to ignore any and all statements against her. Similar to their one sided reporting of liberals like Cindy Sheehan and Cynthia McKinney.

But still, trust the press? Not a chance. The only thing I can say in the press's "favor" is to quote Thomas Jefferson who said he'd rather have a press with no governance then a Government with no press. On that I'm with him 100%, even if unfortunately ours overall feels no responsiblily to truth in reporting the news.

Fios · Post by **Fios** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 9:29 am

This thread has NOTHING to do with the so-called "liberal" or "leftist" media, you want to make a thread about that, start another one

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 10:28 am

Wow, you guys will go to any extent to turn something into an agenda.

I feel for Chris and his entire family. That's as deep as you can go into my post. Do us all a favor and come up cus you're way too deep for the rest of us.