Official Discussion Thread - Chris Benoit and family found dead! R.I.P

[LionDen]

Associated Press are reporting that the police have now confirmed that Chris Benoit strangled his wife on Saturday, smothered his son on Sunday and hanged himself on Monday.

Benoit was found in his weight room and his wife and son were found in upstairs bedrooms.

Investigators are also investigating whether steroid use was a factor.

More details as they become available.

LionDen


What will that say for the WWE if steroid use came out?

[LionDen]

Update (Jun 26th):

The Fayetteville police department are advising media outlets that a press conference in regard to the Benoit family tragedy and preliminary autospy results of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and their son Daniel is slated for this afternoon. One source expects the conference to take place at 3 PM, although it may be sooner.

[LionDen]

Update (Jun 26th):

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, while updating their coverage of the Benoit family tragedy, reported that Nancy Benoit filed for divorce and an order of protection in May 2003.

In the divorce petition, Nancy Benoit alleged that Chris Benoit, "lost his temper and threatened to strike the petitioner and cause extensive damage to the home and personal belongings of the parties, including furniture and furnishings. Petitioner is in reasonable fear for petitioner's own safety and that of the minor child."

A judge issued a restraining order against Benoit and barred him from entering the family home. Nancy Benoit asked the court to dismiss the petition in August of that year. The couple later reconciled, celebrating together in the ring following Benoit's WWE World championship win at Wrestlemania XX.

To read the latest Journal-Constitution report, click here

[Jake]

Sad to hear this, Benoit was always 1 of my favorites.

[oojay]

Press Conference:

-Nancy's hands and feet were bound.

-Nancy was strangled in an upstairs office sometime late Friday.

-Daniel was smothered in his bed in his upstairs bedroom sometime Saturday.

-Benoit hanged himself in a basement weightroom with a weight machine sometime Sunday.

-There was a Bible next to the body of Nancy and the body of Daniel.

[Mr.E]

Ya seriously when I first saw he had died i was sad cause he was my first favoritte wrestler and the first PPV I ever saw was the Royal Rumble where he won. That sadness has turned into anger, at first like many of you i didn't want to believe this but the facts make everything very apparent. I feel this man, if you can even call him that, was a disgusting waste of space.Anyone who is cowardly enough to suffocate a 7 year child does not deserve anyone's respect and R.I.P should be removed from the title of this thread and everyone's signatures because he does not deserve it at all.

[joshmofo1]

R.I.P Benoit

[oojay]

There is still no proof that he even did it. They know Nancy was strangled, Daniel was smothered, and Chris was hanged. Aything else is purely speculation.

[Uncle Ruckus]

There is still no proof that he even did it. They know Nancy was strangled, Daniel was smothered, and Chris was hanged. Aything else is purely speculation.

Who else would of done it? Huh?

Are you going to blame the media because they reporting the truth?

[oojay]

Who else would of done it? Huh?

Are you going to blame the media because they reporting the truth?

There was no suicide note and no motive. They were all 3 dead, so saying that Chris killed them is pure speculation.

And am I getting lectures in morality from someone calling themself "Cocaina"?

[AFC1986]

District Attorney Scott Ballard was interviewed on the Fox News channel and stated that a cable was found around the neck on Nancy Benoit. He said Daniel was found face down on his bed, also strangled.

Ballard said in the weight room in the basement, Benoit wrapped a cable from a weight machine around his neck. He first wrapped a cloth around his neck. When Benoit let the cable go, the weights lifted up and straggled him.

TMZ.com has posted the court documents of Nancy Benoit's 2003 request for a restraining order against Chris Benoit as well as custody of Daniel Benoit. Here is the link: http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/...it_dismiss.pdf

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A professional wrestler who killed himself and his family was a former customer of a company implicated in an upstate New York investigation of illegal steroid sales. That's according to the Albany County District Attorney's Office, which is conducting the investigation here. Authorities in Fayetteville, Georgia, say today that Chris Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his 7-year-old son before hanging himself over the weekend. Investigators found anabolic steroids in the house and want to know whether the muscular man was unhinged by the bodybuilding drugs, which can cause paranoia, depression and explosive outbursts known as "roid rage." In Albany, the DA's office confirms the 40-year-old Benoit was a customer as recently as last year of the south Florida company MedXLife. 2 of its co-owners pleaded guilty to drug charges in Albany County in April, admitting they helped get prescriptions drugs in 2006 for customers in upstate New York who had no medical need for them. The pair testified Signature Pharmacy of Orlando filled the orders. MedXLife, no longer taking orders, attracted customers through its Web site

credit: wrestlezone.com



no matter what happened last weekend, it won't change the fact that i have a load of respect for what benoit acheived in wrestling and i hope what happened won't take anything away from his legacy

[AFC1986]

from James Salinas:

I was in attendance to tonights taping of Smackdown, and security had taken away most of the Benoit signs. For the most part, the signs we respectful and positive - many simply stating "Chris Benoit 1967-2007". I didn't see any negative signs or any kind of backlash, doesn't mean that there weren't any, but i didn't see any. WWE was very serious taking away any sign with his name or likeness. I saw one sign taken away stating "toothless aggression will live forever". These signs were in the arena so I guess they made their decision last minute, usually they screen controversial signs upon entry, and when I entered the building they asked to see signs. There were a couple of Benoit chants before the dark match. But other than that I didn't hear any other chants for Benoit not even the faintest attempt. There was no Benoit merchandise at the stands, and during the warm up videos my friend noticed that Benoit was shown only once, and it was a long video package. I didn't see Vince's segment before the show, so i'm assuming that it wasn't shown live for us to see or I must have spaced out really bad. As far as the wrestlers go i didn't see any kind of emotion, looked like business as usual.

source: gerweck.net

i think it is stupid for security to take signs as all the fans were doing were showin respect for benoit

[Uncle Ruckus]

from James Salinas:

I was in attendance to tonights taping of Smackdown, and security had taken away most of the Benoit signs. For the most part, the signs we respectful and positive - many simply stating "Chris Benoit 1967-2007". I didn't see any negative signs or any kind of backlash, doesn't mean that there weren't any, but i didn't see any. WWE was very serious taking away any sign with his name or likeness. I saw one sign taken away stating "toothless aggression will live forever". These signs were in the arena so I guess they made their decision last minute, usually they screen controversial signs upon entry, and when I entered the building they asked to see signs. There were a couple of Benoit chants before the dark match. But other than that I didn't hear any other chants for Benoit not even the faintest attempt. There was no Benoit merchandise at the stands, and during the warm up videos my friend noticed that Benoit was shown only once, and it was a long video package. I didn't see Vince's segment before the show, so i'm assuming that it wasn't shown live for us to see or I must have spaced out really bad. As far as the wrestlers go i didn't see any kind of emotion, looked like business as usual.

source: gerweck.net

i think it is stupid for security to take signs as all the fans were doing were showin respect for benoit

Showing respect for a murderer is wrong and stupid.

Benoit was a sick individual that murder the mother of his child and his child.

He will was always be remember as a sicko.

People should show respect towards Nancy and Little Daniel, they were of the innocents.

[panterafan06]

Wow,to think it was 3 years ago where JR was saying "Chris Beniot's 18 year odyssey has culminated in a world championship".
Now its more like " Chris Beniot's 21 year journey has culminated in him killing his family and himself". Unreal

[LionDen]

Update (Jun 26th):

The scheduled Monday Night Raw live event in Corpus Christie, Texas that was canceled last night will now be held on 7/16. WWE has canceled the tour of western Canada that was scheduled for July 14th-17th so that Raw can be held in Texas. Thanks to Devin Cutting.

Silvervision, WWE's European DVD distributor, has pulled the Chris Benoit: Hard Knocks DVD from their website. We've received reports that ToysRUs.com has pulled Chris Benoit action figures from their website as well.

In addition to the Benoit merchandise they pulled from their website this morning, WWE has also pulled the "I did it!" Mr. McMahon T-shirt.

TNA Wrestling has pulled their note of condolences to Chris Benoit from their website.

[Butoden]

Every time I read more details on Chris Benoit I wish I did not read it *sigh* just BAD STUFF! DAMN this sucks so much for wrestling

[mooky9669]

This does suck..I'm watching a video interview with Bret Hart..He said this is more tragic than Owen's death. Vince is gonna apologize on ECW tonight for the tribute show last night. If he was on steroids and was in a rage...I get sicker and sicker just thinking about this...why would he want to kill his 7 year old son...why would anyone want to kill a 7 year old boy or anyone else for that matter. They should not have had the tribute to him without knowing what really happened. Inside the ring he was one of the greats...my respect fir him died along with him. God belss the rest of the Benoit Family.

[bad_meetz_evil]

This Monday's Raw did a 3.8 cable rating with a 6.2 share. The show did 3.5, 4.1, and a 3.9. The did did a 4.0 during the shows normal hours of 9-11:06pm.

Source: PWInsider

[Will]

Not bad. I wonder how many people tuned in expecting to watch the Vinnie tribute Raw and decided to watch anyway and how many people turned it off.

[LionDen]

Update (Jun 26th):

J.R. Remembers Chris Benoit

I am in shock, as I’m sure many of you are as well, at the horrific tragedy that occurred involving Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their son Daniel. I knew them all well and this is a terrible and unnecessary loss of 3 lives.

Monday in Corpus Christi was surreal and overtly challenging for everyone. Broadcasting the 3 hour tribute show on Raw seemed befitting to recognize Chris’ career, but it wasn’t an easy show to execute. As of this writing, I couldn’t pass a quiz as to what actually aired.

The details that are now coming out of the police investigation are beyond my comprehension. I don’t even know how to respond to them.

I knew Chris for many, many years and knew his wife Nancy even longer. Daniel was a precious, little gentleman.

While the news media reports on this senseless and tragic event, my thoughts turn to the families of Nancy and Chris and especially to Chris’ two other young children, David and Megan, notwithstanding the Benoit’s many friends and business associates who will miss them all so dearly.

For those of us that knew this family on a personal basis, this tragedy is especially heartbreaking.
I did not sleep Monday night thinking about the last time I saw Chris, Nancy, and David. I remember the smiles on their faces. I will try and retain that memory for as long as I possibly can.
This is a surreal, unfathomable occurrence. For all of those that are hurting as are my wife, Jan and me, we wish you our sincere condolences.

We are all hurting, but we all must move forward. May God Bless and comfort the Benoit family and their many friends during this time.

J.R.