
According to lead investigator Lt. Tommy Pope, of the Fayette
County Sheriffs 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 Saturdays live event in Beaumont,
Texas, and WWEs 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 Sheriffs Department initially had a
difficult time entering Benoits 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
Investigations 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 Sheriffs Department
has requested that WWE.com not release any additional details at
this time.
RIP Crippler