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Apparently it was a murder suicide.
Chris was part of the Stu Hart team and was a popular fellow in Calgary! Very sad!
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (CP) - Canadian pro wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and son were found dead Monday and police said they were investigating the deaths as a homicide.
Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department in suburban Atlanta said the three were found at their home about 2:30 p.m., but refused to release details. Pope said results of autopsies on Benoit, his wife Nancy, and seven-year-old son Daniel were expected Tuesday.
The WWE cancelled its live "Raw" wrestling card Monday night in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The tribute began with WWE chairman Vince McMahon standing in the middle of an empty ring, eyes welling up with tears and voice cracking as he broke the news of Benoit's death.
"We at the WWE can only offer our condolences to the extended family of Chris Benoit," said McMahon. "The only other thing we can do at this moment is pay tribute to Chris Benoit."
Benoit, 40, was born in Montreal and also lived in Edmonton. He began his career in 1985 after training with Stu Hart and family in Calgary. He competed for Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion and later wrestled in Japan and for the National Wrestling Alliance, WCW and Extreme Championship Wrestling. He joined WWE in 2000.
"I am deeply saddened over the loss of Chris Benoit," WWE Canada president Carl DeMarco said on the WWE website. "My heartfelt thoughts and sympathy go out to his parents and family. My relationship with Chris has extended many years and I consider him a great friend. Chris was always first-class - warm, friendly, caring and professional . . . one of the best in our business."
Benoit maintained a home in the Atlanta area from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling. He was scheduled to wrestle at the Vengeance pay-per-view Sunday night in Houston, but was replaced at the last minute because of what announcer Jim Ross called "personal reasons."
Benoit, a five-foot-11, 220-pounder, was often described as a rabid wolverine in the ring. "The Canadian Crippler" had a chiselled physique and was known for his superior technical skills. The "Crippler Crossface" was one of his signature moves, along with a flying headbutt from the top rope and triple German suplex.
Fellow wrestlers admired Benoit's hard-nosed attitude.
"Chris was the type of guy you'd want to go to war with," said WWE champion John Cena. "He was a good man, he truly lived for the business. He did everything for it."
Benoit held several titles over his career but realized his dream at Wrestlemania 20 in 2004, defeating Shawn Michaels and champion Triple H in a triple threat match at Madison Square Garden to win the WWE world heavyweight championship for the first time.
"Chris Benoit was not only one of the greatest wrestlers I ever saw, he was one of the best friends I ever had in this business," Ross said during Monday's tribute. "Many of us had the privilege and honour of celebrating Chris's greatest moments."
©The Canadian Press, 2007
Chris was part of the Stu Hart team and was a popular fellow in Calgary! Very sad!
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (CP) - Canadian pro wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and son were found dead Monday and police said they were investigating the deaths as a homicide.
Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department in suburban Atlanta said the three were found at their home about 2:30 p.m., but refused to release details. Pope said results of autopsies on Benoit, his wife Nancy, and seven-year-old son Daniel were expected Tuesday.
The WWE cancelled its live "Raw" wrestling card Monday night in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The tribute began with WWE chairman Vince McMahon standing in the middle of an empty ring, eyes welling up with tears and voice cracking as he broke the news of Benoit's death.
"We at the WWE can only offer our condolences to the extended family of Chris Benoit," said McMahon. "The only other thing we can do at this moment is pay tribute to Chris Benoit."
Benoit, 40, was born in Montreal and also lived in Edmonton. He began his career in 1985 after training with Stu Hart and family in Calgary. He competed for Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion and later wrestled in Japan and for the National Wrestling Alliance, WCW and Extreme Championship Wrestling. He joined WWE in 2000.
"I am deeply saddened over the loss of Chris Benoit," WWE Canada president Carl DeMarco said on the WWE website. "My heartfelt thoughts and sympathy go out to his parents and family. My relationship with Chris has extended many years and I consider him a great friend. Chris was always first-class - warm, friendly, caring and professional . . . one of the best in our business."
Benoit maintained a home in the Atlanta area from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling. He was scheduled to wrestle at the Vengeance pay-per-view Sunday night in Houston, but was replaced at the last minute because of what announcer Jim Ross called "personal reasons."
Benoit, a five-foot-11, 220-pounder, was often described as a rabid wolverine in the ring. "The Canadian Crippler" had a chiselled physique and was known for his superior technical skills. The "Crippler Crossface" was one of his signature moves, along with a flying headbutt from the top rope and triple German suplex.
Fellow wrestlers admired Benoit's hard-nosed attitude.
"Chris was the type of guy you'd want to go to war with," said WWE champion John Cena. "He was a good man, he truly lived for the business. He did everything for it."
Benoit held several titles over his career but realized his dream at Wrestlemania 20 in 2004, defeating Shawn Michaels and champion Triple H in a triple threat match at Madison Square Garden to win the WWE world heavyweight championship for the first time.
"Chris Benoit was not only one of the greatest wrestlers I ever saw, he was one of the best friends I ever had in this business," Ross said during Monday's tribute. "Many of us had the privilege and honour of celebrating Chris's greatest moments."
©The Canadian Press, 2007
