That one event took away all the accomplishments Benoit achieved in his pro wrestling career. Many close to the situation also claimed it to be "The Beginning of the End" for the Canadian Crippler. It forced WWE to take their Wellness policy more seriously by taking into consideration not just the effects on health, but also mental fragility. Those closest to Chris Benoit noticed a drastic change in his personality in the months preceding the tragedy. (sub) Gregory Helms: WWE Monday Night Raw Mar 19th 2007: John Cena: def. Clearly Benoit was a man of some sort of faith (in spite of the fact that he committed both murder and suicide which are both frowned upon at least in the New Testament, for the most part). Chris Benoit killed his wife Nancy Benoit, and their son. The WWE then contacted a detective who was dispatched to do a "welfare check" (via ABC News). I can only say this - Burke said. In a shocking turn of events, Wikipedia foreshadowed the incident a good 12 hours before the police raided the Benoit household. "How could it not be?" It was Saturday he sent the lies about his whereabouts via texts on his phone and Nancy's. It was Sunday he murdered his son and committed suicide. Just a really great performer all across the board. In this business, I was always taught that we should communicate in rings. Benoit murdered Nancy on Friday and never left the house after that. I think there needs to another company that challenges WWE You watch these matches these days, they're about 10-15 minutes these days? . Hie brain was said to resemble that of a 70 years old after an autopsy was conducted. At the start of the show whilst Nancy & Daniel are aknowledged the 'spotlight' is on Chris, even down to the graphics on the screen saying 'Remembering Chris Benoit'. CHRIS BENOIT wcw world championship wrestling 8x10 art print design photo wwe ecw japanese wrestling ad vertisement by Jayde1313. Word at the time was the WWE thought it was a botched robbery until Monday morning when they found out that the deaths were spaced out over the weekend. 2:41 pm ET, tag team match on May 21, 2001 that he is most proud of, WWE Elimination Chamber viewing information, WWE Elimination Chamber matches, predictions, Kingston is more than a Rumble novelty act, Stephanie McMahon resigns as co-CEO of WWE, McMahon set to return to WWE board of directors, Raw recap: Go-home 'Mania show an overall success, SmackDown recap: Bryan and McMahon reconcile. However, as more devastating details emerged, shockwaves of despair, disbelief, grief, and trauma shook Benoit's closest friends and family, and the broader wrestling community. No matter how many times I write that sentence, the last five words give me pause. The double murder-suicide saw Benoit, in a mentally deteriorated state, kill his wife and. Given that this was the least amount of steroids that had been in Benoit's body, for a considerable amount of time, it has been suggested that the lack of steroids may have caused a great deal of depression. Dark Side of the Ring returns for a second season on Tuesday, March 24, and its premiere episode details the double murder-suicide of former wrestling great Chris Benoit. The two-hour special episode, which premieres Tuesday (9 p.m. ET/PT) as the kickoff to Season 2 of VICE's "Dark Side of the Ring" series, explores the inside details of Benoit's 2007 suicide and double-murder of his wife, Nancy, and seven-year-old son, Daniel. Superstar well-being was highlighted more, through personal care. Chris Benoit sent a series of text messages to WWE co-workers, some from his dead wife's cell phone. He then . He then wrapped her in a towel and placed a Bible next to her body, where it remained for another three days (per ABC News). 6-keys: media/spln/wwe/reg/free/stories, at Answer: (Two Words) 3. The autopsy showed cocaine and morphine in the 33-year-old comic's system. The flying headbutt was Chris Benoit's claim to fame from the top rope (or top of anything else it seemed fit to jump from to execute the move). Instead, what they got was a complicated and controversial legacy, one forever mired in tragedy and sorrow from an unspeakable act that has left behind a profound sense of grief that's reverberated far into the present decade. I understand both sides of the coin. Chris Benoit used Xanax to sedate his young son before suffocating him using a wrestling move, which was determined by the bruising on the child's body, according to the Sun-Sentinel. The two legends were best friends, traveling on the road together. . And given that also found in his system were Xanax, a powerful psychoactive anti-anxiety and depression drug, and Hydrocodone, an addictive opioid derived painkiller, that bares relation to Heroin well, perhaps one could ask Dr. Phil Astin about just what that could possibly do to someone's head, especially when it has already been battered and beaten for years. I understand why people might not want to watch him. It was Saturday he sent the lies about his whereabouts via texts on his phone and Nancy's. Chris Benoit - the name haunts professional wrestling to this day for the double-murder homicide that occurred back in 2007. But it really is a great piece of work done well by so many people.". To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you. To the contrary, Chris confided in Chavo that he had to take his son Daniel, and wife Nancy to the hospital because they were sick (though they were likely already dead by this point). Bailes research team concluded that the brain damage was a result of so many years of sustaining concussions, and varying degrees of head trauma, whilst working in the ring. All the superstars got the news from WWE chairman Vince McMahon backstage and many started crying in front of McMahon. Furthermore, his professional attitude would see him continuing to work even when he had concussions. written by larrymlease August 8, 2022. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. It was the usual Chris Benoit. The murders rocked the industry amid a rampant outbreak of untimely deaths -- including that of Benoit's best friend, Eddie Guerrero -- forcing a re-examination from WWE into the wellness of its performers. "If you didn't know anything personally about him or weren't involved in things that happened, you might want to study his work, as you should as a young performer who didn't really know the whole situation.". Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. It turns out that, upon search of his computer (to help aid in piecing together the puzzle of the crime scene), investigators discovered Benoit to have been searching stories about the prophet Elijah. After researching it myself I can't find any talk of Benoit leaving the house. After all, Benoit was renowned for having an insanely purist attitude among his fellow wrestlers. Speaking of callousness, WWE owner and executive, Vince McMahon has said quite a bit about the lateWWE superstar. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. The statement concludes: WWE was stunned and saddened by the details released today by local authorities and is continuing to monitor the ongoing investigation.. It was only in January 2000, toward the end of his time in WCW, when he was booked to win the World Heavyweight Championship, but it was a last-ditch effort to keep him in the company, and he forfeited the title anyway when soon after, he took his talents to Vince McMahon's promotion. On the day he took his own life, Benoit was slated to wrestle at a Pay-Per-View that evening. You do the maths. So I can't really remove it based on my suspicions. He said his whole family took it really hard as Benoit was like a member of the Hart family. It is also revealed (in a different part of the podcast interview) that Sandra discovered aGoogle search, made by Chris Benoit, that revolved around the easiest way to break someone's neck. He was considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. This grief would send Benoit into a tailspin from which he would never recover (via VICE). "It's not right to pretend he didn't exist. All rights reserved. Essentially Chris had a history of intense fights with Nancy, and there have been documented evidence of spousal abuse on Chris's part. As aforementioned, when the police found Chris Benoit, and his family, there were anabolic steroids present in this house, but absolutely none in his system, and not for months before either. The final straw for him was the death of long-time friend Sherri Martel in 2007. However, the WWE severely downplayed this possibility, even pointing to the manner in which Benoit had orchestrated his horrific crimes over a span of days as evidence that they weren't the result of some rabid, 'flying off the handle' incident of roid rage (per ABC News). Chris Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) who murdered his family in June 2007. However, his last in-ring opponent has revealed what Benoit said to him in preparation for their match. Taping Mar 20th 2007: Chris Benoit: def. The Chris Benoit double murder-suicide is one of the most unfortunate tragedies in pro wrestling history, and the incident had a drastic impact on the industry. Wrestling veteran Hugo Savinovich, who was in the WWE at that time, was asked about the energy following Chris Benoit's world title win during the latest edition of SK Wrestling's UnSKripted with Dr. Chris Featherstone. "I'm so close to it, having had some of the greatest matches of my career against Chris Benoit in matches that can never be seen again for obvious reasons. That day will live in infamy, and the person who last communicated with Chris Benoit was then WWE Superstar Chavo Guerrero. With no physical, or forensic evidence to bring to the fore on this, one should simply be aware of the existence of such stupidity, and subsequently follow the science on the matter. I agree with the privacy policy and accept all conditions. Indeed, he had been placed on the bed. Kevin Mazur/WireImage Chris Benoit's death has profoundly impacted his legacy as a professional wrestler. The fifth match pitted Kurt Angle against Chris Benoit. How much did these drive his actions that weekend? A total disaster to the wrestling world and a reminder of the evil effects of subjecting the human anatomy to extreme torture on the squared circle. .more. Perhaps it is time to take some responsibility, and both celebrate the man Chris Benoitwas, and work to discourage anyone from becoming the tortured, disturbed, and mentally dysfunctional man he ended up. Published December 12, 2014. Meeting Flair in person in the late 90s I was stunned by how huge that guy's neck was. So, I didnt think anything of it. The discovery sent shockwaves throughout the industry and dominated mainstream media outlets for months to follow. The first being Johnny Grunge, and the second, though undisclosed, is believed to be Sherri Martel. Chavo did speak to Benoit on the phone the weekend of the murder/suicide, but there was no mention of someone at the door. Benoit did take steroids, but it's far more likely that it was due to a case of severe mental illness that he did what he did. The callous nature of the WWE executives aside, there has been some pretty clear damage caused by the organization, which has plagued many a wrestling superstar. Pleading guilty, Astin has found himself serving a ten year sentence (which will be up in two years time). The photo of the visit to Dr. Astin was not between the two murders. It turns out though, that there had previously been several vandalizing, and promotional spam posts, and edits made to the Chris Benoit page. According to the timeline, WWE tried to reach Benoit all day Sunday both at home and at Atlanta-area hospitals. He was greatly affected by the death of Eddie Guerrero Benoit and Eddie Guerrero's hug at the end of the PPV are still one of WrestleMania's most iconic images of all time. The Don of NXT, Tony D'Angelo. No, Harry Styles didn't spit on Chris Pine. for the last 25+ years, and a fan of Chris Benoit . It's incredible that right up to this day, there are still so many unanswered questions surrounding Chris Benoit's death. They HAVE made good on their promise to never mention or make any more money off Benoit ever again. The Murder/Suicide. According to WWE.com, all five text messages were sent between 3:53 AM and 3:58 AM on June 24 . Although the exact sequence of these atrocious acts will never be known, forensic investigators and autopsies have established a broad timeline of the weekend's events. This posed a lot of problems for the Theobald family, among them the prospect of cooperating with the police, because while these really weren . Yet, for Sandra, David, Jericho, et al, it's not the end of their story. Jericho said of Benoit's removal from WWE history. This led to WWE requesting the police to search Benoit's house. In case you are still reading and have not decided to go watch the match instead, the writer cannot add anything that can make you do so . Chris Benoit was one of the top talents in the WWE and his most significant moment in the company inarguably happened at WrestleMania 20 when he won the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of the PPV. Comments ( 516) Seven and a half years ago, one of the most acclaimed pro wrestlers of all time, Chris Benoit, murdered his wife and his seven-year-old son. Jericho had this to say, years after the incident: "It turned out that Daniel didn't have Fragile X, but at the time it made sense because I was grasping at straws.". There were no dangerous signs, in fact, he was very calm. One might think there need be a bit more of a push to ensure that wrestlers actually get rehab when needed, but the WWE would likely say they have no responsibility there, and that they have left the door open; the rest is up to the talent (the organization is famous for its callousness). "I think that when you marginalize her life and define it by the way it ended, I find it very unfair not just to her as a person but as a performer. Designed and Developed by Arren Marketing, Sonya Deville Recently Arrested In New Jersey, Upcoming Major WWE Event Heading To Saudi Arabia, Brock Lesnar Nixed Potential WrestleMania Match, Celebrity Appearance Confirmed For WrestleMania 39, Kenny Omega Says He Loves Top WWE Star Like A Brother, PHOTOS: The Usos & Solo Sikoa Together At Sikoas Wedding, WWE Stars Diamond Earrings Worth Thousands Lost During Raw, Cody Rhodes Reveals Which WWE Stars He Wants To Face After WrestleMania 39, Alexa Bliss Responds To WWE Omitting Her From Womens History Month Graphic, Steel Cage Match Added To WWE Madison Square Garden Show, Goldberg Discusses Potentially Wrestling Again, AEW Tag Team Not Medically Cleared To Compete On Dynamite, Surprise Team Added To Tag Team Championship Match At AEW Revolution, AEW Titles Stolen Ahead Of AEW Revolution. This is very significant. Is that still the case today? Without getting too into conspiracy here, one does wonder just what role the variety of medications might have played along with the deterioration of Chris Benoit's brain. Chris Benoit was a 40-year-old world-class professional wrestler who won multiple championships including in the NJPW and WCW. Perhaps a coincidence, but conspiracy theorists will forever use this as a vital piece of information in their allegations. The death forced WWE to take concussions more seriously, enforce substance regulations, and conduct rigorous drug testing. Everyone who knew Chris Benoit praised his insane work ethic, grit, and determination. Where did police find the little boy? This workshowed definitively that the cause of the tragic incident was, in fact, severe brain damage. This theory exists due to the fact that Kevin Sullivan happens to be Nancy Benoit's ex-husband. Accurate description. 1 The Murder of Crystal Theobald. 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