Wrestler strangled wife, smothered son
PROFESSIONAL wrestling superstar Chris Benoit strangled his wife, smothered his seven-year-old son and then hanged himself from his gym equipment in a double murder-suicide that took place over three days, police have said.
Benoit and his wife Nancy and young son Daniel were discovered on Monday afternoon inside their home in Fayetteville, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb.
Police have also said anabolic steroids were found in the house, but they would not speculate on a possible motive for the crimes.
Nancy was killed on Friday in family room on an upper level of the family mansion. Blood was found under her head and her feet and wrists were bound, the county's district attorney said.
Daniel died late on Saturday or early Sunday. His body was found in his bed, the prosecutor Scott Ballard said, according to the Associated Press.
Bibles were placed beside both bodies. Police have said autopsies have shown all three died of asphyxiation.
The 40-year-old WWE superstar then waited up to a full day before taking his own life by hanging himself using a pulley on one of his weights machines, Mr Ballard said.
He said it was "bizarre" that Benoit had apparently stayed inside the house with the bodies for up to two full days.
"I'm baffled about why anybody would kill a seven-year-old," Mr Ballard said. "I don't think we'll ever be able wrap our head around that."
Benoit's employer, World Wrestling Entertainment, said on its website that he canceled two events in Texas over the weekend, citing an undisclosed family emergency.
Benoit then sent “several curious text messages” to friends early Sunday morning and this prompted authorities to check on Benoit and his family at their home.
Nicknamed “The Rabid Wolverine” and “The Canadian Crippler,” Benoit was one of the leading international stars of professional wrestling.
He began his career in his native Canada more than 20 years ago and wrestled in Japan before moving back to North America.
