Chris, Nancy, & Daniel Benoit found dead

[Bix]

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=...&id=5442770

 

Benoit's personal doctor faces federal drug charge

 

07/02/2007 10:47 AM - The personal doctor of pro wrestler Chris Benoit surrendered Monday to face a federal charge in connection with a drug probe, the physician's attorney said.

 

ATLANTA -- The personal doctor of pro wrestler Chris Benoit surrendered Monday to face a federal charge in connection with a drug probe, the physician's attorney said. Attorney Manny Arora said Dr. Phil Astin will face a single charge involving improperly prescribing medication at a hearing later Monday. Federal drug agents have taken over the probe into whether Astin improperly prescribed testosterone and other drugs to Benoit before he killed his wife and son and committed suicide in his suburban Atlanta home last month. State prosecutors and sheriff's officials are overseeing the death investigation. Patrick Crosby, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, said he expected to have a criminal complaint and an indictment in hand Monday afternoon. Arora said Astin "is doing about as good as can be expected. He's disappointed and surprised." Meanwhile, the state prosecutor in the Benoit investigation said Monday he currently has no plans to file criminal charges in the case. "From our standpoint, I have no reason to believe there will be any criminal charges at the current time," Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard told The Associated Press. "What the federal government is going to do, it will be up to them." Investigators have conducted two raids at Astin's west Georgia office since last week. "It would be our belief and understanding that the federal authorities were looking for patient files and the computers that the files may be contained in to determine if prescriptions were written improperly," Arora said. Astin prescribed testosterone for Benoit, a longtime friend, in the past but has not said what, if any, medications he prescribed when Benoit visited his office June 22, the day authorities believe Benoit killed his wife. Meanwhile, toxicology tests on Benoit's body have not yet been completed, Ballard said. Anabolic steroids were found in Benoit's home, leading officials to wonder whether the drugs played a role in the killings. Some experts believe steroids can cause paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."

 

The New York Daily News, citing anonymous sources, reported Sunday that GHB, known as the "date-rape drug", also was found in Benoit's home.

 

"Benoit was a GHB user and he did it with [now-deceased wrestler] Chris Adams," a source told the newspaper. "The question is, does GHB use play into what happened [in Fayetteville]?"

 

"We're still asking questions and searching for answers with regard to the death so we can tie up loose ends," Ballard said. Ballard said finding a motive in the case remains elusive. "I think it will always be undetermined as to 'Why?"' Ballard said. "I think it's because there can't be any satisfactory reason why you kill a 7-year-old." Authorities have said Benoit strangled his wife and son, placing Bibles next to their bodies, before hanging himself on the cable of a weight-machine in his home. Benoit's father, Michael, said Monday that "it's impossible to come up with a rational explanation for a very irrational act." "That's my feeling. Let the cards fall where they fall, we have no control over it at this point," he said. "It's just impossible to come up with a rational explanation for what happened."The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Guest teke184]

Benoit's personal doctor faces federal drug charge

 

The New York Daily News, citing anonymous sources, reported Sunday that GHB, known as the "date-rape drug", also was found in Benoit's home.

 

"Benoit was a GHB user and he did it with [now-deceased wrestler] Chris Adams," a source told the newspaper. "The question is, does GHB use play into what happened [in Fayetteville]?"

1. This seems to confirm what Jingus had said at The Pit, which was that Benoit was known in the locker room as a GHB user and that GHB abuse and withdrawal is some messed up stuff, with William Regal as the prime example of what can happen to someone who abuses it.

 

(There's apparently a story in Regal's autobiography about him going to some family function at Christmas, blacking out, and finding out later that he was in the hospital and his heart had stopped about 5 times.)

 

 

2. I wonder how long before Geraldo starts claiming that Kevin Sullivan was linked to another homicide and that he may have been the "real shooter" who killed Gentleman Chris Adams.

[kjh]

The only problem is that the New York Daily News did not report that GHB was found in Benoit's home. Their source did mention that Chris had used it in the past and was allegedly still using it as recently as two years ago, but if GHB addiction was Chris' biggest problem surely Dave Meltzer or Bryan Alvarez would have been told about this and reported it?

[Loss]

Meltzer pretty much debunked the GHB story last night on WOL.

 

I was pretty skeptical of it from the beginning myself. I thought even the crazy Wikipedia story was more believable than linking Benoit to Chris Adams.

 

Dr. Astin facing charges is obviously a good thing if the allegations are true, but I don't believe it will accomplish much. There are too many doctors out there willing to prescribe anything, and when one goes down, another will pop up. The wrestlers will find another physician, and nothing will change.

 

Even if Dr. Astin has a client list with several top names on it, it doesn't make much difference, sadly. It just forces the wrestlers to be more resourceful.

[Bix]

Fox News says the records mention "O.G." (presumably Óscar Gutiérrez) and "M.J." (presumably Mickie James?).

[jdw]

Meltzer pretty much debunked the GHB story last night on WOL.

Recap of what was said in this respect?

 

 

John

[Loss]

He basically just said he didn't think there was anything to it. He also called the GHB story "grasping for straws" in his website update yesterday.

[Guest teke184]

Fox News says the records mention "O.G." (presumably Óscar Gutiérrez) and "M.J." (presumably Mickie James?).

I could definitely see "OG" being Rey since he used to in WCW, spent a decent amount of time in Atlanta as a result despite living in San Diego, and likely knew of the same "Dr. Feelgood" that the other boys used.

 

 

I doubt that "MJ" is Mickey James, unless someone she worked with set her up with him. *cough*RAVEN*cough*

 

Potential other "MJ" wrestlers include Marty Jannety, Mark Jindrak, and Jacqueline Moore (Jackie), with my money being on Marty Jannetty.

[Guest teke184]

The hell?

 

 

http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/wo/news/h...t.asp?aID=20059

 

7/2/2007 5:10:00 PM

 

Fox breaking news: Benoit prescribed massive amounts of steroids by Astin

 

A Fox News Channel report said that records obtained by investigators show that between May 2006 and May 2007, Dr. Phil Astin prescribed Chris Benoit "a ten month supply of steroids" every three to four weeks. The report stated that every three to four weeks, Benoit would get a new ten-month supply.

1. What defines a 10-month supply of steroids?

 

2. Was Benoit shooting all of these, or was he distributing them to others as well?

[Bix]

I'm GUESSING "a ten month supply of steroids" means it would be a 10 month supply if he was actually using it to treat his low levels of natural testosterone.

[jdw]

What Bix said on the 10-month supply.

 

 

John

[Jingus]

I doubt that "MJ" is Mickey James, unless someone she worked with set her up with him. *cough*RAVEN*cough*

 

Potential other "MJ" wrestlers include Marty Jannety, Mark Jindrak, and Jacqueline Moore (Jackie), with my money being on Marty Jannetty.

Considering Jannetty hasn't had a contract in, uh, decades, could he afford it? I think Jindrak still lives in Atlanta, he's probably the best bet.

 

On the other hand, the Mickie James theory brings up an important point: just because someone doesn't look like they're on the gas doesn't mean they're not on the gas. The "divas" have the same problems with retaining muscle mass and healing injuries that the men do. As long as they're not taking supplements at an East German Female Olympian level, it wouldn't be that obvious. (Didya ever wonder why a lot of the divas look rather, well, mannish?)

 

Also, New Jack did an interview recently where he admitted taking steroids, which somewhat furthers my point. He certainly didn't look like a muscleman. If someone like Viscera, or Spike Dudley, or Stacey Keibler was on the juice, most people would never know.

[kjh]

I think Jindrak still lives in Atlanta, he's probably the best bet.

Mark Jindrak currently lives in Mexico City, as he works full time CMLL, but I believe he still lived in Atlanta between April 2004 and July 2005 when the drugs in question were prescribed.

[Marty]

Here in Pittsburgh all the shows that were supposed to be taken down are still up. I can pretty much picture the folks that run the VOD service here getting the memo to remove stuff and being all "LOLZ, no". Unless the wrong show is being broadcast, they never remove shows early.

 

I really hope this was just a one week thing and there's not going to be an effort to erase Benoit from history. But then the WM XX DVD listing on wwe.com has the main event as HHH vs HBK so who knows.

I did some searching on WWE.com and if you check the title histories page, he's still on the lists, but they removed any links detailing how he won and began each reign, whether it's singles or tag team.

 

Heehee, guess they forgot about this Benoit article:

 

http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/mexico/wetandwild

 

And, in the "oops" category:

 

http://shopzone.wwe.com/Product_detail.asp...ductId=35-00399

 

The steel cage: it's used as a barrier and as a weapon. It keeps the competitors inside and the interference outside. The Steel Cage Match is the most brutal form of sports-entertainment- the ultimate form of confrontation. Here are highlights from fifteen of the best steel cage matches in wrestling history. They'll definitely leave their mark. Matches include: Bob Backlund vs. Pat Patterson (1979), Jimmy Snuka vs. Don Muraco (1983), Magnum TA vs. Tully Blanchard (1985), Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff (1987), Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (1994), Triple H vs. Mankind (1997), Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Mr. McMahon (1999), Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (2002) and more! Over 3.5 hours of bonus DVD extras! The 11 extra matches include: Bruno Sammartino vs. Ivan Koloff (1975), Rock 'n' Roll Express vs. Andersons (1986), Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty (1993) and more! Approx. running time: 5.5 hours.

(They kinda deleted the wrong guy.)

[Loss]

Alex Marvez said Zoloft last night on Nancy Grace. I've read one WON recap that also says Zoloft, in addition to one that said Xanax. I know they're both anti-depressants, but they are different drugs, and I'm hoping someone who actually received their WON (I guess I should have re-upped earlier than Saturday morning) can confirm which drug the WON said.

[Bix]

The WON definitely says Zoloft.

[jdw]

I wouldn't get to wrapped up on a specific drug. I have the feeling that well see more than a dozen different drugs were found there, and lord knows what will be in the system of the two when the tox comes back. Nancy may also taking painkillers for the neck, which from the WON sounded like it still hadn't been 100%. In addition, we'll also likely get a laundry list from Dr. Phil's records of what he prescribed to Chris (and others).

 

John

[Loss]

http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/moreTrack...amp;format=text

 

Neighbor who found Benoit family flees to Hub

By Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa

Tuesday, July 3, 2007 - Updated: 09:52 AM EST

 

Don’t breathe a word of this. Because nobody’s supposed to know. But the woman who found the bodies of WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and son is in Boston hiding out while the worldwide media stakes out her home in Georgia.

 

Holly McFague, a former Boston publicist, lived next door to the Benoits in suburban Atlanta and had a key to their home. She went in to check on the family after Benoit’s WWE colleagues, who received bizarre text messages from the wrestler, called police to check on their well-being.

 

"To say she is upset is an understatement," said George Regan, who is representing McFague, his former employee at Regan Communications. "She’s very shaken up and she can’t go home because her house is surrounded by media."

 

Police believe the pro wrestler known as "The Canadian Crippler" strangled his wife, Nancy Daus Benoit, and 7-year-old son, Daniel, before hanging himself last week on the cable of a weight-machine in his home.

 

According to Regan, police went to McFague’s house and accompanied her to the wrestler’s home to check on the Benoits. But the officers were afraid to go inside because there were two large attack dogs.

 

"Holly knew the dogs and they knew her so she went in alone," Regan said. "She found the body of the wife and son and ran screaming from the house."

 

Regan said McFague, who runs an events company in Atlanta, had spoken to Benoit sometime on Saturday and he told her his wife and son were sick with food poisoning.

 

"He told her this big, long story about how sick they were," Regan said. "At the time she was thinking that it was way too much information."

 

Police believe that Benoit killed his wife on Friday, June 22, strangled his son on the 23rd and then committed suicide on 24th. The bodies were discovered in the afternoon of June 25.

 

Regan said McFague was close to Nancy and her son, who suffered from Fragile X syndrome that causes mental retardation, but that she didn’t care for Benoit.

 

"She found him very odd to say the least," he said. "But she was very close to his wife, and the little boy was friendly with her children."

 

Regan said McFague kept horses at her home and that Daniel would come over to see the animals frequently.

 

Police have not said what they believe is the motive for the slayings, although steroids were found in the house, leading to speculation that Benoit may have executed his family in a fit of "roid rage."

 

Yesterday, the doctor who prescribed the steroids to Benoit was charged with improperly prescribing drugs to other patients. Dr. Phil Astin prescribed a 10-month supply of anabolic steroids to Benoit every three to four weeks between May 2006 and May 2007, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent said in an affidavit filed Friday and made public yesterday.

 

During a probe of "RX Weight Loss," Benoit was identified as an excessive buyer of injectable steroids, the document states. Prosecutors would not say what "RX Weight Loss" is.

[Guest teke184]

I thought the *police* found the bodies thanks to a welfare call by the *WWE*.

 

When did this woman supposedly find the bodies and how long has that been known?

 

 

(I'm not doing the BS "SHE DID IT!" games... I'm legit wondering how this is even a story considering I hadn't ever heard that a neighbor discovered the bodies.)

 

 

EDIT - Ah, now I know... didn't realize the cops had gone to her because she had a set of keys.

[kjh]

Nancy may also taking painkillers for the neck, which from the WON sounded like it still hadn't been 100%.

John, did Dave explain or allude to how Nancy got the neck injury that required surgery? At the time the story was reported it seemed a bit strange that a female manager that was rarely involved in physical angles would require similar surgery to what long time wrestlers have been requiring recently. Now it sadly seems all the more suspicious.

[Bix]

Nancy may also taking painkillers for the neck, which from the WON sounded like it still hadn't been 100%.

John, did Dave explain or allude to how Nancy got the neck injury that required surgery? At the time the story was reported it seemed a bit strange that a female manager that was rarely involved in physical angles would require similar surgery to what long time wrestlers have been requiring recently. Now it sadly seems all the more suspicious.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was wondering about this, and no, it wasn't in the WON (unless it's in the Thursday issue which nobody seems to have gotten yet).

[Jingus]

Could've been a lot of things. Perfectly ordinary office clerks who've never done an athletic thing in their lives sometimes need neck surgeries, too. Slipping & falling in the shower or down a flight of stairs could've easily done it.

 

 

...or Benoit could've ROID RAGED and put her in the crossface. Either or.

[Guest teke184]

Could've been a lot of things. Perfectly ordinary office clerks who've never done an athletic thing in their lives sometimes need neck surgeries, too. Slipping & falling in the shower or down a flight of stairs could've easily done it.

 

 

...or Benoit could've ROID RAGED and put her in the crossface. Either or.

It's possible that she had a long-term untreated neck injury a la Bobby Heenan or Sandman.

 

 

Heenan broke his neck in a match in the early 80s against Onita and didn't get it fixed until the mid-1990s.

 

The reason he put it off so long was that he didn't have insurance until starting with WCW and, besides that, he couldn't afford to take the time necessary to let it heal right.

 

 

 

Sandman broke his neck sometime in the mid-90s and didn't realize it until x-rays were taken years later showing the damage.

 

He attributes this to his feud with Mick Foley, which included at least one extended injury due to taking a cast-iron skillet shot on the head.

 

 

 

Technically, this *shouldn't* have happened to her, as she was likely covered under WCW's insurance for years thanks to being an on-screen performer as well as the spouse of Sullivan and later Benoit.

 

That doesn't mean she didn't get long-term damage from something and not realize how severe it was until down the line.

 

 

 

(I'm trying not to be a Benoit apologist, but there are legit situations where she may not have gotten treated until long after her career was over.)

[Loss]

I seem to remember Nancy, Benoit, Sullivan and Jacqueline all taking some kind of insane bump at SuperBrawl VII collectively, but don't remember exactly what it was.

 

Not really associating her neck to that, but she was occasionally physical in that storyline.

[jdw]

Nancy may also taking painkillers for the neck, which from the WON sounded like it still hadn't been 100%.

John, did Dave explain or allude to how Nancy got the neck injury that required surgery? At the time the story was reported it seemed a bit strange that a female manager that was rarely involved in physical angles would require similar surgery to what long time wrestlers have been requiring recently. Now it sadly seems all the more suspicious.

 

Dave hasn't explained. But from a timeline standpoint:

 

( a ) it was well after her filing for divorce

 

( b ) if there was abuse strong enough to cause neck damage, it's likely that it would have been noticed by her doctors

 

Not saying that it's not possible. But back and neck issues are not uncommon outside of wrestling an sports. I work with three people with back issues. One is degenerative. Another other was initially caused by playing with her kids. The third is just 60 years of an active life adding up. That's in a department of 8.

 

So while the whole time off last year was odd, I don't know if I'd read dark into *everything* about it until we know more. I believe that Dave did indicate that at least part of the reason for the time off was because Benoit was stressed and in not great shape.

 

 

John