10 Grim Details Surrounding Chris Benoit, Who Killed His Family Before Committing Suicide

6 /10 The Crimes

On June 25, 2007, the WWE requested a welfare check on Chris Benoit because, at that time, he had missed several events scheduled to take place during the previous week.

Some WWE seniors were also concerned that they had not heard from him for more than 24 hours.

When the police arrived at Chris Benoit’s home in Fayetteville, Georgia, they discovered his dead body inside, along with his wife’s and son’s.

There were allegedly an empty bottle of wine and ten empty beer cans on site. Further investigation revealed some terrifying facts.

5 /10 Nancy Elizabeth Benoit

The lifeless body of Benoit’s wife was found in a bedroom upstairs. Next to the body was a Bible.

Injuries on the body indicated that someone pressed a knee to her back while pulling a cord around her neck. The cause of death was ruled strangulation. She died on June 22. 

The autopsy report did not suggest that Nancy was sedated before her death. There was a trace of alcohol in her body, but the medical examiner could not determine whether it was from consumption or decomposition.

4 /10 Daniel Christopher Benoit

The body of 7-year-old son Daniel was found in his bedroom. Another copy of the Bible was placed next to him.

Daniel had no bruises, but he suffered internal injuries to the throat. The cause of death was ruled suffocation.

Although the exact time of his is known, the level of decomposition indicated that Daniel was killed after Benoit had murdered Nancy.

An autopsy report showed Daniel had been sedated and was lying unconscious when his father suffocated him. Daniel was Nancy’s only child and Benoit’s third child.

3 /10 Chris Benoit Suicide

The scene where the police discovered Chris Benoit’s body was even more harrowing. He was found hanging on the pulley cable on a lat pulldown machine.

Authorities concluded that Benoit killed his wife and son then himself over three days. There was also a Bible next to him.

A suicide note was found inside a Bible sent to Benoit’s first wife in Canada. In the letter, Benoit wrote that he was preparing to leave this Earth.

2 /10 Benoit's Autopsy

The toxicology report confirmed the high level of testosterone, hydrocodone, and Xanax in Benoit’s system. The more shocking part was what doctors found when they examined his brain.

The scan revealed that Benoit’s brain function was not typical for a man of his age. His brain was severely damaged that it was possible he behaved like an old Alzheimer’s patient.

The result of his brain scan began to raise the question of whether his headbutt act and other injuries throughout his career contributed to the damage, and therefore triggered the violent behavior that ended his own life, wife’s, and sons.

1 /10 Case Closed

Chris Benoit was 40 years old when he died and at the height of his popularity.

Speculations claimed that Kevin Sullivan, the ex-husband of Nancy Elizabeth, had broken into Benoit’s home and killed the family inside. The police cleared Sullivan from any connection to their death.

The case was closed with the conclusion that Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son then killed himself.

WWE decided to erase any mention of his name from the network’s website, broadcasts, and merchandise. Title histories remain unchanged, however, and he was featured in WWE Encyclopedia.