Steroids, Drugs Found In Benoit, Wife, Son

Toxicology Results Released For Wrestler Who Killed Wife And Son Before Hanging Himself

(AP)  Pro wrestler Chris Benoit had steroids and other drugs in his system when he killed his wife and young son last month and hanged himself in the family's home, investigators said Tuesday.

Benoit's body contained 10 times the normal level of testosterone, which appeared to have been injected shortly before he died, as well as the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone, authorities said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Benoit tested negative for alcohol.

The state's top medical examiner, Dr. Kris Sperry, said there was no evidence of any other anabolic steroids in the wrestler's body, and nothing to show that steroids played a role in the death of Nancy and Daniel Benoit.

"An elevation of that ratio does not translate into something abnormal in a person's thought process or behavior," he said.

Sperry said the boy appeared to have been sedated when he was asphyxiated, and Benoit's wife had a "therapeutic" level of sedatives in her body.

Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old son, placed Bibles next to their bodies and then hanged himself on the cable of a weight machine.

Anabolic steroids were found in the home, raising questions about whether the drugs played a role in the killings. Some experts believe steroids can cause paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."

Benoit's wife, Nancy, tested positive for Xanax, hydrocodone and the painkiller hydromorphone. Daniel Benoit had Xanax in his system, authorities said.

The GBI said it could not perform tests for steroids or human growth hormones on the boy because of a lack of urine.

Federal authorities have charged Benoit's personal physician, Dr. Phil Astin, with improperly prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two patients other than Benoit. He has pleaded not guilty.

Investigators have also raided Astin's office several times since the deaths, seizing prescription records and other documents.

Before he was charged, Astin told the AP he prescribed testosterone for Benoit, a longtime friend, in the past. He would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed when Benoit visited his office June 22, the day authorities believe Benoit killed his wife.

[bbs_momma]

i think that whatever happened to this family could probably happen to most anyone. we can only hope to learn from this mistake. think out your problems....we're here for a reason...find it and live it. hopefully, they find peace and wherever they are now is better than when they were here. peace.

[dmk3]

Hey Zoolature,
Chris Benoit was a white guy, He killed his white family. Where are your racist views on this thread? Hmmmmmmmm?

[mystery65]

No one knows what actually happened to the Benoit Family. Obviously there were some problems between the Benoit's in the past, and yet they were still together, recently moving to Atlanta. Unfortunatly Chris Benoit was on Steroids and other drugs, but that doesn't in and of itself make him a bad person, or does that excuse the deaths of his family. Apparently he was capable of some weird demented compassion for his wife, and for his son, maybe he thought that by medicating them, they wouldn't feel anything. We all know that is probably not true, but when a person is depressed or suicidal, they don't have any kind of comprehension of reality or whatever. He was calling out for help by texting his friends with his "physical address" - maybe, just maybe if someone would have sent the police there, maybe things would have been played out differently. I don't know, nor do I pretend to know, but I do know that if we are going to sit in judgement, we better take a very close look at ourselves as well... Life is precious, but is often times extremely difficult, and sometimes, it's deadly.

[melissa2106-2009]

i feel so sorry for the families....i think what the million dollor man said is right....i think he killed his wife on a accident, then killed his son then himself so that they can be together....a mercy killing is what it is....

[swwils]

Man I can't believe his son had alprazolam in his system"xanax" he was onlt 7.Mr.Benoit was have really lost it at the end!Perhaps he sedated him before he killed him so he would feel nothing.

[mcnikki01]

personally I feel that chris benoit is a monster. to me being a druggy is no excuse to run around and kill your family (nothing is that I know of) especially and innocent child. that is like saying that watching violent movies is the cause of world violence. I dont think so. I watch some movies that are violent, but I don't run around killing people and other things like that. I refuse to play him up as some kind of victim because he was a sicko and killed his family and himself. I hope he burns in everlasting hell for what he did. I know that god will be watching out for his family. I hope that his wife and child find peace in heaven.

[mcnikki01]

personally I feel that chris benoit is a monster. to me being a druggy is no excuse to run around and kill your family (nothing is that I know of) especially and innocent child. that is like saying that watching violent movies is the cause of world violence. I dont think so. I watch some movies that are violent, but I don't run around killing people and other things like that. I refuse to play him up as some kind of victim because he was a sicko and killed his family and himself. I hope he burns in everlasting hell for what he did. I know that god will be watching out for his family. I hope that his wife and child find peace in heaven.

[wiccantexan]

They were all sedated and died quickly.
Posted by mercyme884 at 11:14 AM : Jul 18, 2007

I don't think hanging with those steroid-thick neck muscles would qualify as "died quickly." And who ever heard of a suicide pact spread out over 3 days?

[mercyme884]

Why assume benoit in a rage sedated and killed his wife and son. Maybe it was a suicide pact. Maybe benoit and his wife were just tired of this life, maybe they were tired of all the lies and deceit they saw and read on the news.everyone dissing someone else. No on caring or giving a *** for his fellow man. No respect for fellow human beings. They were all sedated and died quickly. Sometimes thats as good as you can get.

[adventurepa]

I wonder if he smoked a joint insteed of doing all the presciption drugs and testosterone if the outcome woud have been the same?