A few final notes on the Benoit tragedy
Jun 27, 2007 In The News
As more details have become known about the horror that took place in an Atlanta suburb this last weekend, the story goes from sadness to shock to extreme confusion.
WWE has has released a timeline of its involvement with Benoit and police authorities through the weekend, including the strange text messages sent from Chris and Nancy Benoit’s cell phones Sunday morning. They also made a statement clearing up some theories and inaccuracies in the mainstream media and the blogosphere about what might have happened.
Not yet knowing the details of the incident, WWE aired on RAW Monday night a retrospective and tribute to Chris’s career. As news came out of what had transpired, it became frighteningly clear that the tributes were out of place. Information on such was removed from the WWE.com website, and chairman Vince McMahon issued an apology for the tribute the next night on ECW on SCI-FI. In addition, out of respect to the Benoit family and the citizens of his hometown, Edmonton, Alberta, WWE’s upcoming Canadian tour has been postponed indefinitely.
All told… I don’t know what to say. The part that gets to me the most is motive — what could have driven him to commit such acts? The media points to divorce petitions and restraining orders, but they took place 4 years ago, and were dropped several months later. WWE correctly points out that there’s no grounds yet to make any kind of guess as to his mindset, and toxicology reports won’t come back for several weeks. I’m not sure there’ll ever be any closure to this issue unless some kind of motive can be uncovered, and as authorities have stated that no suicide note was found, it’ll be very difficult to determine.
The legacy of a great wrestling technician has been shattered and sullied, and in one of the most horrifying ways imaginable.
