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WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Chris Benoit, one of WWE's biggest stars, was found dead along with his wife and son in 2007 in what remains one of the most disturbing murder-suicide cases in history.
Chris Benoit killed his wife and child and then himself (Image: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
A haunting final message sent by WWE star Chris Benoit has re-emerged nearly two decades after one of wrestling's most tragic incidents.
In June 2007, Benoit, then a top name in WWE, shockingly murdered his wife Nancy and their seven-year-old son Daniel before taking his own life at their home in Fayetteville, Georgia.
The appalling murders stunned the world and forever altered the landscape of professional wrestling.
In the days leading up to the discovery of the murders, Benoit sent a series of increasingly unsettling messages to his close friend and fellow wrestler Chavo Guerrero.
However, one message, sent to another friend, was particularly disturbing.
Chris and Nancy Benoit (Image: FilmMagic)
Police disclosed that Benoit had left a chilling voicemail for a friend, stating that his dogs were outside in the backyard and the back door was left open - a message now widely regarded as a grim indication that something was terribly amiss at his home, reports <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/wwe-superstars-horrifying-final-message-36557198" rel="Follow" target="_self">the Mirror</a>.
When Benoit failed to show up at a WWE pay-per-view event where he was due to wrestle, worries about his and his family's safety escalated.
Eventually, a welfare check was requested, and on June 25, 2007, police officers arrived at his home to discover the horrifying scene of Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their young son's bodies.
According to investigators at the time, the murders occurred over a span of three days. Benoit's wife Nancy was strangled first, followed by Daniel who was sedated and suffocated.
Chris Benoit in the ring with Chris Jericho (Image: FilmMagic)
Benoit ended his own life by hanging himself using gym equipment in his basement.
At the time of his tragic end, Benoit, aged 40, was widely recognised as one of the most technically proficient wrestlers of his era.
Just three years prior, he had been in the ring at WrestleMania 20, celebrating a world championship triumph with his wife and son by his side.
The post-mortem examination revealed that Benoit's brain exhibited severe damage consistent with advanced chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative condition associated with repeated head injuries.
Medical professionals likened his brain to that of an individual suffering from advanced Alzheimer's.
In the immediate aftermath of his death, WWE controversially aired a tribute episode. However, once the full truth emerged, the company acted swiftly to erase Benoit from its history.
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His name is seldom mentioned on WWE programming, he has been completely omitted from the Hall of Fame, and his legacy remains irrevocably and entirely overshadowed by his horrific crimes.
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