The Wrestling Champion who Murdered his family | The Case of Chris Benoit

[@CoffeehouseCrime]

🔴 VIDEO EDIT: Sorry folks, but it appears that WWE doesn't like this video! They made several fresh copyright claims (including Chris' heartfelt video where he cries over the loss of his dead friend) despite it falling within fair use guidelines. I've had to remove those parts which means some areas of my video suddenly jump away or skip a segment. Sorry for the disruption!

[@SamEsss]

How disappointing yet unsurprising of such a major company. It’s all about damage control and money. It took them days to realize he was dead, didn’t think anything suspicious of the fact his whole family was dead before compiling a memorial segment. That was their own fault. Just like the NFL, they don’t really care or actually monitor for CTE. Even now after so many dead sportsmen have been found to have it post mortem. Pretty sad they have time to constantly trawl around the internet looking for videos that discredit them but don’t have the time to monitor their wrestlers health.

[@vincentkennedymcmahon50]

No one can mess with Vince McMahon 😎😎

[@deathstrokear1483]

WWE have been adamant for years they want nothing to do with the Benoit name, so much so they won’t even allow other wrestlers to talk about achievements of their own careers that they accomplished against Benoit. Perfect example is Randy Orton. He won the World Heavyweight title from Benoit at Summerslam 04 and became the youngest World champion in WWE history but whenever he speaks about it, he has to make sure he doesn’t mention Benoits name. It’s pathetic but also understandable.

[@firstandlastaliv3]

WWE is a shitty organization that overexploits people and offer no support to their "wrestlers," under the umbrella of them being "independent contractors," leading them to have horrible physical and mental health issues and unable to care for themselves. Don't take my word for it. Just check John Oliver's take in the horrible things these people go through. I'm not defending Benoit, BTW. I'm just commenting on WWE behavior towards this channel for reporting a crime that just happened to be commited for someone they used to "hire."

[@mikemorris9902]

Benoit was framed. Look up purplesky11 on KZbin. The evidence just doesn't add up with the timelines and everything they put on the news. Do some research for your guys' self and come up with your own conclusion. Don't believe everything on the news. It's mostly all lies or to persuade you to think a certain way.

[@mattsugrim7132]

This one still hurts. Benoit was one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time, and when he did what he did, I was too young to understand. As I got older, I understood the details of the case and its still very disturbing and heartbreaking. I highly recommend watching the two part Dark Side of the Ring episode dedicated to this case because it takes note of the effects that Chris' actions had on both his and Nancy's side of their families.

[@ddjsoyenby]

agreed.

[@meganmclaughlin9056]

It's acting .it's fake kid

[@Adrian-zd4cs]

@@meganmclaughlin9056 the injuries aren't fake. Tell that to the neurologists and coroner's that examine their brains.

[@IncredibleFulk1]

@@meganmclaughlin9056 Tell that to all the wrestlers who can barely walk.

[@FreedomHero4]

@@meganmclaughlin9056 tell that to Owen Hart’s family

[@GarrettBorden]

My dad is a pro wrestler. When I was a kid he would take me to shows occasionally. I’d usually hang backstage or in the locker rooms while dad went out to wrestle. Every time I’d ask to hang out with Chris because I always thought he was so cool. He was always really nice to me. I was totally shocked in high school when this news came out, totally devastating story. I still can’t believe this happened.

[@tdhdusty]

Who is your dad ? Jw

[@GeologicalNerd]

@@tdhdusty google says he's the son of "Sting" aka Steve Borden

[@castlesteinway7741]

Thank you for your insight. It's really interesting to be able to hear from someone who was there

[@synnamon_toast_crunch]

Your dad is Sting? Dude thats awesome

[@tdhdusty]

@@GeologicalNerd holy crap I figured it was a lower card wrestler by the way he talked I think everyone knows sting!!

[@OracleIntuitions]

I went to junior and high school with Chris. He was a sweet guy in school. Always was there for others. It's sad and tragic what happened

[@xonilatifi7955]

sometimes the sweetest persons can be the most bitter on earth, maybe the death of chavo gureero was the mental death of him... but still no excuse of what he did!

[@chlorophyll6154]

He suffers extreme schizophrenic, paranoid and anxiety due to various head trauma, it's not uncommon with WWE wrestler, yes he is totally good man!

[@richlewis1879]

What he did was disgusting. Not sure how anyone can say a good word about him

[@viniciuslima9430]

@@richlewis1879 which part of WAS IN SCHOOL you did not understand?

[@richlewis1879]

@@viniciuslima9430 it doesn't matter if you were in school with him or not. How you could write anything good about that guy I don't understand

[@joshyeomans4337]

I would highly recommend covering the case of Bernadette Walker, case from Peterborough UK in summer 2020, whereby a 17 year old girl was initially reported missing by her parents, but when the investigation was handed to a new officer after a few days of being open, all was not as it first seemed. Its a heartbreaking but fascinating case, and a surprising amount of information about this case is on the Internet. Really think it would be a great case to cover.

[@millafilppula4083]

Im so interested by this! I hope he sees this :)

[@charliekezza]

I'm intrigued now

[@ssv2430]

Thanks for mentioning this without spoiling it

[@charliekezza]

Just looked it up and there is a case in Australia very similar but the child was only (trying to think) between 2 and 7

[@allylabar21]

You got me interested

[@djo934]

Chris Beniot was an amazing wrestler and this story never gets easier to hear. The only silver lining to this is that it changed the way concussions are looked at in the WWE. One thing not mentioned here is the his diary that was found after his death that was a terrifying look into his mental state. He was paranoid that someone was after him and was writing letters to Eddie asking for help. Listening to his dad talk about the diary is heartbreaking.

[@amethyst5538]

That was what killed me. When the contents of the diary were released, I just couldn't with wrestling anymore.

[@saintlynnie4037]

His father said that it was the diary of his son going mad... So sad

[@djo934]

@@saintlynnie4037 it was brutal to hear what he wrote and just how normal he seemed on the outside as opposed to what he was writing in the diary.

[@paulmoore5392]

Not just that, but hearing how broken up he was after Eddie's death was brutal to listen to. He apparently wasn't religious when Eddie was alive, but Eddie gifted him a bible and after Eddie's death, he carried that book everywhere he went. On top of that, hearing how he would apparently cry in Eddie's side of the bed in Vickie's (Eddie's widow) home

[@sirlink9611]

Ugh I know, it's terrible. It's a shame that you can't talk about how incredible of a wrestler that Chris Benoit was and his legacy on the sport without talking about the awful acts he committed at the end of his life. I would compare his legacy to OJ Simpson. They both are considered one of the GOATs of their sport, and they both murdered in cold blood. You can't take away their impact and legacy, but that legacy is forever tainted by their monstrous actions. And I would go as far to say that it didn't just change how concussions are looked at in the WWE, but was one of the events that changed how concussions are viewed in sports as a whole. A comparison off the top of my head I could make is Aaron Hernandez from the Patriots. Aaron's and Chris' brains were among the worst CTE doctors had ever seen in sports. Things HAD to change after this. It's a god damn shame. RIP to Nancy and Daniel.

[@connorottem5767]

I highly encourage others to read Chris' journal entries following Eddie Guerrero's death. I think it offers more insight into just how deeply affected he was; it reads less as a journal and more a series of letters to Eddie himself. I believe Eddie's death was a major factor in influencing Chris in his final days. At one point, he even wrote "I will be with you soon." However you choose to view Chris' actions, I don't think there's any denying that he suffering from severe emotional and psychological problems.

[@homerogarzajr1787]

Is there an online version of the journal entries that I can access?

[@stormyrain7223]

Yeah deeply affected by his friends death because he probably offered him up as a blood sacrifice and couldn't deal with what he'd done. This is the entertainment industry people these are the kinds of things they do to reach stardom.

[@spurrell1964]

@@stormyrain7223 a blood sacrifice?

[@stormyrain7223]

@@spurrell1964 Yes. You can tell by the way he was crying in the video he was sorry for what he did.

[@melcatsss]

@@stormyrain7223 the dude had a heart attack, what are you on about

[@onyx2047]

This story is still tragic and still kicks me in the feels. RIP Benoit family.

[@AshNikkosWife]

Everyone except the killer ofc❤ he deserves to rot not rest.

[@darell8310]

RiP to only Daniel and Nancy

[@youtubeis...]

@@darell8310ikr. people are so limited in their knowledge, yet they've reached a complete conclusion on what happened.

[@alexcarter2461]

Why only daniel and Nancy? Isn't he part of the family? Or does not qualify for your backwards PC culture.

[@МагомедМамилов-ч9т]

​@@darell8310 rip chris benoit family

[@roonkolos]

This definitely is not a case I expected to see on here but I'm certainly not against it. I've grown knowing the story but it never ceases to give me a chill or two

[@jdmandsuch6739]

This comment gave me a chills even before the 1st min... Makes me miss Eddy Guerrero too

[@iyobosaevbagharu8849]

Please if you don't like it mute it 😂 okay.... No one asked you to comment

[@0uttaS1TE]

Yeah. Usually true crime channels don't really touch on the Chris Benoit case. At least, the ones I'm aware of don't. I think it's because of how much of it is tied into pro-wrestling, which means that extra time is needed to cover wrestling terminology, moves, the nature of the business, etc.

[@0uttaS1TE]

@@iyobosaevbagharu8849 When did they say they hated it? If anything, they said they're not against it, implying they want to see more content like this case.

[@iyobosaevbagharu8849]

Read well 😂 pls

[@kmvoss]

Was my favorite wrestler for a few years in the late 90's - early 00's. I remember him being introduced as the most "technical" wrestler. Pretty sure I stopped watching wrestling right around the time this happened. A terrible tale.

[@joshuabryant9845]

He was undoubtedly one of the best technical wrestlers the business has ever seen. Still remember this like it was yesterday. Thought for sure it was a work or story at first

[@christhomson8924]

LONG LIVE 🇷🇺

[@smoll.miniatures]

Can’t blame someone with brain Damage…

[@lilithlevi9534]

Go deep the rabbia ho le mi ultra even year that left him damage and i was a fan growin i discover

[@xMasterAssassin93]

Thank you for actually covering the fact that wrestlers do a lot to their bodies. They don't often get off-days or deal with 'seasons' like other sports. They are rehearsing, lifting, travelling and doing 'house shows' in addition to TV time where we'd normally see them. When someone says "fake", it completely dismisses the work, time, risk and effort that goes into entertaining people, which yes is mostly-scripted, but is often dangerous and mistakes happen to this day.

[@1danieltube794]

Its a fake ass low IQ sport for low IQ people

[@slothonmercury]

People love looking from the outside in.

[@truenokill]

I dated a pro wrestler and it was horrible and gruesome including cutting themselves with blades for blood spatter. And Chris survived Japan which is supposed to be especially brutal. Though it is staged it is not fake

[@johnr797]

Of course the work they put in to put on the performances they do is real. The only thing that pisses me off is when people act like winning a match or a title or whatever is real. I've seen many people argue over who is a better wrestler over how many titles they've won.

[@truenokill]

@H JAwell creepy stalker, I sure did and it was not good.

[@Monster_myron]

This was an credibly tough case for me as I am a huge wrestling fan and was a massive Chris Benoit fan. When he became wwe champion I cried. But after he murdered his family, I not only was heartbroken for his wife and son but I felt this deep betrayal cause I looked up to him so much. He was one of my idols growing up a wrestling fan. This will always be a tough pill to swallow for me to see one of your hero’s become a monster and it forever changed about how I looked at high profile people. I will admire them for their skills but will never get emotionally invested as a fan of anyone I’ve never met in real life again.

[@retrogamer64007]

Just learn from his downfall. Don't take steroids or other PEDs and don't get constant trauma to the head.

[@XxxX-wx3er]

Well said 👏🏼

[@JamieReynolds89]

cried when came wwe champion lmao you do realise it’s fake? not like an achievement that was won through being better than others lol it was scripted for him to win. cried lol that’s weird as fuck. 😂

[@Monster_myron]

@@JamieReynolds89 oh wow! I haven’t heard that before! Wrestling is scripted no way! You mean it’s not as real as Tom Cruise jumping from building to building in Mission Impossible movies?! Noooo way!!! Listen here nerd! We already know wrestling is scripted. But just like Tom Cruise, the performance they do and way they put their bodies on the line for OUR entertainment is respected and appreciated. And despite what happened to Chris Benoit he did before the incident out said body on the line for our entertainment. And that’s why it was heartbreaking this happened. What do you even do in your life? Come on comment section to troll? Have fun with that 🤡

[@JamieReynolds89]

hardly the same. at least in movies its basing it on real life so to speak so you feel some sort of connection cos its based on real life experiences hence the emotion you may feel. not some pretend sport winning a pretend belt. how can you feel some sort of connection like it was hard work that got him the belt when it's all based on a fake script.. it's bizarre.@@BrotherMax6

[@paulmoore5392]

Am extremely surprised you covered this. As a big wrestling fan, this story still hurts me to this day. This situation is much further expanded upon in the Dark Side Of The Ring with 2 episodes for it. When Eddie died, Benoit wasn't living anymore, he was surviving. Hearing about all the stuff David had to go through losing his dad, stepmom and little bro was just heartbreaking

[@laithamekir5778]

Me too Paul I was a huge fan of the cruiser weights in WCW and most notably is Chris. Still hits hard. Eddie I feel was his anchor and once that was gone Chris just wasnt the same. I hope his son gets a chance to wrestle. I would support the guy.

[@elizabethgrogan8553]

@@laithamekir5778 I've never understood the attraction of wrestling. The few times I've seen a little on television news, I just couldn't see the point. I think it's a cultural thing. In my circles, these men would not fit in. They would be considered brutes from the wrong side. This has just strengthened my feelings. Young men, with little education, being encouraged to do something which causes so much damage to their brains, to make money for promoters. It's sick. This man was in desperate need of help.

[@paulmoore5392]

​ On the contrary actually, there are quite a few wrestlers that highly educated. There are tons of wrestlers out there that are college graduates, university graduates, former Olympians with 2 wrestlers now who are actually gold medal winners etc. Tons of wrestlers have also gone into politics with one of them actually being a mayor in the US as we speak. Not to mention the person that did the study on Chris Benoit's brain was actually a former wrestler. Stating that wrestlers are just young men with little education not only is woefully inaccurate since quite a few of them are actually highly educated, but also its not just young men. Young women as well love and get into pro wrestling with quite a few independent promotions around the world solely dedicated to women's wrestling. Many people nowadays get into wrestling as a career for the love of wrestling

[@paulmoore5392]

@@laithamekir5778 While I do hope that David gets the chance to wrestle, I really do hope he changes his tune about channeling his career so much after his dad. You watch the interview where he talks about it and he wants EVERYTHING to be related to his dad. He want's his name to be Chris Benoit Jr, same theme music, same style ring gear, same general moveset etc. While I understand David wants to honor his dad, he has to realize that no promoter worth anything would book him with all that. Even if he changed everything to be not be attached to his father's name, he would have a hard time getting booked since he is Benoit's son.

[@paulmoore5392]

@@a1c3c3u Well yeah academics are secondary to professional wrestling because those academics don't necessarily translate to pro wrestling, but to say that wrestlers as a whole have little education is inaccurate when quite a few of them did go to colleges and universities and are excelling in other areas. For example the guy who did the scan of Chris Benoit's brain is a man named Chris Nowinski who is a former wrestler now neuroscientist. Just because you become a pro wrestler doesn't mean you have little education.

[@freshangel1]

His first wife’s decision to put health and peace first literally saved her life

[@prolificmindz8431]

Don't be irrational. You never know what's going on in some one's head. 🤷

[@thomasanderson2384]

@@prolificmindz8431 Stop defending

[@thepuertorock1467]

When wrestling goes wrong. Too many stiff chair shots 💺 🪑 ♿ 😪 😫 to the head very simple. Still sad. R.I.P Nacncy/Woman and Daniel. It's still real to me damn it!

[@LJizy]

You can't say that with any certainty at all so why bother.

[@123dan165]

Had Nancy gone through with the divorce, her and her son's life would have been saved.

[@WelfareChrist]

He’s missing a lot of the hallmarks of a family annihilator, like he hadn’t lost his job or lost custody nor was he controlling nor cheating, which makes me think it was CTE. People need to take it seriously as it’s practically a guarantee in jobs like his and it has outcomes like this.

[@TimSmith-ne5zs]

I was thinking that too, also with the Bibles by the bodies and him taking his own life. A terrible tragedy.

[@Bubba__Sawyer]

He's not a traditional/conventional family annihilator at all. The situation with Chris Benoit was a very unique set of circumstances.

[@adrianthompson7025]

CTE, steroid abuse, the physical stress of being a pro wrestler and the emotional stress of his best friend dying so suddenly (Eddy had recently gotten clean and found religion, and it looked like he'd turned it around); Chris Benoit was a tragic, perfect storm.

[@ferox965]

It was CTE. They had a look at his brain-they said it was so damaged that it looked like an 80 year old with severe Alzheimer's.

[@WelfareChrist]

@@ferox965 this hits hard. His life was probably a nightmare for years before this happened. Just heart-breaking.

[@IS-sl3dt]

Hi, I work an office job that sometimes requires mind numbing tasks, I listen to your videos so my brain does not deteriorate. Thank you so much for your focus and empathy toward victims in all your videos, its not the standard "she lit up a room" you humanise them further by telling us their interests.. with this one i also like you normalise the perpetrator reiterating the horror that monsters live among us, look like us, and have similar interests. Its good to listen to.

[@Tomharry910]

Good point man, normalising the perpetrator is important so we can recognize the wolves in sheep's clothing. Wishing you the best my friend 👍

[@Rick_Cleland]

Baby Yoda has an office job and takes part in mind-numbing tasks? Outrageous!!

[@hheinous]

Bro I was introduced to this channel during my first office job and it was a lifesaver. I would not have made it through the monotony without this amazing content

[@VickyCooksalot]

This was such a sad story. Makes you think twice about sports that can effect the brain.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

Yeah, I would definitely think twice about letting any of my kids participate in sports with higher concussion rates. I certainly wouldn't do them myself.

[@scifino1]

@@WouldntULikeToKnow. WWE should have their employees checked regularly regarding their medical condition.

[@ddjsoyenby]

honestly you need to be safe the issue with wwe in that era is that they didn't do enough to keep the wrestlers safe.

[@joandarc441]

@@scifino1 especially with their mental health problems

[@MultiLetz]

I mean, even more so than that, makes you think of the care that should be given to people that thrive in those kinds of sports. Given proper treatment and precautions you can achieve anything in them while keeping a safe life, but that entertainment business doesn't work like that

[@sirlink9611]

Oh my god I remember this. I loved WWE as a kid. When Eddie Guerrero died, I was devastated. When Chris Benoit died, I was shocked and horrified. Such a tragedy.

[@iCynnie]

omg Eddie died too?! rip :( my childhood

[@silvipooh]

@@iCynnie girl where were you?? he died YEARS ago

[@blakasmurf]

@@iCynnie Eddie died before Chris. They were really really good friends, best friends I believe. Chris never got over it. When they analyzed Chris' brain it was the same as an Alzheimer's patient. So you can imagine how messed up Chris' thoughts were with dementia and depression mixed together

[@ena__we4205]

Eddie, so much nostalgia in hearing these names.

[@sirlink9611]

@@iCynnie Yeah sadly he passed away. It's crazy how you have two best friends who are seen as two of the best wrestlers of all time with equal impact/influence: One has a legacy that is celebrated and cherished, and the other has a legacy that is buried and forgotten because of what he did.

[@sersastark]

He had too many concussions. His signature move was essentially a flying/diving head butt. The WWE treated their cast as contractors which meant they didn't have to provide healthcare coverage. Had the McMahon family not done things this way, he'd have gotten help in time to stop the tragedy from happening.

[@jamaltientenn]

When the fighting is obviously fake they need to push for more dangerous and unrealistic fight moves. Mankind falling from 20 ft in the air and Owen falling from the ceiling.

[@tonyghee0124]

What’s fake? The stories are fake the wrestling isn’t

[@jojoa694]

@@jamaltientenn The fights are staged not fake, they’re risking their lives doing all these moves.

[@lasskinn474]

@@tonyghee0124 it's a faked stunt fight, doesn't mean that it wouldn't be dangerous, which is what a lot of the entertainment factor is from. it's not as dangerous as dropping someone from top of the cage trying to hurt them without prep or hicking them in the head with a real baseball bat of course. it's not a real sport unless you count ballet as sport, there's no competion, no winning. but it's still dangerous and not least because of all the 'roids. if they actually tried to actually fight they would be able to have like one fight per career, duh.

[@dragonballradiant2744]

They can chalk it up to his condition all they want but That doesn’t change all the unanswered questions. 1. Multiple changing stories. 2. Chavo text messages 3. Chavo phone call with Chris. 4. Chris saying that he had been followed multiple days before. 5. Chris was never good at hiding his injuries. If he had a serious concussion making him act strange people would’ve said something. If the police can, likely prove that he went crazy and attacked I’ll leave it alone. But they can’t because they can’t nail down a story. There’s no forced entry, because it’s someone he knew.

[@maybememory1]

I’m glad you touched on concussions/CTE. Not that it’s an excuse, but it is a real issue.

[@carlholland3819]

if it was the cause how is it not an excuse?

[@christiecat5367]

@@carlholland3819 Chris could have gotten help for his rage/mood swings. A lot could have been done in hindsight sadly

[@sirranhaal3099]

Excuse isn’t the right word but it’s a critical explanation of shocking behavior and invokes blame of the organization that didn’t care to protect his brain at all

[@jonathancunningham8739]

Uh it is an excuse if that caused him to go insane what are you talking about.

[@jonathancunningham8739]

@@christiecat5367 Uh no he could not at that point it was like dementia he did not exactly know how bad it was until it was too late.

[@javantgarde]

I remember meeting Chris Benoit with my dad at WWE Raw in 2004. He seemed like a really professional and soft spoken dude. It was a complete shock when we all learned the truth and the details about what happened. My Dad actually did say that finishing move of his "the diving headbutt" can't be good for his health one time.

[@MR421NOW]

Prove it!

[@monkaWGiga]

@@MR421NOW You serious?

[@FLICKY_______D1]

@@MR421NOW It's all over the internet on youtube too. Many specialists have said his (chris beniot) brain is that of a 60 or so year old man with alzheimers disease.

[@skepchica]

You guys do know those diving headbutts don't connect right? 🙄 "It's real to me, dammit."

[@prontohoopz]

yes it does what are you talking about chris benoits jr said it himself that he saw his dads head connect with william regal one time watching chris's match live ?

[@JoeyMMT]

Being a fan of pro wrestling, I remember this in depth. Such a tragedy. Chris was one of the best when it came to wrestling and it hurts the soul that this happened.

[@Gayaa4uDr]

@FatalPies exactly what I'm thinking

[@6thwardshugg334]

@FatalPies movies and shows are also fake,its entertainment in the end

[@JoeyMMT]

It’s an art and takes skill regardless of being scripted. There are great wrestlers and there are also many who aren’t so great, trust me. He was one of the great ones before this shit storm took place and as a fan it will always be an insanely sad thing.

[@danieldrayet2364]

@FatalPies i take it you also dont like movies or tv shows?

[@danieldrayet2364]

@@JoeyMMT exactly Not 1 of us could do some of the things they do Plus stuff goes wrong and some pay the price of it

[@seabass819]

Chis actually had 3 kids, his oldest son, (who he had with his first wife) said the man his dad had become when he did what he did, wasn't his dad. He became someone else.

[@leccy9901]

My grandfather had cte, he got it from years of boxing. At the age of 60, he did not know where he was, and the rage he had every now and then was very scary. He lived in a home and was looked after. They did studies on him to learn more about cte. They kept his brain after he died last year. What chris did was terrible. But if he had anything of what my grandad did, it was not chris who killed them both. It's like a totally different person lands inside that body and just does whatever it wants. I truly hope their is an afterlife for people like Nancy and her son, though they did not deserve what happened to them.

[@snewsh]

yeah, man. I just looked it up and I'm flabbergasted at how bad his brain was. the brain of an 85 year old Alzheimer patient. To say that he wasn't the same person would be an understatement, I think.

[@MightyJabroni]

Exactly this! It always annoys me, when people just look past this, as if somebody with a seriously impaired brain could be expected to remain his rational, calm self. I guarantee you: People, who want to morally grand-stand and condem Benoit for what he did by looking at this entire tragedy through an ethical lense alone, never dealt with dementia. Not privately nor professionally. I have done both. And yes! These people could also be violent ... and be it over some triviality or misconception, which they obviously become very prone for. But we are typically talking about old people, which are relatively easy to restrain. Benoit however wasn't an old, frail guy .... he was a muscle-bound wrestler. Given what we nowadys know about CTE and how it comes about, I have zero doubts that Benoit killed his family in a state of delusion.

[@averyr18]

​@@snewshAlziemers patients aren't killing their kids

[@averyr18]

​@MightyJabroni this is what you want to believe but the murder was premeditated. He called his employeer, canceled flights etc.

[@snewsh]

@@averyr18 this one did.

[@cthulhuhoops]

Chris's tribute video to Eddie is so heartbreaking. It's haunted me ever since I first saw it years ago, on air. I don't think I'll ever forget the sight of him weeping, saying he loves Eddie :(

[@benjack8477]

@Real Deal you are not funny

[@richyricardo13]

I remember that shit, it was sad seeing Chris like that. I felt that pajn

[@itsachfigueroa2234]

4

[@ninetimesaday]

He murdered a child in cold blood. Who cares that he was crying over Eddie? He became a monster right after that. I'm heartbroken for his victims Daniel and Nancy, may they always be remembered.

[@DJ-iu5bb]

@FunnyCutePetss Eddie Guerrero I subbed cause I love cat videos

[@fuzzyslippersyt]

The Chris Benoit case is always a tragic one. Especially with the way the WWE tried to act like he never existed (never mind not taking any responsibility when it came to his health and steroid use). I get you have a brand to protect, but it felt more like them passing the buck then any real condemnation of his actions. What he did was horrible and indefensible, and it sucks that that's the only thing anyone ever remembers about him now. Maybe if we understood more about brain injuries back then and it's long term effects, he could have gotten some help before it was all over.

[@jinx5349]

Just my opinion, I don't think WWE could have done anything given the things that happened., they can't celebrate him in death as he committed a horrible crime. And can't condemn him as it was not all his fault( the brain damage).. I think they were aware anything they do would bring some angry mob to themselves and land in a controversial situation. Maybe that was the reason...

[@wrazzberrie1197]

@@jinx5349 That's a false dichotomy. They could of easily came out, acknowledged the tragedy, give condolences and then provide a roadmap or effort plan to prevent situations devolving to this extent. CTE was discovered in 2002. Sports organizations, mainly the NFL tried incredibly hard to suppress the published findings. It's not as if they didn't know their sport directly causes the condition.

[@jinx5349]

@@wrazzberrie1197 yeah, maybe you're right..😄

[@castlesteinway7741]

Right? In the app if you watch a match he was in, it doesn't say (for example) "Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guererro", it just says "Eddie Guererro in a singles match". They completely purged his name in any way possible. I was surprised they didn't bleep it when it was spoken during matches

[@spurrell1964]

FuzzySlippers. Your exactly right. It hurts to think that’s most will remember the pathetic cover up on the entertainment channel called CNN . An entertainment channel and not a news channel. They 100% surrounded the brand and hunkered down to protect themselves. But not one person from the Team accepted any responsibility for anything. As Chris’s employer wouldn’t or shouldn’t they have had cause for concern over his video taped good bye to Eddie ??? Shouldn’t someone have questioned his over the top emotional video ?? Benoit was obviously showing signs as in the video it was stated that his people were noticing his changes after Eddie died. So sad as he killed his wife a day before he killed his son. If , just of someone had gone over when the text first arrived ….. shrugs shoulders. We will never know. For this AB girl who grew up watching the stampede wrestling on TV if we couldn’t get seats , to meeting some of these fine men. Again , your text hit a heart string for me. Let’s try to remember the good he brought to many people before he ended “theirs” and took away any of the good things to remember him by 😢🇨🇦

[@blevinsdesigns]

I have so much respect for Chavo after this. I can’t even imagine the weight that holds on his shoulders after this. First his blood brother and then his metaphorical brother. Dude I really am feeling for Chavo. I didn’t know it was all like that. I’m glad the guy got of out the bis when he did. Fr mad respect to Chavo. I didn’t like him much at the time, him being a heel and whatnot. But damn dude…idk how I would be holding up if I went through all that. Seriously huge respect for Chavo. Hope he’s doing good

[@charlesfoster9530]

Eddie was his uncle.

[@KiwikimNZ]

Having had a head injury myself and having g nursed those who have suffered brain injuries it is unfortunate that once particular parts of the brain are damaged we do in fact change and that change is not something that you can control. In my opinion I think his brain injury, marital problems and depression can lead to people doing things that they would not do if well. He was in a dark place, no loving father would take their sons life easily. These murder suicides show just how truly unwell people can get and logic and reasoning becomes unobtainable when feeling very low which can lead to tragic events such as this. The person that commits there’s crimes usually are mentally unwell they can not bare the thought of their loved ones having to live life on this earth with all of its pain and misery and they want their loved ones to go to the other side with them. It’s hard for a rational and well person to understand. I don’t think this guy was a monster but a very unwell man. Very very sad. Just my thoughts I could bd wrong. That dear little boy. You just never know what is going on for others. You look at people and think that guy has it all but if you do not have your physical of mental health then life can be miserable that’s for sure. Beth sad story

[@donolivia7501]

That’s what I thought too he was mentally not well and didn’t want to be here on earth struggling but didn’t want to leave them behind too struggle with out him

[@dodgyyoutuber9560]

@@ejiviesechristopher9250 Weirdo…

[@eitherholyorevil7546]

I felt so bad for Chavo, the guy been in heartbreak when Eddie death when he about to pick him, he see Eddie lying on floor. The very same man received the cryptic texts. If i'm in Chavo Guerrero state of mind, my sanity and psychological state probably would break apart.

[@leahparadox]

This was a shocking tale. I remember the day this happened. It still gives me chills. Thank you for not sensationalizing the tragedy and including the theory of brain trauma. This is a very different case than the norm, indeed. Well done.

[@Mikethechamp]

He was my favorite wrestler, I was absolutely shocked when I heard this in the news! He was so cool to watch, Its crazy just crazy.

[@CoryG1981]

it was all due to the lack of medical he needed from WWE they failed him and thats why i stopped supporting WWE

[@KudokuMaoh]

The NFL is the same, most of these sports organizations don't care or try to downplay the mental and physical trauma from the sport

[@damianpharaoh161]

I had sex with him one time bro no homo it's crazy AF. RIP Chris Benwah

[@Mikethechamp]

@@damianpharaoh161 wtf lol

[@billakers5024]

@@CoryG1981 he chose not to get help. He had plenty of money to go seek help. He is solely to blame and to blame the wwe is ridiculous. Nobody wants to take responsibility for their own actions these days. Truth is not a priority it seems

[@ambrr_lily]

I didn't know this story. So tragic. That young boy was adorable and seemed so happy. I had no idea CTE could progress that far. To have the brain of an 85 yr old Alzheimers patient is not really even functioning. When you are a commodity that many rely on for their fortune, they ignore a lot of signs.

[@woahblackbettybamalam]

So how was he performing matches and promos if he had a brain that damaged? I call bs

[@paulmoore5392]

@@woahblackbettybamalam Perhaps was due to it probably being second nature for him despite the brain damage. I mean after 20 plus years of wrestling, I imagine he would sort of fall into a rhythm. Plus, what purpose would the doctor's have to lie about their findings? The study done on Benoit's brain was not affiliated with the WWE

[@resben100]

@@woahblackbettybamalam look up mankind, another wrestler whos had tons of head trauma, man only just stoped wrestling, cant stand straight, can hardley walk, the wwf montra was if you stand you perform, Chris like so many other wrestlers would perform concussed, its all heavily rehearsed, muscle memory. You can see the quality of their performance drop as their body/brain degrades

[@resben100]

@@paulmoore5392 Wwf didnt care back then, wrestlers would go to the ring concussed, in the mankind undertaker cagematch after mankind gets thrown thru the top of the cage its clear hes got a serious concussion but he still finished the next 15ish mins of the match, in interviews hes stated he remembers nothing much after the fall other than his tooth coming out his nose

[@majortom331]

@@resben100 an even worse example is Mick Foleys match with the Rock. He took 13 consecutive chair swings to the front AND back of the head. Mick is very lucky to even be alive.

[@CS-mw2pz]

Story suggestion: Charlie Mullaley was a child who went missing in Australia in 2013. The media hardly covered it and still to this day the family is trying to get justice. It’s a sad case but it definitely deserves to be spoken about and to be heard as the family wasn’t heard when he went missing. The least we could do is listen to their story now and help in anyway to get justice for the family and recognise the wrong doing of the police and media. I hope you cover this story it deserve to be heard

[@simquicky3448]

Omg! That poor little boy! The poor family! I just read up on the story. I’m from Victoria and I’d never heard of this case. Prison is too good for that evil bastard!

[@putin2918]

I pray the boy is somewhere living his life.

[@kimellejemmott6277]

I'm not 100% sure but I think Adrian has said before that he doesn't like covering cases on children

[@elizabethsohler6516]

@@kimellejemmott6277 Nobody LIKES covering cases on children, but it needs to be covered. If there is any chance it could solve the case, it's the right thing to do.

[@kimellejemmott6277]

@@elizabethsohler6516 I agree that it should be covered but we can't force someone into doing something they're not comfortable with. There are tons of other channels out there who have no problem reporting on cases involving children.

[@T.Gizzle89]

One of the most darkest if not saddest stores in WWE history. This still gives me chills like no other to this day such a very shameful way for Chris to go out. His in ring skills was untouchable but his actions as a man that weekend of 2007 in June still is just unbearable to believe 😔😔

[@BigMike-td1cz]

Mental illness will do that when left unattended to.

[@Professor__S]

Look at the 80s era of wrestling. Nothing changed much over 30 years. It is what it is.

[@thomasjones4570]

CTE. It literally is not Chris's fault.

[@bradwinfield5672]

yeah who cares about his family , such a bad way for chris to go out. mick foley sacrificed his body a lot more than benoit and he writes childrens books

[@thomasjones4570]

@@bradwinfield5672 Chris's brain showed he had MANY concussions over the years and was the brain of someone with sever damage. Foley's body damage was to his joints from all his falls...not blows to the head and since the BRAIN controls the body, damage to it is far worse thus you are wrong.

[@thegameplayer125]

hearing cases like this definitely makes you more curious about all the cte problems that exist especially since even now 15 years later we are still trying to find some understanding about the effects of cte injuries

[@cdes1776]

It does seem irrefutable. There are similar stories all across high contact sports.

[@amberg4131]

I think this was the 1st thing I remember hearing about with concussion research. Before this no one knew anything about the long term side effects of concussions but I believe Chris Benoits family's death and his state of mind at the time before his suicide was one of many cases that Kickstarted alot more research Into the field

[@loki1456]

My cousins were obsessed with wrestling when they were growing up, so of course because I was close to them, I knew the names of all their favorites and one of their heroes was Chris Beniot. I was older then them, so when the tragedy happened, I understood better then they did what had happened. So imagine my surprise when my cousin David texted this to me this morning and asked me to watch it with him over FaceTime.

[@bamagalforever]

I'm not even going to lie... For *years,* I actually believed that he DIDN'T do it. I was such a diehard fan that I actually never, ever thought that he would do it. But, after actually hearing from his closest friends and family, it is very clear: *He did it.* I hate that it took so long for me to see it, too. My Goodness... God Bless Nancy and Daniel, and I hope/pray that are resting in heavenly peace.

[@12floz67]

I’m glad that you posted that, hopefully others will stop believing in ridiculous conspiracy theories or whatever they tell themselves about him being innocent.🍻

[@AD-qg4hk]

He wasn’t himself not at all

[@bamagalforever]

@@12floz67 Amen! I made mistakes, unfortunately...

[@bamagalforever]

@@AD-qg4hk No, he wasn't. Sandra, Nancy's sister, was saying on Jericho's podcast that Nancy was getting ready for Chris' retirement - like having a wrestling school - and he wasn't ready for it. Apparently, he never, EVER wanted to retire. Chilling.

[@bamagalforever]

@Zerozerozero Exactly, I was in such denial because I couldn't wrap my mind around it... FOR YEARS. Sadly, but I watched something here on KZbin that completely changed my mind. Everything that the guy was saying made so much sense. Truthfully, Chris died the same day that Eddie did. He changed so much when Eddie died. It is crazy.

[@aurelcorstan5242]

Excellent episode. Professionally handled. This was such a massive tragedy at the time. Mad props for the sensitive and respectful approach. Because this is one of the poster child cases for both depression and CTE. Well done.

[@hannahbeanies8855]

This one was painful to listen to. Watching him openly weep for his recently deceased friend made me cry. Even though he was ultimately responsible for what he did, I think a combination of events and long term bad decisions made a nearly impossible situation to deal with

[@SplashAttackTCG]

As a child, I had no idea this was his fate. This is heartbreaking. I’m completely devastated.

[@사랑-p7o3j]

Congradulations on hitting a million subscribers!!!! You absolutely deserve it ❤❤ cheers☕

[@CoffeehouseCrime]

Thank you! 🎉

[@notthatoriginal6914]

I remember when this happened my dad told me. I’m the same age as his kid and it was shocking to me to think someone my age was dead.

[@mrflawless1165]

It really is one of the most tragic cases. It was shocking to hear he did this. Family annihilation cases are brutal and inexcusable. But that major brain injuries thought to be the main cause with steroid abuse is what makes it very sad.

[@jamiejohnson3886]

I believe Chris Benoit's troubles started much further back than his best friend Eddie's death. Chronic Steroid use, repeated blows to the head and finally CTE took over Eddie's death was the final blow for him as Eddie had always a calming & stabilizing effect on Chris Eddie's death served as the final straw to break the camel's back with his steroid use increasing, his depression, CTE manifesting and Nancy wanting a divorce If this weren't enough Chris struggled with Daniels Autism. I think he killed Nancy in Rage & Daniel in part because he didn't want to acknowledge his Autism & in part because he knew he would kill himself leaving no one to care for Daniel Very sad story but if you read about the devastating effects of CTE & see the scans of his brain after his death it all makes sense. No doubt neither Nancy nor Daniel deserved to die He should have let them go

[@panchai6764]

Yeah , I remember. Chris looks destroy when eddie die and things goes down hill really really fast.

[@NickCamokidVisneski]

I don't think it was the chairshots to the head that actually caused Chris Benoit's CTE, in part because there are still some ECW alumni still wrestling, such as Crowbar and The Blue Meanie on the October 11th, 2021 episode of AEW Elevation. For the most part, any chairshot Benoit took "to the head" was blocked by his forearms, with the contract being the more relatively forgiving seat of the chair. The scariest chairshot I've ever seen has to, frankly easily be, when Shawn Spears struck Cody Rhodes on the back of the head using the headrest/back rest of that very chair. After that we just see Cody fall like a bag of bricks, the blood wasn't the sort you'd normally see in any wrestling show beforehand. Close 2nd would be when The Rock, yes I'm bringing this match up, gave Mick Foley, as his Mankind character, 17 chairshots to the head with his hands cuffed behind his back. With Benoit, I honestly blame the diving headbutt he used to set up for the crippler crossface, as Harley Race, who invented that move, told a young Bryan Danielson (Daniel Brian when he was in WWE) to stop doing that move, unfortunately he didn't, and at one point during his WWE run, Daniel Brian had to temporarily retire from in ring competition after having a seizure in the middle of a live match. Bryan Danielson no longer uses the move. When it comes to Daniels Autism, as someone on the spectrum myself, it's not hard to imagine Benoit's biggest struggles with it being that he loved being a professional wrestler, but at the time of his actions the only company he could wrestle for and make ends meet without having to leave the United States, had also been running a character whose entire gimmick was that he was a mid-functioning man on the spectrum (I'm saying lower functioning than Asperger's) who happened to be a wrestling savant. I'm not putting ANY of the blame for this on Nick Dinsmore, I'll place it on Vince McMahon any day of the week mind you, he is the one who came up with Eugene as a character. My sole conviction on this is that it was the diving headbutt that caused Benoit's CTE

[@sidstovell2177]

I think CTE has been behind many murders. Thanks for your comment.

[@myapincott9200]

@@NickCamokidVisneski definitely

[@seducedbysasquatch]

@@NickCamokidVisneski Your comment is so interesting; I was never into wrestling, so I didn't know any of this. Thank you bringing some needed context in regards to the chairshots. Even without them, I also thinking that those diving headbutts caused his CTE. I mean, you're literally landing on like your forehead... that has to do some pretty critical damage, especially when you're doing it not just once, but multiple times. It would also totally make sense for Chris' anger to only heighten if he had to work with someone who created a caricature of a man on the spectrum. He probably felt as if the coworker was mocking his son, in a way. I hope, in the future, that the WWE, NFL, and others provide support to their athletes who have TBIs, CTEs, or similar repercussions from their jobs. It should be mandatory to test them often, maybe once every three months or so, including scans of their brains. Then atrocities like Benoit's would occur, as the disorder/illness would be detected earlier on. I wonder what resources they provide those with CTE. Hopefully there's medication (that actually works), therapy, etc.

[@evaun1t165]

I remember growing up with this. Losing Eddie was a tragedy for everyone and then when this happened with Chris I was distraught. I was a huge fan of his and even after I learned what he did I respected what he had accomplished in his career. This is the main reason I support TBI research and support groups whenever possible.

[@SlimeBlueMS]

Pretty much the death of 90's - early 2000's wrestling

[@stinkyassboy8762]

@@SlimeBlueMS Nice Inferno profile pic

[@jqnshanero8531]

I have tbi and had a tear in my brain and never murdered my family…I think it’s more from life long use of PEDs

[@evaun1t165]

@@jqnshanero8531 every situation is unique bud.

[@ffpunk777]

Also u got to feel for Chavo firstly being the one to discover his uncle Eddie dead and then being the one who slept thru the text messages that he later regrets. He’s a strong one. I know his heart hurts everyday

[@elvispressplay7735]

I've always been mildly curious about the specifics on this one but never enough to look into it myself. Thanks for sharing this (and for doing the work researching it)!

[@UrFavoriteZombie]

It hurts, Chris has been my favorite wrestler for years and just hearing what happened just…threw me for a loop, seeing Eddie’s memorial show, and Chris basically just breaking down on tv, I was in tears, and then Chris’ Memorial show…I was just, devestated and it made it worse when the Information went on air about Benoit’s murder/suicide, I didn’t know what to feel Yes. What he did is just unforgivable, disgusting, and shameful, but Chavo once said “You love the guy, you just hate what he did.” And I couldn’t agree more.

[@Kate0817]

Back then, my boyfriend at the time and I were big into wrestling, and I remember watching the memorial to Chris. He was a great athlete and wrestler. The whole situation is tragic, but I was heartbroken for his wife and child. Great job covering this story. Thank you for all your hard work you put into your videos. Your channel quickly became a favorite. 👍

[@KitsuyuutsuR]

I remember when this happened. My husband and I watched wrestling all the time and were very shocked to hear the news. I never felt this was something done out of malice as Chris never gave off that vibe, especially after Eddie died. Any man that can cry unashamed over the loss of a friend like he did isn’t the type to murder his family… It was maddening to have no answers and hear people bad mouth him until the day they came out with the news of his brain scans. Suddenly it all made sense. I used to work with Alzheimer’s patients, so I can tell you that if his brain was damaged that severely that his brain was like an 85 year old man’s with Alzheimer’s, he probably wasn’t Chris when he committed the crimes. His brain functions and thought processes were probably so impaired he had no conscious idea what he was doing. When he took his own life? It’s possible he came back and, realizing what he’d done, he was so horrified and distraught he decided that was what he had to do. Who knows… I do hope that those who feel any hatred towards him will try to understand that this wasn’t the act of a killer, rather it was the act of someone with a severe brain injury. What happened wasn’t consciously his fault, in my opinion. I hope they are all in a better place and rest in peace. Thank you, Adrian, for covering this story so well and with an unbiased view.

[@patriciajones915]

I understand how a brain can do do creepy things, it is so sad that he did not get help

[@craiglortie8483]

cte has been proven to cause those affected to see things differently and hear stuff that doesn't make sense. i don't think that he did this horrible crime against his loved ones. i believe his mind had snapped and was reacting to things only he could see or hear. a severe mental break with what he did (and i like to think) when he came around; he couldn't live with what he had done to his family.

[@MonsteraUnderTheBed]

Right after my daughter was born in the early 2000s, her father started using cocaine and steroids, plus lots of drinking with his boss and coworkers. I’m sure he had more than the usual amount of head injuries by that time. He completely changed into a monster. His entire demeanor was terrifying and erratic to us. We had to run and hide frequently when trying to leave. I will forever be terrified of any one who decides to use those substances. He’s been that way since, even at the times he wasn’t using. I would order arrest records and court transcripts on his actions after we separated because I was still frightened, and wanted someone to find them if something happened to me. It’s a giant full box after all these years.

[@Sniperboy5551]

I mean, he was still himself, he just had brain issues that can cause aggression.

[@johnfinch621]

@@Sniperboy5551 I can tell you without any doubt that my granddad who is 80 years old and has severe Alzheimer's isn't himself anymore. I watched him for years change. He even has aphasia. He still occasionally seems to have moments where he understands what is going on, but has no mental ability to even respond in these moments of clarity. CTE is one of the only mental disorders where I don't instantly write the person off as a monster for doing monstrous things. We have no idea what it was like to live with that brain and hopefully never will understand it.

[@curtissmith5469]

I remember this story well being from Canada and learning about what he had done to his family. Very sad to know that if he had recieved the help he needed, they all might still be alive today. Thank you for this story Adrian and R.I.P Chris and your son and wife. Hopefully from what we know today about steroid use and brain trauma,we can avoid anything like this tragedy from happening again.

[@LadyDragonsblood]

I will be sixty this year, and have been a wrestling fan, an avid fan, for fifty five of those years. This case still haunts me. You need to listen to the podcast Nancy's sister did with Chris Jericho... eye opening. Thank you, as a wrestling fan, for covering this.

[@ena__we4205]

Where can I listen?

[@LadyDragonsblood]

@@ena__we4205 Inside The Benoit Family Tragedy on Talk Is Jericho - EP259 Just search that and it will find the pod cast for you.

[@V1b2910]

"A man who shouldn't be remembered but can never be forgotten." Not only a heavyweight champ but arguably the best wrestler in the world. He buried his legacy himself.

[@tonyhill7656]

Everyone should be remember everyone no matter what

[@saiprakashrh99]

True Vipul!

[@Hellraiser988]

Without him WWE wouldn't be what it is everyone should be greatful for him

[@taichiarasoi776]

chris didnt bury his legacy. He was severely brain damaged and pushed to perform due to the industry he was in and the time of all of this. the wwe has been shown to constantly push their athletes having them ignore serious injury especially in regards to concussion and back related issues. they drove this man down a horrifying path and its why the actually cut him name from it all and tried to play it like he snapped back when it happened. This is the doing of a neglecting company, much like all the head truama the nfl deals with and was just sweeping under the rug for decades.

[@V1b2910]

@@taichiarasoi776 I completely agree with you and I respect you for putting this here. I even have the same thought but people are so ready to lash out for even having this opinion. His heart was enlarged 3X from normal and all that brain damage was he even himself when he committed those acts? I don't think so. The company didn't shoo away because they condemned those acts but because they wanted to save themselves from any liability and bad image. I still remember when Test died of drug overdose nobody gave a shit simply because they didn't wanted to include their names. Poor guy was released, lied dead in his room all alone for a long time and this happened 4 days before his birthday.

[@AngelRasmus3]

Nancy deserves to be in the HOF, but she tragically never will due to WWE completely blacklisting Chris. An interesting fact in this case: Benoit's heart was so enlarged that he would've died within about half a year anyway. Thanks for presenting this case in a factual and respectful manner. This case and wrestling in general are often over sensantionalized by unscrupulous 'reporters'

[@t.r4849]

Fake news, why make shyt up?

[@AngelRasmus3]

@@t.r4849 Nancy's own sister Sandra said in an interview that the medical examiner told her Benoit's heart was enlarged. Are you accusing her of making shit up?

[@kennythetrend3688]

I would LOVE if AEW ever has a HOF themselves. Maybe they would induct her into the HOF and have David Benoit (her Son-in-law) accept her reward. But sadly, that may never happen.

[@xbmpr]

Usually cases like this make me call the assailant a sicko that deserves whatever’s coming to them but this one is so extremely tragic because in chris’ mind, nobody was behind the wheel anymore.

[@scottyerkes1867]

I believe Chris's steroid use and the condition of his brain, the constant head banging. depression caused him to resort to the murder of his wife,son and taking his own life. Very sad and disturbing case. Thank you Adrian for posting this case.

[@one.2622]

Oh yeah Sherlock?

[@baldeagle5297]

@@one.2622 Go away troll.

[@baldeagle5297]

@Hyperskreem 82 So, you think someone expressing their opinion is laughable? Like yours and One's? Got it.🤦‍♂

[@possumverde]

He likely killed his wife in a rage and then decided to kill himself when he realized what he'd done. Sometimes, when one truly decides to kill themselves, their reasoning from then on treats their death as a "given" and they essentially get tunnelvision (likely made worse by the condition of his brain in this case.) In that state he likely thought about it for awhile and concluded that rather than have his son have to grow up with the trauma of knowing that his dad murdered his mom and then killed himself, it would be better if he just went as well. The initial use of the medicine to put him to sleep was likely just to keep him from looking for his mom, asking questions etc. so that Chris could have some time to think. With his mind made up, he went and suffocated his son while he was still out from the medicine. Then, he tied up loose ends, texted so that they would be found quickly (no rotting etc.) and went about figuring out how to actually kill himself, decided on a method, and that was that.

[@jacksonjacob7791]

He lost several friends not just Eddy either.

[@dii4741]

Honestly I'm surprised to see so many true crime channels bringing up this specific case lately, it's interesting to see different perspectives on what happened. I grew up as a little girl in a house full of men who loved wrestling, so it's really close to me to hear about this case

[@MintBerryCrunch]

Not to surprising the smaller channels like this one copy what the larger ones are covering it makes it easier. They get most the research from the bigger ones then change up the delivery and add a fact or 2 left out of other ones. It’s an easy way to produce lots of videos quickly

[@Macephtopheles]

On a lighter note, the backstory behind Chris, Nancy and Kevin Sullivan always amuses me somewhat. Basically, Sullivan was the booker at WCW and he'd been trying to convince his then-wife Nancy and Chris to have a storyline relationship. Both of them were against the idea but he kept insisting it would be good for both of them. They both eventually agreed and because kayfabe was still more prominent, Sullivan insisted that outside work they should travel together, room together and even go out on dates to "sell the relationship." It led to the joke about how Kevin Sullivan's best booking was how he booked his own divorce.

[@MoralesCorner]

That man really got rid of her lol

[@Saint_Brosef]

I wonder if she regretted that in the last seconds of her life. "Maybe I shouldnt have been a trifflin ho." And then died immediately after 😂

[@DivineMultiForce]

@@MoralesCorner Literally 😂

[@Turbo_Waitress]

I remember hearing about this and just being so shocked. I had kinda moved away from wrestling fandom for a time around that time. Hearing it retold here, especially the bit about the neighbor finding his son, made me tear up. Thank you for covering this with the care you bring to every story.

[@TrueFan4EverBACK]

I remember so much about this case when it happened and after I took a long break from wrestling because it was hard to understand how this could happen. I feel for Chris and Nancy’s families and friends. I’m glad his son David and Nancy’s sister became close again. Also Benoit was supposed to face CM Punk not Chavo.

[@BoxyMan28]

I'm a huge pro wrestling fan, never thought you would've covered this case. Glad you did. So many people in the wrestling community and in other vids talk about the conspiracies and say he didn't do it and that it was staged to make it look as though he did it. I'd like to believe that but it's not true, Chris sadly did do it. It was very well known amongst wrestlers how bad his concussions were and how often he even passed out at events, his mental health was also very bad. The fact that he didn't get help either only made it worse and he was a ticking time bomb. Darkest day in the world of pro wrestling.

[@Bubba__Sawyer]

_"So many people in the wrestling community and in other vids talk about the conspiracies and say he didn't do it and that it was staged to make it look as though he did it."_ That's a very small vocal minority of people.

[@BoxyMan28]

@@Bubba__Sawyer yeah probably shouldn't have used the words so many. But it's more than a few. Bottom line is he did do it. Don't know why some people bought into the conspiracy. It's not like there were people out to get him.

[@Bubba__Sawyer]

@@BoxyMan28 I was a huge fan of Chris Benoit, but I've never seen anything remotely convincing regarding these conspiracy theories.

[@gundomatumba191]

I remember reading this story in a newspaper back in 2007 and I was shell-shocked at how such a beloved wrestler would orchestrate such a horrendous crime. Chris Benoit did the most unthinkable and disgraceful thing possible to a human being. I was his fan for a while but my heart was crushed when I saw this incident.💔

[@ladynikkie]

It's still considered one of the darkest cases in sports history. When I used to watch WWE I remember one episode of Monday night raw they did a dedication to him this was before they learned the truth of his death 24 hours later. Also I recommend you see the Vice documentary "Dark side of the Ring" (please watch that series) I truly feel sorry for his eldest son I felt it was unfair to people to go after him because of what his father did. And props to Chris Jericho who helped that young man in those dark times and made the effort to reunite that young man with Nancy's cousin. Both of them mostly forgave themselves and one another. The worst victims are the living victims who have to cope with those sins even though it's not their fault.

[@pr4790]

Such a tragedy, I’ve watched numerous programs about what happened to this family, so sad, goes to show how ppl can be going through something, and no one outside of their personal life won’t have a clue.

[@TonyGearSolid]

I remember there being other weird circumstances surrounding his death, like his Wikipedia page being updated about his decease well before it was announced to the public. I stopped watching wrestling years before he went to WWF/E, but I remember him from WCW and he always seemed like a genuinely nice guy, so it was a real shock when I read the news about what happened.

[@nevetrshoutnaps]

What a lot of people may not realize is that Wikipedia can be edited by literally anyone. It is now known that Chris was on his computer in his office during that weekend after killing Nancy and Daniel, searching up certain things(look up the history that they found on his computer, kind of interesting as it shows where his mind was at). It’s possible he did that himself.

[@robd1329]

Vince killed him

[@fourthhorsemendeath218]

As someone who grew up with Pro Wrestling since I was young, this case still hurts. I adored Chris on the big screen whenever he wrestled. I thought he was one of the coolest in the business. Then like a brick I remember one day it was announced he was dead, only felt worse when I learned the details of what he really did. When I was older I researched the case and found out that when doctors performed brain scans on Chis, he had the brain of a 80 year old Alzheimer's patient. This due to all the head injuries he got, including using the diving headbutt.

[@Mochi_Madness87]

This whole case was very tragic. Losing Eddie totally destroyed him, and started this horrific downfall which led to his and his family's end.

[@retrogamer64007]

Didn't Eddie do drugs? Was definitely on roids and suffered heart failure as a result like many others have on that shit.

[@TsaicoGaming]

​​@@retrogamer64007yes, but what's your point? He got clean off drugs and roids over a year prior. Unfortunately, once your body's hooked, sometimes getting off them will cause more problems

[@TheDrew4288]

As a big pro wrestling fan, I very much appreciate you covering this case. 15 years later, it’s still just as disturbing and frustrating.

[@ddjsoyenby]

yeah.

[@Justfred.440]

I remember being devastated by Eddie's death then Chris and to find out how it happened was incomprehensible

[@retrokoh]

I've followed wrestling my whole life... started watching in '98. I remember where I was when I first saw Vengeance and saw that he missed the show, where I was when I found out about his death the next day, and how I felt the day after when the truth was revealed. It's beyond tragic...

[@everlastinglife5978]

Would be nice to know more about what happened behind the scenes in the 80s and 90s into the 2000s. Drugs, sex, violence, drama, brotherhood, adventure, and general craziness.

[@peachsmoothie8734]

If you're still curious, the dark side of the ride series produced by vice is an incredible look into the behind the scenes culture in wrestling back in the day

[@That90sShow]

@@peachsmoothie8734 Darkside is one sided garbage but what else would one expect from vice. 😂😂

[@elijahloveell8809]

@@That90sShowHow is it one-sided? It exposes a lot of dark history about the wrestling business. It is called Dark Side of the Ring after all, it’s not going to be a happy retrospective

[@TsaicoGaming]

​​@@elijahloveell8809no, but if you look at what a lot of people who get interviewed for their docs say, they cut shit out and make it look like people are saying things they didn't say. Or at the very least, out of context. Or they'll just completely ignore people who were an integral part to the story. They find a narrative, and only talk about that narrative. They try to seem like they're investigative reporters, but they're not. They're glorified Op-eds

[@whotfamitho]

This was a really interesting one. I think that the damage to his head was ultimately the culprit. I don’t think he was inherently evil, but actually brain damaged. Although, it is strange to me and hard to decipher why he spared the dogs. That part doesn’t match up with him being out of his right mind. I guess we’ll never know with this one. Great job again, Adrian’

[@myrocrad7229]

Only thing I can think of is he first killed his wife. Realised what he’d done and couldn’t bare the thought of his son to growing up knowing what he did to his mother, the dogs wouldn’t hold that grudge.

[@andrewginter85]

@Deng Nicca you don't know what's going on in someone else's head shut up.

[@UFCWWE69]

People who are fucked in the head usually don’t make logical decisions.

[@sesethuntaphane3933]

Or he was on steroids and all those drugs that enhance muscle, some side effects are brain damage

[@billfred9411]

@@sesethuntaphane3933 You serous right now? The dudes special move was the diving headbutt. Not sure why you think steroids would cause that much brain damage.

[@brandonjohnson3558]

What Chris did in the ring was unforgettable. What Chris did outside the ring was unforgivable.

[@goldberg11228]

It isn't your place to decide whether to forgive let alone if he is forgivable.

[@ComicWriter-ml3qt]

@@goldberg11228 he murdered his family. That’s not forgivable.

[@gaylespencer9536]

@@ComicWriter-ml3qt at all

[@niaedmonds3342]

@@ComicWriter-ml3qt and had an affair with Michelle McCool too. Undertaker's now-wife lol. She was seeing him while she was married to her husband in 2006 allegedly won't was said. which is the time they divorced but he didn't divorce his wife for her lol. But they will keep that on hush in the media. That was put in the book chris and Nancy.

[@zackfair6791]

@@goldberg11228 Well i will forgive him anyway since i don't have a sheltered view of the world.

[@reassimilate668]

Subscribed because of how respectful you were to the family/victims of Benoit. Pays tribute to them.

[@tylergee1405]

I haven't watched wrestling in a loooong time. But I vividly remember the wwf days and early WWE. Hearing the news was so tragic. Wresting might be fake but the injuries both externally and internally shouldn't be ignored.

[@zenosgrasshopper]

I get the impression that he lost his temper and strangled his wife in a fit of rage. Afterward, realizing what he’d done, and that his son would live his life knowing that his father killed his mother, Chris decided he would be sparing his son from that by killing him too. I imagine he agonized over his actions and decided he didn’t want to live that way either, so planned his own ending and worked up the courage to carry it out. So tragic, all the way around. My sympathies to all of the family members and friends.

[@demijamesly3284]

I thought this too, but his wife was tied up which could mean it was premeditated

[@zenosgrasshopper]

@@demijamesly3284 I somehow missed that part. Yeah, that changes things a bit.

[@charlesxavier3489]

Disgusting

[@demijamesly3284]

There's no indication of this, although possible. Regardless, if he survived, his brain was not functioning normally which would impact his sentencing a lot. He may have known who they were, but could have had delusions they're evil/he's helping them/the bibles/they're chosen ones, etc... no one knows but him what he was thinking. Regardless, I think the tying was an indication he knew she would fight back (ex wrestler). He intended to kill her, but was mentally incapable of being rational with the brain damage. Overall really sad situation for everyone involved.

[@lyricberlin]

Benoit's brain tissue revealed severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and damage to all four lobes of the brain and brain stem.

[@alexandria5955]

as a child I grew up adoring WWE but this family’s story really broke my respect towards WWE and how they handled this… he was a victim and his family suffered the ultimate price & they truly tried to silence this case and family all together but it NEEDS focus on what the hell this sport does to peoples brains. rip the benoit family

[@mariguanestico]

He wasnt a victim at all

[@alucardo2961]

@@mariguanestico he may not have been a victim in the crime he committed, however, he was still the victim of a horrible scenario.

[@mariguanestico]

@@alucardo2961 not really, cause its a scenario that he couldve prevented

[@alucardo2961]

@@mariguanestico just because he could’ve prevented it, doesnt mean he had the selfish intent to just murder his family. Even the way he did it, he tried in the most peaceful way possible. He didnt want to. He wasnt thinking right because of his horrible brain damage combined with his steroid abuse and probably felt like there was no other option other than to take his life along with his family.

[@raechelgrantham8134]

@@mariguanestico Holy hell, dude. Do you wake up a giant asshole or do you have to practice?

[@tasfirdose5084]

I remember crying when I heard of Eddie Guerrero’s death and was absolutely shocked when news broke out about Chris Benoit. I used to, and still do, admire these men a lot. It wasn’t easy doing what they did .

[@beebacchusvines7642]

This case is so traumatic. To see these athletes minds become alter and degraded, I can only think of how horrible it is to live day to day. May the family find peace in the afterworld.

[@devlynp]

The toxicology tests show that Chris Benoit had the antianxiety drug Xanax and the pain-killing drug hydrocodone in his blood and elevated levels of testosterone in his urine. STOP ABUSING DRUGS

[@devilred18]

I remember when this happened.... I was so upset over Eddie's death that when the news of Chris broke out I almost went numb. I couldnt believe what I heard and I've been putting off watching this. I saw it all from the memorial of Eddie to the actual news of his actions. It still breaks my heart that while what he did was disturbing he was a victim of his injuries, his mental state, but hearing this now really breaks my heart.

[@spicytomango]

Ever since I watched wrestling when I was a kid, I never missed a single episode of WWE every Monday and Friday. Chris and Eddie were among my favourite wrestlers. They came across as really nice guys with a great passion for what they did. Both of them would often leave a match bleeding from a scrape on the head, I think that made it feel real. When Eddie passed away, everyone in the WWE universe felt it. I remember watching the tribute messages and Chris was the only one who broke down. After that, his energy completely changed. It felt like he constantly had a dark cloud over his head and suddenly he disappeared. At first I thought he only had an injury like how other wrestlers would and disappear for months on treatment, only to find out what happened so many years later. Chris needed to stop and get help but unfortunately nobody, not even he knew he needed it. His wife centered her life around him and his son idolized him. It's beyond sad and tragic that his passion destroyed him. He could have been so much more to his wife and son

[@orianablack6809]

Chris Benoit was one of my all time favorite wrestlers. I was and am still devastated by his tragedy

[@GtheKatz]

I just found your channel a week or so ago and the fact you are covering this story makes me a fan. Thank you, this story is tragic and sad.

[@SergeiEisenstein]

Fifteen years later, the pain and impact caused by this one haven't gotten any better. He was a Canadian hero and one hell of a talented wrestler. The WWE putting over him and Eddie Guerrero, two WCW-based talents, at WrestleMania XX in amazing Championship fights was nothing short of a miracle and a sign of all their struggles and hard work in life paying off. The picture of them in the ring after the show raising their arms and titles up together in celebration while the confetti falls all around them will forever be one of my favorite moments in time. I was watching it with fans at a packed movie theater - the experience was electrifying. He had made it, and I couldn't be more happy and excited for him. Yes, steroids will give you "Roid rage" when abused, but I'd argue that they were a non-factor here, especially since Benoit had only had slightly-elevated levels in his system at the time of death. I honestly believe based on what I've seen and heard about his behavior over the years from other wrestlers in interviews that there was serious manic depression and dementia involved. He'd do things like run back to punish himself in the locker room with long and painful exercises for a small botch during a match that the audience wouldn't have even noticed, but he did. While talking with his friends he'd be happy one moment and furious with them the next. Hearing multiple wrestlers list events where he would never laugh at funny things and was indifferent or "Zoned out" most of the time really make me wonder just how many other warning signs there were that were passed off as part of the profession. He had developed the brain of an 85-year-old Alzheimer's patient that was rife with CTE from extreme daily head trauma, yet was able to do things without issue like communicate, drive cars, and wrestle full matches. This makes it even more shocking and unclear when you consider that he killed himself, his wife, and son over a planned three day period rather than all at once. We'll never know what he saw or how he was feeling because he was never open about those sorts of things to anyone, which leads me to believe that there was a lot he was covering up and fighting on his own for decades. I think based on his actions during his last few weeks that he had finally broken down. It also didn't help that he came from a time where guys would take repeated unprotected steel chair shots to the head to prove how tough they were. They'd ask for them to come loud and hard so that the fans could hear it. When they take them to the back of the head as they'd often do in those "Heel cheats to gain the upper hand or the pin" moments, the damage and effects are compounded tremendously. Even in MMA the refs will yell at the fighters to avoid that area if they see them swinging at it because all it takes is one direct blow to seriously damage a person. This case is mainly why WWE and other wrestling organizations have moved away from those sorts of spots and even tried to bury other ones from the past, like when The Rock gave Mankind those legit-angry eleven unprotected chair shots while he was handcuffed behind his back at Royal Rumble 1999. There's loads of NFL players who fly off the deep end as a result of head injuries and murder themselves and other people as well. What Chris Benoit did to himself and his family was beyond tragic, unfortunate, and painful after all he had accomplished. I wish things could have turned out differently. I wish he would have faced his demons and with the proper help rather than continuing to harm himself to the point of no return. I wish he would have realized years ahead of time that his continued head trauma was having life-altering consequences and changed up his move set and approach. I wish he was still alive today giving us those five-star performances as the living legend he was destined to be instead of the psychotic multi-murderer he'll now be remembered as. He destroyed his legacy and any chance of us looking back fondly on all he was, all he accomplished, and all he, as a professional wrestler, gave to us. Damn you, Chris Benoit. Damn you.

[@toniremer1594]

SergeiEisenstein This is the most perfect comment regarding Chris Benoit, and the most beautiful and tragic at the same time. I believe that the WWE has a hand in this, and they should've forced him to seek some sort of medical attention after each match, but they didn't. The WWE wanted their wrestlers to look "manly, tough and a great athlete," while ignoring what all of those injuries could do to their brains. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. I never watched wrestling until I met my husband, and watching his performance, made me jump up and cheer for him. We quit watching it when they do more "bickering," and "talking" than anything else. To remove Chris Benoit from everything that deals with the WWE is wrong, in my own personal opinion. He brought excitement, viewers, and he got the crowd riled up. He should be missed, but his actions overshadowed what he had accomplished in his career, and, now, his name cannot be spoken in the WWE, as if he never existed. I wonder how many other wrestlers are experiencing the same exact thing? Is the WWE taking CTE seriously?

[@jennapats]

This is such a well written comment on this whole situation. My only note is that even lower doses of steroids are brutal. I was on prednisone for four months for Crohn's disease and my highest dosage was 40mg a day. I call them the devils tic tacs. My mood was out of control and just so volatile. Mania highs to suicidal lows. I can't imagine throwing brain trauma and sustained long-term use into there.

[@SergeiEisenstein]

@@jennapats I always look for people who have lived the "real life" experience whenever I get into into the great unexplored or unknowns, no matter what the subject. With a name like Jenna, I assume you're a woman. If they prescribed you a testosterone-based supplement in an effort to regulate imbalances for a naturally occurring bodily substance you produce at 1/10th to 1/20th of what a man does, that's pretty crazy. I can't even begin to imagine what life-altering effects you were dealing with originally, let alone all the additional ones that came as a result of taking those pills. This insight has helped me better understand just how delicate one's mental and physical balance is, especially when you start throwing in two decades of overloading on testosterone-boosting PEDs and numerous other horrible chemically-destructive things as Chris Benoit did. This could add a whole new level of clarity to his mindset, and proof as to why it's such an abnormal case when compared to what people thought they knew or understood originally. No matter what the case, what Chris Benoit did to himself and his family was awful beyond belief. We need to look after our friends and family to make sure something like that never happens again.

[@MarvaLuss1]

Wow. You really just made me tear up.

[@divinedevil]

The growing competition in sports pushes athletes toward steroids, adding to the dangers of wrestling. Chris' attitude toward his health resulted in two innocent lives being snubbed. It's a heartbreaking tragedy. I don't understand why people assume that their family is better off dying with them than living by themselves! It's bad enough that you're killing yourself, but to kill a child and his mother...atrocious.

[@lyricberlin]

Benoit's brain tissue revealed severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and damage to all four lobes of the brain and brain stem.

[@solidsnake5317]

For someone that was a fan and also fresh as a rookie in wrestling myself during this case he definitely took what was somewhat left of innocence away in pro wrestling. After all the scandals this was the worse. A man so talented and worldly idolized emulated he buried his legacy

[@Charley.Farley]

Really interesting case. I love that you find things I’ve not heard of (or haven’t heard a million times before). Thank you for your hard work, Adrian! ♥️

[@BrownSugaBabe]

I’m still in shock over this case. I was a HUGE WWE and Chris Benoit fan, I never expected to see this case covered by anyone.

[@LatinMessiah]

Chris Benoit was one of the more down to Earth, humble wrestlers. He was one of my favorites. I never knew this is how his life ended until now. 😥

[@APPEALtoFEAR]

Damn dude , how could you not? Not trying to be rude or anything, just genuinely curious.

[@Justin-zs9zc]

The man was one of your favorite wrestlers and you’re just finding out about this now?

[@alyxxa6182]

Thank you for not doing a long intro explaining the state he lived in. Getting into the story right away 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@HShango]

Benoit I loved him back when I was a fan of wrestling, it still shocks me to my core that he had an on going inner crisis and the McMahon family did absolutely nothing to offer some form of health support in their wrestling company to their workers (the wrestlers). Btw I haven't watched wrestling for a very long time.

[@Ah_Yote]

Depression and CTE is a deadly combination

[@dorthealove4117]

Damn right about that! That insidious beast will take you and others on a one way trip straight to heli! You have to get help. You're insane if you think you can fight it alone.

[@619Slipk]

Add steroids to the mix and you have a ticking time bomb

[@Conssumed]

*abusing steriods*

[@HarshveerPoonia]

There is a 2 part episode of dark side of the ring about Chris. It goes into great detail of this case. I highly recommend everyone to check it out

[@Jaspieces]

Any link there mate?

[@HarshveerPoonia]

In Canada it's available on Crave but Tubi has it too. S02E01 and 02. I can't post links here I think

[@tgon5153]

@@Jaspieces dailymotion

[@IslaHarris.]

I just want to say you have a phenomenal narrating voice

[@JayDee-ut5yg]

You always do a great job on depicting the details of the case!!! You deserve every subscriber that you have!! You stand out amongst the rest!!

[@kingadrock7994]

I've been a die hard wrestling fan since 1985. I remember this like it was yesterday. Very difficult subject to cover , you've done a phenomenal job. Kudos 🖖

[@adrianfitzpatrick4638]

Great comment, great username 🙏

[@kbytes92]

First, I can't thank you enough for making this video in such a detailed way! I was aware how his life was ended and what he did to his family, but I still remember the day as yesterday, as a young teenager when this devastating news was told. I couldn't find any more information on the internet and WWE closed their eyes for this and acted they never knew Chris, as he never existed. Fast forward after 10+ years I now see this recent video about this topic explained in a detailed way. I think all the fellow WWE fans (especially my fellow millennials ) has the right to know what exactly happened and thanks to your video we can give it a place. As any other industry also the WWE has a dark side but I do see that in some aspects they changed some things for the good like less sexism, heath issues etc. But still, it seems like WWE wants to keep look the other way, and try to report videos like this and never accept the fact that Chris also brought a lot of money for the business!

[@basiliskbones5102]

I remember when I was a kid watching one of the shows after Chris had gone missing, and Michael Cole made a brief comment about how Chris was scheduled to be there, but no one could get in contact with him. It's haunting to think about what we know now.

[@dinosore4782]

This guy was basically the face of wrestling for a good number of years and it’s just so strange to see how quickly he disappeared and has been hidden from memory

[@uncleb7821]

Never was he the face of wrestling, stop the cap.

[@davidgraham8299]

​@@uncleb7821 NEVER

[@averyr18]

NEVER the face of Wrestling

[@xen3588]

john cena was the face back then, if you could see him anyways.

[@ODBPSKW]

He was never the face of wrestling lol