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Police Report: Chris Benoit Thought His Marriage Was Failing; Nancy Scared

Posted: 1:04 pm EST February 12, 2008Updated: 11:55 pm EST February 12, 2008

Nearly eight months after the deaths, Fayette County investigators are releasing details of their report into Chris Benoit’s suicide and the murders of his wife and son.

The sheriff is not commenting on the findings but the bottom line is they do not believe anyone else besides Benoit, his wife and son were in his home at the time of the deaths.

While there is still no answer on why Chris Benoit murdered his family and took his own life, investigators are convinced that he acted on his own.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office released a brief summary of a six-month investigation into the tragedy at Benoit’s Fayetteville home. It says, “After careful examination of all evidence collected by investigators, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office concludes that between Friday, June 22, 2007 and Sunday, June 24, 2007, Christopher Benoit took the lives of his wife, Nancy, and their son, Daniel, before ending his own life.”

According to the police report, in the weeks leading up to the murder of his wife and child, Chris Benoit’s marriage was falling apart and he was worried his wife was about to leave him.

Also according to the police report, Nancy Benoit told a neighbor she was afraid to go home after Chris slammed her against a wall. She was furious over Chris’ steroid use and she threw the steroids out. She was also concerned about all the drugs Chris was taking and how he was acting so differently. She felt he was becoming increasingly distant from her and their son, Danny, and two children from a prior marriage.

The report also included photos of the couple’s spacious home and show’s the office where Nancy was strangled. There is a picture of the bedroom where 7-year-old Danny was found dead. Police believe Benoit had drugged him and that the child was asleep when he was asphyxiated, possibly with a pillow.

The report also said Benoit changed flight plans that June weekend which indicates he may have initially considered leaving.

The summary goes on to say, “During the investigation, the Criminal Investigation Division of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office found no evidence that indicates the presence of any other individual or individuals who contributed to the deaths of the three members of the Benoit family.”

Experts hired by Chris Benoit’s father concluded that repeated concussions from his wrestling career severely damaged his brain but there is still no official ruling that this condition triggered his rampage.

While the criminal investigation is wrapped up, the litigation over the Benoit estate continues. And the Professional Wrestling Organization, WWE, rejected a $2 million settlement offer on behalf of Benoit’s children from a prior marriage. Since it was rejected, the next step could be a lawsuit.

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