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ATLANTA – Chris Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his seven-year-old son and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself by the pulley of a weightlifting machine, authorities said Tuesday.
Investigators also found prescription anabolic steroids in the house, Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department. He would not comment on Benoit’s state of mind or possible motive.
Autopsies showed all three died of asphyxiation, Pope said.
Benoit’s wife, Nancy, was killed Friday in an upstairs family room, her feet and wrists were bound and there was blood under her head, indicating a possible struggle, Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard said.
The son, Daniel, was likely killed shortly afterwards, and the body found in his bed, Ballard said.
• Photo Gallery: Benoit accused of murder-suicide
Benoit apparently killed himself several hours and as long as a day later, Ballard said.
His body was found in a downstairs weight room, his body found hanging from the pulley of a piece of exercise equipment.
The prosecutor said he found it “bizarre” that the WWE wrestling star spread out the killings over a long weekend and appeared to remain in the house for up to a day with the bodies.
“I’m baffled about why anybody would kill a seven-year-old,” Ballard said. “I don’t think we’ll ever be able wrap our head around that.”
A law enforcement official close to the investigation earlier said Benoit strangled his wife and smothered his son before hanging himself in his weight room.
Speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, the official also said authorities are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths.
The family was found dead Monday, and authorities were investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide.
Investigators believe the 40-year-old Benoit killed his wife, Nancy, 47, and son, Daniel, 7, over the weekend, then himself on Monday.
World Wrestling Entertainment said on its website that it asked authorities to check on the wrestler and his family after being alerted by friends who received “several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning.”
Stamford, Conn.,-based WWE also said on its website it had further information on the deaths, but had been asked by authorities not to release it.
Benoit, who was born in Montreal, was a former world heavyweight champion, Intercontinental champion and held several tag-team titles over his career.
At five-foot-11 and 220 pounds, Benoit was often described as a rabid wolverine in the ring. “The Canadian Crippler” had a chiselled physique and was known for his superior technical skills.
The “Crippler Crossface” was one of his signature moves, along with a flying headbutt from the top rope and triple German suplex.
Fellow wrestlers admired Benoit’s hard-nosed attitude.
“Chris was the type of guy you’d want to go to war with,” said WWE champion John Cena. “He was a good man, he truly lived for the business. He did everything for it.”
Benoit held several titles over his career but realized his dream at Wrestlemania 20 in 2004, defeating Shawn Michaels and champion Triple H in a triple threat match at Madison Square Garden to win the WWE world heavyweight championship for the first time.
Benoit’s wife managed several wrestlers and went by the stage name, “Woman,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
They met when her then-husband drew up a script that had them involved in a relationship as part of an ongoing story line on World Championship Wrestling, the newspaper said.
Benoit was scheduled to perform at the “Vengeance” pay-per-view event Sunday night in Houston, but was replaced at the last minute because of what announcer Jim Ross called “personal reasons.”
Benoit became a standout at an early age among many wrestling prospects who trained in the famed dungeon basement of the home where fellow Canadians and professional wrestlers Owen and Bret Hart trained.
Owen Hart was killed in a freak stunt accident during a wrestling pay-per-view event in 1999.
“He was like a family member to me, and everyone in my family is taking it real hard,” Bret Hart, a five-time champion with the now-defunct World Wrestling Federation, said. “It’s almost like reliving the whole Owen (Hart) death over again.”
Benoit maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling.
The WWE cancelled its live “Monday Night RAW” card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled wrestling telecast.
The tribute began with WWE chairman Vince McMahon standing in the middle of an empty ring, eyes welling up with tears and voice cracking as he broke the news of Benoit’s death.
“We at the WWE can only offer our condolences to the extended family of Chris Benoit,” said McMahon. “The only other thing we can do at this moment is pay tribute to Chris Benoit.”
In a statement posted on it’s website, the WWE said it “extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family’s relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy.”