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A press conference was held this afternoon to inform the media of the latest findings in the investigation of the deaths of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy Benoit and their son Daniel. Here is information from the press conference, which was held outside of the Benoit home in Fayetteville, Georgia.
Sheriffs Lieutenant Tommy Pope spoke first.
- He discussed how authorities had received a phone call from WWE at 2:30pm yesterday out of concern when they couldn't get in touch with him. The police searched the Benoit home and discovered the three bodies. At this point, the autopsy has been completed and the investigators are ruling this a double homicide and suicide.
- Going by reports from the medical examiner, it is believed by investigators that Benoit asphyxiated his wife, possibly as early as Friday, then asphyxiated his son on Saturday. Both deaths are currently being ruled as death by asphyxiation. Then it is believed that late Saturday or early Sunday, Benoit hung himself. Pope stated that is was several hours, but no more than a day, between the time of Daniel's death and the time that Benoit hung himself. Toxicology reports are still being worked on, but that is the findings of the investigators at this time.
- There was no suicide note found in the home.
- Daniel Benoit was located in his bedroom, Nancy Benoit was located in an office area, both in the upstairs part of the house.
- Pope said they would not discuss any possible motives for Benoit's actions at this time. Pope also said that they were not able to determine his state of mind as a result of investigating the crime scene.
- When asked if Benoit had an arrest record, Pope noted he had been arrested once on an DUI, but in their jurisdiction they had no knowledge of any arrests or any record of domestic violence. He had no knowledge of any divorce filings.
- Pope stated that there was a lot of prescription medication, which they believe was all legally prescribed. He did not have a full list of drugs, but when pressed by the media, Pope stated that there was anabolic steroids. He noted that there was a prescription for them.
- Pope stated that Benoit did send a text message to a "co-worker" during the weekend, who received it several hours after it was sent. Pope would not disclose the contents of the message or who it was sent to.
District Attorney Scott Ballard then fielded questions from the media.
- Regarding a comment Ballard had made about the deaths being "bizarre", Ballard said that he felt the presumed timing of the deaths of the victims and the suicide was bizarre, as it would mean that Benoit was in the home for several hours with the dead bodies.
- There was a bible placed next to the body of Nancy and a bible next to the body of Daniel. There was no bible found in the room where Benoit hung himself.
- Nancy Benoit was bound around her feet and her wrists (Ballard seemed unsure about the wrists at first), and blood was found under her head. She was clothed, but wrapped in a towel in an office area in the upstairs part of the house.
- Daniel Benoit's body was found in his bed, he was clothed. His bedroom was also in the upstairs part of the home.
- Benoit's body was found in a weight room in the basement of the home. He had hung himself using the cable and pulley system on an exercise machine.
- Ballard reiterated that the autopsy reports indicate that Nancy Benoit was killed on Friday, Daniel Benoit on Saturday morning, and that it is believed Benoit died later Saturday, possibly Sunday.
- The subject of Benoit calling WWE this weekend and informing them that he had to miss the shows due to a family emergency was brought up. Ballard said was not aware of what Benoit claimed the family emergency was.
- Ballard said he had not seen the documents, but noted he had been informed of the order of protection that Nancy Benoit had filed for, but later asked to be rescinded several years ago.
- Ballard noted that toxicology reports will take time, but these are their conclusions to date.
- Ballard did not know if there were firearms in the house.
That ended the press conference, and it was noted that investigators were still at work in the Benoit house.
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