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Vince McMahon Dies June 11th 2007 on Monday Night Raw
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – A night originally designated Mr. McMahon Appreciation Night turned deadly when the WWE Chairman’s limousine burst into a fiery explosion just moments after Mr. McMahon stepped into it. Permanently uprooting the world of sports-entertainment, the Chairman has been presumed dead in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Local authorities stated it was still too early to declare anything as fact, including exactly what caused the more... incident, but described the blast as an apparent "limo explosion." They also revealed that as of 11:30 p.m. ET, no body had been recovered from the incinerated wreckage.
Firefighters were quick to assess the scene, taping off sections of the parking lot to protect the evident crime scene and safeguard scores of onlookers – mostly our fans – from potential injury. Despite the intense heat and ubiquitous clouds of black smoke, countless people spilled out of the arena to get a closer look at the chaos they had just seen happen live on the TitanTron. Moments earlier, the sold-out crowd came to a still hush as they speechlessly watched from their seats.
Local police and fire officials on the scene reported that WWE fans’ 911 calls from the Wachovia Arena flooded the Wilkes-Barre area emergency services switchboard soon after the explosion, showing that while our fans might not have seen eye-to-eye with the sometimes-devious Chairman, they still cared for his personal well-being.
“By the time we arrived on the scene, the entire automobile was on fire,” explained a Wilkes-Barre firefighter. “It was like an inferno, and our guys were doing whatever they could to contain it as quickly as possible. In my 27 years with the fire department, I’ve never seen anything like that.”
The emblazoned limousine was engulfed by flames that reached skyward at estimated heights of more than 30 feet. The sight of the charred debris led to speculation that there was no conceivable way anyone could have escaped from the limo alive. Early assessments from local firefighters and police officers sent a similar feeling regarding the probability of the Chairman’s survival.
“We’re doing our best to respect the McMahon family and the fans of WWE,” the firefighter said. “However, with that said, we have not found anything – there hasn’t been confirmation that Mr. McMahon’s body was extracted from the limo.”
As the physical body of Mr. McMahon remains to be uncovered, perhaps the most perplexing piece to this puzzle is the Chairman’s uncanny, almost clairvoyant premonition of tonight’s grim events. Over the last few weeks on WWE programming, the swaggering, well-off billionaire seemed to unravel right before the eyes of millions. Speaking of a threatening presence that lurked in his foreseeable future, Mr. McMahon even cited the looming of a “black cloud” last week – a cloud very similar to the post-combustive smoke that billowed above his limousine tonight.
Was this evening an eerie prophecy fulfilled for Mr. McMahon, given his recent premonitions? Or was it simply a fateful execution of coincidence? The ominous reality is that what was brushed off as incoherent ramblings of a broken man and former ECW World Champion actually may have proven to be an exercising of a recently discovered sixth sense.
This incident is the first of its kind in the U.S. since the assassination of political figure Orlando Letelier in Washington, D.C. in 1976. Sources say that given the nature of the apparent limo explosion, under law federal authorities will be called in for a more thorough investigation that would supersede local Pennsylvania authorities
The Day After Vince McMahon's Death
June 12, 2007
The McMahon family has been mourning since the tragic limo explosion that presumably claimed the life of WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon Monday night in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
The family refused comment in the hours immediately after the tragedy; however, WWE.com has learned that on Wednesday, WWE Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs Ed Kaufman will release a statement from the McMahons, the first since the events of Monday night.
A Morning of Mourning for Mr. McMahon
June 12, 2007
STAMFORD, Conn. – After Monday’s horrific events on Raw, those “dark clouds” the Chairman once spoke of are now felt prominently in the halls and offices of WWE headquarters.
With Mr. McMahon presumed dead, the corporate flag on the roof of Titan Tower was lowered to half-staff Tuesday morning. The company McMahon built into a sports-entertainment giant began to mourn the passing of its leader and visionary.
Many WWE staffers are still suffering from the trauma of seeing their corporate leader’s limousine explode on live television just after Mr. McMahon entered it.
“I sat there stunned, not believing what I just saw,” said marketing employee Stefanie Granata. “Then I just cried. You just don’t realize how precious life is until something like this happens.”
Though federal officials at the scene have not recovered his body from the charred chassis of the limo, investigators believe that Mr. McMahon’s body could possibly have been incinerated in the blast.
Some WWE employees wore black clothing to express their sadness. Others have left flowers by the Chairman’s office door. And if you listen closely, faint sobbing can be overheard occasionally amongst the din of the phones, fax machines and printers.
Heather Lubin, a long-time marketing employee, said the loss is being felt hard around the Stamford offices – mostly because of the unexpected, unexplained nature of the tragedy.
“It’s hard to cope with this tragedy when there’s so many questions unanswered,” Lubin said. “Who could do such a thing to Mr. McMahon?”
As for Liz Montgomery, a WWE creative services employee, she hopes that everyone can come together and help each other cope with the shocking loss of the company’s heart and soul.
“He’ll be truly, truly missed,” Montgomery said. “Wherever he is now, I hope it’s in a good place. But we’re going to miss him terribly.”
McMahon Family to Release Statement
June 12, 2007
The McMahon family has been mourning since the tragic limo explosion that presumably claimed the life of WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon Monday night in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
The family refused comment in the hours immediately after the tragedy; however, WWE.com has learned that Ed Kaufman, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for WWE, Inc., will release a statement from the McMahons today at 5 p.m. ET, the first since the events of Monday night.
Eyewitness Views
June 12, 2007
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The flames have been extinguished, but the Pennsylvania air remains thick with fear and uncertainty following Mr. McMahon’s presumed death from an apparent limousine explosion on Raw Monday night. For a long time to come, fans who attended the televised event in Wilkes-Barre will not be able to extinguish the all-too-vivid memories of a thunderous explosion outside the arena, a white stretch vehicle engulfed in flames…and, according to one eyewitness, a seared corpse hanging outside the limo.
“It was disgusting,” described Lucas Adnyl, a Curry Hill resident who made a 20-minute commute with a friend to watch Raw live at the arena. “A whole mess of people ran out of the building right after the explosion, and some of us got a pretty good look before [police officers and firefighters] cordoned off the area. I thought I saw Mr. McMahon’s body in the car, but I can’t say for sure; whatever it was, it was completely covered in flames. And the smell…God, I thought I was going to lose it.”
Adela Montoya drove nearly an hour from her home in Junedale so that her son Luis could have a birthday he’d always remember. Now she fears that he may never forget the moments following the explosion.
“We were having a great time when we heard the blast outside,” she recalled. “I thought we were under attack or something. My boy started crying, so I headed for the exits. We ran out as fast as we could.”
“It was hard to see anything with all that smoke coming from the car,” said Rob Mills, a Ronconcoma, N.Y.-based postal worker who was in Wilkes-Barre visiting his parents for the week. “One policeman pushed me and some friends behind a barrier, so we were a pretty good distance away while the firemen tried putting out the car. I don’t know how they could stand it, because those flames were hot as hell, even from where I was standing.”
Frank Vesley, of Parsippany, N.J., admits that he couldn’t see much of the blaze up close, nor did he need to. “The flames were so bright you could have used them to land an airplane nearby,” he said. “Personally, I didn’t mind all that much that McMahon’s limo went up, though I feel a little bad for his family. He was kind of a jerk, but I guess nobody should lose a loved one like that.”
Feds Probe Crime Scene
June 12, 2007
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – WWE.com has learned that United States federal agents have arrived at the crime scene in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where Mr. McMahon was presumed dead less than 24 hours ago. As rumored, given the severity and nature of the explosion, by law, federal authorities have taken full control of the investigation.
As first speculated in previous reports by WWE.com, federal authorities confirmed that a body was not recovered from the limousine’s blackened remains. Investigators believe that Mr. McMahon’s body could possibly have been incinerated in the blast.
With the initial stages of the federal investigation underway in Pennsylvania, authorities have closed the crime scene to check for DNA evidence that may lead to additional information on last night’s shocking events. Forensic experts are scouring the scene and are expected to comb through the wreckage for the next few days in an attempt to find even the most minimal trace of Mr. McMahon’s body.
In addition, explosives experts have arrived in Wilkes-Barre to thoroughly examine the limousine and determine what type of device may have been used in connection with the incident. In the earliest stages of probing, authorities are analyzing each fragment of debris and gathering clues to build their investigation.
At approximately 11:07 p.m. ET last night, the WWE Chairman left the Wachovia Arena and stepped into his stretch limo, which almost instantly combusted before the eyes of millions watching Raw on TV. The sight of the explosion with Mr. McMahon inside the limo drew an eerie hush to an audience that had been wound with excitement just moments earlier during the live WWE Draft. This incident is the first of its kind on U.S. soil since the mid-1970s.
Instants after the blaze was controlled by firefighters in the late morning hours, the charred vehicle was scoured for the Chairman’s remains. Rescue workers and authorities were puzzled by what they found: nothing. Federal agents shared this perplexed state this morning, confirming that a body has yet to be recovered within the melted heap that was once Mr. McMahon’s limo.
Investigation Expands, Chairman's Headquarters Searched
June 13, 2007
STAMFORD, Conn. – Federal authorities investigating the presumed death of Mr. McMahon visited the Chairman’s office at WWE corporate headquarters earlier this morning, and were seen loading what appeared to be hundreds of boxes into vans, WWE.com has learned.
Sources close to the investigation say officials arrived at Titan Tower at 6 a.m. The federal officers, sources said, were gathering evidence in search of any clues in the apparent fiery demise of Mr. McMahon, who may have perished Monday night at the end of Raw when the limousine he had just entered exploded. So far, authorities have not recovered Mr. McMahon’s body or any of his remains.
Insisting that they could not comment on an ongoing investigation, federal officials would not reveal what the agents were looking for or what they removed from the Chairman’s office. But according to one anonymous source, investigators rummaged through hundreds of McMahon’s files and dusted his office for fingerprints. They also, the source said, were seen taking the WWE visionary’s computers off the premises.
The agents were said to have spent three hours combing through files and removing materials. When they were finished, the Chairman’s office – which normally was filled with cabinets and state-of-art computers – had been stripped clean. Its carpeting had been removed, and normally organized bookshelves were left in disarray.
Federal authorities, sources said, are also looking at the Chairman’s e-mail and all of his writings for any clues. They are especially looking at anything he may have written in the last two weeks, when his behavior became increasingly erratic.
Will anything taken from Mr. McMahon’s office – any e-mail on his computers – provide any clues? Stay with WWE.com for further updates on the investigation as details become available.
Outpouring Continues
June 13, 2007
For years Mr. McMahon’s bravado, coupled with his constant harassment of Superstars, created a major rift with our fans. But after the horrendous limo explosion on Raw, our fans have shown that regardless of his past transgressions, they still care about the man who vaulted sports-entertainment to where it is today.
In fact, the Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Police Department has been inundated with well-wishers in the wake of the McMahon tragedy, and police detective Lt. Will Clark told WWE.com he has never seen the station busier.
“We have never in our time seen this amount of calls,” he said, “hands down this is the most ever.” Clark continued, “I would say the amount of attention we are getting is second to none.”
And just what are people looking for when they call the Wilkes-Barre Police Department? “Everyone is wondering about the progress of the investigation,” said Clark. He then told WWE.com that the department itself has concerns because of the influx of calls they have taken. “We have had to utilize more manpower and resources than ever before because of the volume of calls through our station and the local 911 center.”
Such an outpouring from our fans around the world for Mr. McMahon shows that despite all his antics in the past, and although he made it his business to step on a few people on his way to the top, the Chairman might actually still have a place in the hearts of each and every fan.
Perhaps this response was foreshadowed by WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, who was in Wilkes-Barre Monday night as part of Mr. McMahon Appreciation Night. Rhodes’ words still eerily resonate with anyone who saw Raw or has followed this breaking news all week. “Mr. McMahon’s legacy is in this building,” Rhodes said. “You don’t have to love him, you do not have to like him, you do not even have to agree with his psychology of this industry; one thing we all have to do is respect him.”
Based on what WWE.com was told by Clark, our fans seem to agree with the American Dream.
Love him or loathe him, the respect being shown by each and every fan in the wake of this tragedy shows that no matter how underhanded and mean-spirited Mr. McMahon has been over the years, he still will always be respected.
Lead Investigator to address Media at Noon ET Today
June 14, 2007
WWE.com received word that the lead federal investigator in the Mr. McMahon limousine-explosion case will release a statement at noon ET today to bring the media up to speed on the investigation and its progress.
Mr. McMahon is presumed dead after his limo exploded outside the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Monday night after Raw. McMahon was seen on live television entering the vehicle moments before the explosion consumed the car. No body has been recovered yet from the burned-out vehicle.
Investigators combed Mr. McMahon’s private office at WWE headquarters early Wednesday, searching for any clues or information that would aid in the case. They took many boxes of evidence from the building, as well as McMahon’s personal computer. The site of Monday’s explosion is still cordoned off by investigators as a crime scene.
McMahon Limo Impounded
June 14, 2007
The stretch limo’s burnt and heavily tarnished remains was carted off on a flatbed truck more than 800 miles south to Georgia where a more thorough examination of the vehicle’s frame will commence. Reportedly, thorough probing by the country’s leading experts will attempt to uncover exactly how the limo exploded.
While forensics specialists comb the crime scene up north, expert analysis in Atlanta may discover evidence that would assist in discerning the whereabouts of the Chairman’s remains. They will be performing a series of meticulous DNA examinations over the next several days.
March 14, 2004: World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit and his best friend, WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero, celebrate in the ring at the end of WrestleMania XX.
A look at the career of the "Rabid Wolverine"
Chris Benoit
The sports-entertainment world has lost a Legend, as WWE is saddened to report that Chris Benoit and his family were found dead in their Atlanta-area home today. Benoit was 40 years old.
A trainee of the legendary Stu Hart, Benoit began his career in 1985 in Calgary after training with Stu and the Hart Family in the infamous Dungeon. Benoit idolized former World Tag Team Champion Dynamite Kid, and the high-flying style Benoit utilized throughout his career was influenced heavily by the British Superstar. However, his training in the Dungeon helped mold him into one of the best technical grapplers in sports-entertainment history as well.
Benoit competed for Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling organization from 1985-1989, where he held both the British Commonwealth Title and the International Tag Team Title four times each, before heading to Japan, where his career truly blossomed. He originally competed as the masked Pegasus Kid and had numerous classic clashes with Japanese legends such as Shinjiro Ohtani and Jushin “Thunder” Liger. It was in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he also met a man who would become one of his closest friends, Eddie Guerrero.
While in Japan, Benoit held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and won the 1994 Super J Cup tournament, one of the most prestigious light-heavyweight tournaments in sports-entertainment.
It was that same year that Benoit burst onto the scene in the United States. He had competed in the States before, taking part in the NWA World Tag Team Title tournament in 1992 and wrestling briefly in WCW, but it was in South Philadelphia where Benoit truly cut his teeth in America. Benoit joined ECW, where he teamed with another long-time friend, Dean Malenko, to win the ECW Tag Team Championship. It was also during his time in South Philadelphia where Benoit became known as the “Canadian Crippler,” as it was during a match with Benoit where Sabu suffered a broken neck.
After a year in ECW, Benoit headed back to WCW (and also New Japan, who had a working agreement with ECW at the time). His career elevated to the next level when he became an official member of the Four Horsemen, joining Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Brian Pillman in 1995.
During his near five-year stay in WCW, Benoit went from an unknown to household name and bona-fide Superstar. Staying close with the Horsemen through numerous incarnations of the group, Benoit became known for his hard-hitting, smash-mouth, no-nonsense style. His rivalry with Kevin Sullivan throughout 1996 (including their legendary Falls Count Anywhere Match at the 1996 Great American Bash) was lauded as one of the greatest and most intense in the company’s history.
While in WCW, Benoit also racked up numerous accolades. He held the Television Championship on three occasions, was a two-time United States Champion and won the WCW Tag Team Championship twice as well (once with Malenko, once with Perry Saturn). He also faced Bret Hart in a tribute match to Bret’s brother and Benoit’s good friend Owen Hart in 1999, and in his final WCW match in January 2000, Benoit defeated Sid to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
Unfortunately, trouble in WCW led to Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko and Saturn leaving the company the next day, so the reign was nullified. The foursome, however, debuted later that month in WWE as The Radicalz.
Benoit immediately found success in WWE, claiming the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 2000. He would go on to hold that gold on a total of four occasions. Through 2003, he also held the World Tag Team Championship and the WWE Tag Team Championship.
Finally, in 2004, after nearly 20 years of struggle, Benoit reached the top. Starting the match at No. 1, Benoit lasted over an hour to win the 2004 Royal Rumble Match, last eliminating the mammoth Big Show to win. That earned him a World Championship match, and at WrestleMania XX in Madison Square Garden, he defeated Shawn Michaels and champion Triple H in a Triple Threat Match to claim the World Heavyweight Championship. The celebration is one of the most memorable WrestleMania moments of all-time, as he and best friend Eddie Guerrero (the reigning WWE Champion at the time) embraced in the center of the ring amidst a stream of confetti and the cheers of a raucous capacity crowd.
In the next three years, Benoit would go on to hold the World Tag Team Championship twice more and had three reigns as United States Champion, the last of which ended just two months ago at Backlash. He was drafted to ECW in the 2007 WWE Draft, and in his final WWE match, Benoit defeated Elijah Burke on the June 19 ECW on Sci Fi.
Over the course of his 22-year career, Chris Benoit solidified his reputation as one of the greatest to ever set foot inside a ring. He was a man of few words, but his passion for the sports-entertainment business was almost unrivaled. Whether loved or hated, Benoit was always well-respected by our fans and his peers for his in-ring ability, his trademark toothless grin and his no-nonsense attitude.
The sports-entertainment world has truly suffered a loss with his passing, as one of the all-time greats was taken well before his time.
Chris Benoit, Family Found Dead
June 25, 2007
World Wrestling Entertainment is deeply saddened to report that today Chris Benoit and his family were found dead in their home. There are no further details at this time, other than the Benoit family residence is currently being investigated by local authorities.
Tonight’s Raw on USA Network will serve as a tribute to Chris Benoit and his family. WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family’s relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy.
Double Murder-Suicide
It has been ruled that the deaths of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and their son Daniel earlier today were the result of a double murder-suicide from within the home. WWE.com will have more as soon as it becomes available.
Chris Benoit's Dad Breaks Silence
June 29, 2007
CHRIS BENOIT's dad MICHAEL is talking about his family tragedy, revealing he too has "no understanding" of what happened.
In a phone interview with AP, Benoit says he and the rest of the family are in shock and are seeking answers: "There's still more information that's going to come out from toxicology tests that will give us some understanding of why this happened."
Another stunning new detail has emerged -- according to People magazine, Benoit's Wikipedia bio was altered to reflect his wife's death -- before her body was found.
Friday, an anonymous user admitted to changing the entry based on rumors. The computer address was tracked to Stamford, CT -- the same city where the WWE is headquartered, but the individual didn't claim any connection to the organization.
The pro-werstler, his wife and young son were found dead in their home in Fayetteville, GA, on Monday.
According to WWE attorney JERRY McDEVITT, Benoit's seven-year-old son suffered from Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic disorder often accompanied with autism.
"I think it's fair to say that the subject of caring for that child was part of what made their relationship complicated and difficult," he told the AP. "It's something they were both constantly struggling with ... it was a source of stress and consternation."
"[NANCY BENOIT] wanted him to be at home more to care for the kid," he added. "She'd say she can't take care of him by himself when he was on the road."
Whatever difficulties they may have faced raising their son, Nancy's 2003 divorce filing that alleged "cruel treatment" reveals there may have been other sources of friction in their marriage. However, she later dropped the suit, the AP reports.
Authorities are classifying the deaths as a murder-suicide, saying that they believe the pro-wrestler strangled his wife and smothered their son before hanging himself in his weight room.
New Details in Chris Benoit Case
June 28, 2007
The WWE has released new information in the aftermath of the CHRIS BENOIT family tragedy.
According to WWE attorney JERRY McDEVITT, Benoit's seven-year-old son suffered from Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic disorder often accompanied with autism.
"I think it's fair to say that the subject of caring for that child was part of what made their relationship complicated and difficult," he told the AP. "It's something they were both constantly struggling with ... it was a source of stress and consternation."
"[NANCY BENOIT] wanted him to be at home more to care for the kid," he added. "She'd say she can't take care of him by himself when he was on the road."
Whatever difficulties they may have faced raising their son, Nancy's 2003 divorce filing that alleged "cruel treatment" reveals there may have been other sources of friction in their marriage. However, she later dropped the suit, the AP reports.
The pro-wrestler was found dead in his home on Monday, along with his wife and young son.
Authorities are classifying the deaths as a murder-suicide, saying that they believe the pro-wrestler strangled his wife and smothered their son before hanging himself in his weight room.
Autopsy fails to show what killed pro wrestler Brian (Crush) Adams
August 14th 2007
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - An autopsy on pro wrestler Brian (Crush) Adams failed to show a specific cause of death.
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The Hillsborough County medical examiner's office said Tuesday it will now conduct tissue and toxicology tests to try to determine what killed the 44-year-old wrestler. A completed autopsy report is expected in six to eight weeks.
Adams wasn't breathing when his wife found him unconscious in their Tampa home Monday. His body showed no visible signs of injury and foul play was not suspected, police said.
Adams, a former world tag team champion, last performed for the World Wrestling Federation in 2001 and served intermittently on the roster beginning in 1990, World Wrestling Entertainment said.
In 2001, Adams left the WWE, formerly the WWF. He competed in Japan and then attempted a career in boxing, the WWE said. He wrestled his last match in January 2003 when a spinal injury forced him into retirement.
Adams' death comes less than two months after Canadian pro wrestler Chris Benoit killed his wife and son before hanging himself on the cable of a weight machine in his Georgia home. Prescription anabolic steroids were found in the family's home, raising questions about whether the drugs played a role in the killings.
