Chilling Final Message From WWE Legend Resurfaces Nearly 20 Years After Wrestling’s Darkest Tragedy
Nearly two decades after professional wrestling was rocked to its core, a disturbing final message sent by former WWE star Chris Benoit has resurfaced — reopening wounds from one of the most horrifying episodes in sports entertainment history.
In June 2007, Benoit, then one of WWE’s most respected in-ring performers, murdered his wife Nancy and their seven-year-old son Daniel inside their Fayetteville, Georgia home before taking his own life. The tragedy sent shockwaves far beyond wrestling and permanently changed how the industry is viewed.
In the days leading up to the discovery, Benoit exchanged a series of increasingly unsettling messages with close friends, including fellow wrestler Chavo Guerrero. But one message, sent to another acquaintance, has continued to haunt investigators and fans alike.
According to police reports later shared by media outlets, Benoit left a voicemail stating that his dogs were outside in the garden and that the back door of his home was open. At the time, it may have sounded mundane. In hindsight, it was a chilling signal that something was deeply wrong.
Concern escalated when Benoit failed to appear at a WWE pay-per-view event where he was scheduled to compete. After repeated attempts to contact him failed, WWE requested a welfare check.
On June 25, 2007, authorities entered the Benoit residence and discovered an unthinkable scene: Chris, Nancy, and Daniel Benoit were all dead.
Investigators later determined that the murders occurred over a three-day period. Nancy Benoit was strangled, while Daniel was sedated and suffocated. Benoit ultimately died by hanging himself using gym equipment in his basement. He was 40 years old.
Just three years earlier, Benoit had stood in the ring at WrestleMania 20, celebrating a World Championship victory with his wife and son — an image that would later become one of wrestling’s most haunting contrasts.
A post-mortem examination revealed Benoit’s brain showed severe damage linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative condition associated with repeated head trauma. Doctors compared the damage to that seen in patients with advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
WWE initially aired a tribute episode following the news of Benoit’s death. Once the full details emerged, the company swiftly reversed course, removing him almost entirely from its history. Benoit has never been inducted into the Hall of Fame, his name is rarely mentioned on WWE programming, and his in-ring accomplishments remain permanently eclipsed by his crimes.
Even after nearly 20 years, the resurfacing of Benoit’s final message serves as a grim reminder of wrestling’s darkest chapter — one that continues to haunt the industry and its fans.
