Could the Benoit Deaths be linked to Steroid Use?

Benoit Toxicology Report Released

DECATUR, Ga. (AP) - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit had an elevated level of a steroid in his system when he took his life after killing his wife and 7-year-old son, but it was impossible to say whether that played a role in the killings, Georgia's top medical examiner said Tuesday.

Dr. Kris Sperry said tests found 10 times the normal level of testosterone, indicating that Benoit likely injected the substance shortly before he died. But he said there was no evidence of any other anabolic steroids in the wrestler's system.

Sperry said the boy appeared to have been sedated when he was asphyxiated, and Benoit's wife, Nancy, had a "therapeutic" level of sedatives in her body.

The medical examiner said too much should not be read into the testosterone results.

"How much, how frequently, how often and how long could not be determined today," Sperry said at a news conference to announce the results of tests.

"This level of testosterone indicates that he had been using testosterone at least within some reasonably short period of time prior to the time that he died, depending on how it was injected, the form that it was used."

He added, "The long and the short of it is ... an elevation of that ratio does not translate into something abnormal in a person's thought process or behavior."

Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard said "Everything still leads us to believe it was a murder-suicide."

Also found in Chris Benoit were the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone in a therapeutic level, according to the test results. Benoit was negative for blood alcohol.

The statement said Nancy Benoit had Xanax, hydrocodone and another painkilled, hydromporphone, in her body.

The son, Daniel, had Xanax in his system, the statement said. The GBI said it could not perform tests for steroids or human growth hormones on the son because of lack of adequate amount of urine.
www.wjbf.com...

Does this shed any more light on his state of mind?

As a former pro wrestler myself Chris Benoit was always a sadist and a sicko. There were no surprises that this happened although the WWE propaganda machine went into overdrive to paint him as this good guy who just snapped. This was a long time coming.