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Incoming congressional hearings. Who will think of the children?!
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2919341
ATLANTA -- Federal drug agents raided the office of a doctor who prescribed testosterone to pro wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed his wife and son and hanged himself, authorities said Thursday.
The raid at Dr. Phil Astin's office in Carrollton, Ga. began Wednesday night and concluded early Thursday, said agent Chuvalo Truesdell, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration. The search warrant had been obtained in connection with the Chris Benoit investigation, he said.
Hours before the raid, Astin told The Associated Press he had treated Benoit for low testosterone levels, which he said likely originated from previous steroid use.
Among other things, investigators were looking for Benoit's medical records to see if he had been prescribed steroids and, if so, whether that prescription was appropriate, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because records in the case remain sealed.
No arrests were made and Truesdell was unable to say what was seized. He said records were among the items being sought, but he could not be more specific.
Astin did not return repeated calls to his cell phone from The Associated Press on Thursday.
Astin prescribed testosterone for Benoit, a longtime friend, in the past but would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed when Benoit visited his office Friday.
Benoit strangled his wife Nancy and smothered his 7-year-old son Daniel during the weekend, placing Bibles next to their bodies, before hanging himself on the cable of a weight-machine in his home, authorities said. No motive was offered for the killings, which were discovered Monday.
Steroids were found in Benoit's home, leading officials to wonder whether the drugs played a role in the slayings. Some experts believe steroids cause paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."
A "closed" sign hung on the front door of Astin's office Thursday. On the side door was another sign which read: "Our office is closed until further notice and Dr. Astin cannot be reached for comment."
Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard said in a statement Thursday that he could not immediately comment on the raid.
Also Thursday, Ballard told the AP that 10 empty beer cans were found in a trash can in the Benoit home. An empty wine bottle was found a few feet from where Benoit hanged himself, Ballard said.
It could take several weeks for toxicology tests to be completed on Benoit to see what medications, if any, were in his system.
Benoit took four months off from work in 2006 for undisclosed personal reasons, WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said.
"He was feeling depressed, that kind of thing," McDevitt said.
In the days before the killings, Benoit and his wife argued over whether he should stay home more to take care of their mentally retarded 7-year-old son, according to an attorney for the WWE wrestling league.
The child suffered from a rare medical condition called Fragile X Syndrome, an inherited form of mental retardation often accompanied by autism.
Earlier Thursday, WWE owner Vince McMahon urged people not to assume that steroids played a role in the murder-suicide.
McMahon, speaking on NBC's "Today" show, said toxicology results were needed to answer questions surrounding the death of Benoit.
"There's no way, quite frankly, that we, or the media -- it's all speculation until the toxicology reports come back," McMahon said. "It's all speculation."
Toxicology test results may not be available for weeks or even months, Ballard has said.
The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., was quick to dismiss the idea, issuing a news release Tuesday saying steroids "were not and could not be related to the cause of death" and that the findings indicate "deliberation, not rage." Benoit tested negative April 10, the last time he was tested for drugs, the WWE said.
No motive has been offered for the killings.
The couple argued in the days before the slayings over whether he should stay home more to take care of their mentally retarded son, said McDevitt.
He said the wrestling organization learned from the couple's friends and relatives that the Benoits were struggling with where to send the boy to school since he had recently finished kindergarten.
He also said Benoit's wife didn't want him to quit wrestling, but she "wanted him to be at home more to care for the kid. She'd say she can't take care of him by herself when he was on the road."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2919341
ATLANTA -- Federal drug agents raided the office of a doctor who prescribed testosterone to pro wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed his wife and son and hanged himself, authorities said Thursday.
The raid at Dr. Phil Astin's office in Carrollton, Ga. began Wednesday night and concluded early Thursday, said agent Chuvalo Truesdell, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration. The search warrant had been obtained in connection with the Chris Benoit investigation, he said.
Hours before the raid, Astin told The Associated Press he had treated Benoit for low testosterone levels, which he said likely originated from previous steroid use.
Among other things, investigators were looking for Benoit's medical records to see if he had been prescribed steroids and, if so, whether that prescription was appropriate, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because records in the case remain sealed.
No arrests were made and Truesdell was unable to say what was seized. He said records were among the items being sought, but he could not be more specific.
Astin did not return repeated calls to his cell phone from The Associated Press on Thursday.
Astin prescribed testosterone for Benoit, a longtime friend, in the past but would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed when Benoit visited his office Friday.
Benoit strangled his wife Nancy and smothered his 7-year-old son Daniel during the weekend, placing Bibles next to their bodies, before hanging himself on the cable of a weight-machine in his home, authorities said. No motive was offered for the killings, which were discovered Monday.
Steroids were found in Benoit's home, leading officials to wonder whether the drugs played a role in the slayings. Some experts believe steroids cause paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."
A "closed" sign hung on the front door of Astin's office Thursday. On the side door was another sign which read: "Our office is closed until further notice and Dr. Astin cannot be reached for comment."
Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard said in a statement Thursday that he could not immediately comment on the raid.
Also Thursday, Ballard told the AP that 10 empty beer cans were found in a trash can in the Benoit home. An empty wine bottle was found a few feet from where Benoit hanged himself, Ballard said.
It could take several weeks for toxicology tests to be completed on Benoit to see what medications, if any, were in his system.
Benoit took four months off from work in 2006 for undisclosed personal reasons, WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said.
"He was feeling depressed, that kind of thing," McDevitt said.
In the days before the killings, Benoit and his wife argued over whether he should stay home more to take care of their mentally retarded 7-year-old son, according to an attorney for the WWE wrestling league.
The child suffered from a rare medical condition called Fragile X Syndrome, an inherited form of mental retardation often accompanied by autism.
Earlier Thursday, WWE owner Vince McMahon urged people not to assume that steroids played a role in the murder-suicide.
McMahon, speaking on NBC's "Today" show, said toxicology results were needed to answer questions surrounding the death of Benoit.
"There's no way, quite frankly, that we, or the media -- it's all speculation until the toxicology reports come back," McMahon said. "It's all speculation."
Toxicology test results may not be available for weeks or even months, Ballard has said.
The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., was quick to dismiss the idea, issuing a news release Tuesday saying steroids "were not and could not be related to the cause of death" and that the findings indicate "deliberation, not rage." Benoit tested negative April 10, the last time he was tested for drugs, the WWE said.
No motive has been offered for the killings.
The couple argued in the days before the slayings over whether he should stay home more to take care of their mentally retarded son, said McDevitt.
He said the wrestling organization learned from the couple's friends and relatives that the Benoits were struggling with where to send the boy to school since he had recently finished kindergarten.
He also said Benoit's wife didn't want him to quit wrestling, but she "wanted him to be at home more to care for the kid. She'd say she can't take care of him by herself when he was on the road."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
