Chris Benoit

I grew up a fan of professional wrestling. As a kid, I lived and died with the Saturday night exploits of Mr. Wrestling II, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes, the Assassins and the other stars who were on TBS.

That was before pro rasslin' changed and morphed into a comic book parody. But I always appreciated the modern-day throwbacks. And Chris Benoit was a throwback, someone who was actually schooled in the art of wrestling and knew the psychology of a pro wrestling match, how to ebb and flow and build suspense and drama. Not surprising, considering he trained in Stu Hart's infamous "Dungeon," the same place where Bret Hart and Owen Hart and dozens of others learned their craft.

Benoit, 40, who lived in Fayetteville, apparently killed his wife, Nancy, and their son, Daniel, over the weekend, then killed himself Monday. The district attorney told the AJC: "The details, when they come out, are going to prove a little bizarre."

UPDATE: The AP just reported that Benoit strangled his wife, smothered his son and hung himself in his weight room. They also are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor.

A few years ago, I used to work out at a Gold's Gym near the airport where a lot of professional wrestlers also worked out. I was on the treadmill when Benoit walked in with fellow wrestler Eddie Guerrero. Even though they were involved in an ongoing "feud" with one another, they spent two hours working out together. I felt like walking up to them and saying, "Hey, you're fighting each other; you're not supposed to be working out together in public!" The two wrestlers, who were good friends, had carried their wrestling feud from Japan to Ted Turner's WCW to Vince McMahon's WWE, and it resulted in some of the greatest pro wrestling matches ever.

Both Benoit and Guerrero would go on to hold the WWE's heavyweight championship belt.

And both are now dead long before their time.