Bryan Alvarez of Figure Four Weekly reported on tonight’s edition of CNN’s Nancy Grace that painkillers are suspected in the death this week in New Hampshire of former pro wrestler George Caiazzo (”John Kronus”). The toxicology report is pending.
Caiazzo, 38, is the seventh wrestler under age 50 to die since the book WRESTLING BABYLON: Piledriving Tales of Drugs, Sex, Death, and Scandal went to the printer in December 2006. The other six:
1. January 19: Scott “Bam Bam” Bigelow, 45, heart attack caused by cocaine and anti-anxiety drugs.
2. February 17: Mike Alfonso (”Mike Awesome”), 42, suicide. He was a heavy steroid user.
3. June 15: Sherry Russell (”Sensational Sherri”), 49, likely from a prescription pill overdose.
4. June 20: Shane Bower (”Biff Wellington”), 44, heart attack. Bower was a heavy user of painkillers and steroids.
5. June 23: Nancy Benoit (”Fallen Angel,” “Woman”), 43, murdered by her husband.
6. June 24: Chris Benoit, 40, suicide. Large quantities of anabolic steroids were found at his home, and according to law enforcement, Benoit’s doctor had prescribed him 10-month supplies of steroids every three to four weeks. The toxicology report showed Benoit’s testosterone level to be, depending on interpretation, anywhere from five to ten times above normal. (A number of media reports have noted that World Wrestling Entertainment misled, if not flatly lied, in asserting that testosterone is not an anabolic steroid; the latter is simply a derivative of the former.)
Meanwhile, Wade Keller of Pro Wrestling Torch quotes Congressman Cliff Stearns, Republican of Florida, as being confident that the Commerce, Trade & Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee will take up his call to investigate steroids in pro wrestling. “Although no hearing yet has been scheduled,” Stearns said, one “likely will be held this fall.” See http://www.pwtorch.com/artman/publish/article_21050.shtml.