Celebrity Justice
Benoit's Last Victim Will Seal Fate of His Millions

In a macabre twist to the Chris Benoit case, the fate of the wrestler's multi-million-dollar estate will be determined by whether he killed his wife Nancy or his son Daniel first during his murderous rampage in June -- and Nancy's family is already contesting the official police story as it lays claim to the inheritance.

It comes down to this, according to an ABC News report: If Benoit killed Daniel the morning after ending Nancy Benoit's life, as authorities have suggested, the wrestler's two children from a previous marriage will get the money. Otherwise, Nancy's family stands to take the real estate, cash, and investments in question.

Richard Decker, a lawyer for Nancy Benoit's family, is skeptical of the Fayetteville, Ga. police findings, as well of those of the coroner. "Like everyone else, I've seen preliminary findings and opinions," he tells ABC. "We're not so sure that what we're hearing is exactly correct."

And how's this for creepy? A Georgia state statute known as the "slayer statute" says that Benoit himself, though he died after his wife and son, is considered the first person to die in the incident, which is why the order of Nancy and Daniel's death is in play.


Reader Comments

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16. I don't blame the family. This is like the Goldman's all over again. They definitely deserve something.

Posted at 12:37PM on Aug 16th 2007 by HOT

17. There are no winners in this matter. But her parents seem like they are more interested in the almight dollar than in doing what's right or fair. What's next, a book deal for them?
Let them all rest in peace, and let his surviving children decide if they even want the money. Or use it to start a charity of some kind. Who knows, maybe they want nothing to do with the inheritance.

Posted at 12:21PM on Aug 16th 2007 by JEWISH PRINCESS

18. Fighting over an inheritance is the most despicable form of bad kharma. They will get theirs in the end!

Posted at 12:18PM on Aug 16th 2007 by Lein

19. yeah wills are funny- my mother in 1980 was in a will- to make a long story short.... The brother of the man who named my mom in his will- got with his attorney and changed the will ( he drugged his brother while he was in a nursinghome and got him to sign the new will) -- the brothers name was HERB SCHULTZ of San Antonio, Texas- i have wished the WORST for their family ever since!!

Posted at 2:17PM on Aug 16th 2007 by Taylor

20. Stae probate laws are in play here, along with Benoit's will. Murder-suicide plays no role here...it's not insurance proceeds they are trying to collect, it's the proceeds of Benoit's estate.

Posted at 12:35PM on Aug 16th 2007 by tRACY

21. Here is what really is going to happen, Since there is so much turmoil over who died first and such. To me obviusly both the wife's family and the children from the previous marriage will not come to an agreement. Wife's family is already protesting the reports of the police. The wife's family attorney will file a wrongful death suit against the estate. To me they will defintely win. The wife's family gets all the assets. No way in hell any judge or jury will say that the case is not wrongful death. Open shut case.

Posted at 12:50PM on Aug 16th 2007 by Mike

22. tRACY

We are aware... what's your point?

Posted at 12:49PM on Aug 16th 2007 by blah blah blah

23. Why should the family get money? Will that bring their daughter back? HIs money that he worked hard for should go to his children. Enough said. Greedy people make me sick.

Posted at 1:03PM on Aug 16th 2007 by KIM

24. Where was this family when there daughter was in an abusive relationship? Didn't Nancy leave him in the past due to abuse? You shouldn't reward those that look the other way when there is a problem. If a man is abusive that is grounds to remove a child from the home if the female chooses to stay with the abuser.

Posted at 12:54PM on Aug 16th 2007 by Jeanie

25. Chris Estate should not go to Nancy"s family, it should go to his 2 childen from his other
Marriage... Now if Nancy had any other monies In her own account, that should go to her parents. Her parents should not get anything that should lawfully belong to his children.

Posted at 1:37PM on Aug 16th 2007 by Ashley

26. It just seems to me that Nancy's family is only worried about the money, and are seemingly trying anything they can to get it. That's just sick and wrong, and they should be ashamed for acting that way. Regardless of how it happened, the deaths of Chris, Nancy, and Daniel is a huge tragedy, and money should be NOWHERE NEAR the top of the list of concerns for either side.

Posted at 9:53AM on Aug 17th 2007 by Jeremy

27. That is disgusting! Why on Earth would Nancy's family want to take money away from Chris' other children? That money belongs with the children!

Posted at 1:07PM on Aug 16th 2007 by Cheryl

28. I remember years ago a man with a funny mustache said this is not about money back then i was so for him(goldman) now look at him so it was about the money all along....now if nancy's family want to claim the child died first then its possible she killed him then Mr.Benoit killed her....whats with all these people wanting it both ways....just remember this no amount of money will bring them back....

Posted at 2:16PM on Aug 21st 2007 by ftw

29. Oh yes, I'm sure Nancy's family is delighted she's dead, and that they were hoping and praying all along that she'd be murdered so they could collect. @@

I think the money should go 50% to his kids, and 50% to Nancy's estate.

Posted at 1:15PM on Aug 16th 2007 by jc

30.
She has been in the business for a long time so she made a fare amount herself, if anything her family should get her portion and then his money should go to his heirs.
All of this is so sad and that her family is not considering the other children in this is messed up too!!!
Really I still stick to there is so much more to this then anyone will ever know!

Posted at 1:48PM on Aug 16th 2007 by Fake People Suck

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