7 Wrestlers Who Were Murdered
5. Ricky Lawless (30 November 1988)
Ricky Lawless (seen standing behind ex-tag-team partner Joey Knight) was only 28 years of age when he was killed by gunshot on 30 November 1988. A stalwart of the Mid-Atlantic region's independent scene, Lawless had also dipped his toe into helping others break into the business. Most notably, he helped train former ECW star Axl Rotten.
When news broke that a promising young wrestler had been shot dead, several news outlets rushed to cover the story. Whereas The Toronto Star reported that Ricky's death had been caused by former tag partner Vladimir Koloff, others claimed 22-year old Raymond Michael Swartz had been the gunman responsible.
That's where things get a bit muddy.
A Hustler documentary from May 1991 entitled, "Shotgun Justice: A Pro Wrestler's Final Fall" reported that the killing had been due to an angry husband who was incensed by an extramarital affair, presumably involving Lawless.
Whatever the cause of motivation for Swartz, he was decreed guilty in the eyes of the law and charged with first-degree murder.