1. Chris Benoit (May 21, 1967 - June 24, 2007)
Certainly, enough has been written about this incident to write a book but that does not make the event any less tragic or sad. With time, maybe there will be a way to separate Chris Benoit the Performer from Chris Benoit the Murdering Psychopath. Unfortunately (at least for me), that time has not come yet. Originally finding success in NJPW and Stampede, a jump to Paul Heymans ECW gave Benoit an even bigger cult following than he had from his Japan days. Soon enough, Benoit moved to to WCW as a member of the Four Horsemen but he made the mistaking of stealing booker Kevin Sullivans wife (Nancy) and, in doing so, sunk any chance he had of advancing in WCW. He jumped to the WWF alongside Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn, and Dean Malenko as part of the Radicalz and his fans hoped this was the start of a run at the top. Unfortunately, Benoit was shuffled down to the midcard fairly quickly and remained there for almost four years. It wasnt until Paul Heyman became the Smackdown head writer than Chris Benoit received his title push. Benoit entered #1 at the 2004 Royal Rumble and lasted until the very end and then made Triple H tap out to the Crippler Crossface at Wrestlemania XX, finally being on top of the business. Chris was never intended to be anything other than a transitional champion to Randy Orton and he was soon shuffled down to the midcard. He did really nothing of note until 2007, when the wrestling world would be thrown onto its head and the name Chris Benoit would be forever linked with the most terrible crime imaginable. I wont rehash the gory details of Benoits crime here (they are readily available elsewhere) but is question on everyone's mind since has been "why?". Benoit was a well known steroid user and had been for many years. He also had various drugs and narcotics in his system at the time of his death. Former WWE wrestler Christopher Nowinski had Benoits brain examined and the results showed that Benoits brain was the equivalent of an 85 year old Alzheimers patient. The brain injuries were due to the years of trauma inflicted by chair shots, flying headbutts off the top rope, and German suplex bumps in the wrestling ring. Nowinskis study also suggested that multiple concussions (something Benoit most definitely suffered) may lead to dementia, a disease leading to severe behavioral problems, especially in an elite athlete like Benoit. At the end of the day, Chris Benoit, Nancy Benoit, and Daniel Benoit are all dead and Chris is the reason why. Benoit will always be remembered as a monster, someone who took the life of his own son and wife before cowardly ending his own existence.