Gossip site TMZ.com “has learned that current WWE SmackDown wrestler Rey Mysterio (real name: Oscar Gutierrez) and former WWE wrestler Mark Jindrak, are the two other wrestlers named in an indictment against Dr. Phil Astin” according to a new report on the site (thanks to Ellie for sending a link to the story to us). This jibes with previous reports that prescriptions were written by Dr. Astin for wrestlers named “OG” and “MJ.” Here are the specific indictments, from an earlier news post:
– April 2004: provided percocet, vicoprofen, and xanax to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– July 2004: provided percocet, lorcet, and xanax to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– October 2004: provided percocet, lorcet, vicoprofen, and xanax to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– March 2005: provided percocet to “O.G. in Carrollton”
– March 2005: provided percocet and lorcet to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– July 2005: provided adderall, percocet, and lorcet to “M.J. in Carrollton”
– September 2005: provided percocet and lorcet to “O.G. in Carrollton”
According to TMZ, WWE’s response to the above report was simply “We cannot comment on this ongoing investigation at this time.” Mark Jindrak was released from WWE on July 5, 2005, and wrestled a few shows with former WWE developmental group Deep South Wrestling in the Spring of 2006. He has recently wrestled in Mexico as “Marco Corleone” and “El Halcon Europeo” in CMLL. UPDATE: The report was pulled from TMZ.com some time between 4 and 5pm ET today, after being online for an hour, according to PWInsider.com. This could be because the information was incorrect or other reasons. It’s worth noting that Mark Madden on his radio show referenced Mysterio as possibly being “O.G.” a few nights ago, according to WrestlingObserver.com.
In other related news:
– Investigators are looking for other wrestlers tied to Benoit’s doctor, according to Fox Atlanta.
– According to GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com, Dr. Astin bonded out around 6:00 PM on July 3 will be electronically monitored under house arrest in his Carrollton, GA, home.
– The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has uncovered that Dr. Phil Astin III’s father — Dr. Phil Astin, Jr. — “had his medical license suspended for illegally prescribing painkillers to 14 patients from the late 1970s to 1989” and committed suicide in 2005.
– Fox Atlanta also has reported a story about one of the last people to speak with the Benoits before the tragedy, neighbor James Robison. He told the station that he spoke with Chris, Nancy and Daniel Benoit a few hours before Nancy was allegedly killed, asking them to keep July 4 open for a get-together, and Chris said he would was going on the road and would talk with him when he got back. Said Robison, “I analyzed that conversation over and over, and there was nothing strange … Nothing peculiar about it. Just a typical conversation that you would have.” He said there were no warning signs and the crime didn’t seem to fit the personality of Chris. The segment can be viewed here:
– The same Fox report also included an interview with the Reverend George Dillard, pastor at the church that Nancy and Daniel had been attending for the past three months, who said that Nancy had approached him for spiritual (but not marriage) counseling, and asked him to pray over a silver cross necklace she bought for Chris for his birthday, and that she was happy about where he was headed in his spiritual life. The report said that Robison introduced the Benoits to Dillard.
– Bret Hart will be on Larry King Live this Monday on CNN.
– Chris Benoit’s mother spoke with the Toronto Star.
– Bruno Sammartino was quoted in the Philly Daily News saying “I finally got disgusted and walked away because it seems like nobody cares. People keep dying, keep dying, keep dying. But nobody cares … It blows my mind that there are all these investigations in baseball, football and what have you where there have been no reported deaths, and yet when it comes to wrestling, it just goes on like it doesn’t matter, it’s not important, it doesn’t exist.”
– Konnan is quoted throughout a great article in the New York Daily News about the Benoit tragedy and changes that he feels need to be made overall in WWE and the wrestling business.
– Dr. Keith Lipinski has sent word that the July 16, 2007 PEOPLE Magazine has Chris Benoit on the front cover, with title FAMILY SECRETS: “A son’s health mystery, a rocky marriage, a looming drug scandal. Inside the wrestler’s troubled world.” The story gives a great account of the tragedy thus far, with quotes from the local D.A. as well as Dean Malenko, Brad Armstrong and others. Also, the National Enquirer (July 16, 2007) has Benoit on the top of the front page: “WRESTLING MURDER-SUICIDE MINUTE-BY-MINUTE WHAT REALLY HAPPENED INSIDE THE HOUSE” (with small pictures of Nancy and Daniel and a menacing pic of benoit in the ring with the caption “Chris Benoit killed wife, son and himself”). The Globe (another tabloid) had him on the front cover holding up the Big Gold Belt after Mania XX.
– Also from Dr. Keith: New episode [of the Monday Night War Show] was shown today on WWE 24/7. They showed the Nitro from 2/10/1997. They edited off a Kevin Sullivan/Miss Jackie promo where she threatened Woman and Sullivan mentioned they lived together. Also, the Benoit & Mongo vs. Chavo & Jarrett match was also editied off as well as a post match Horsemen interview. According to PWInsider.com, several Comcast and Cox cable subscribers wrote in to say that the show aired without edits.
– On WHTK-AM in Rochester, Roddy Piper was interviewed (on June 30) saying “should have had the damn dinner†in response to Benoit recently asking Piper to go to dinner with him to talk. Piper said he will attend Chris Benoit’s funeral, which will be his first funeral since Adrian Adonis’ because he “can’t handle them,†called Chris his “brother†and says he will stay on Benoit’s “side until the very end.†Piper said “I stand behind Chris Benoit a hundred percent, I’ll be at his funeral, and we’ll wait and see what comes back (from the toxicology reports).â€Â
