Chris Benoit

Truth is stranger than fiction.

When the truth involves murder, it's far more deplorable and painful and tragic than any fiction could ever be.

World Wrestling Entertainment's Monday Night Raw program on USA Network Monday night was supposed to feature a fictional memorial service for the character of WWE chief Vince McMahon.

The show did end up featuring a memorial service, however it was for three very real people: WWE wrestler Chris Benoit and his wife and son, all of whom were found dead in their suburban Atlanta home earlier on Monday.

...The show opened with McMahon standing in an empty ring in Corpus Christi, Texas, where the Raw show was supposed to feature a memorial for McMahon's "Mr. McMahon" character, who was blown up in a car, according to the show's storyline.

"Tonights storyline was to have been the alleged demise of my character, Mr. McMahon," said a sullen McMahon, wearing jeans instead of his customary tailored suits. "However in reality, WWE superstar Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and their son Daniel are dead."

The remainder of the show was a three-hour tribute to Benoit.

When the tribute aired, media outlets were reporting that the deaths were being investigated as homicides.

Did McMahon and the WWE know at the time that it was likely a murder-suicide, with Benoit the suspected murderer?

If they did, I think it was grossly inappropriate to air a tribute to Benoit.

If they didn't, I don't think USA Network should be condemned for airing the tribute.

As more information on the deaths is revealed, it seems anything meant to glorify Benoit must be viewed as glorifying a murderer.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga -- Pro wrestler Chris Benoit canceled a pay-per-view appearance at the "Vengeance" event in Houston because of "personal reasons" a day before he, his wife and their 7-year-old son were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide.

Details of the deaths "are going to prove a little bizarre" when released to the public, Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Autopsies were scheduled Tuesday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Authorities were investigating the deaths at a secluded Fayette County home as a murder-suicide and were not seeking any suspects.

Investigators believe Benoit (pronounced ben-WAH) killed his wife, 43-year-old Nancy, and son Daniel during the weekend and then himself Monday. The bodies were found Monday afternoon in three separate rooms of the house, off a gravel road about two miles from the Whitewater Country Club.

Ballard told The Associated Press a gun was not used in any of the deaths, but he would not say how the three died.

"We're pretty sure we know, but we want to confirm it with the crime lab," Ballard said early Tuesday.

This is so sad.

Whatever Benoit's problems were, why did he take the lives of his wife and son?

If he couldn't bear to live, than he could have decided to deal with that in any way he saw fit.

But why take others out him? Did Benoit have issues with his wife? Was he angry with her?

Domestic disputes that end in murder aren't unheard of.

I just don't understand how a father could rob his 7-year-old son of his future?

I'm reminded of the shootings in Delavan a couple weeks ago.

Whatever was behind the domestic dispute, whatever wrongs there might have been, I can't fathom anyone responding by taking away the lives of others, especially those of innocent children.