Another Pro Wrestler Found Dead Days Before Benoit Murder-Suicide

Thursday, June 28, 2007 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287182,00.html

Sherri Martel

A week to the day before pro wrestler Chris Benoit murdered his wife Nancy, former pro wrestler and manager Sherri Martel was found dead of unknown causes at her mother's home.

Martel, a pro wrestler in the WWE Hall of Fame who later managed the likes of "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, was found dead in her mother's home in McCalla, Ala., on June 15, according to published reports.

Linking the deaths of the Benoits with Martel is former pro wrestler Kevin Sullivan, a man once married to Nancy Benoit and who also was Martel's friend and booker.

Martel, who wrestled under the name "Sensational Sherri," was found dead by her husband, Robert Schrull, according to a report in the Tuscaloosa News.

Click here to read the Tuscaloosa News report.

Following World Wrestling Entertainment's announcement of Martel's death, wrestling Web sites quickly began speculating about case.

Dave Metzler of Wrestling Observer Live told his audience that she did not die of natural causes, saying "this was not a typical wrestler's death," according to reports. But Capt. Loyd Baker of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit told the Tuscaloosa News that foul play was not suspected in her death.

The cause of death is pending her autopsy and toxicology report," he said June 19. An officer in the homicide unit told FOXNews.com that those results could take months to be finished.

Martel began her career in the early 1980s and later went on to manage more than 15 wrestlers including Ric Flair and Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

“Everyone respected her," said Bruce Mitchell, a columnist for the Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter and Web site, told the Tuscaloosa News. "She was an attractive lady, but she wasn’t just eye-candy.

"She was really a pioneer and a trailblazer."

One popular wrestling site, PWTorch.com, reports that Kevin Sullivan, then married to Nancy, tried to pair Martel with wrestler Ric Flair as part of a scripted Nicole Brown/O.J. Simpson ring drama, but that "work" was abandoned.

PWTorch.com writes that in early 1996, Martel became involved in a strange "work" -- or scripted -- feud between Sullivan and wrestler Brian Pillman. The match reportedly got out of hand, and spilled into a backstage confrontation involving Martel and the then-Nancy Sullivan. Reports of the incident say that the argument escalated with Martel spitting on Nancy Sullivan.

Martel reportedly was later fired.

Several wrestling blogs reported that Martel had a drug problem and had entered a 21-day rehab program, but investigating police would not comment.

Click here to read how Nancy Benoit became a pro wrestling wife, mom and manager.

Click here to read about other tragedies and deaths in pro wrestling.

I have attached a lovely picture of Sherri and myself
taken in Lenoir, North Carolina.

I love your site and reporting.
Scotty Campbell of Nashville, TN

Thanks Scotty for updating us on Sherri. I was told by a family member last week, they were waiting for reports to come back, but it is still a suspicious death.

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