Police in Oregon have arrested former pro wrestler Billy Jack Haynes for the murder of his wife in their Portland home.
The 71-year-old Haynes, whose real name is William Albert Haynes Jr., was hospitalized after he was taken into custody for a medical condition unrelated to the murder or the arrest,
Portland police responded to the home just before 10 a.m. on Thursday when they received a report about gunshots at the residence. They found Janette Becraft, Haynes’ 85-year-old wife, dead from a gunshot wound.
Haynes was taken to the hospital, reportedly from injuries he suffered in a fall last week, the Oregonian reported.
Neighbors told the newspaper they were shocked by the shooting.
“They adored each other,” said Thomas Matthieu, who lives with his daughter in a separate section of the house where Haynes and Becraft live. “Everywhere they went they were hand in hand. It’s surreal.”
Matthieu’s daughter, Brilynn Matthieu, said she helped take care of Becraft, who had dementia. She said she last saw the couple on Tuesday after Haynes suffered a hard fall the night before. Haynes, she said, left the emergency room early and came back to the house.
“He came back and told her, ‘You know I couldn’t be away from you,’” Matthieu said. “And she just rolled her eyes in a cute little way.”
Police said Haynes will be taken to jail when he’s released from the hospital, and charges will be announced at that time.
Haynes retired from wrestling in 1996 after working as a pro since 1982. He worked with the World Wrestling Federation and Wrestlemania and later World Championship Wrestling and the United States Wrestling Association.
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[Featured image: Janette Becraft/Portland Police Bureau and “Billy Jack” Haynes/WWE]
