Former pro wrestler William "Billy Jack" Haynes in custody after wife found dead in Oregon home
Former professional wrestler William Albert "Billy Jack" Haynes Jr. has been taken into police custody in connection with the death of his wife in Portland, authorities said.
Portland police said in a statement that Haynes, 70, was in police custody at a local hospital, undergoing treatment "for a medical condition unrelated to the homicide or his contact with law enforcement."
Police said charges would be announced when Haynes is booked into jail.
Haynes was identified by police as the suspect in the fatal shooting of Janette Becraft, 85. Police said they responded Thursday to reports of a shooting in a Portland neighborhood and requested help from special teams including crisis negotiators. CBS affiliate KOIN-TV reported that Haynes was detained two hours after two hours of negotiations. Police found Becraft dead inside the home.
A police spokesperson on Monday did not answer questions about the case, including whether Haynes had been released from the hospital, citing the ongoing investigation. It was not known whether Haynes had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Police said that Becraft's family asked for privacy.
Neighbor Brelynn Matthieu told KOIN-TV that she knew the couple.
"It's just a huge tragedy. I was pretty decently close to both of them and loved them very much. It's a really sad day, all around," Matthieu said.
Press Release: UPDATE #4: Suspect in Lents Neighborhood Homicide Investigation Identified (Photo)
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) February 10, 2024
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Haynes performed as Billy Jack Haynes during a career that included competing in the World Wrestling Federation, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment. A pro wrestling website said Haynes had an up-and-down career, wrestling against such well-known figures as Ric Flair and Randy "Macho Man" Savage during the 1980s.
"He was telling me all kinds of stories about old wrestling and I told him how I used to go watch him," neighbor Steve Odry told KOIN-TV.
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