Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka (third from left) arrives with his wife Carole (right) for day four of his competency hearing at the Lehigh County Courthouse in Allentown on June 1, 2016. Kyle Dunning. But Snuka will have few chances to steal many easy winks now that he is facing 20 to 40 years in the big house if hes convicted of third-degree murder. These changing stories and the official manner of death werent known publicly until 2013, when the, discovered the autopsy report and a Snuka police interview transcript both previously unavailable due to the case still being open in court records from the Argentino familys later wrongful death lawsuit against Superfly. That, and other provable incidents of domestic abuse. I love the smell of the ladies. The cops just didnt give me the chance to explain. During the hearings to determine whether Jimmy Snuka was mentally competent to stand trial, his defense attorney Robert Kirwin said that Snuka suffered from brain trauma so severe that he had developed CTE and, subsequently, dementia. In October 1983, Debbie Rogers, the wife of Snukas manager, Buddy, took photos and notes of injuries to Sharon as a result of her beating by Snuka and her hospitalization, according to a criminal complaint. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. When I got back to the hotel, I remember being very surprised that she was still in bed. Specifically, those other incidents of domestic abuse were that of Snuka hospitalizing his then-wife Sharon in September 1983 (no charges filed, but testified to by both Sharon and then-neighbor Debbie Rogers); and Snukas January 18, 1983 arrest for beating Argentino. He communicated to her that Snuka was now a free man. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. If you missed it, the immediate things you need to know are that Argentino died of complications from a skull fracture; that Snuka initially told a variety of stories that involved pushing her, only to change his tune claiming she slipped and fell at the side of the road after she died; that the coroner ruled it a homicide in a report that wasnt made public; and that the case mysteriously stalled out after just three weeks. All royalties from Irvin Muchnicks 1992 book JUSTICE DENIED: The Untold Story of Nancy Argentinos Death in Jimmy Superfly Snukas Motel Room are donated to organizations fighting domestic violence. . This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Its possible like Snuka concedes that Argentino was fine with the philandering. With this information, the cause of death would have been termed accidental if a formal autopsy report was prepared., As it would later transpire, the paragraph contradicts the complete coroners office file, which I obtained as part of the same civil case appendix mentioned earlier. All Ill say is I think his legacy is intact. Still, Judge Robert Steinberg, an assistant district attorney at the time, was there and remembered that McMahon did all the talking but was cooperative. I didnt push [Jimmy] at all. Snuka recalled the coke-induced bender at the hotel where he and his boys would party and crash. The memo was first published in Justice Denied, an ebook that Argentinos sisters collaborated on with Irvin Muchnick, who had been doing the seminal reporting on the case since 1992, as a benefit for a battered womens shelter. The manager would quickly reply that the much larger figure one which amounts to almost $66,000 with inflation wasnt an issue. It was none other than the then-WWE chairman and essentially the Wizard of wrestlings OzVince McMahon Jr. He was there and he knew everything about it, Snuka told a radio show host. That might change as prosecutors announced on Tuesday that a grand jury will review the case which has long cast suspicion on Snuka. He instead told him that Snuka told one story, and it was perfectly consistent every time. As it would later transpire, the paragraph contradicts the complete, , which I obtained as part of the same civil case appendix mentioned earlier. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by mild or repeated head trauma, but the exact amount needed for the condition to occur is yet unknown. The WWE has also furloughed manyworkers amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Again, speculation has long run rampant about whether or not McMahon swooped in after her death with his briefcase to finagle Snuka out of trouble (which has never been proven, and McMahon has denied doing so through counsel and a company spokesperson). On top of that, according to her sisters, Nancy also had her own specific value to McMahon: With Snuka being illiterate and without a drivers license, McMahon needed a driver to get him to and from shows, but with his increasingly problematic drug use and erratic behavior, other wrestlers now refused to chauffeur him around, Speculation has long swirled around McMahons involvement in the murder investigation, specifically his presence during Snukas last police interview, the contents of which unlike every other interview summary in the Whitehall file are notoriously not described in the report at all (a fact that then-Chief Frederic Conjour wrote off as nothing in the, documentary). This speculation, though, is now overshadowed by evidence that McMahon may have helped facilitate the cycle of abuse that kept Nancy Argentino in Jimmy Snukas company, and potentially gave Superfly the opportunity to kill her. Ive never heard of anything like it before.. Its been an exceptionally busymonth for McMahon and his company. It was 4 a.m and I was already up. As those in the center of the true crime/wrestling fan Venn diagram will likely be aware, VICE TVs pro wrestling documentary series, Dark Side of the Ring, recently explored the May 11, 1983, death of Nancy Argentino, the then-girlfriend of then-top WWF (now WWE) star Superfly Jimmy Snuka. Picture made on Wednesday, October 7, 2015. PICTURES: The strange story of Jimmy Superfly, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), PICTURES: The strange story of Jimmy Superfly Snuka and Nancy Argentino, District 11 boys basketball: ACCHS rolls into the 4A finals with rout of Pottsville, District 11 girls basketball: Easton cruises past Nazareth, Liberty downs Northampton in semifinals, Lehigh Valley sports scores and a look at Wednesdays schedule, Easton plays Nazareth at Allen High| PHOTOS, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, As many as 700,000 Illinois residents could lose Medicaid health coverage this year, Balloon ban made official in Laguna Beach, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Snuka definitely says he saw Argentino hit the ground. At the time of Argentinos death, the leaping phenom was a married man with kids and claimed to have girlfriends everywhere. When Argentino was killed, the WWF had been bringing its TV tapings to Allentown which borders Whitehall every three weeks for several years, making the company key to the local economy. Her sisters, Louise Argentino and Lorraine Salome, tell me that they believe that this was the first time Snuka had gotten violent, meaning that Argentinos resolve wouldnt necessarily be worn down yet. vice_videos:premiere. In the commotion Argentino managed to call her sister Salome. The charges were dismissed in 2017 as Snuka . Perhaps in an effort to rewrite history, Snuka attempts to once again clear his name in his book about how the fatal bump on the head happened. WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon speaks at a news conference announcing the WWE Network on January 8, 2014. The date was May 11, 1983, . It was obvious. Detective Procanyn was a former Whitehall detective on the scene at the motel when Argentino was rushed to the hospital in 1983. Its hard because were talking about a human life that passed away. They blew it up, brother.) copped a plea for harassment and got a conditional discharge. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! This speculation, though, is now overshadowed by evidence that McMahon may have helped facilitate the cycle of abuse that kept Nancy Argentino in Jimmy Snukas company, and potentially gave Superfly the opportunity to kill her. This was to prove that he was lucid. Some outlets inexplicably found humor in it: , for example, glosses over the underlying domestic violence, choosing to frame Snuka violently resisting arrest in joking terms like a pro wrestling match, using phrases such as the match was on and a nine-deputy tag-team. Local media wasnt much better, with, running with the headline, Police, Dogs Win Round.. , an ebook that Argentinos sisters collaborated on with, , who had been doing the seminal reporting on the case. On September 1st, 2015: After a grand jurys recommendation, Martin proceeds to charge Snuka with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. They blew it up, brother.), copped a plea for harassment and got a conditional discharge. She was staying in a motel room with Jimmy Snuka in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania. But her family thought they were more an item. How a Volcano Forced Big Changes, Jim Johnston The Man Behind Legendary WWE Theme Songs, Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahons Venomous 25-Year Feud, Marty Jannetty His Turbulent Life After The Rockers, Bret Hart and Tom Magee: Finding Wrestlings Holy Grail, Wrestler Nanjo Singh and His Wifes Brutal Murder. The writer was onto the flimsy slip-and-fall storylines Snuka had peddled to police and prosecutors. I could not understand why the district attorney could not see it., 30 years later, the case was still unsolved, but an opportunity for the case to be re-opened presented itself. Chattman said that while the criminal charges left a blemish on Snukas legacy, he does not think they should define it. Nothing we could do., And just before Argentinos life was taken, her sister said she had promised to be home for Mothers Day. A Lehigh County judge has dropped homicide charges against Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka after viewing the former WWE wrestler's medical records. Reached by phone yesterday, Sharon Georgi said she was having dinner. Snuka, having lost his physical green card in 2007, began the process to get a new one, which included a new criminal background check. Finally, Dr. Mihalikis did not find any unusual amounts of dirt, gravel or other substances on Ms. Argentinos clothing. Argentino fell down on her own when they made a bathroom roadside pitstop on their way into Allentown. In 1985, Nancy Argentino's family won a $500,000 judgment against the Superfly in a federal wrongful-death civil lawsuit; but after filing for bankruptcy the retired wrestler reportedly. Take Dr. Isidore Mihalakiss autopsy report noting that the multiplicity and magnitude of Nancy Argentinos dozen or more craniocerbral blows may even be suggestive of mate abuse and that this case should be investigated as a homicide until proven otherwise.. In another version, Snuka claims he called the authorities as soon as they got to the hotel room. On top of being the top WWF star, Snuka, according to his then on-screen manager/real-life babysitter Buddy Rogers, also had a massive cocaine problem. The senator waited 10 hours until he reported the incident and claimed that his behavior had been "indefensible." ), A year after Argentino was killed, with her family having retained lawyers from Schonwald, Schaffzin & Mullman, one of the lawyers on the case travelled to Allentown, Pennsylvania, to meet with Lehigh County District Attorney William Platt. What the f***?". ). Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. In the end, I paid a fine and the charges were dropped., It was after that party that Argentinos family tried to convince her to kick Snuka to the curb. , obtained from U.S. Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka leaves Lehigh County Court through the back garage after a hearing relating to the 1983 murder of his girlfriend in a Whitehall Township motel. After that meeting, investigators ruled Argentino's death an accident. due to Snukas apparent mental incompetence mere days before his 2017 death from stomach cancer. Its impossible to discern causality, too whether the explanation is simply innocent, lazy reporting, or something more sinister. Hamilton mentioned the case of Chris Benoit in 2007 who reportedly killed his wife and son. It is a sobering tale filled with possible cover-ups and the needless death of a young woman. Nancy Argentino in an undated photo. These changing stories and the official manner of death werent known publicly until 2013, when the Allentown Morning Call discovered the autopsy report and a Snuka police interview transcript both previously unavailable due to the case still being open in court records from the Argentino familys later wrongful death lawsuit against Superfly. That, and other provable incidents of domestic abuse described to the grand jury, led to an eventual indictment on murder charges, which were dismissed due to Snukas apparent mental incompetence mere days before his 2017 death from stomach cancer. Procanyn didnt say to me, We didnt have enough evidence to indictwhich at least would have been plausible. They were driving to Allentown in their purple Lincoln carand Argentino needed to relieve herself. If this is correct on their part, I do not know. The District Attorneys office is arguably a different story. He was charged with second and third-degree assault, resisting arrest, and obstruction of governmental administration. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Three weeks after The Morning Call published the story recalling the death of Nancy Argentino and revealing an autopsy report and police interviews never seen by the public, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin asked Chief Deputy District Attorney Charles Gallagher and Detective Gerry Procanyn "if theres anything to be gained by opening a grand jury investigation." He believed that there was enough to take it to a grand jury as a murder case, but William Platt thought otherwise. They definitely do not want any tickets reserved for them for the April 7th wrestling match and would not attend. Kirwin, speaking about the prosecution publicly for the first time, also added, "Their case was doomed from the start. October 29, 2020. What else could I possibly say.. I went online, and there was a lot of stuff that I also heard that I took to him. Menu. Whats more, the 12-24 hour delay for Snuka to call for help contributed to the emergency staffers inability to resuscitate Argentino. As she did, I moved in front of the doorway and the male ran towards me and struck me in the chest area with his left forearm and pushed me against the wall. My mom told her, Listen, Nancy, youre too pretty and too smart to put up with this. I respect them. While there has always been debate about what exactly happened to Nancy Argentino on May 10, 1983, some basic facts have been confirmed. But if he did this, this should have been settled a long time ago.". Patreon: https://goo.gl/hFwQbF Many More Videos: https://goo.gl/p1cRZN My Twitter Page --- http://bit.ly/1Pes74s My Facebook Page --- http://on.fb.me/1U9C3o. He even remembered telling her, Ill see you later, honey. President Donald Trump, to an advisory group dedicated to reopening the country during the coronavirus pandemic, allwhile WWE has continued running its weekly live wrestling, Florida has deemed WWE an essential business. Only after Nancy was killed did we learn that he was married and it was a total shock that he was living this double life, Argentinos sister Lorraine Salome added. If you think Im going to be hurt by the revelation that one of my wrestlers is really a violent individual, youre mistaken., Tickle Me Kaczynski: How the Inventor of the Ultimate Elmo Toy Became a Unabomber Suspect, The Unexpectedly Sweet Story Behind Those Viral Semi-Truck Pregnancy Photos, I Wore Magnetic Underwear for a Week to See If It Would Give Me a Boner of Steel, A Highly Questionable Cultural History of Richard Geres Ass Gerbil. I felt bad about it brother. Oh, and hed donate $1,500 his alleged purse for his return to Syracuse that same day to Sheriff John Dillons favorite charity, the, Reality is seemingly more complicated: Sparkes, Snukas lawyer, had suggested not just a deal based on the donation and a public apology, but a public apology, , at the Onondaga County War Memorial on April 7th, where he would leave tickets for the officers involved. Surrounded by family and his lawyer, former professional wrestler Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, right, arrives at Lehigh County Courthouse in Allentown, Pa. on Friday, May, 13, 2016. The couple were even hatching plans to purchase a New Jersey townhouse together. Look, Im in the garbage business, McMahon purportedly said. They all felt that if any of the offerings made by Snukas attorney were accepted (particularly in view of the publicity) that it would appear they were being influenced into dropping the charges, he added. 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nancy argentino death photos