, an ebook that Argentinos sisters collaborated on with, , who had been doing the seminal reporting on the case. Its been an exceptionally busymonth for McMahon and his company. Nancy Argentino, in happier times. This was a week after District Attorney Jim Martin announced he was re-opening the case. 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. By. . Look, Im in the garbage business, McMahon purportedly said. As for the presence of dirt and gravel that could have indicated Argentino had indeed fallen at the side of the road, to say that Mihalikis did not find any unusual amounts is being generous no such particles were found in Argentinos clothing, hair or scalp at all. His wife maintains that her husbanddid not kill Argentino. Most documented cases have occurred in athletes of contact sports such as American football, ice hockey, rugby, boxing, and professional wrestling. Eerily, Salome recalled feeling restless that night. Indeed, at the hospital, Argentino signed a release form to share her medical records with the Sheriffs Department. Snuka alleged that s All Ill say is I think his legacy is intact. In real time, though, all her sisters knew was that she went from calling late at night in a panic, saying Snuka was chasing her, to saying the next morning that nothing had happened beyond a misunderstanding. As the docuseries points out, there was another passenger in the car with them who doesnt recall any fall. However, their dream relationship quickly turned to horror. He instead told him that Snuka told one story, and it was perfectly consistent every time. (Use code PWS for a nice surprise). Then they get to the motel and napped. Adding to the controversy was that Snuka was married to another woman whom he had children with at the time of his relationship with Argentino. The DAs office and the media certainly failed to do their jobs following Snukas first horrific assault. The senator waited 10 hours until he reported the incident and claimed that his behavior had been "indefensible." 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. Muchnick considers that to be "a blatant lie." However, the, for the investigation of her murder from Pennsylvanias Whitehall Township Bureau of Police which I obtained from the same lawsuit appendix that included the New York file points to one possible reason. Buddy Rogers left him there and vowed to attend the church service later, but he didnt. In the article, he compares Nancy Argentino to Mary Jo Kopechne. Images. WWE ECW Relaunch | Where Did It All Go Wrong? I think she died of a fracture to her skull. I think she died of a fracture to her skull. 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. Yes, that Vince McMahon, then Snukas promoter as the owner of Titan Sports d/b/a the World Wrestling Federation, and now the chairman, CEO and owner of the WWFs successor, World Wrestling Entertainment. And in his book Snuka, besides fearing needles (even though the word fear, he vows, is not part of my vocabulary) boasts his respect of women. Snuka, a cliff diver and bodybuilder with a vertical leap as impressive as his physique, was the WWFs newly minted top good guy. big money for everything he had planned. The charges were dismissed in 2017 as Snuka . 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). As those in the center of the true crime/wrestling fan Venn diagram will likely be aware, VICE TV's 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. Her daughter was dead. In a contemporaneous memo, addressed from a lawyer identified as DNZ to colleague SRW (Steven R. Waxman, according to filings from the civil case), the lawyer recounts what he learned from his discussions with Platt while going over the prosecutors file, which he wasnt allowed to copy. Argentino was dating World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling star James Reiher Snuka known professionally as Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka when she died under suspicious circumstances in 1983. For 30 years, Snuka continued with his life as if nothing had happened. Javier Ojst is an old-school wrestling enthusiast currently residing in El Salvador. In 2017, Jon Chattman, author of Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story, was interviewed by Pro Wrestling Illustrated Senior Writer Al Castle for the PWI Podcast. He was very protective, a showman, Steinberg said. Its been known within the business if not exactly a topic of conversation every f*****g day that something f*****g happened.". In 1985: The Argentino family won a $500,000 wrongful-death civil lawsuit against Snuka but never received their money. Mick Foley spoke about Snuka, a man who inspired him to pursue a career in wrestling. Dr. Mihalikis did not find any bruises, lacerations or other indications of a beating or prior injuries. Hello! If this is correct on their part, I do not know. Snuka recalled the coke-induced bender at the hotel where he and his boys would party and crash. Foreman Grill: A $200m Mistake for Hulk Hogan! . On top of being, according to his then on-screen manager/real-life babysitter Buddy Rogers, Snuka was big money, and with McMahon in the process of plotting a national expansion for his regional promotion their initial trip to California was several weeks away McMahon. However, one of the failings of the Lehigh County District Attorneys Office subsequent to Argentinos death reads more black and white. (It would not be the first time that outrageous rumors have swirled aboutwrestling mogul McMahon.). ), 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. "You have a look and an attitude, I think,. One event was a 2012 poker game in New York in which Snuka won $100,000 for charity, Scheetz said. Snuka also didnt help matters, with. And yet the pro wrestler was never charged. Dark Side Of The Ring S02E05 Jimmy Snuka and the Death of Nancy Argentino. Photo credits to The Morning Call. My client would have liked to clear his name, and there was never a doubt in my mind that a jury would have acquitted him if hed been well enough to stand trial., The judge dismissed the charges by saying that she was satisfied that Jimmy Snuka would not regain competency, and "it would be unjust to resume the prosecution.". Ive never heard of anything like it before.. I think we stopped drinking after thatshe did at least, according to Snuka. 0. There is nothing in the historical record to suggest that the autopsy report had never been committed to paper before the May 1984 visit with Platt. Me, personallyif you ask me, Do you think Jimmy did it? No. In the same letter, Zemenz appears to imply that Sparkes was attempting to get the charges dropped extrajudicially, as he added that the officers felt that if any plea bargain, etc., was done[,] it more properly should come from the District Attorneys Office or the Courts. More pointedly, he stipulated, It was generally felt that this is turning into a publicity gimmick to benefit only Snuka, of which they want no part, citing the media coverage. [Photo: Patriotpost.us]As told to The Daily Beast, Muchnick, while researching the incident, says that Detective Procanyn never told him that they didnt have enough evidence to indict Snuka. The fall didnt seem like anything serious. Due to COVID-19 and current government mandated impacts on WWE and the media business generally, the Company went through an extensive evaluation of its operations over the past several weeks, a statement from the company reads. January 3rd, 2017: Judge Banach dismisses homicide charges against Jimmy Snuka. They made it to the motel and after Argentino requested to lie down, Snuka left to go to the Allentown Fairgrounds to perform. To this day, nearly four decades later, the death of Nancy Argentino remains unsolved. Even the incident with Roddy Piper smashing a coconut on Snukas head was used! He can be contacted by e-mail at jojst1@gmail.com. At around 4 a.m. trucks were approaching Argentino, who had found a bush to squat and pee. 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. I dont think you erase him from memory, Chattman said. And his story never wavered. Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka enters Lehigh County Court to argue he has the right to have a preliminary hearing in the 1983 murder of his girlfriend in a Whitehall Township motel. He was suffering from stomach cancer and other ailments. Even on the WWF side, the reaction was incredulous: What [Snuka] wants to do in Syracuse is very unusual, said ring announcer and office staffer Howard Finkel, credited as a company spokesman by the Post-Standard. It is considered one of the most authoritative accounts of what happened to Nancy Argentino. Most of the information was gathered from articles by The Morning Call, who, with several different writers, covered the Jimmy Snuka and Nancy Argentino case from when it was revived in 2013 to his hearings and until his passing in 2017. Unlike Chris Benoit, the "Superfly" has not been erased from WWEs history books as of yet. Hours later, paramedics responded to their motel room where Argentino was found unresponsive. If Snuka wanted to donate some money to a local charity they would not be a part of it. Investigating the mysterious story of Jimmy Snuka, whose girlfriend Nancy Argentino died in their motel room in 1983, and revealing her family's 30-year struggle for justice. The excerpts of the interview were provided by WrestlingInc.com. When I got back to the hotel, I remember being very surprised that she was still in bed. Snukas wife, Carole Snuka, told the producers of Dark Side of the Ring that her husband told her that McMahon came into town with his briefcase and told him it was done.. Though the records check from the Sheriffs Office matched the four known charges, the Certificate of Conviction from the court says he pled guilty to Assault 3rd while being sentenced to his one-year conditional discharge. Its possible like Snuka concedes that Argentino was fine with the philandering. Argentino was dating World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling star James Reiher Snuka known professionally as Jimmy Superfly Snuka when she died under suspicious circumstances in 1983. Without more details, its still uncertain whether Snuka really copped a plea for assaulting Argentino (since there were still witnesses), or received a reduced charge for hitting Bronstad. I did not have a clear-cut case. 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. 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. The Argentinos have provided high-resolution copies of all four pages to me: It contains some information that wasnt reported in the 1980s, but its importance becomes more clear in light of the paragraph that discusses Argentinos autopsy. Snukas attorney, Robert J. Kirwan, argued that the fliers and videos did not prove anything about Snukas competency. It was 1983 and only days after Nancy Argentino was found barely breathing, oozing yellow fluid from her mouth and nose while laying almost lifeless, while holed up in Room 427 at the George Washington Motor Lodge in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It was six men in blue with police dogs and everything, he writes, while he was dressed only in his skivvies. ", Dr. Paul Hoyer, a forensic pathologist for the Montgomery County coroners office, added, "Dementia can be a muddy diagnosis, as there is no clear-cut test to determine whether a person suffers from it." Instead, her mother received the phone call that no mother wants to receive. And just like that, only 12 days later, Jimmy Snuka passed away on January 15th, 2017. He adds, "Sometimes being trapped with my thoughts can be more painful than any injury Ive suffered in the ring. All I remember is he had a briefcase with him. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. But it appears Snukas big mouth or fuzzy memory caught up to him. I love women, he writes. June 1st, 2016: Almost six months after being tried for third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, Judge Kelly L. Banach determined that Jimmy Snuka was not mentally fit to assist his defense. I never wanted to harm her. I met him, and he was the kindest man possible. due to Snukas apparent mental incompetence mere days before his 2017 death from stomach cancer. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Reached by phone yesterday, Sharon Georgi said she was having dinner. From the autobiography Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story by Jon Chattman: "At the funeral, I told her mother and father how sorry I was about her death. With Sam Fatu, Valerie Franzen, Jim Garfield, Chris Jericho. But its a touchy subject. All the pieces were there. He called the video of a May 2015 wrestling match the prosecution had shown from a Rhode Island gymnasium fake, pointing out how slowly and carefully Snuka climbed the ropes before falling onto the other wrestlers chest. Thats to say nothing of any potential reputational harm to the organization. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. When I woke her up, I picked her up and said, Are you okay, honey? And Argentino apparently replied, Yeah, but its just my head, my bump.. If you think Im going to be hurt by the revelation that one of my wrestlers is really a violent individual, youre mistaken.. I was devastated., Snuka continues, "That night ruined my life. , then Snukas promoter as the owner of Titan Sports d/b/a the World Wrestling Federation, and now the chairman, CEO and owner of the WWFs successor, World Wrestling Entertainment. Lorraine reveals that Nancy's childhood friend Ellen was engaged to Johnny Rodz, a legendary journeyman wrestler and trainer, and this was how she was introduced to the world of wrestling. And of course, as noted earlier, Mihalikis ruled the death a homicide, not an accident. , was failed by an editor who gave it the headline, Judging by Bare Facts It Was Quite a Match. Worse, it was accompanied by a cartoon mocking the ordeal. After being informed of her ex-husbands murder charges, she told The Daily Beast, I have nothing further to offer.. The only thing I know for sure is that I didnt hurt Nancy.. According to the Sheriffs Department file for the case, which I obtained via the Argentino familys wrongful death lawsuit against Snuka, at least two officers on the scene witnessed Snuka resuming his attack on Argentino that same night. Nothing we could do., And just before Argentinos life was taken, her sister said she had promised to be home for Mothers Day. Still, Judge Robert Steinberg, an assistant district attorney at the time, was there and remembered that McMahon did all the talking but was cooperative. This episode looks at the mysterious death of Nancy Argentino, a young woman who Jimmy Snuka dated in the early 80's at the height of his wrestling popularity. He was charged with second and third-degree assault, resisting arrest, and obstruction of governmental administration. I would never use full force. ", Snukas defense attorney Robert Kirwin, who had motioned for the case to be closed once it had been determined in June 2016 that Snuka was mentally unfit to assist his defense, said, "It was time for there to be closure. There is much that is not publicly known about this case. I just look at the whole thing as a shame because theres a loss of human life there.. Recovering from that[,] I observed that the male had grabbed the female by her hair and was dragging her face along the wall (north) of the building. (When I reached Bronstad recently, he basically told the same story, including volunteering the detail about Snuka resuming his attack on Argentino in front of him. He doesnt remember if money was given to the family of Nancy Argentino, but he knows for sure that he did not hurt her. 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. Dementia is defined legally as being unable to understand whats going on. She said, "Justice suffers after 30 years because everything decays.". David Bixenspan is a freelance reporter who lives in Brooklyn. But there were clear signs that her sisters love affair was rocky. Snuka, having lost his physical green card in 2007, began the process to get a new one, which included a new criminal background check. 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