Ex-WWE Star Billy Jack Haynes Charged With Murder in Connection to Wife's Death

Former WWE wrestler Billy Jack Haynes has just been charged with second-degree murder for alleged involvement in his wife's death earlier this month.

According to a Portland Police Bureau announcement, police were called to the couple's home on Feb. 8 after reports of gunshots on their property. When authorities arrived, they confronted Haynes in a standoff before going inside their home. Upon entry, the officers found the body of Haynes' 85-year-old wife Janette Becraft. Haynes was taken to a local hospital where police say he was treated for "a medical condition unrelated to the homicide or his contact with law enforcement." Becraft's cause of death was determined by a medical examiner to be homicide by gunshot wound.

On Feb. 28, Haynes was officially charged in connection to the case and is currently facing jail time for second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon. A neighbor who spoke with KPTV said he'd recently been in the hospital after falling and breaking his ribs; his wife, meanwhile, was living with dementia.

Haynes first rose to fame in the pro wrestling world in the 1980s and spent two years in WWE, then named the World Wrestling Federation. He found himself in the ring with some other giants of the WWF like Ric Flair, Hercules Hernandez, and Randy "Macho Man" Savage. He retired from professional wrestling in 1996.

In 2014, Haynes was one of several former pro wrestlers who sued the WWE with claims of "egregious mistreatment" and allegations that the organization hadn't done enough to protect its stars from serious head injuries that can cause brain damage. The class-action case was eventually dismissed in 2019.

Haynes made his first court appearance Feb. 29.