Nancy Benoit was found bound at the hands and feet, and was apparently strangled. Daniel Benoit was found dead in his bed, apparently suffocated. A copy of the Bible had been placed beside both of their bodies. (ABCNews.com)
Professional wrestler Chris Benoit had elevated levels of testosterone in his bloodstream when he apparently strangled his wife, suffocated their 7-year-old son and hanged himself, but there were no signs of additional anabolic steroids in his system, according to toxicology reports released today.
The tests also indicated that the couple's son, Daniel, was likely sedated with the prescription drug Xanax -- a drug rarely prescribed to children -- before he was killed in his bedroom, Dr. Kris Sperry, Georgia's chief medical examiner, said at an afternoon press conference.
"Specifically, I think they do show that Daniel Benoit was sedated at the time when he was murdered," Sperry said.
Nancy Benoit, a former ringside wrestling valet, who went by the name "Woman," also showed therapeutic levels of Xanax, as well as the painkillers hydrocodone and hydromorphone, in her bloodstream. An elevated blood-alcohol level could also be tied to the decomposition of Nancy Benoit's body.
Since police first discovered the bodies three weeks ago, speculation has centered on the role steroids may have played in the Benoit family murder-suicide. But it's now clear from the toxicology reports that while drugs were discovered in the house and in Benoit's bloodstream -- including "therapeutic" levels of hydrocodone and Xanax -- it's not the "laundry list" of performance-enhancing drugs many assumed would be found.
"The only thing we found was testosterone," Sperry said, adding that it was not clear from the tests how frequently Benoit was using the steroid or in what dosages. Nor were the tests able to conclude whether the wrestler had used other performance-enhancing drugs in the past, or if "roid rage" may have driven Benoit to kill his wife, son and himself.
"There is conflicting scientific data as to whether or not testosterone creates mental disorders or leads to outbursts of rage," Sperry said. "There's data that suggests it and other data that refute it. Essentially, I think it's an unanswerable question."
Forensics experts echoed Sperry's findings that testosterone could not be considered the impetus for Benoit's apparent actions based on the test results.
"They have some drugs in their system, so of course it's natural that concerned parties are going to say, 'Is there a connection between these two?'" said Dr. Greg Davis, a state medical examiner in Kentucky. "And all we can say in a case like this is they're coincidental, and there's no way we can make that logical leap to say they're causal."
None of the three bodies showed any evidence of the drug GHB, a popular nightclub drug that can also be used to build muscle mass.
The bulk of the toxicology work was handled by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, according to John Bankhead, the department spokesman. The steroids testing, which was done using Benoit's urine, was handled by a Georgia hospital.
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According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, toxicology reports reveal that the former pro-wrestler Chris Benoit had ten times the normal level of testosterone as well as hydrocodone (a painkiller), and Xanax (an anti-anxiety medication).

Benoit also reportedly tested negative for alcohol.

Benoit's wife, Nancy Benoit also tested positive for Xanax, and the painkiller hydromorphone. Benoit's son Daniel could not be tested due to a lack of urine samples, but Dr. Kris Sperry, the medical examiner who performed the autopsies on the bodies says that "Daniel Benoit was sedated at the time he died" and that "there's no reason why a seven-year-old child would be taking Xanax."

Federal authorities have charged Dr. Phil Astin with improperly dispensing medication painkillers and other drugs to two other patients. Astin has pleaded not guilty.