Chris Benoit's Doctor Charged, Jailed in Drug Probe

It is reported that Astin was a longtime friend of Benoit.

Chris Benoit Photo courtesy: champsarehere.com

(ATLANTA) - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit's personal physician has been charged with improperly dispensing painkillers and other drugs to his patients.

Police say the famous wrestler killed his wife and son before committing suicide, his fans have been devastated.

Dr. Phil Astin is indicted on seven counts of dispensing drugs like Percocet, Xanax, Lorcet and Vicoprofen between April 2004 and September 2005. Benoit's initials were not listed among the names of the drug recipients named in the indictment.

The AP reports that another criminal complaint was lodged against Astin Monday, alleging that he had written prescriptions for around a million doses of controlled substances including "significant quantities" of injectable testosterone cypionate, an anabolic steroid.

Investigators have raided Astin's west Georgia office two times since last week.

A DEA complaint alleges that the doctor's prescriptions were "excessive" for a medical office with a sole practitioner in a rural area like Carrollton, about 40 miles west of Atlanta.

He is suspected of prescribing a 10-month supply of anabolic steroids to Benoit every three to four weeks between May 2006 and May 2007.

An affidavit states that Benoit was identified as an excessive purchaser of injectable steroids during a probe of a company called RX Weight Loss.

Astin is identified as the supplier of various controlled substances the DEA says, including injectable anabolic steroids that they say were found in Benoit's home.

It is reported that Astin was a longtime friend of Benoit, and that he prescribed testosterone in the past. The doctor has not said what medications he prescribed when Benoit visited his office June 22nd, or if he prescribed any at all. The 22nd is the day investigators believe that Benoit killed his wife.

Anabolic steroids that were discovered in Benoit's home cause investigators to question whether the drugs played a role in the killings. Some experts suggest that steroids can cause paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."

In the meanwhile, they say finding a motive in the case remains elusive.

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