Benoit to be buried separately from wife, son

Wrestling star Chris Benoit will have a private service in Alberta, Canada, separate from the services for his wife and son, his father said Thursday.

Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old mentally disabled son over the weekend before committing suicide at their Fayette County home, authorities said.

"It's a horrible, horrible event that's happened, " said Michael Benoit, speaking softly on the phone. "We have no understanding why it happened. It's going to take us a long time to come to terms with this, and we may never come to terms with it."

Nancy Benoit and Daniel will likely have a service in Florida. Her parents, Paul and Maureen Toffoloni, live in Daytona Beach, Fla. The mother and boy will be cremated, according to Bee Huddleston of Carl J. Mowell and Sons Funeral Home in Peachtree City, which is assisting the families.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Nancy's family, " Michael Benoit, a resident of Ardrossan in Alberta, said. "We're very concerned about the long-term effects on her family. There are no words to describe the loss we feel."

In another development, federal agents raided the Carrollton office of the doctor who prescribed testosterone to the wrestler.

Armed with a search warrant, Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Fayette County Sheriff's Office investigators descended on Phil Astin's office Wednesday night and stayed until early Thursday, DEA spokesman Chuvalo Truesdell said. No arrests were made in the raid.

Hours before the four-hour raid, Astin told the media he had prescribed testosterone to Benoit in the past. Steroids were discovered at Benoit's home after authorities Monday found the bodies. Steroid use can lower the level of testosterone.

The State Board of Medical Examiners took action against Astin in May 2005 because his physician profile failed to say he had been disciplined in 2001 by Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton.

His privileges at the medical center had been suspended for three months "for reasons related to competence or character, " according to medical board papers. But the state-required profile he submitted to the board in 2003 did not mention the suspension. The medical board fined Astin $500 and ordered him to correct his profile.

Autopsies were performed on all three victims earlier in the week. Toxicology reports will be finished at a later date. For Benoit, the toxicology report will include whether steroids were present in his body.

The family was under stress caring for Daniel, who suffered from Fragile X Syndrome, an inherited form of mental impairment, according to World Wrestling Entertainment lawyer Jerry McDevitt. The disease can lead to autistic-like behavior.

Benoit took four months off from work last year for undisclosed personal reasons, McDevitt said. "He was feeling depressed, that kind of thing, " he said. WWE says the possible influence of steroids in the killings has been overblown.

Benoit was one of the biggest stars with WWE, whose matches are broadcast worldwide on network and pay-per-view television. WWE said Benoit tested negative for steroids in April.

Scott Ballard, district attorney for Fayette, said 10 empty beer cans were found in a trash can in the Benoit home. An empty wine bottle was found near where Benoit hanged himself.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office said Thursday it is also investigating Astin.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.