By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Retired pro wrestler Billy Jack Haynes (William Albert Haynes III) was arrested on Thursday following the fatal shooting of his wife Janette Becraft, 85, at their home in Portland, Oregon. There was a two-hour standoff before the 70-year-old Haynes emerged from the house and was taken into police custody.
Powell’s POV: Word spread fairly quickly that Haynes was the person arrested, but the police did not release his name until today. KATU.com reported that Haynes is in police custody at a local hospital due to a medical condition unrelated to the homicide. He is expected to be taken jail once he is released from the hospital.
Haynes was trained by Stu Hart and debuted in 1982. He most notably worked for the Pacific Northwest and Florida territories before going to the WWF from 1986 to 1988. He also worked as the masked Black Blood character in WCW and retired in 1996. Haynes originally went by Billy Jack, a name he took from the popular Billy Jack series of vigilante movies. Tom Laughlin, the actor who played the lead role and co-produced the movies, threatened to sue Haynes, who then added his last name. Following his in-ring career, Haynes became known for making a lot of outlandish claims during interviews.
Both he and his wife suffered from dementia. He loved her dearly so he couldn’t have been thinking clearly. Sad case all around.