But there were clear signs that her sisters love affair was rocky. What the f***?". According to a criminal complaint, there are photos and notes of these injuries taken by Debbie Rogers, the wife of Snukas manager at the time, the legendary Nature Boy Buddy Rogers. For 30 years, Snuka continued with his life as if nothing had happened. Homicide charges against Snuka in the 1983 death of his girlfriend Nancy Argentino, 23, in a Whitehall. A year after Argentino was killed, with her family having retained lawyers from Schonwald, Schaffzin & Mullman, one of the lawyers on the case travelled to Allentown, Pennsylvania, to meet with Lehigh County District Attorney William Platt. The autopsy report told cops to consider Nancy Argentinos death a homicide. He has also been published on Slam Wrestling and in G-FAN Magazine. she died; that the coroner ruled it a homicide in a report that wasnt made public; and that the case mysteriously stalled out after just three weeks. Many critics, however, would argue that justice delayed was justice denied.". Track back 30 years to the documented interview with Detective Gerald Procanyn of the Whitehall Police Department at the hotel. Nancy was Italian, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 115 pounds with dark, curly hair and brown eyes. Picture made on Wednesday, October 7, 2015. Vice's "Dark Side of the Ring" took on the death of Nancy Argentino in a new episode, which aired April 12. [Photo Courtesy of The Daily Beast]Nancy Argentino was just 23 when she died in 1983 after being rushed to a hospital with a serious head injury. I was devastated., Snuka continues, "That night ruined my life. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. But Snuka will have few chances to steal many easy winks now that he is facing 20 to 40 years in the big house if hes convicted of third-degree murder. Snukas wife, Carole Snuka, told the producers of Dark Side of the Ring that her husband told her that McMahon came into town with his briefcase and told him it was done., Her family claimed that WWE offered them $25K following her death. We kind of expected it because there were so many ridiculous things going on with the defense. She went on to decry Snukas incompetency defense as "a total act. ", Snukas defense attorney Robert Kirwin, who had motioned for the case to be closed once it had been determined in June 2016 that Snuka was mentally unfit to assist his defense, said, "It was time for there to be closure. due to Snukas apparent mental incompetence mere days before his 2017 death from stomach cancer. The findings showed that she had more than two dozen cuts and bruises a possible sign of mate abuse on her head, ear, chin, arms, hands, back, buttocks, legs, and feet. In a contemporaneous memo, addressed from a lawyer identified as DNZ to colleague SRW (Steven R. Waxman, according to filings from the civil case), the lawyer recounts what he learned from his discussions with Platt while going over the prosecutors file, which he wasnt allowed to copy. How a Volcano Forced Big Changes, Jim Johnston The Man Behind Legendary WWE Theme Songs, Bruno Sammartino and Vince McMahons Venomous 25-Year Feud, Marty Jannetty His Turbulent Life After The Rockers, Bret Hart and Tom Magee: Finding Wrestlings Holy Grail, Wrestler Nanjo Singh and His Wifes Brutal Murder. Ive never heard of anything like it before.. Surrounded by family and his lawyer, former professional wrestler Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, right, arrives at Lehigh County Courthouse in Allentown, Pa. on Friday, May, 13, 2016. They are not against the donation, only that it shouldnt be tied in with the case or the Department., Even on the WWF side, the reaction was incredulous: What [Snuka] wants to do in Syracuse is very unusual, said ring announcer and office staffer, . Argentino fell down on her own when they made a bathroom roadside pitstop on their way into Allentown. Snuka, having lost his physical green card in 2007, began the process to get a new one, which included a new criminal background check. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Instead he said Snuka told one story and it was perfectly consistent every time. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Feel free to discuss this on the Pro Wrestling Stories Facebook and Twitter pages. All of these defenses were given in Snukas autobiography, various interviews, and other sources such as what Snuka supposedly told the nurses in the ER and what they reportedly overheard him say. Yeah, there was some excitement. Whats more, the 12-24 hour delay for Snuka to call for help contributed to the emergency staffers inability to resuscitate Argentino. The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! Me, personallyif you ask me, Do you think Jimmy did it? No. In a moment that, with hindsight, should have been the crossroads where someone intervened to help Argentino, the assembled media largely failed her, refusing to take her story seriously enough to tell it properly. Images. [Photo: Patriotpost.us]As told to The Daily Beast, Muchnick, while researching the incident, says that Detective Procanyn never told him that they didnt have enough evidence to indict Snuka. I moved to the other side of the doorway and saw a woman on the bed against the north wall of the room lying down crying and huddled in a fetal position, added Bronstad, in his own affidavit. In. I want the whole story. It was never one of those deals where We must put this in,' Chattman recalled. Wrestling Babylon: Piledriving Tales of Drugs, Sex, Death, and Scandal, JUSTICE DENIED: The Untold Story of Nancy Argentinos Death in Jimmy Superfly Snukas Motel Room, Dino Bravo | His Shocking Death and Why He Was Murdered by the Mob, Bruiser Bedlam The Insane Crime Life of Wrestlings Ion Croitoru, Ludvig Borga The Surreal, Shocking Life of Tony Halme, https://popcultureretrorama.wordpress.com/author/javierojst/, Disclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/life-death-chris-benoit/, All of these wrestlers in the WWE have head trauma, they cant avoid it, its part of their job, Hamilton stated. On that date, Nancy Argentino, girlfriend of Jimmy Snuka, was declared dead in a Lehigh Valley Hospital. [Photo: WWE Network]In 1999, with internet usage still somewhat in its infancy, when writer Irvin Muchnick first published the story of Snuka and Argentino online, it circulated and gained steam amongst fans and underground newsletters. I could not understand why the district attorney could not see it., 30 years later, the case was still unsolved, but an opportunity for the case to be re-opened presented itself. Obviously, there was enough there to arouse my suspicion but not enough to take it to trial., Mihalakis would later say, Just because she was beaten doesnt mean she was beaten to death.. All I remember is he had a briefcase with him. The stakes were high. Does [Snuka] understand whats going on? Menu. It became clear pretty soon that [Platt] had no intention of presenting the evidence that I amassed. He didnt say anything to me. Nothing we could do., And just before Argentinos life was taken, her sister said she had promised to be home for Mothers Day. On top of being the top WWF star, Snuka, according to his then on-screen manager/real-life babysitter Buddy Rogers, also had a massive cocaine problem. Unlike Chris Benoit, the "Superfly" has not been erased from WWEs history books as of yet. The cops just didnt give me the chance to explain. Yeah, there was some excitement. Police say he also battled with responding police. Months later, on May 10, 1983, Argentino and Snuka traveled to Allentown, Pennsylvania to tape an episode of championship wrestling. This episode looks at the mysterious death of Nancy Argentino, a young woman who Jimmy Snuka dated in the early 80's at the height of his wrestling popularity. At first, it seemed as though Argentino was willing to pursue charges against Snuka. My client would have liked to clear his name, and there was never a doubt in my mind that a jury would have acquitted him if hed been well enough to stand trial., The judge dismissed the charges by saying that she was satisfied that Jimmy Snuka would not regain competency, and "it would be unjust to resume the prosecution.". I didnt know him as a person, but hes a professional cohort. For over two decades investigative reporter and author Irvin Muchnick has been namechecking the former Leheigh County District Attorney William Platt (now a state judge) and the lead detective on Argentinos case for the Whitehall PD, Gerald Procanyn (who became a DAs investigator), as purposely bungling the case. So why did they buy his constantly evolving story? He communicated to her that Snuka was now a free man. All Ill say is I think his legacy is intact. October 29, 2020. They were driving to Allentown in their purple Lincoln carand Argentino needed to relieve herself. Most of the information was gathered from articles by The Morning Call, who, with several different writers, covered the Jimmy Snuka and Nancy Argentino case from when it was revived in 2013 to his hearings and until his passing in 2017. It wasn't long before she caught the eyes of the wrestlers. WWE has not responded to Oxygen.coms request for comment. With regards to the actual events witnessed and lived by deputies at the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge, although the newspaper articles accurately describe the melee between Snuka and the Sheriffs Department, the deputies had much more to say than the papers reported. She added that, in spite of Snuka being charged with a misdemeanor assault in the third degree for his attack on her, he never struck me or intentionally harmed me in any way on January 18, 1983 nor at any other time in the past. (The other charges leveled at Snuka were a felony assault count in the second degree and two more misdemeanors counts of resisting arrest and obstructing government administration.). Thirty years later, Nancy Argentino's death remains unsolved. It was none other than the then-WWE chairman and essentially the Wizard of wrestlings OzVince McMahon Jr. He was there and he knew everything about it, Snuka told a radio show host. pointedly mentioning McMahons briefcase and dropping hints: Procanyn, meanwhile, was no longer available at a phone number that he had been giving out last year; neither the Lehigh Valley DAs office (where he worked more recently) nor the reporter, According to the contemporaneous newspaper reports, Snuka who gave an exclusive, ramblingly vague account of what happened to, The hotel manager just got a little excited. Dementia is defined legally as being unable to understand whats going on. The Argentinos have provided high-resolution copies of all four pages to me: It contains some information that wasnt reported in the 1980s, but its importance becomes more clear in light of the paragraph that discusses Argentinos autopsy. She moved away as he strode toward her. Photo credits to The Morning Call. The date was May 11, 1983, . The Events of Nancy Argentino's Death. Accident is accident brudda., To the responding police officer, according to the complaint, Snuka said they were fooling around outside [sic] room door when he pushed her and she fell striking her head. That same night Snuka told a paramedic that the couple got carried away in horseplay. The docuseries noted that police documents prove that the meeting took place and lastedan hour but there are no notes to indicate what was discussed duringthat meeting. Snuka, a married man, had returned from a World Wrestling Federation taping at the Allentown Fairgrounds to find Argentino gasping for air and oozing yellow fluid from her mouth and nose.". At around 4 a.m. trucks were approaching Argentino, who had found a bush to squat and pee. She had a headache but no blood. The medical evidence showed that he was not getting better, and in fact, hes getting worse.". And just like that, only 12 days later, Jimmy Snuka passed away on January 15th, 2017. It was a. Then, he along with his (since deceased) handler Buddy Rogers, beelined it to the exit vowing Ill come back for the church [service]., He never showed, Argentinos oldest sister Lorraine Salome told The Daily Beast. I would never use full force. For the part of the retired members of the Onondaga County Sheriffs Department, Romanenko died last year, and Bronstad, who wasnt at the hospital, doesnt remember hearing about McMahon involving himself. Even though their decision-making is impaired, there isnt a loss as far as I can tell of the sense of right and wrong., I loved Jimmy Snuka as a fan. Jimmy Snuka and the Death of Nancy Argentino: Directed by Jason Eisener. Other sources have been linked where applicable. My mother thought she was on the way.. I dont know what happened. Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka wrestles in a match on September 4, 1995 in New Hampshire. Adding to the controversy was that Snuka was married to another woman whom he had children with at the time of his relationship with Argentino. And yet the pro wrestler was never charged. Ultimately, this legal matter will be decided by our judicial system. I enjoy them. Charges were not immediately pressed at the time against Jimmy Snuka though the case was left officially open. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Eerily, Salome recalled feeling restless that night. I think Vince Jr. picked me up from the hotel and took me there. Then there were Snukas shifting renditions of what led to Argentinos demise. The Death of Nancy Argentino (Podcast Episode 2019) photos, including production stills, premiere photos and other event photos, publicity photos, behind-the-scenes, and more. But according to newly uncovered police records, Vince McMahon himself may have played a larger role in the events that led to Argentinos later death. Even the incident with Roddy Piper smashing a coconut on Snukas head was used! Ill say that much. Snuka alleged that s Argentino, from Brooklyn, New York, was Snukas mistress and traveled alongside him on the pro wrestling circuit whenever Snuka found himself in the Northeast. Alistair McGeorge. I just look at the whole thing as a shame because theres a loss of human life there.. From the autobiography Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story by Jon Chattman: "At the funeral, I told her mother and father how sorry I was about her death. This was to prove that he was lucid. 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