WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Snuka charged with murder of girlfriend in 1983
32 years after the fact, WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka has been charged with the murder of his then girlfriend
Nancy Argentino was dating WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka in the spring of 1983 when she was found in a hotel room badly injured and later died at the Pennsylvania hospital where she was transported with foul play being suspected. After being the only suspect in 1983, charges against Snuka were dropped and the case was left open. On Tuesday, Jimmy Snuka was formally charged with the 1983 murder.
According to Lehigh Valley Live, the 72-year-old former wrestler was charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Argentino. After being arraigned, Snuka was “sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of 10 percent of $100,000 bail.” At the time of the press conference announcing the charges, Snuka was reportedly “in the process of posting bail.”
The WWE has issued a statement, per Wrestle Zone:
"“WWE expresses its continued sympathy to the Argentino family for their loss. Ultimately this legal matter will be decided by our judicial system.”"
Argentino was found in the George Washington Motor Lodge in Whitehall Township, PA on May 10, 1983 after Snuka called for an ambulance shortly after a WWF taping nearby earlier that night.
The DA who announced the charges against Snuka, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer in early August, revealed that Argentino had a skull fracture in addition to 39 contusions and abrasions when she was found and transported to the hospital before her eventual death. The DA also mentioned another separate incident in New York at which time Snuka was reportedly seen dragging the victim by her hair and had to be subdued by a number of officers.
Snuka’s involvement in Argentino’s murder and the subsequent investigation of Snuka have long been littered with rumors of shady behavior. A common one is, on the night of Argentino’s death, Vince McMahon showed up carrying a briefcase to the police station where Snuka had been taken in. Snuka even said in his own autobiography that McMahon had a briefcase with him. Less than an hour later, Snuka was walking free. Considering Snuka’s importance to a pre-Hulk Hogan WWF, that seems quite shady.
Morover, Snuka has given a number of different stories to Argentino’s family over the years, according to reports. While he’s sometimes admitted to doing as much as pushing his girlfriend, he’s also told her family that she fell and hit her head on the sidewalk which resulted in her injuries. The charges would indicate that the latter story is far from the truth.
At the time of her death, the coroner’s report stated that Argentino had suffered “traumatic brain injuries consistent with a moving head striking a stationary object. What exactly happened that night, we don’t know for sure. However, the charges against Snuka could ultimately lead to some closure for the family of the victim and to jail time for the WWE Hall of Famer for his alleged crimes.
WWE has yet to release a statement on the matter. As of 3:49 PM ET, he was still listed on WWE.com’s superstar section and as a member of the Hall of Fame.
H/T to With Spandex