Former pro wrestler Billy Jack Haynes arested in connection with wife's death

Former pro wrestler William Albert Haynes Jr, known as Billy Jack Haynes, has been arrested in connection with his wife, Janette Becraft’s death. CBS News has reported that “Portland police said in a statement that Haynes, 70, was in police custody at a local hospital, undergoing treatment ‘for a medication condition unrelated to the homicide or his contact with law enforcement.

The article goes on to say that “Police said charges would be announced when Haynes is booked into jail. Haynes was identified by police as the suspect in the fatal shooting of Janette Becraft, 85. Police said they responded Thursday to reports of a shooting in a Portland neighbourhood and requested help from special teams including crisis negotiators.”

William Albert Haynes Jr, or Billy Jack Haynes as is better known, was a pro wrestler in WWE from 1986 to 1988 and is best known for facing off against Hercules Hernandez at WrestleMania 111. Billy Jack Haynes was born in Portland, Oregon, USA in 1953 and had a passion for combat sports and athletics in his youth. 

After becoming a pro wrestler, a huge milestone in Billy Jack Haynes’s career was when he defeated Hercules Hernandez. He was known for the ‘Full Nelson’ hold which was his finishing move. It wasn’t only pro wrestling that Billy Jack Hanynes was involved in. Later on in his career, he made the switch to acting and starred alongside other fellow wrestlers in the movie ‘Tough Enough.’ 

The Sun wrote that Janette Becraft, 85, “According to the reports in the US, Becraft was the mother of another pro-wrestler, Tod Becraft, who competed in the ring as Tod Ruhl. Ruhl and Haynes became best friends after meeting again aged nine, and then, after Becraft’s husband Dwight died, she ended up marrying the latter.”