Dr. Phil Astin III not arrested, but is “person of interest”

Drug agents from the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department Wednesday at midnight raided the office of the personal physician for pro wrestler Chris Benoit, serving a search warrant in Carrollton, officials said.

Dr. Phil Astin III is a “person of interest” but has not been arrested or charged with any crime, said Capt. Mike Pruitt of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, who heads up the department’s Drug Task Force.

Pruitt confirmed that some items were seized from Astin’s office in Carrollton, but he did not provide details on what exactly was taken. The investigation is ongoing, Pruitt said Thursday afternoon.

The investigation was sparked by the discovery of prescription medication, including steroids, that were found inside Benoit’s home when deputies investigated the death of Chris Benoit, his wife Nancy and their 7-year-old son Daniel, officials said.

Pruitt clarified that although the investigation began with information from the scene of the murders, the investigation into the drugs is being conducted separately.

Meanwhile, Albany County, New York prosecutors said Wednesday that pro wrestler Chris Benoit had received packages from an Orlando, Fla. company whose owners have admitted to prescribing drugs — including steroids — even though the company knew the patients had no medical need for the drugs.

The press release did not indicate the contents of the packages that were sent to Benoit from Signature Pharmacy and an online “wellness clinic” called MedXlife.com. The Albany, N.Y. investigation by the office of District Attorney David Soares has led to multiple indictments and guilty pleas from five pharmacists and one doctor connected to the case, officials said.

Two of the defendants in the case, MedXlife owners Greg Trotta and Brian Schafler, admitted in open court that they used Dr. Gary Brandwein to prescribe the controlled substances, including steroids, even though it was known the patients had no medical need for the drugs, Soares said.

Authorities have said they believe Chris Benoit killed his wife sometime Friday and killed his son sometime Saturday before later killing himself. Nancy and Daniel Benoit both died of asphyxiation, and Chris Benoit hung himself in the basement weight room using a cable tied around his neck that was connected to weights, officials said.

The family’s bodies were found in their central Fayette home just east of Peachtree City on Green Meadow Lane Monday afternoon. Deputies were dispatched to the home initially to check on Chris Benoit after co-workers at World Wrestling Entertainment became concerned for his welfare, officials said.

Tuesday afternoon Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department said the prescription medication found at the Benoit home appeared to be legitimate.

The raid on Astin’s office was conducted in conjunction with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, Pruitt said.

Soares said through the Internet steroids are available to anyone, whereas they were once “only available in gyms and through underground distribution.”

“Steroids are dangerous, can cause violent side effects and more needs to be done to ensure these drugs and other controlled substances are regulated, and do not end up in the hands of anyone, adults or children, without a valid prescription,” Soares said.

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