Former WWE pro wrestler Andrew “Test” Martin was found dead at the age of 33 in his Tampa residence during a police welfare check on March 13, 2009. The cause of death has not been determined but foul play is not suspected. The Tampa Police Department has requested toxicology tests after discovering large amounts of prescription painkillers and anabolic steroids in his Post Harbour Place condominium. Martin was apparently notorious for his use of steroids and sometimes faced fans who chanted accusations of steroid use; Martin defended steroid use for cosmetic purposes as similar to Botox or a facelift. His WWE nickname “Test” is coincidentally slang for testosterone and his fans were affectionately called his Test-icles (”Friend Of ‘Test’ In Shock Over Pro Wrestler’s Death,” March 17).
Prescription drugs including painkillers and steroids were found in Martin’s home, Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said today.
“We’re awaiting the toxicology report to determine if any of those painkillers and steroids played a role in his death,” McElroy said.
“He was obviously very healthy. The mystery of his death will likely come out in his toxicology report.”
The tragic culture of professional wrestling that involves the use of anabolic steroids, prescription painkillers, muscle relaxants, and alcohol has seen numerous young stars die prematurely. The general public has rushed to identify anabolic steroids as responsible for the death of Andrew J. Martin. The predetermined conclusion that steroids were the culprit the death of Andrew “Test” Martin will undoubtedly persist regardless of the official and actual cause of death.
Representative Henry Waxman isolated anabolic steroids as “the” problem when calling a congressional investigation to examine the steroids in professional wrestling. The unfortunate consequence of such contemporary steroid hysteria is that, in the rush to blame anabolic steroids as the single cause of death, the most significant risk factors are predictably overlooked.
Phillippe Astin, M.D., the family physician who prescribed anabolic steroids to Chris Benoit in the year prior to the Benoit double murder-suicide, is going to trial on March 16, 2009. Many will be surprised to learn that in the final 175-count federal indictment, there is not a single charge related to anabolic steroids. Press coverage demonized Dr. Phil Astin as the doctor who prescribed steroids to Chris Benoit. If steroids were to blame for the Benoit tragedy, the evil doctor who gave them to Benoit must also be held responsible.
Federal prosecutors, who initially felt the prescribing of steroids was a “major issue” in the Astin case, decided against steroid distribution charges in the revised indictment. Perhaps they concluded, upon the advice of the Georgia Chief Medical Examiner, that there was insufficient evidence to support the illegal prescribing of steroids. Instead, Phil Astin faces charges of distributing and dispensing approximately one million dosage units of painkillers and stimulants classified as controlled substances, including Percocet, Oxycontin, Demerol, Lorcet, Ritalin, Vicodin, Xanax, Klonipin, Methadone, Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine and Soma “for other than a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice. “
The media chose to demonize anabolic steroids while (purposefully) ignoring the fact that the Benoit household was the recipient of almost 15,000 dosage units** of Lorcet, Soma and Xanax prescribed by the dubious Dr. Astin over a 30 month period. This would supply an average of 15 pills per day.
The media’s main storyline, consistent with the contemporary steroid hysteria, revolved around the scientifically unsupported belief that anabolic steroids caused “roid rage” which ultimately resulted in the tragic Benoit murder-suicide. The media was quick to find statements that they could incorporate into this storyline.
The general public takes comfort in blaming anabolic steroids for violent and abhorrent crimes. The media is quick to find such associations given their tendency towards steroid demonization and steroid hysteria. The latest instance involves child abuse by Anthony Badalamenti in which the perpetrator has been linked to anabolic steroids, the violent beating has been referred to as an example of roid rage, and his behavior has been compared to the Chris Benoit tragedy.
The New York Daily News reports that Anthony Badalamenti obtained anabolic steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) in 2006 from Lowen’s Pharmacy which were prescribed to him by Dr. Richard Lucente (who is under investigation for writing precriptions for performance enhancing drugs) (”Long Island bodybuilder linked to Mitchell Report pharmacy,” November 4).
“I don’t know if this was ‘roid rage, but this sure reminds me of Chris Benoit,” said the source, referring to the professional wrestler who had steroids in his system when he killed his wife and son before committing suicide in 2007.
Sydney District Court Judge Michael Finnane rejected defense arguments that a “rampage of rape” perpetrated by James Nigel Stephens was caused by a “very, very nasty cocktail” of anabolic steroids and alcohol. Judge Finnane showed no leniency in sentencing Stephens to 20 years in prison (”Teen jailed for ‘rampage of rape’,” October 17).
“I must emphasise that I have no acceptable evidence that he drank to excess or that he consumed anabolic steroids,” the judge.
A causal role between anabolic steroids and aggression and “roid rage” has long been discussed in popular culture although not clearly supported by the scientific literature. The defendant’s attorney tried to convince the judge that factors related to anabolic steroid use were at the root of Stephens’ uncharacteristic behavior Read more
The Dallas Morning News continues with their breaking coverage of murder-suicide of convicted steroid dealer David Jacobs and Amanda Jo Savell. Police arriving at the scene of the tragedy discovered significant quantities of anabolic steroids at the residence of David Jacobs (”Steroid trafficker David Jacobs’ death is ruled a suicide,” June 7)
Authorities seized from his Plano home 146 vials of steroids, a plastic jar containing suspected steroids and three jars of clear liquid believed to contain steroids, according to court records obtained Friday by The Dallas Morning News.
This evidence (especially if accompanied by a toxicology report confirming recent steroid use by Jacobs) will set the stage for the media to sensationalize anabolic steroids as the drugs that “caused” the homicide and subsequent suicide much like they did in the Chris Benoit murder-suicide. Jacobs supposedly was mandated to submit to 5-6 drug tests every month; certainly federal agents would test for steroids.
I hope journalists researching this case will read the article “Chris Benoit Tragedy – Anabolic Steroids, Aggression & Violence” by Jack Darkes, PhD for a research-based review of steroids and aggression along with a warning about the danger singling out steroids as the culprit.
Ghastly acts such as the Benoit case are rare and, as science would predict, their association with AAS use is virtually non-existent. Many other characteristics are far more predictive of such events. It cannot be said with certainty whether AAS contributed to this tragedy or not. If they were involved, AAS were not a sole contributor but part of a larger set of characteristics and circumstances. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that AAS alone caused this behavior and they are obviously not necessary for such events to occur. The evidence does suggest that most AAS users do not become aggressive. Nonetheless, science will, at best, play a small part in society’s verdict on Benoit and AAS in this tale and it will be another instance where a drug is linked to a heinous act by association and, therefore, the untested popular notions that dominate the headlines today will be reinforced.
During my meeting with Don Hooton and Steve Smith of the Taylor Hooton Foundation yesterday, Mr. Hooton told me the breaking Jacobs/Savell case in his hometown of Plano kept him busy fielding calls seeking his reaction to the tragedy; it was particularly troubling for Hooton that one of the largest steroid dealers in the country lived only minutes from his house. (For the record, Mr. Hooton graciously ignored these calls during our 90-minute meeting which focused on finding common ground in efforts to minimize and prevent steroid use in adolescents.)
As far as the connection between steroids and the David Jacobs murder-suicide, I hope the media is sufficiently resourceful to also seek reaction from researchers like Dr. Jack Darkes at the University of South Florida who have a specialized academic interest in anabolic steroids and aggression to provide additional voices to the discussion.
Former steroid dealer David Jacobs and IFBB fitness pro Amanda Savell were discovered dead early this morning. It was first reported on Anthony Roberts blog and also reported by John Romano on Muscular Development and Hardbody. I have confirmed it with a close friend of Amanda Jo’s who has spoken with her family and police on the matter. While it was most likely a murder-suicide with Jacobs first shooting his former girlfriend and then turning the gun on himself, police have not ruled out a double homicide.
David Jacobs was one of the largest steroid dealers in the country importing raw steroid powders from China and converting them in an underground lab. David Jacobs was ostracized from the bodybuilding and fitness community due to Jacobs generous plea agreement with prosecutors. In spite of his large-scale steroid distribution ring, Jacobs did not serve jail time and was only sentenced to probation. He has repeatedly denied being a snitch other than publicly naming football player Matt Lehr as a distributor of steroids and growth hormone.
The murder-suicide is a terrible tragedy. It is probably only a matter of time before the media starts to suggest steroid use and roid rage as the culprit behind the tragedy much as they did with Chris Benoit. But I hope the media spends some time to appreciate the “richness of these lives” lost and seek ways to avert future such tragedies. This was best said by Jack Darkes in his review of the Chris Benoit tragedy:
If AAS are blamed and the richness of these lives ignored, then the opportunity to prevent such rare events goes unrealized. Singling out a drug to blame leads to fiery rhetoric, congressional hearings, prohibition and scare tactics; none of these have succeeded in curbing drug use, especially among those at greatest risk for harm. Most AAS users do not experience negative effects and hence distrust the message and the messengers, perhaps most notably among those who should listen. Research has shown this many times. Blaming AAS diverts focus from potential indicators of risk and predictors of harmful outcomes. This is where science might be most helpful in dispelling simplistic notions and in working toward more effective risk identification, targeting of limited resources and reducing associated harms.
Rest in peace.
