Snuka also didnt help matters, with. They all felt that if any of the offerings made by Snukas attorney were accepted (particularly in view of the publicity) that it would appear they were being influenced into dropping the charges, he added. For 30 years, Snuka continued with his life as if nothing had happened. As the docuseries points out, there was another passenger in the car with them who doesnt recall any fall. These changing stories and the official manner of death werent known publicly until 2013, when the Allentown Morning Call discovered the autopsy report and a Snuka police interview transcript both previously unavailable due to the case still being open in court records from the Argentino familys later wrongful death lawsuit against Superfly. That, and other provable incidents of domestic abuse described to the grand jury, led to an eventual indictment on murder charges, which were dismissed due to Snukas apparent mental incompetence mere days before his 2017 death from stomach cancer. To this day, nearly four decades later, the death of Nancy Argentino remains unsolved. Right from the get-go, the one constant with him was he kept saying, I want the truth. Nobody Ive spoken to from Argentinos sisters, to law enforcement officers, to Snukas lawyer has any recollection of this or anything related, such as the judge rejecting the proposed plea deal. [McMahon] states the victim actually guided Snuka from one area to another as Snuka has no conception of time, Procanyn wrote in his report. All in all, there were at least a few entities that failed Nancy Argentino in 1983: The motel clerk who let things escalate in January by not calling the police earlier; the majority of the media coverage of her initial beating at Snukas hands, which minimized her suffering to present a somehow breezier narrative of a wrestler fighting off police dogs; and the district attorneys office who, in spite of having multiple strong witnesses confirming the abuse even after Argentino recanted, basically waved Snukas actions aside to avoid risk to his green card. The WWE has also furloughed manyworkers amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The donation, though, was often conflated with the sentence as if they were related, and none of the articles contained actual details of what happened in the courtroom beyond the disposition. This is the disturbing story of Nancy Argentino, who was once the lover of professional wrestler Superfly Jimmy Snuka. At this point, [Snuka] attempted to close the door[,] but I started to talk to him about letting us in or her out. If you think Im going to be hurt by the revelation that one of my wrestlers is really a violent individual, youre mistaken.. , We were drinking and having a good time when all of a sudden, the police burst into our room. He added, I dont know why they chose my room maybe mine was the first one they passed but they did. In point of fact, they were there because of a call from Thomas Donovan, the motels night manager. To mark the occasion, Irvin Muchnick, in association with the woman's surviving sisters, is publishing the ebook JUSTICE DENIED: The Death of Nancy Argentino in Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka's Motel Room. [Photo: Bob Owen, San Antonio Express- News]Seasoned wrestling journalist Mike Mooneyham offered, "While Snuka will remain forever tied to Nancy Argentinos death, it must be noted that he was never convicted. Due to COVID-19 and current government mandated impacts on WWE and the media business generally, the Company went through an extensive evaluation of its operations over the past several weeks, a statement from the company reads. Twenty-three year old Nancy Argentino found herself traveling the country with her new boyfriend, wrestling superstar Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. Lorraine reveals that Nancy's childhood friend Ellen was engaged to Johnny Rodz, a legendary journeyman wrestler and trainer, and this was how she was introduced to the world of wrestling. When we got to the hotel right away I had to call because she wasnt feeling good, he said. I respect them. There was enough to take it before a grand jury in 1983. In the same letter, Zemenz appears to imply that Sparkes was attempting to get the charges dropped extrajudicially, as he added that the officers felt that if any plea bargain, etc., was done[,] it more properly should come from the District Attorneys Office or the Courts. More pointedly, he stipulated, It was generally felt that this is turning into a publicity gimmick to benefit only Snuka, of which they want no part, citing the media coverage. In his autobiography, Superfly The Jimmy Snuka Story, written by Jon Chattman, he says that after coming back from the TV tapings, he was surprised to find her still sleeping, and thats when he called for help. Homicide charges against Snuka in the 1983 death of his girlfriend Nancy Argentino, 23, in a Whitehall. Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka leaves Lehigh County Court through the back garage after a hearing relating to the 1983 murder of his girlfriend in a Whitehall Township motel. It also questions thecontroversial meeting between McMahon and authorities back in 1983, saying perhapsArgentino's death wasn't investigated properly because Snuka was an asset to the company. I dont think you erase him from memory, Chattman said. , was failed by an editor who gave it the headline, Judging by Bare Facts It Was Quite a Match. Worse, it was accompanied by a cartoon mocking the ordeal. He drove his Oldsmobile Delmont 88 off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, which is near Marthas Vineyard. 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. The cops just didnt give me the chance to explain. 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 who covered his retirement had updated contacts. What else could I possibly say.. That was a blatant lie, said Muchnick. October 29, 2020. An ambulance was called and not two hours later at the hospital did Argentino die. The latter made national headlines not so much because a married celebrity had been arrested for beating his girlfriend in a Salina, New York, motel room, but rather because Snuka fought off a cadre of deputies and police dogs from the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office in the process. And he was an innovator, and he inspired so many people. The DAs office and the media certainly failed to do their jobs following Snukas first horrific assault. 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. Menu. Ive never heard of anything like it before., To the credit of the Sheriffs Office, it looks like they did everything they should have both in terms of doing right by Nancy Argentino, and trying to avoid a public spectacle. He later told police he was misunderstood, and Argentino slipped and hit her head when they stopped along the highway to go to the bathroom. It was devastating.. Then they get to the motel and napped. He testified that Snuka is a shell of a man whose brain is damaged beyond repair from years of wrestling and who was suffering from dementia that is worsening by the month.. Perhaps in an effort to rewrite history, Snuka attempts to once again clear his name in his book about how the fatal bump on the head happened. Foreman Grill: A $200m Mistake for Hulk Hogan! On May 10, Concussion Inc. published JUSTICE DENIED: The Untold Story of Nancy Argentino's Death in Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka's Motel Room.This short ebook sells for $2.99, with 100 percent of the royalties being donated by the Argentino family, in Nancy's memory, to the White Plains, New York-based My Sister's Place women's shelter and resource center. Now 72 years old and stricken with stomach cancer, the defamed brawler yesterday posted $100,000 bail after forfeiting his passport. The manager would quickly reply that the much larger figure one which amounts to almost $66,000 with inflation wasnt an issue. However, one of the failings of the Lehigh County District Attorneys Office subsequent to Argentinos death reads more black and white. In 1969, Senator Ted Kennedy left a party near midnight with Kopechne. To Snuka, Nancy Argentino was a willing mistress and he referred to her as his East Coast girlfriend. In his book the wrestler added that they were intimate. The date was May 11, 1983, . Investigating the mysterious story of Jimmy Snuka, whose girlfriend Nancy Argentino died in their motel room in 1983, and revealing her family's 30-year struggle for justice. In addition, Mihalikis absolutely did find, bruises, lacerations or other indications of a beating or prior injuries. Over two dozen, to be more specific, to the point that the report states that they could suggest mate abuse.. Other than Snukas constantly shifting story of what happened, the autopsy report, and even his 2012 autobiography helped put pressure on authorities to delve into the case once 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. All I remember is he had a briefcase with him. Snuka also has difficulty reading road signs. In the same interview, McMahon would, in Procanyns words, tell the detective that he did not ever see or hear of any problems between the victim and Snuka, in spite of the New York arrest having been national news. Track back 30 years to the documented interview with Detective Gerald Procanyn of the Whitehall Police Department at the hotel. A nurse observed Snukas strange demeanor when he visited Argentinos room after she was admitted at Lehigh Valley Hospital Centers ER. This has been very hard on me and very hard on my family I never hit Nancy or threatened her. He allegedly said she became lethargic and then unresponsive. Investigating the mysterious story of Jimmy Snuka, whose girlfriend Nancy Argentino died in their motel room in 1983, and revealing her family's 30-year struggle for justice. Check out his weekly wrestling history podcast, Between The Sheets, on all major podcast platforms, and subscribe to his Substack at BabyfacevHeel.com. The hospital received a call for an ambulance from Snuka when he came back to the motel. "You have a look and an attitude, I think,. Assistant District Attorney Richard Plochocki, citing Argentinos affidavit with regards to the assault on her person, and the potential negative effects on Snukas green card as a first-time offender, recommended a plea on a single charge of harassment. As the episode showed, Snukas drug use had escalated so much by 1983 that his 22-year-old mistress, Argentino, also became his pseudo-manager as nobody else wanted to deal with his alleged reckless behavior. Right on the concrete on the side of the road, she just slipped backwards., The 230-pound grappler scooped her up and according to his testimony slapped her across the face to get her to come to again. But Argentino remained unconscious. Images. Argentino was dating World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling star James Reiher Snuka known professionally as Jimmy Superfly Snuka when she died under suspicious circumstances in 1983. WWE ECW Relaunch | Where Did It All Go Wrong? This time he saw Argentino, naked, soon followed by Snuka, also naked. There is nothing in the historical record to suggest that the autopsy report had never been committed to paper before the May 1984 visit with Platt. Her defiled face was on display in an open casket during a wake at a funeral parlor in her hometown of Flatbush, Brooklyn. I will never forget what happened to her." 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. Yeah, there was some excitement. Snuka, a cliff diver and bodybuilder with a vertical leap as impressive as his physique, was the WWFs newly minted top good guy. I got one handcuff on the hand he had the female by the hair with[,] which was his right hand[,] and after several seconds of struggling with him[,] he released his grasp on the female, explained Bronstad in his affidavit. It was attended by WWE CEO Vince McMahon, the, reported in 2013. 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. 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. Snuka told her to hurry up as she jumped across the grass onto the road she slipped and fell backwards and hit her head. By using this site, you agree to the legal terms set out in ourDisclaimer, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosure. The former was from Dr. Isidore Mihalakis autopsy report in 1983, which also urged, "this case should be investigated as a homicide until proven otherwise. On that night Snuka claims he was just drinking a lot of booze. He later noted he had been smoking some pot too. The variety of stories (were not claiming theyre true or false) about what he did with Nancy Argentino or how she got injured could fill this whole page. Eyes blood shot. Other doctors in 2010 said they also noticed developing signs of dementia. Whats more, the 12-24 hour delay for Snuka to call for help contributed to the emergency staffers inability to resuscitate Argentino. Snuka seemed to faintly recall how his knight dressed in a tailored suit saved the day while he was in a perpetual daze. Today, I bring you the 9th edition of a series looking at the TV show Dark Side of the Ring. He came there in shorts and didnt say anything to my mother. With this information, the cause of death would have been termed accidental if a formal autopsy report was prepared., As it would later transpire, the paragraph contradicts the complete coroners office file, which I obtained as part of the same civil case appendix mentioned earlier. Her daughter was dead. Dark Side Of The Ring S02E05 Jimmy Snuka and the Death of Nancy Argentino. After being pressed about the moment of impact Snuka told the cops he asked Argentino if she was okay and she was lucid. I didnt see it happen, but I remember she told me she was jumping over a little stream that was there and she slipped.. So I told her to come on out and she ran past him. A follow-up interview with Snuka was conducted by investigatorson June 1. Eerily, Salome recalled feeling restless that night. By. In 1983, Nancy Argentino -- girlfriend of eventual WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka -- died mysteriously in a motel room outside Allentown, Pennsylvania. As those in the center of the true crime/wrestling fan Venn diagram will likely be aware, VICE TVs pro wrestling documentary series, death of Nancy Argentino, the then-girlfriend of then-top WWF (now WWE) star, . . And despite the caked on foundation applied by the ambitious mortician on this day the grim sight haunted her pro wrestling beau to the core. And yet the pro wrestler was never charged. Nancy Argentino, in happier times. In a single sentence summary from the same phone interview between Bronstad and Romanenko referenced above, Procanyn wrote, , Vince McMahon tried to talk her out of making the complaint against Snuka. But her family thought they were more an item. The case remains open to this day. The excerpts of the interview were provided by WrestlingInc.com. He didnt say anything to me. Nancy was Italian, 5 feet 7 inches tall, 115 pounds with dark, curly hair and brown eyes. Jimmy Snuka was at or near the height of his professional popularity in 1983, as his matches typically drew better responses from fans than anyone else on the roster at the time, including then WWF Champion Bob Backlund. . Some outlets inexplicably found humor in it: , for example, glosses over the underlying domestic violence, choosing to frame Snuka violently resisting arrest in joking terms like a pro wrestling match, using phrases such as the match was on and a nine-deputy tag-team. Local media wasnt much better, with, running with the headline, Police, Dogs Win Round.. Per Donovans statement in the, file, the guests in the adjacent room called the front desk because their neighbors were raising hell and a male was beating up a female in there., The Onondaga County Sheriffs Office file doesnt contain any trace of an explanation as to why Argentino changed her mind. With, running with the headline, Police, Dogs Win Round headline,,! 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