In a press conference the day after the bodies were found, Fayette County Sheriff Lt. Tommy Pope said that Benoit killed his wife on Friday, his son Daniel the next day, then hanged himself either late Saturday night or early Sunday from the pulley of a piece of exercise equipment. Benoit used weights, the pulley, and a cable to choke himself to death in his basement weight room.

Toxicology reports can take up to several weeks to obtain. Pope said they found all three bodies in the home mid-afternoon around 4:00 PM after a call from Richard Hering of WWE to check on them. “Double Homicide Suicide” is the official ruling. Asphyxiation (killing by depriving of oxygen) is the official ruling for Benoit’s wife and son deaths. There was no suicide note found.

Several hours passed, no more than a day, between the son's death and Benoit's. The wife's body was found in the office area, Daniel in his bedroom, and Benoit in the basement home gym. He estimates close to a full day between the killings of his wife and son. The doctor from the crime lab estimates Nancy died some time on Friday. The decomposition of the bodies was staggered enough for them to determine the staggered times of deaths. District Attorney Scott Ballard stated that a Bible was placed near each murder victim. There was no bible found near Chris Benoit's body, however. He also said that ten empty beer cans were found in the Benoit home on Monday as well as an empty bottle of wine where Chris hanged himself.

Benoit tied Nancy's hands and feet and she was wrapped in a towel. Blood was found near Nancy's body and on her face. There was no evidence of Nancy resisting. District Attorney Scott Ballard told ABC News in an interview after the press conference that "the medical examiner found bruising on the small of her back and bruising on the front of her body consistent with being crushed up against the floor". Benoit made no attempt to hide the bodies.

"A lot of prescription medication" was found at the crime scene that was believed to be legal prescriptions, according to Lt. Pope. Anabolic steroids were also found, however those are believed to be prescribed as well. The media has really focused on the steroid aspect of the story, with most media articles speculating that the deaths may have been due to a case of “roid rage”. WWE responded to the stories by issuing a press release where they said they were "concerned with the sensationalistic reporting and speculation being undertaken by some members of the media" and made mention that all the drugs found in the house were believed to be legal prescriptions, that there is no factual basis to speculate on Benoit’s state of mind and that the act was deliberate, which would not indicate rage. They also adding that Benoit tested negative April 10, the last time he was tested for drugs.