A former professional wrestler is accused of shooting his wife

PORTLAND, Oregon — A former professional wrestler is in custody after police say he is suspected of shooting and killing his wife, who was said to be suffering from dementia.

A Portland Police Department news release identified William Albert Hines Jr., 70, a Portland resident who wrestled under the name Billy Jack Hines, as the suspect in the death of his wife, Janet Becraft, 85. The shooting occurred on February 8. At their home in Portland.

“(Hines) is in police custody at a local hospital while he receives treatment for a medical condition unrelated to the homicide or his contact with law enforcement,” the news release said. “Once he is released from the hospital, which could be days from now, he is expected to be booked into jail. Charges against Haynes will be released as soon as he is booked.

Haynes wrestled briefly for the World Wrestling Federation, now known as WWE, from 1986 to 1988. Depending on the wrestling area. The New York Times reported that he once wrestled Randy “Macho Man” Savage, and faced Hercules Hernandez at WrestleMania III in 1987. He last wrestled in 1995, and reportedly quit due to injuries.

Breelyn Mathieu, who lived next door to Hines and his wife, says the Oregonian that Becraft was suffering from dementia and that she often helped take care of her.

Mathieu said she had been taking care of Becraft recently because Hines was in the hospital receiving treatment for a rib injury resulting from a fall. She said Hines was released from the hospital because he missed his wife.

“He came back and told her, ‘You know I can’t stay away from you,’” Mateo told The Oregonian. “She rolled her eyes in a cute little way.”

Matteo's father tells The Oregonian that the couple is “inseparable.”

“They adored each other,” Thomas Mathieu said. “Everywhere they went they were hand in hand. It's surreal.”