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Former WWE Wrestler Brian Christopher Lawler Found Dead In Jail Cell, Police Say
The wrestler, known as Grandmaster Sexay in the ring, was in jail on charges related to DUI and evading arrest.
Police are investigating the death of former World Wrestling Entertainment star Brian Christopher Lawler after he was found dead in his prison cell on Sunday.
Lawler was found hanging in his cell at the Hardeman County Jail in Tennessee, police say.
The 46-year-old wrestler, also known by his stage name Grandmaster Sexay, had been in jail since July 7 for charges related to DUI and evading arrest, CNN reported.
“Corrections officers administered CPR until paramedics arrived,” the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement, according to CNN. “Lawler was transported to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis where he died Sunday afternoon.”
Investigators do not suspect foul play, but are continuing to investigate the details of Lawler’s death.
Beyond his own career as a WWE wrestler, Lawler was the son of WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Jerry “The King” Lawler.
“WWE is saddened to learn that Brian Christopher Lawler, who is best known in WWE as Too Cool’s Grandmaster Sexay, has passed away,” said a statement by the WWE. “Lawler, who is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, competed during the height of the Attitude Era. WWE extends its condolences to Lawler’s family, friends and fans.”
Lawler was part of the wrestling tag team Too Cool and had been a professional wrestler on and off from the 80s to 2014, according to Bleacher Report. The Too Cool tag team was briefly world champions after they held the titles for 27 days before losing them to another squad in 2000.
This was not the first time Lawler had been sentenced to jail time. In 2009, a judge sentenced the pro-wrestler to 30 days in jail after he failed to check into a rehabilitation center as part of a plea agreement for another case, according to the Pro Wrestling Torch website.
Lawler had been arrested twice in 2009, first for disorderly conduct and later for public intoxication, according to Bleacher Report.
His most recent arrest stemmed from a incident where Lawler reportedly ran from an unpaid hotel bill.
Lawler is the second professional wrestler to die this month, with WWE announcing the death of Nikolai Volkoff on Sunday. Volkoff was known for his Russian-villain themed costume and wrestling performance.
On social media, friends and family came out to mourn Lawler’s death and offer memories.
“I love U and will miss U my brother,” his brother, Kevin Lawler, wrote on Facebook. “A very sad day today. Words can't describe.”
WWE official Paul Levesque, better known by his stage name Triple H, wrote on Twitter, "Incredibly sad news about the passing of Brian Christopher. A tragic loss of life."
[Photo: Mike Kalasnik]
