Who was Billy Jack Haynes? Exploring life of the man who sued WWE

WWE has employed a long list of wrestlers in its rich history that many modern-day fans are not familiar with. Billy Jack Haynes is one of the names not known to many wrestling fans today, but those who watched WWF in the 1980s would probably remember him.

He was trained by WWE Hall of Famer Stu Hart before making his in-ring debut in 1982. Haynes joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1986 and faced off against Hercules at WrestleMania 3 as the two men wanted to show who the better powerhouse was in Vince McMahon's promotion.

The feud started when late WWE Hall of Famer Bobby Heenan had his client Hercules apply a Full Nelson to win a match against an opponent on the January 17, 1987 episode of WWF Superstars.

The Full Nelson was Haynes' finishing move that Hercules had never used before. This led to Heenan issuing a challenge to Haynes on behalf of his client to see who was better at applying the submission hold. The match between the two massive athletes ended in a Double Count Out at the Show Of Shows.

Haynes parted ways with WWE in 1988. There are contradicting reports about why he left the company. One version states that Haynes quit after he was told to lose a match in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, while another states that he actually worked the match with a different finish but was released afterward.

Haynes sued WWE for "egregious mistreatment of its wrestlers for its own benefit, as well as its concealment and denial of medical research and evidence concerning traumatic brain injuries suffered by WWE wrestlers" in 2014. He claimed to have suffered 15 concussions throughout his pro wrestling career.

In 2018, he revealed that he witnessed the murder of two teen boys in 1987 and admitted that he helped in placing the bodies on a railway track in Alexander, Arkansas.

He further stated that the boys were murdered because they discovered a drug deal involving top US politicians and some corrupt cops. He further made the shocking revelation that he was once involved in a cocaine-smuggling network that was linked to Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.

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WWE veteran Billy Jack Haynes arrested for allegedly murdering his wife

According to KOIN News, a man was arrested in the Lents neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, on February 8, 2024, after a shooting that caused the death of an unnamed woman.

“An arrest has been made after authorities ordered residents in the Lents neighborhood to shelter in place Thursday morning after a reported fatal shooting, according to Portland police. Police reported responding to a possible shooting at 6000 SE 100th Avenue around 9:52 a.m. For hours, officers said a man they attempted to contact inside had “not cooperated with officers” and may have been armed.”

Per KOIN, Neighbors stated that the house from where the gunshots were heard belonged to a former pro wrestler and his wife.

Jim Valley of the Wrestling Observer confirmed that the man mentioned in the story was Billy Jack Haynes.

Haynes is currently 70 years old and has been retired from in-ring competition since 1996. Outside of WWE, he was known in the Pacific Northwest's independent territories and also put in work for WCW and NJPW.