Chris Benoit agonized over whether to kill his son

Tormented wrestler Chris Benoit spent his last hours agonizing over whether to kill his son, praying for salvation, drowning in grief and firing off bizarre text messages to pals.

An ENQUIRER investigative team uncovered the real story of what happened on the tragic weekend that superstar wrestler Benoit snapped- killing his family and then himself.

Guzzling beer and wine, the popular hunk made sad, slurred phone calls to friends as he prepared to snuff out his life.

“When he killed his wife, his life was over and he knew it,� an insider told The ENQUIRER. “But he still had his beloved son, and who would take care of him? That’s why it all ended in the ultimate tragedy.�

Investigators have reconstructed in detail how they believe the horror unfolded in the Benoits’ once-peaceful dream house-resulting in the death of Chris’ wife Nancy, 43, and son Daniel, 7.

The couple had been arguing all week over Chris’ many wrestling road trips and how it affected the raising of their son.

Then on Friday, June 22, Benoit visited his friend, Dr.Phil Astin, who had been prescribing testosterone for the 40-year-old wrestler.

‘After the visit, Benoit went home and the arguments restarted, police theorize,� said the insider.

Here, as authorities have reconstructed events, is the countdown to death.

Friday, June 22, 8 p.m. - Midnight

The arguments come to a violent end when Benoit physically attacks his wife. He binds her feet and wrists, puts his knee in her back and strangles her with a cable, jerking her head upward.

The beefy wrestler leaves her downstairs on the living room floor, wrapped in a towel, with her head in a pool of blood. Benoit places a Bible beside her lifeless body.

Saturday, Midnight – 3:30 p.m.

A distraught Benoit, known to friends as a gentle, loving man, downs beer and painkillers and attempts to keep his son occupied and away from his wife’s body.

3:30 p.m.

A co-worker receives a voice message from Benoit saying he had overslept, missed his flight and would be late to a World Wrestling Entertainment live event in Beaumont, Texas, that night. The co-worker calls Benoit back and finds him groggy. Out of the blue, Benoit blurts: “I love you.�

3:44 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Benoit calls back saying he had a stressful day due to Nancy and Daniel being sick with food poisoning, speaks to another co-worker and says family is throwing up from food poisoning. Benoit calls WWE Talent Relations saying he and wife Nancy are in the hospital with their ill son. He continues to drink, keeping his son upstairs.

11 p.m. – 3:58 a.m.

Benoit kills Daniel with a wrestling chokehold in the boy’s upstairs bed. He places a Bible by the body. Benoit sends a series of cryptic text messages to WWE officials, including several with his street address.

4:30 a.m.

Benoit kills himself by wrapping a cord around his neck that is attached to a weight machine. He releases the weights which choke the life out of his powerful body.

On Monday, after being contacted by the WWE, authorities discover the Benoit family…at peace at last.