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In 2015, WWE legend Jimmy Snuka was arrested on charges of third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. This was determined by the Lehigh County grand jury after an investigation conducted by the Morning Call determined that sufficient evidence existed for trial. The incident in question occurred over 30 years ago, on May 10, 1983.

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On that date, Nancy Argentino, girlfriend of Jimmy Snuka, was declared dead in a Lehigh Valley Hospital. The hospital received a call for an ambulance from Snuka when he came back to the motel and found Argentino injured. She was struggling to breathe and oozing yellow fluid from her nose and mouth. Emergency personnel were dispatched immediately but unfortunately, the injuries were too severe and Argentino died within a few hours. She was only 23 years old.

Real Name

James Reiher Snuka

Date Of Birth

May 18th, 1943

Place Of Birth

Suva, Fiji

Date Of Death

January 15th, 2017

Spouses

Patrice Aguirre Sharon Snuka (1964-1999) Carole Snuka (2004-2017)

UPDATE: 2024/02/06 14:30 EST BY MICHAEL CHIN

There's no question that the story of Nancy Argentino is a tragic one. As more and more information about her death became public knowledge, things only looked worse for Jimmy Snuka and the implication that he was responsible for her passing. The wrestling legend never faced legal consequences for his choices. Nontheless, his career was impacted. That includes both the limitations to how he was pushed in his prime and as WWE's popularity surged, as well as the degree to which his legacy was buried over the years to follow.

Jimmy Snuka's Girlfriend Died Suspiciously In 1983

Jimmy Snuka Was Implicated In The Death Of Nancy Argentino

jimmy snuka nancy argentino
  • Nancy Argentino suffered life-ending injuries long before there was a call for help.
  • Conflicting reports emerged about what had happened to Nancy Argentino.
  • Vince McMahon spoke on Jimmy Snuka's behalf.
  • The criminal investigation reopened in 2015.

As per the autopsy report, Argentio died due to traumatic brain injuries and was injured 12-24 hours before the call for the ambulance. Moreover, she had suffered a number of cuts and bruises and the coroner mentioned that there were some signs that foul play had taken place. The author of the report suggested that the case be treated as a homicide until proven otherwise but charges were not pressed. The case, however, was not officially ruled either way and remained open.

Another incriminating piece of evidence was the conflict in the reports of the investigators. One investigator stated that Snuka was cooperative throughout the process, but the other investigator mentioned that Vince McMahon, Snuka’s boss, served as the mouthpiece but Snuka himself did not have much to say, though he did give his account of how Argentino was injured. He said she slipped near a guardrail and struck her head but did not think much of it and continued to drive. When Snuka returned from the WWE taping, he found her in that state and called the ambulance at once.

Argentino’s family hired a lawyer to take another look on the case, and he found enough evidence to take the matter to the grand jury as a murder case. But the District Attorney, William Platt, was not convinced, and the criminal case was stalled. In 1985, Argentino’s family was awarded a default judgment of $500,000 in a wrongful death civil suit but Snuka filed an affidavit to the effect that he was broke. His own attorney withdrew from the case, citing that they hadn’t been paid and Snuka was declared bankrupt.

That brings us to 2015. The criminal case was re-opened when the doctor who conducted the autopsy commented that the facts surrounding the case were very worrisome and suspicious. This led to the aforementioned investigation and upon the recommendation of the grand jury, the district attorney charged Jimmy Snuka.

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Snuka pleaded not guilty to those charges and the trial was set to begin but Snuka’s competency to stand trial was brought into question. His attorneys stated that his mental and physical health was worsening. The former pro wrestler was diagnosed with stomach cancer in August of the same year, and in 2016, his attorney notified the press that his client was diagnosed with dementia as a result of injuries sustained in his wrestling career.

Jimmy Snuka Was Declared Unfit To Stand Trial And The Charges Were Dismissed

Jimmy Snuka Was Not Fit For Trial And Passed Months Later

  • Jimmy Snuka's physical and mental health had deteriorated by the time he was brought to trial.
  • Jimmy Snuka died on January 25th, 2017.

The prosecutors brought evidence that demonstrated Snuka performing wrestling moves in a match from the same year. Moreover, expert evidence from a psychologist suggested that Snuka might have been faking his symptoms. The defense brought forward a forensic psychologist who testified that Snuka was a "shell of a man" and his mental health had deteriorated to the point that he could not comprehend simple questions, and therefore, could not stand trial.

The presiding judge ruled Snuka unfit to stand trial in June 2016. In the fall, Snuka’s attorney notified the court that his client was given six months to live due a terminal illness. Ultimately, the homicide charges were dismissed as Snuka was deemed unfit to stand trial. Months later, Snuka passed away in 2017 due to the terminal illness.

The Complicated Legacy Of Jimmy Snuka

Jimmy Snuka's Involvement In The Death Of Nancy Argentino Impacted His Wrestling Career And Legacy

  • Jimmy Snuka was very over with fans as WWE transitioned into the Golden Era.
  • Jimmy Snuka factored into the WrestleMania 1 main event, but not as an official participant.
  • Jimmy Snuka died a legend, but it was clear he had not realized his full potential and celebrating his career has become increasingly complicated.

With the passage of time, wrestling fans have lost the thread a bit in regard to just how big of a star Jimmy Snuka was. Particularly as the business pivoted from Vincent J. McMahon's prominent regional territory to Vincent K. McMahon's global enterprise in the mid-1980s, Superfly was a tremendous draw. As discussed in Abraham Josephine Riesman's book Ringmaster, Snuka was visually striking, had a unique charisma, and antics like delivering his splash off the top of a steel cage were ahead of their time.

The scandal of Nancy Argentino's death cast a cloud over Snuka's career prospects. Indeed, the way he was cast for WrestleMania 1 and its main event, in particular, was quite telling. He was the corner man for Hulk Hogan and Mr. T, bespeaking his own status as a top five babyface in the company. However, the choice not to have him actually work a match attested to WWE's reluctance to feature him in too prominent a role, not to mention using him in a spot where he could effectively be erased from history for not being an official match participant.

With the passage of time, WWE did welcome Snuka back into the fold more fully, including a full-time run (though he was pas his prime by that point) and making him an early Hall of Fame inductee before bringing him back for various legend spots.

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Jimmy Snuka was a pioneer in the olden days of professional wrestling. He had a plethora of epic matches to his credit but his involvement in the death of Nancy Argentino was undeniable. Nobody truly knows what happened that night as the case was never adjudicated upon. This tragic incident later became the subject of an episode of Dark Side of the Ring.