The Billy Jack Haynes murder case

In the 1970s and 1980s the pro wrestling industry was broken up into territories around the country. And each territory had its top star. In Florida, it was Dusty Rhodes; in Tennessee, it was Jerry Lawler; and in Texas, it was the Von Erichs. Then up in the Pacific Northwest there was Portland Wrestling. Their top star was a wrestler named Billy Jack Haynes. “He was the closest thing the Northwest had to a Von Erich,” said KPTV reporter Joe Vithayathil, who also has close ties to some alumni of the Portland Wrestling scene, including the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. “He was from here. He was a local hero.” Arguably, the peak of Haynes’ career came in 1987 when he left the dying territorial system and wrestled for the global World Wrestling Federation (WWF). At WrestleMania III, Haynes wrestled Hercules Hernandez. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices