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Wrestler Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka charged with killing mistress

Posted: Sep 1st 2015 By: Sarah Cassi

Wrestling legend Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka has been charged in the 1983 death of his mistress.

The 72-year-old Snuka was charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Nancy L. Argentino in 1983.

Argentino, 23, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was pronounced dead May 11, 1983, after authorities were called to a Whitehall Township hotel room.

Snuka was arraigned Tuesday afternoon, and sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of 10 percent of $100,000 bail, court records show. District Attorney Jim Martin said at an afternoon news conference that it was his understanding Snuka "was in the process of posting bail."

Snuka, who was seeing Argentino at the time of her death, was questioned by police years ago but never charged.

It's been more than seven months since Martin decided to send evidence of the death to the investigating body. The grand jury can compel people to testify or present evidence ? a power not available to prosecutors or police during normal investigative work.

Snuka appeared before the investigating grand jury but did not testify, Martin said.

Martin previously said a letter to him from Argentino's surviving sisters prompted him to look into the case, acknowledging that Argentino "died under unusual circumstances."

Snuka and his wife live in Waterford Township, New Jersey. He surrendered to authorities in Lehigh County earlier Tuesday, Martin said.

Caroline Argentino, Nancy's 87-year-old mother, previously said Snuka had different stories about what happened to Nancy before she died.

Argentino was pronounced dead after authorities were called to a Whitehall Township hotel room where she was staying with Snuka.

Argentino's family said Snuka's account of what happened ranged from him telling people he pushed Nancy, to claims that she fell and hit her head on the pavement.