Elizabeth Hulette, known as Miss Elizabeth to wrestling fans, was pronounced dead at the Kennestone Hospital in Cobb County, Georgia at 5:45 Thursday morning. Huelette was 42.
WBS-TV in Atlanta reported that emergency workers were called to a townhouse owned by Lawrence Pfohl (pro wrestler Lex Luger). Pfohl then accompanied the medical personnel as they transported Hulette to hospital. Hulette died shortly after she arrived.
Elizabeth Hulette, known as Miss Elizabeth by wrestling fans.
Pfohl was questioned about the death and initially released. He has since been charged by Cobb County for possesion of a controlled substance and is in custody.
“At this point, we don’t know if it’s a suicide, we don’t know if it’s a natural death (and) we don’t know if it’s a homicide,” Cobb police spokesman Cpl. Brody Staud told WBS-TV.
Local police confirm that they responded to a domestic disturbance call at the location on Easter Sunday. WSB-TV reported that the police report said that Pfohl was arrested for allegedly beating Hulette, and that he was out on a $2,500 bond in connection with that incident.
It could be over a month until toxicology reports reveal what killed Hulette. Foul play has been ruled out.
Described by many as the “First Lady” of professional wrestling, Hulette was a major name in WWF during the 1980s as the manager of her real-life husband at the time, Randy “Macho Man” Savage. Savage and Hulette joined the WWF in 1985.
On his website, Savage posted a short message. “I am deeply saddened by this news, and our thoughts and prayers are with Elizabeth’s family,” he wrote.
The Kentucky-born Hulette met Savage in a gym, and worked with the Poffo family’s International Championship Wrestling for a time. The family patriach, Angelo Poffo, shared a quick memory with SLAM! Wrestling. “She was a hard worker, she worked hard,” said Poffo. “She took a lot of chances in the ring and a lot of dangerous bumps.” He hasn’t spoken with her since her divorce from Randy.
At her peak in the WWF, Hulette was so recognizable and popular that she was the focus of many major WWF storylines during the wrestling boom. Many of the angles revolved around the pair’s off-again, on-again love affair. Savage even proposed to Hulette on a WWE television broadcast in 1992 and married her at the SummerSlam pay-per-view even though the pair were really married in 1984. An episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous was even filmed about the pair.
James Myers, known better to fans as the wrestler George “The Animal” Steele, was saddened to hear the news of Hulette’s death when contacted by SLAM! Wrestling. Myers, who worked an unforgettable “crush” angle with Savage and Hulette in the eighties, remembered her as wonderful woman and hoped that her death would bring about some positive change.
“I had nothing but respect for her. I think she carried herself in a very respectful way during the years I knew her,” he said. “It’s sad to see a person that young die,” Myers continued. “It’s such a waste. Maybe these (recent wrestling-related) deaths start opening some eyes and change some lifestyles. Maybe it’s not all in vain.”
James Harris worked as Kamala in the WWF, and knew Huelette there. “She was always nice and quiet,” said Harris. “She stayed to herself, I guess it was because she was with Randy all of the time. I never saw her take a drink, so it’s all pretty shocking to me. I could never say a bad thing about her.”
Hulette divorced Savage in 1992. After leaving the WWE and disappearing from the wrestling scene, Hulette returned briefly to World Championship Wrestling in 1995 to join the red hot nWo and worked with Savage once again.
She even worked a wrestling match in WCW, a brief encounter with the late Rhonda Sing.
Luger had a decent football career, including time under coach Marv Levy with the Montreal Alouettes of the late 1970s. He got involved in pro wrestling in the mid-’80s in Florida and rose to prominence in Florida Championship Wrestling.
A hot, young prospect, he was brought into World Championship Wrestling and quickly made a part of the heel stable, The Four Horsemen. He jumped to the WWF and Vince McMahon’s World Bodybuilding Federation. At first he was a narcisstic heel, but surprised many by turning good and feuding with Yokozuna.
He was one of the early big-names to jump back to WCW during the peak of the Monday night wars, and was with the company until its purchase by the WWE.
Pfohl owns the Main Event gym in Cobb County.
— with files from Greg Oliver, Stephen Laroche and SLAM! Wrestling news sources
Top photo: Right photo by Mike Lano
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