Former Wrestling Champ Found Dead in Tampa
By HOWARD ALTMAN | The Tampa Tribune
Published: March 14, 2009
Updated: 56 min. ago
Former professional wrestler Andrew "Test" Martin was found dead in his Harbour Island home on Friday night, according to Tampa police.
Martin had appeared with World Wrestling Entertainment off and on from the late 1990s until 2007 and also with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He was 33.
Police said foul play is not suspected. The cause of death is unknown pending the results of an autopsy.
A neighbor contacted police about 8 p.m. saying she could see into Martin's apartment through a window and that he appeared motionless. Officers who arrived to check on Martin found him dead.
Police initially said officers responded to the Post Harbour Place apartments, 725 Harbour Place Drive. However, public records show that Martin lived at the GrandView, a high-rise condominium at 371 Channelside Walk Way. He purchased the condominium in 2005.
Born in Ontario, Canada, Martin wrote on his MySpace page March 10 that he had just returned from a tour of Japan and was planning to leave for a tour of Europe on March 16, the day before his birthday.
"This is with the crew from Ireland," he wrote. "These guys hold a special place in my heart because they stuck by me when I was going thru some hard times and we all ended up becoming good friends. … I'm looking forward to this trip."
The 6-foot-6-inch wrestler listed his father as his hero and wrote of his favorite movies, "A good scary movie on the couch with my girl is a good night."
An attempt to locate his family today was unsuccessful.
World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling posted their condolences to Martin's family on their Web pages.
"TNA sends its deepest condolences to the Martin family, and we hope our fans will keep Andrew in their thoughts in the coming days," the latter site wrote.
According to FOX Sports, Martin requested and received his release from WWE in 2007 after he was suspended for failing a drug test. On his MySpace page at the time, Martin described the release as mutual.
He made local news last April when he was arrested in Pasco County and charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence. Online court records show he pleaded no contest and the charge was amended to reckless driving; he received probation.
Those who knew Martin described him as a friendly young man who, despite his stature in the wrestling world, didn't take on airs.
"He was a very personable young man, very personable," said Karen Swatzel, 64, who purchased her Lutz home from Martin in 2005.
She remembers him having his championship belt on display in his home office when she went to take a look at the property. He also offered to give Swatzel's grandson, who was 6 years old at the time, one of his wrestling action figures.
"I feel very bad that this has happened to him, that things went bad for him," she said.
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