Wrestling legend Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka dies aged 73 days after murder charge was dropped over death of his ex-girlfriend 

  • Former professional wrestler Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka died on Sunday aged 73
  • The WWE Hall of Famer lost his battle with stomach cancer
  • His daughter, Sarona, shared a photo to Instagram of her holding his hand and wrote: 'I LOVE YOU DAD #FOREVERMYDAD #RestWell #FamiliesAreForever'
  • WWE issued a statement extending its condolences to his family and friends
  • His death comes just days following his acquittal for the 1983 murder of his ex-girlfriend Nancy Argentino 

Wrestling legend Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka died on Sunday aged 73, following a battle with cancer. 

Snuka had been battling with stomach cancer that saw him undergo surgery to remove part of his stomach and his lymph nodes in an effort to try and get rid of it, but in December he was given six months to live. 

His daughter, Sarona 'Tamina' Snuka, who's also a WWE superstar, shared a photo to Instagram of her holding her father's hand. 

She captioned it: 'I LOVE YOU DAD #FOREVERMYDAD #RestWell #FamiliesAreForever #BestDad #SnukaLegacy'.

The WWE Hall of Famer's death comes just days following his acquittal for the 1983 murder of his ex-girlfriend Nancy Argentino. 

Former professional wrestler Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka died on Sunday aged 73. He is pictured above in Allentown, Pennsylvania in November 2015

His death comes after a lengthy battle with stomach cancer that saw him undergo surgery to remove part of his stomach and his lymph nodes in an effort to try and get rid of it

His daughter, Sarona 'Tamina' Snuka, who's also a WWE superstar, shared a photo to Instagram of her holding her father's hand (above)

The WWE issued a statement about his death, extending its condolences to his family and friends. 

'WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka has passed away,' the statement reads.

'Snuka is regarded by many as the pioneer of high-flying offense because of his Superfly Splash from the top turnbuckle. His dive off the top of the steel cage onto Don Muraco at Madison Square Garden as hundreds of flash bulbs went off will forever live as one of the most memorable moments in WWE history.

'WWE extends its condolences to Snuka's family, friends and fans.'

Actor and wrestler Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson was one of the first to share the tragic news about the legend's death on Twitter.

The WWE issued a statement about his death, extending condolences to his family and friends 

Actor and fellow wrestler Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson was one of the first to share the tragic news about the legend's death on Twitter (above)

Fellow wrestler Jim Ross wrote the message above about Snuka's tragic death to Twitter

Ross followed his first tweet with another message and wrote (above): 'When asked how he was doing, the late Jimmy Snuka would smile and often say, 'Lovely, Bruddah.' #RIPSuperfly'

Another wrestling icon, Hulk Hogan, also took to Twitter to share his condolences (above)

He tweeted: 'Our family @TaminaSnuka asked me to share the sad news that her dad Jimmy Snuka has just passed away. Alofa atu i le aiga atoa. #RIPSuperfly'

Fellow wrestler Jim Ross wrote a message about Snuka's tragic death on Twitter. 

He said: 'Our condolences to the family and friends of Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka who died earlier today after losing his fight with stomach cancer. RIP' 

Ross followed that tweet with another message and said: 'When asked how he was doing, the late Jimmy Snuka would smile and often say, 'Lovely, Bruddah.' #RIPSuperfly'

Another wrestling icon, Hulk Hogan, also took to Twitter to share his condolences. 

'RIP Superfly. Only love HH', Hogan wrote.  

A Pennsylvania judge on January 3 dismissed the murder case against the wrestling legend, saying he is not competent to stand trial for the 1983 death.

The decision by Lehigh County Judge Kelly Banach came a month after Snuka's lawyer told the court that his 73-year-old client has dementia, is in hospice care in Florida and has six months to live.

The retired WWE star was charged in 2015 with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in Argentino's death, whose body was found more than three decades earlier in their Whitehall Township hotel room.

Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka (left) was accused of murdering his girlfriend Nancy Argentino (right) in 1983. The charges were dismissed by a Pennsylvania judge on January 3

Prosecutors alleged that she was beaten, while Snuka had maintained she died from a fall. Authorities reopened the investigation after The Morning Call newspaper raised questions about the case in 2013.

Banach had ruled last summer that Snuka was not competent to stand trial after his attorney argued the ex-athlete suffers from dementia, partly due to the head trauma sustained over a long career in the ring. 

Prosecutors countered that Snuka's brain shows normal signs of aging and suggested he might be feigning symptoms.

At a hearing last month to re-evaluate Snuka's mental fitness, his wife told the judge that the family struggles to keep him from leaving home during bouts of psychosis in which he thought he was late for a wrestling match. Banach then took time to review Snuka's medical records before ruling.

He started wrestling in the 1970s before joining the company then known as the World Wrestling Federation in 1982. He's pictured above (center) in 2009 during Wrestle Mania 25 in Houston

Snuka, a native of Fiji who previously lived in Camden County, New Jersey, was known on the wrestling circuit for diving from the ropes. 

He started wrestling in the 1970s before joining the company then known as the World Wrestling Federation in 1982. 

Snuka was known for his battling style that included acrobatics and included his signature move, the Superfly Splash. 

That saw him climbing to the very top of the the ropes in the ring, stretch out his long hair before flinging onto an opponent.  

The icon bounced around between the WWF and other wrestling leagues in the 1990s, as he made his way back into the ring as late as 2014. 

He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996.  

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