Kevin Nikel, 41, a former professional wrestler who worked in WWE NXT under the name Knuckles Madsen, was found with a gunshot wound to the abdomen on the side of a road in Arkansas in July. According to 5News, the athlete was rushed to a hospital, but did not survive. Authorities opened an investigation that soon took an unexpected turn: the crime occurred just three days after Nikel's divorce was finalized on July 8. Ex-wife and her new boyfriend are accused. According to court documents cited by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the wrestler's ex-wife, Amanda Penny, 40, was arrested as an accomplice to the murder, while her new boyfriend, Michael Hogue, 51, was arrested as the alleged shooter. Both face charges of first-degree murder and firearms possession. Hogue was arrested in Fort Smith, while Penny was arrested in Rogers. They remain in custody at the Benton County Jail, and a bond hearing is expected in the coming hours. A long relationship that deteriorated over time. The wrestler's mother, Susan Kinderman, told News5 that the family still doesn't know the exact details of the incident that ended in her son's death. "We had very little information. We know there was an altercation, shots were heard, and Kevin died. That's all we really know," she said. Kinderman recounted that Penny and Nikel had been dating since they met in high school in 2000, and that they were married for 13 years. However, I have acknowledged that the relationship gradually deteriorated. "They were happy for a long time, but they started to drift apart. Neither of them was happy," he said. Professional Wrestling Career Kevin Nikel was part of WWE NXT between 2012 and 2013, before continuing his career in independent wrestling, notably in Ozark Mountain Wrestling.where he used the name Ivan Warsaw.

His fans and former colleagues have expressed messages of condolence while awaiting further developments in the investigation.

Although arrests have been made, authorities have not revealed the exact motive for the murder, and both the family and investigators hope to clarify what happened in the days leading up to the wrestler's death.

The prosecution continues to gather evidence and take statements in anticipation of the trial.