# John Bonello (referee)

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{{short description|Canadian professional wrestler and referee}}
'''John Joseph Bonello''' is a Canadian professional wrestler and referee who worked for the [World Wrestling Federation](/source/WWE) during the 1980s. 

==Wrestling==
Bonello started as [enhancement talent](/source/Job_(professional_wrestling)) for [Big Time Wrestling](/source/Big_Time_Wrestling_(Detroit)). He got a [push](/source/Push_(professional_wrestling)) in 1980 that saw him win the [Detroit version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship](/source/NWA_World_Tag_Team_Championship_(Detroit_version)) twice.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Soloman |first1=Brian |title=Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling's Original Sheik |date=2022 |publisher=ECW Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TpJUEAAAQBAJ |access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref> After the promotion closed, he moved to [Maple Leaf Wrestling](/source/Maple_Leaf_Wrestling). In 1984, he faced [Billy Red Lyons](/source/Billy_Red_Lyons) in Lyons’ final match for the promotion.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wells |first1=Jon |title=Mat Men; Part 2 of 3 |work=The Spectator |date=September 26, 2009}}</ref> He also wrestled for [Jim Crockett Promotions](/source/Jim_Crockett_Promotions).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Mike |title=7/3 This Day in History: Arrest Leads to WWE Title Change, Heyman Makes UFC Debut, Piper Teams With Wahoo, Hulk vs. Putski, Backlund Turns Evil and Much More |url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/94762/73-this-day-in-history-arrest-leads-to-wwe-title-change-heyman-makes-ufc-debut-piper-teams-with-wahoo-hulk-vs-putski-backlund-turns-evil-and-much-more-.html?p=1 |website=PWI Insider |publisher=July 3, 2024 |access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>

==Officiating==
After his in-ring career ended, Bonello regularly refereed wrestling shows at [Toronto](/source/Toronto)'s [Maple Leaf Gardens](/source/Maple_Leaf_Gardens). He refereed at [Wrestlemania VI](/source/Wrestlemania_VI) at the [SkyDome](/source/SkyDome).<ref name="Arrest" /> He helped train future WWF referee [Jimmy Korderas](/source/Jimmy_Korderas).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Oliver |first1=Greg |title=Toronto's Jim Korderas on Life in a Striped Shirt |url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2001/07/02/jim-korderas-wwfs-canadian-in-a-striped-shirt/ |access-date=11 August 2024 |work=Slam Wrestling |date=July 2, 2001}}</ref>

==Criminal conviction==
On April 15, 1990, Bonello was arrested and charged with counselling to commit first-degree murder. According to police, he offered $5,000 to an undercover officer posing as a hit man to murder his wife, Diane.<ref name="Arrest">{{cite news |title=Wrestlemania referee held in murder bid |work=Toronto Star |date=April 18, 1990}}</ref> He was convicted of counselling first-degree murder, which carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. During sentencing, the prosecution asked for a prison term of at least six years.  Diane Bonello testified on her husband's behalf, telling the court that her husband's multiple jobs (he was working full-time at [McDonnell Douglas](/source/McDonnell_Douglas) and part time as a referee and bouncer) and drug use (he was using [marijuana](/source/Cannabis_(drug)), [cocaine](/source/cocaine), [amphetamine](/source/amphetamine)s, and steroids) sent her husband "over the edge." Psychiatrist Dr. Basil Orchard testified Bonello's steroid use likely resulted in a [steroid psychosis](/source/steroid_psychosis). He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, three years' probation, and 360 hours of community service.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Crook |first1=Farrell |title=Former wrestling referee jailed for bid to hire killer |work=Toronto Star |date=April 14, 1992}}</ref> The [Court of Appeal for Ontario](/source/Court_of_Appeal_for_Ontario) later increased the sentence to five years, on the grounds that the original sentence "clearly failed to reflect the need for a denunciatory sentence to mark the gravity of the offence and the need to deter others similarly inclined."<ref>{{cite news |title=Court triples jail sentence for contracting out murder |work=The Globe and Mail |date=October 17, 1992}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonello, John}}
Category:Canadian male professional wrestlers
Category:Professional wrestlers from Ontario
Category:Canadian professional wrestling referees
Category:People convicted of soliciting murder

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [John Bonello (referee)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bonello_(referee)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bonello_(referee)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.