Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka
Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka (second from right) has died of stomach cancer at age 73. Above, Snuka steps into the ring during WrestleMania 25 at Reliant Stadium on April 5, 2009, in Houston. Bill Olive/Getty Images

WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, a World Wrestling Federation star in the early to mid-1980s, has died of stomach cancer. He was 73.

Snuka’s wife, Carol, revealed in August 2015 Snuka had been diagnosed with the disease and undergone surgery that removed much of his stomach and a number of lymph nodes. The following month, he was charged with the 1983 death of then-girlfriend Nancy Argentino, but third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges were dropped earlier this month because he was suffering from dementia and incompetent to stand trial.

He was placed in home hospice care in October and taken to Broward Medical North near his home in Florida Dec. 17.

Snuka’s daughter posted his death on Instagram and Twitter.

Condolences rolled in.

Snuka attorney Robert Kirwan confirmed the death. He died at his son-in-law’s Florida home, the Allentown (Pennsylvania) Morning Call reported.

"He's battled various medical ailemts for over a year and half," Kirwan said. "He's at rest and he is at peace. I came to know him like a friend and his family are my friends. I feel like I have lost a good client and a good friend."

Snuka was known for his flamboyant style as an early star of the World Wrestling Federation, now the WWE. He was known for his “Superfly Splash,” which involved him standing on the ring’s top rope before vaulting off and landing face down on an opponent.

His career tapered off in the 1990s and by 2000, he was making just cameo appearances in nonwrestling roles. Those appearances stopped when Argentino’s death resurfaced.

Argentino, 23, died of blunt force trauma in their George Washington Motor Lodge hotel room shortly after Snuka made an appearance in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Snuka called paramedics but left before they arrived. He later told investigators Argentino had falled and hit her head while they were “fooling around.” Her family won a wrongful death suit in 1985.

Snuka was not charged until cold case investigators reopened the case following publication of Snuka’s 2012 memoir, “Superfly: The Jimmy Snuka Story.”

At a hearing Jan. 3, Pennsylvania Judge Kelly Banach said he was satisfied the “defendant will not regain competence and it would be unjust to resume the prosecution.”

Snuka was one of 50 former pro-wrestlers suing the WWE for long-term brain injury they say was caused by their careers.

He is survived by his wife and four children.

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