Elvis Presley Conspiracies 

Elvis Presley quickly rose to fame with multiple number one hits. He went on to perform on national television and starred in many movies. With his beauty, electrifying performances, and dance moves sweeping the nation, he quickly became an icon. “The King of Rock and Roll was found unconscious in his Memphis, Tennessee, home on August 16,1977. He was taken to Baptist Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead at the age of 42, due to cardiac arrest” (Greil 2).

Many people have speculated over the years of what truly happened that day:

                            Was it a drug overdose?

                             Was he murdered by the mob?

                             Was he still alive and well in his Graceland estate? 

        As a young boy, he was always singing and very involved in the church. He loved the music, even if he didn’t know all the words. 

  Pamela Clarke Keogh, author of, The Man, The Life, The Legend, said: 

 

“Faith was another strong, and constant, component of Elvis’ life. For Elvis, for his mama        and daddy, God was not a distant figure up in the sky, but someone walking beside him each and every day. Someone who understood his secret thoughts, someone to lift his earthy burdens. Elvis and his parents were Pentecostal, an active faith where speaking in tongues was not uncommon. ‘Language from heaven,’ they called it” (Keogh).

“He had an eccentric style that captured the attention of men and women alike.

Young men around Elvis, such as Bindle, Howe, and Jerry, who were a part of his group “Memphis Mafia”, had the same style of dress that shows in the 1960’s. Most of which was influenced by hippie culture; characterized by having long hair with sideburns” (Farlina 16).

     Elvis was always authentic to himself, and he never let anyone change that about him.

Elvis influenced genres of music from country to R&B, and even gospel music. He paved the way for upcoming artists and won the hearts of many. 

From playing with: B.B. King, Little Richard, and many more, to his “Comeback Special” where he went off script and did things he was advised against doing on television. He was an icon and made a way for himself.                               

    The first conspiracy theory is that Elvis may have died of a drug overdose. This is supported by the fact that Elvis had "fourteen drugs in his system at the time of death. Including Codeine, which was at ten times the therapeutic level. Methaqualone found in a toxic amount. Morphine, mepacrine, ethchlorvynol, diazepam, and several barbiturates" (Lathan 339). Even though there were drugs in his system at the time of his death, his death was still ruled "cardiac arrythmia" (Duffett 6).        

      Elvis' family covered up his cause of death to preserve his reputation. “On October 18, Dr Muirhead presented the meticulously prepared report to Vernon Presley at Graceland. Vernon did not make the information public” (Williamson 14). The contents of Elvis’ autopsy were hidden from the public.  “Dan Warick, Dr.Francisco’s aid, told Dr. Francisco that the site had been cleaned up before they arrived, but even so, he found two syringes and an empty medicine bag in Elvis’ quarters” (Williamson 11). 

        The second conspiracy theory is that Elvis faked his own death because he was tired of the fame. Michael Goss who wrote, Elvis Lives! said, "Elvis Presley is being prevented from coming back into the mainstream media but has used the alias Ron Jesse to release music. Elvis is alive and there is no proof that he really did die" (Goss 154).  There have been many Elvis “sightings” over the years. Mostly in the 1970’s-1980’s. “Elvis was seen in Felpausch’s grocery in Vicksburg, Michigan, and two weeks later seen him at Kalamazoo Burger King” (Plasketes 173). There were hotlines to call even if you thought you had seen Elvis Presley like “1-900-King hotline” (Plasketes 181). While many claimed to see Elvis, none of the sightings were never proven.

     While there may not be any evidence that Elvis really did die, all we have is speculation. We may never get the true story as to what happened that August day at the Graceland estate. Did he die of a drug overdose? Was it a heart attack? Did Elvis fake his own death to start a new life? The truth surrounding his death may never be revealed. Elvis was an icon, he was adored by many, and he was a legend. Those are the only things we know for certain.