Elvis Presley death conspiracy theories

Since Elvis Presley's death on August 16, 1977, various false and discredited conspiracy theories have circulated stating that he may still be alive. "Elvis sightings" from people incorrectly claiming to have seen him after this date are a phenomenon both as an ironic meme and also as part of a genuine belief for some.

In the early 1980s, the possibility of Presley still being alive was a niche topic discussed by a fringe demographic of fans in underground zines. It crossed over into widespread media attention in 1987 after a woman named Louise Welling falsely claimed to have seen Elvis at a Burger King in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The absurdity, "Middle America-ness" and the sound of the name "Kalamazoo" made for an ironic, light story in newspaper and television outlets. Theories and misinformation on the topic were then widely popularised by authors Gail Brewer-Giorgio and Major Bill Smith, who were given a platform by American and international media. Two TV specials on the subject of Elvis sightings, The Elvis Files and The Elvis Conspiracy, aired internationally in 1991 and 1992.

Since then, popular interest in the topic has waned but Elvis sightings have stayed resonant as a part of pop culture. The conspiracy theory itself has become iconic as an example of the "genre" and a forerunner of the post-truth era, going on to influence many other theories including QAnon.

Presley died on August 16, 1977. His death is easily verifiable. Presley's body was found in his ensuite bathroom at Graceland by his girlfriend Ginger Alden, who raised the alarm and quickly summoned his father Vernon Presley and close friend Joe Esposito, as well as his daughter Lisa Marie Presley, who were all first-hand witnesses. The body was then transported to the Memphis Baptist Hospital, where medical personnel produced both a death certificate and an autopsy report on file with the State of Tennessee.

The earliest known Elvis sighting was the very next day at the Memphis International Airport where a man resembling him supposedly gave the name "Jon Burrows" when boarding an international flight. This was the name Presley travelled under during his lifetime, and searching for uses of this name post-1977 became a recurring theme of the conspiracy theory.

In 1978, author Gail Brewer-Giorgio published a novel entitled Orion based on Presley's life but with an ending in which the main character fakes his own death. At the same time, an album was released on Presley's former label Sun Records featuring a masked singer named "Orion" with a voice similar to Presley's. Some interpreted the release of the book and album together as meaning that Presley was still alive and had begun recording as "Orion". The singer was in fact Jimmy Ellis, with the Sun Records brand identity having been sold to Shelby Singleton since its iconic 1950s heyday. Brewer-Giorgio claimed at the time to have no connection to Ellis or this other use of "Orion". In later years, she would even claim that Ellis and Singleton had violated her copyright. However, in the 2015 documentary Orion: The Man Who Would Be King, both Ellis and Brewer-Giorgio say they worked together on the "Orion" phenomenon in advance of both the book and album coming out. Ellis claims that Brewer-Giorgio approached him after a performance and told him "You are Orion."

In 1979, a two-part TV special investigating Presley's death entitled The Elvis Cover-Up aired on 20/20, hosted by Geraldo Rivera. The "cover-up" referred to was an attempt to hide Presley's dependence on prescription medication and the role this played in his death, which the special documents thoroughly. The second part directly implicated Presley's former doctor, George C. Nichopoulos. Rivera does not imply at any time in this special that Presley may still be alive. However, a common misinterpretation of the special's title unintentionally lay the groundwork for a belief that this may be the case. Brewer-Giorgio would later capitalise on this by citing the special as evidence Presley was alive, at a time when it was not easily available to be viewed.

Meanwhile, Ellis went onto some success performing as "Orion" while masked, including to some fans who genuinely believed that he was in fact Presley. However, the novel Orion fell out of print and did not succeed. Brewer-Giorgio blamed this on deliberate publisher neglect and claimed that the reason behind this was that she had "gotten too close to the truth". This theory became the basis for her next "non-fiction" book, The Most Incredible Elvis Presley Story Ever Told!