When a celebrity family carries the weight of a name like Presley, every chapter of its story is watched closely. Benjamin Keough, Elvis Presley’s grandson, lived largely outside that spotlight — until July 12, 2020, when his death at age 27 brought sudden, intense attention to a family already familiar with tragedy. This article separates confirmed facts from lingering questions, drawing on autopsy reports, family statements, and news investigations.

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Date of Death: July 12, 2020 ·
Age at Death: 27 ·
Cause of Death: Suicide (self-inflicted gunshot) ·
Location of Death: Calabasas, California

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact reasons for the suicide remain unknown
  • Whether family members had any prior warning
  • Details of legal disputes over Benjamin’s estate
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Ongoing interest in the Presley family history
  • Potential further revelations from memoirs or interviews
  • Legal resolution of Benjamin’s estate

Eight key facts about Benjamin Keough, one pattern: his life remains overshadowed by the tragedy of his death.

Label Value
Full Name Benjamin Storm Presley Keough
Date of Birth October 21, 1992
Place of Birth Tampa, Florida
Date of Death July 12, 2020
Age at Death 27
Cause of Death Suicide (self-inflicted gunshot)
Occupation Actor (credited in Rod & Barry, Elvis by the Presleys)
Burial Location Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee

What Did Benjamin Keough Pass Away From?

Official cause of death

  • Benjamin Keough died by suicide on July 12, 2020, at his home in Calabasas, California, according to the Los Angeles Times (leading California newspaper).
  • The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide by shotgun wound, as reported by BBC News (UK public broadcaster).

Autopsy report details

  • The autopsy confirmed a self-inflicted intraoral gunshot wound. Entertainment Tonight (celebrity news outlet) reported the cause after speaking with the medical examiner.
  • No foul play was suspected, and the coroner’s office issued the ruling after completing the autopsy (BBC News).
The upshot

The coroner’s ruling was definitive: suicide by shotgun. Yet the absence of drugs or alcohol and the lack of a suicide note leave the question “why?” unanswered.

Who Found Ben Keough Dead?

Discovery timeline

  • Benjamin Keough was found dead in the 24800 block of Alexandra Court in Calabasas. The Los Angeles Times reported that deputies arrived after a call.
  • His girlfriend at the time discovered his body, according to multiple sources.

911 call and emergency response

  • The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department initially characterized the death as a possible homicide before the coroner’s ruling clarified it as suicide (Los Angeles Times).

What Did Benjamin Keough Do for a Living?

Early life and family

  • Benjamin Storm Presley Keough was born October 21, 1992, in Tampa, Florida, to Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough (BBC News).
  • He was the only grandson of Elvis Presley.

Acting and music pursuits

  • Benjamin appeared in a few film and TV projects, including Rod & Barry and the documentary Elvis by the Presleys.

Resemblance to Elvis

  • He was often noted for his striking physical resemblance to Elvis Presley, a feature that drew media attention throughout his life.

What Were Benjamin Keough’s Autopsy Findings?

Autopsy results

  • The autopsy confirmed suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound (BBC News).

Toxicology report

  • No drugs or alcohol were detected in his system, according to Entertainment Tonight.
  • No foul play was suspected.
Why this matters

A clean toxicology report eliminates intoxication as a contributing factor, making the suicide all the more difficult for the family to reconcile.

How Long Did Lisa Marie Live After Her Son Died?

Lisa Marie Presley’s grief and guilt

  • Lisa Marie Presley issued a statement saying she was “absolutely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated” after her son’s death (Entertainment Tonight).
  • She died on January 12, 2023, at age 54, about two and a half years after Benjamin.

Preservation of the body with dry ice

  • According to a 2024 report citing Lisa Marie’s posthumous memoir, she kept Benjamin’s body in a separate casita bedroom in her Calabasas home for two months after his death, using dry ice to preserve it (Realtor.com (real estate news site)).
  • California had no law requiring immediate burial, which Presley cited in her memoir as context for the decision (Realtor.com).

Legal disputes over estate

  • Benjamin’s estate became part of later legal battles involving Lisa Marie’s will and trust, though specific details remain under seal.
Bottom line: Lisa Marie Presley coped with unspeakable grief by keeping her son’s body near her for two months, a decision the law allowed but which shocked many. The family’s private agony continues to surface in memoirs and estate filings.

Timeline

  • October 21, 1992 – Benjamin Keough born in Tampa, Florida.
  • July 12, 2020 – Benjamin Keough dies by suicide in Calabasas, California (Los Angeles Times).
  • September 2020 – Autopsy report released confirming suicide (BBC News).
  • Late 2020 – Burial at Graceland beside Elvis Presley (Entertainment Tonight).
  • January 12, 2023 – Lisa Marie Presley dies at age 54.

What Is Confirmed and What Remains Unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Suicide via self-inflicted gunshot wound (BBC News)
  • Body kept at home for two months using dry ice (Realtor.com)
  • Autopsy found no drugs or alcohol (Entertainment Tonight)
  • Burial at Graceland (Entertainment Tonight)

What’s still unclear

  • Exact reasons for suicide
  • Whether family members had prior warnings
  • Details of legal disputes over Benjamin’s estate

Voices from the aftermath

“Nicolas Cage, who was married to Lisa Marie Presley from 2002 to 2004, offered his condolences in a public statement, saying he was ‘heartbroken’ for her and the family.” — Public statement (2020)

“An anonymous source close to the family described the scene at the Calabasas home after Benjamin’s death, including the use of dry ice to preserve his body for two months.” — Source cited in Realtor.com

For the Presley family, the grief remains private but the public record now includes a coroner’s ruling, a memoir’s revelations, and a burial at Graceland. What isn’t clear is why — and that question may never have a satisfying answer.

Additional sources

facebook.com, fox6now.com, bbc.com, youtube.com, facebook.com, facebook.com, geni.com, hauptreport.de

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Frequently asked questions

How old was Benjamin Keough when he died?

27 years old, born October 21, 1992, and died July 12, 2020.

Where is Benjamin Keough buried?

In the Meditation Garden at Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, near the grave of Elvis Presley.

Did Benjamin Keough have any siblings?

Yes, he had a younger sister, Riley Keough, and a half-sister, Finley Lockwood, from his mother’s marriage to Michael Lockwood.

What movies did Benjamin Keough appear in?

He appeared in the film Rod & Barry and the documentary Elvis by the Presleys.

Was Benjamin Keough married?

No, he was not married. He was in a relationship at the time of his death.

What was Benjamin Keough’s net worth?

No official net worth has been reported; his estate became part of legal proceedings after his death.

Why was dry ice used to preserve his body?

California law did not require immediate burial, and his mother Lisa Marie Presley kept his body at home for two months using dry ice to slow decomposition, as revealed in her posthumous memoir.

Did Benjamin Keough know his grandfather Elvis Presley?

No, Elvis Presley died in 1977, 15 years before Benjamin was born.