Lisa Marie Presley’s son and Elvis Presley’s grandson, Benjamin Keough, 27, dies
Lisa Marie Presley’s son and Elvis Presley’s look-alike grandson, Benjamin Keough, 27, dies ‘from self-inflicted gunshot wound’ in Calabasas mansion leaving his heartbroken mom ‘inconsolable’
- Keough was found Sunday morning in Calabasas, California, according to TMZ
- He was son of Lisa Marie and musician Danny Keough and the grandson of Elvis
- Lisa Marie has previously spoken of her son’s ‘uncanny’ resemblance to her dad
- Benjamin’s grandmother Priscilla married Elvis in 1967; they divorced in 1973
- ‘She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated’, Lisa Marie’s manager said, ‘He was the love of her life’
By Lauren Fruen For Dailymail.com and Ross Ibbetson For Mailonline
Published: 18:39 EDT, 12 July 2020 | Updated: 04:15 EDT, 13 July 2020
Elvis Presley’s grandson and Lisa Marie Presley’s son, Benjamin Keough, has died from a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The 27-year-old was found by police with a single injury to the upper torso at around 6.30am on Sunday at his mother’s Calabasas mansion in California.
Benjamin was the son of Lisa Marie – only child of superstar Elvis – and musician Danny Keough. Lisa Marie had previously spoken of her eldest’s similarity to Elvis, calling their resemblance ‘uncanny’.
Lisa Marie’s manager, said: ‘She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated but trying to stay strong for her 11-year-old twins and her oldest daughter Riley. She adored that boy. He was the love of her life.’
A source close to the family has claimed that Benjamin had been ‘struggling’ for a long time and the death, though shocking, won’t have come as a ‘huge surprise’ to the family.
Elvis Presley’s grandson and Lisa Marie Presley’s son, Benjamin Keough, has died from a reported self-inflicted gunshot wound. He is pictured with his mom in 2012
Benjamin Keough with his mother Lisa Marie Presley in what may be the last photo of him in public, in New York in April 2019
Lisa Marie has previously spoken of her son’s, left, similarity to her dad Elvis, right, calling their resemblance ‘uncanny’
Police responded to a ‘rescue response’ call at this home about 6:30am Sunday
Lisa Marie Presley with Benjamin’s father, Danny Keough, at a California theater in 1991
The 27-year-old, pictured with his mom in 2010, was found Sunday in Calabasas, California, according to TMZ. Lisa Marie’s manager, said: ‘She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated…She adored that boy. He was the love of her life’
Police said they responded to a ‘rescue response’ call at about 6:30am Sunday, adding: ‘Upon their arrival, they located the victim suffering from one gunshot wound to the upper torso. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.’
An official could be seen outside the mansion Sunday while police and a coroner’s vehicle were parked nearby.
A source told The Sun that Benjamin’s family was told about his death early on Sunday morning.
‘It is shocking news but it also isn’t a huge surprise as he had been struggling. Everyone is heartbroken and devastated,’ they said.
Nancy Sinatra tweeted: ‘I have known you since before your mama gave birth to you, never dreaming you would have pain like this in your life. I’m so very sorry.’
Born in 1977, Benjamin’s mother was the only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. Lisa Marie lost her father just nine years later to heart failure.
She married Benjamin’s father, Keough – her first of four husbands – in 1988.
The couple had two children together, Benjamin and his sister, the actress Riley Keough who is married to her Mad Max co-star Ben Smith-Petersen.
In 2009 Benjamin, who kept a low public profile, was reported to have signed a $5million record deal with Universal.
‘The music will be nothing like Elvis, nothing like him at all,’ he had said in an interview at the time.
Benjamin’s grandmother Priscilla married Elvis in 1967 but they divorced six years later. The couple are pictured with their only daughter, Lisa Marie, around 1970
Benjamin is pictured as a child with his sister Riley, mom Lisa Marie and grandmother Priscilla
Benjamin is pictured as a child with his sister Riley, mom Lisa Marie and grandmother Priscilla. In 2009 Benjamin was reported to have signed a $5million record deal with Universal. ‘The music will be nothing like Elvis, nothing like him at all,’ he said in an interview at the time
But Peter LoFrumento, Executive Vice President of Universal Music Group, later told People: ‘This story is totally untrue.’
Aside from a few acting credits very little is known about Benjamin’s career.
In 2015, he shared a picture of an Elvis outfit he had bought, writing on Instagram: ‘I purchased a piece of grandad today from a collector. He wore it in 1974. I feel a lot closer to him now.’
Lisa Marie and Benjamin were said to be so close that, in 2009, the mother and son got matching tattoos. In 2012 she wrote song Storm And Grace about her son.
Lisa Marie was married to Michael Jackson and Nicholas Cage before wedding her fourth husband, Michael Lockwood, in 2008.
She has twin daughters with the music producer over whom she is said to be fighting a nasty custody battle.
Benjamin Keough’s former stepfather Michael Lockwood pictured his fiance Stephanie Hobgood in Calabasas on Sunday
In 2015 Benjamin shared this picture of an Elvis outfit he had bought, writing: ‘I purchased a piece of grandad today from a collector. He wore it in 1974. I feel a lot closer to him now’
Benjamin was the son of Lisa Marie and Danny Keough. He is pictured with his mom in 2012
Lisa Marie, second from left, is pictured with her four children; twins Finley and Harper, front left and right, and Benjamin, back right, and his sister Riley, center
In June last year the mother of four shared a sweet snap with all of her children, writing: ‘Mama Lion with the cubs.’
In June last year Lisa Marie opened up about her struggles with ‘opioids and painkillers’ in an essay penned for the forward of the book The United States of Opioids: A Prescription for Liberating a Nation in Pain by Harry Nelson.
She warned of the dangers of prescription drugs as she explained how easily her addiction began after being prescribed painkillers following the birth of her twin daughters in 2008.
- If you or anyone you know needs to talk, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
- For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local branch. See www.samaritans.org for details.
- LIFELINE: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au . Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
