Here’s all of the facts we know:
UPDATE May 26th: The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has issued a statement, “Over the past 24 hours, local news media outlets have reported that the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Homicide section is investigating the death of B.B. King. These reports are incorrect.”
UPDATE May 25th: Several news outlets have erroneously reported that the Beale Street Memorial and procession down Highway 61 to Indianola for King’s delta funeral would be cancelled or postponed. According to authorities, the autopsy shouldn’t delay King’s highly anticipated funeral in Memphis on Wednesday.
Two of B.B. King’s daughters, who’ve publicly reported concerns that his death may have been related to foul play, have accused King’s two closest aides of poisoning him. The attorney for King’s estate called the claims ridiculous, and police said there was no active homicide investigation.
“I believe my father was poisoned and that he was administered foreign substances,” daughters Patty King and Karen Williams say in identically worded sections of affidavits provided to The Associated Press by their lawyer, Larissa Drohobyczer.
“I hope they have a factual basis that they can demonstrate for their defamatory and libelous allegations,” Attorney Brent Bryson, who represents King’s estate, told the Associated Press.
Three doctors determined that King was appropriately cared-for, Bryson said, and King received 24-hour care and monitoring by medical professionals “up until the time that he peacefully passed away in his sleep.”
The Clark County, Nevada’s Coroner Office said that they had taken jurisdiction of B.B. King’s body, and would be performing an autopsy, the results of which would take at least eight weeks to return.
Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg issued a statement Monday saying there was no immediate evidence supporting the murder allegations, and Las Vegas police Lt. Ray Steiber told the AP that there was no active homicide investigation. However, a tweet Monday afternoon from the Coroner’s office set off widespread speculation about the investigation.
Here’s the Clark County Office Tweet
Our coroner takes jurisdctn over #BBKing body, performs autopsy. Results:6-8wks min. Homicide investgtn w/ @LVMPD pic.twitter.com/vrU6Irwd87
— Clark County Nevada (@ClarkCountyNV) May 25, 2015
Fudenberg said Monday that his office’s investigation shouldn’t delay King’s highly anticipated funeral in Memphis, proceeding down Highway 61, The Blues Highway, and to his final resting place.
