Lisa Marie Presley’s death in January was due to a small bowel obstruction, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
The 54-year-old daughter of Elvis Presley died on Jan. 12 after experiencing a cardiac arrest and being admitted to the hospital. According to official records from the LA County Coroner’s Office, no drugs were detected in her system.
The manner of her death has been determined as natural. TMZ first reported the news on Thursday.
A small bowel obstruction refers to obstruction occurring in the small intestine, typically caused by factors such as scar tissue, hernia, or cancer. If left untreated, it can result in the death or perforation of bowel tissue. Surgical intervention is necessary to prevent such complications and potential fatality.
According to the autopsy report, obtained by media outlets, Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Juan M. Carrillo stated that Ms. Presley’s small bowel obstruction was caused by “adhesions,” which are scar tissue that formed after she underwent bariatric surgery several years ago.
“This is a known long term complication of this type of surgery,” he wrote.
Dr. Carrillo further noted that he examined the toxicology results from the autopsy, which indicated the presence of oxycodone in Ms. Presley’s blood at therapeutic levels. These levels were within the range considered medically beneficial and not hazardous.
Additionally, metabolites of quetiapine (used to treat depression, schizophrenia, or manic episodes) and buprenorphine (a painkiller with applications in opioid addiction treatment) were detected, but they were determined to have no contribution to her cause of death.
“There is no evidence of injury or foul play. The manner of death is deemed natural,” Dr. Carrillo concluded.
Los Angeles County paramedics were called to a home in Calabasas, California, at 10:37 a.m. on Jan. 12, within six minutes of receiving a report of a woman in full cardiac arrest.
Emergency medical personnel conducted CPR on the singer at her residence, before successfully restoring her pulse. She was then transported to West Hills Hospital and Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Property records show that the house belonged to Lisa Marie Presley. Calabasas is located approximately 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
TMZ initially reported Ms. Presley’s hospitalization, which was later confirmed by her mother, Priscilla, in a statement shared on Twitter.
“It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” Priscilla Presley said in a statement that evening. “She was the most passionate, strong, and loving woman I have ever known.”
She requested prayers for her beloved daughter.
Just prior to her hospitalization, Ms. Lisa Marie Presley attended the Golden Globes, where she expressed admiration for Austin Butler’s portrayal of her father in the movie “Elvis,” describing it as “mind-blowing” during an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“I really didn’t know what to do with myself after I saw it,” she told ET of Baz Luhrmann’s movie. “I had to take, like, five days to process it because it was so incredible and so spot on and just so authentic that, yeah, I can’t even describe what it meant.”
Shortly before her passing, Ms. Presley made a visit to Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, to commemorate her late father’s birthday on Jan. 8.
In an essay for People magazine, Ms. Presley candidly shared her experiences and challenges with grief following the tragic suicide of her son Benjamin Keough in 2020. Presley is also mother to actor Riley Keough and has twin daughters.
In the essay, she said: “I’ve dealt with death, grief, and loss since I was nine years old. I’ve had more than my fair share in my lifetime, yet I’ve managed to make it this far.”
