How did Benjamin Keough die? Lisa Presley ‘suffocating’ with pain over son's death: ‘My soul went with you’
Singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley's pain is “suffocating” her after she lost her son Benjamin Keough on July 12, 2020, who died by suicide. The 'To Whom It May Concern' singer has paid tribute to her late son and wrote about her feelings in an Instagram post saying she “will never be the same” after this tragedy.
In her October 21 post, she wrote a heartbreaking tribute to her late son on his birthday along with a picture of him, “My beautiful beautiful angel, I worshipped the ground you walked on, on this earth and now in Heaven. My heart and soul went with you. The depth of the pain is suffocating and bottomless without you every moment of every day.” She continued on how this incident has changed her tremendously. “I will never be the same. Please wait for me my love, and hold my hand while I stay to continue to protect and raise your little sisters and to be here for Riley. I know you would want that. Happy Birthday my sweet sweet Boy. You were much too good for this world.”
Benjamin was laid to rest next to his grandfather, the iconic singer Elvis Presley, in Graceland. Elvis's Graceland, owned by Lisa Marie, said in a statement, “Benjamin Storm Keough was laid to rest in the Meditation Garden at Graceland with his family including his grandfather, Elvis Presley, great-grandmother, Gladys Presley, great-grandfather, Vernon Presley and great-great-grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley.”
Immediately after the shocking death of her son who was 27 when he gunned himself down, Lisa Marie was left “completely heartbroken.” A spokesperson for Lisa Marie reportedly 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.”
Benjamin was known for his striking resemblance to his late grandfather. Lisa Marie mentioned this similarity earlier saying as reported by TMZ, “Ben does look so much like Elvis. He was at the Opry and was the quiet storm behind the stage. Everybody turned around and looked when he was over there. Everybody was grabbing him for a photo because it is just uncanny.”
What happened to Benjamin Keough?
Benjamin was the younger of the two children Lisa Marie had with her first husband, musician Danny Keough, before their divorce in 1994. The other is actress Riley Keough, 31. Benjamin was found dead in Calabasas, California, on Sunday, July 12, 2020. As per TMZ, a representative for the LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office said Benjamin put a shotgun in his mouth and his manner of death is classified as a suicide.
The site reported that Benjamin had kept a low profile throughout the years. People website reported that he was suffering from depression before his death. Benjamin’s friend and musician Brandon Howard told the publication, “Sometimes he struggled with depression, which is a serious thing with [the coronavirus pandemic] and everything happening right now and everybody being locked in the house. It takes a lot. I wish I could have been there.”
Howard mentioned how the pressure to live up to the Presley family’s legacy contributed to Ben's struggles. “That kind of pressure is definitely a part of what happened,” he said. “It's a tough thing when you have a lot of pressure with your family and living up to a name and an image. It's a lot of pressure. It's almost like you're pressured into having to be a musician, having to be an actor. It was good for him to go around the world and discover himself and have his own friends. You never know what triggers it. You never know ... It's so random.”
Recalling about the personality of Benjamin, Howard said, “He was super inspiring. He was cool and very intelligent, intelligent beyond his years. He was multifaceted. He could be anywhere from serious, giving advice, to like super crazy and wild and dancing and partying. He was a very loving person as a brother.” TMZ reported that Benjamin was a musician who even struck a record deal back in 2009 worth $5 million. In his last times, he was seen out with the family during his grandfather Elvis' 40-year death anniversary during a vigil at Graceland.
As per a report by The Sun, video footage showed a "possible verbal argument between the deceased and the girlfriend in the backyard of the residence." On the fateful day of his death, Keough's girlfriend Diana Pinto had gone to his bedroom to check up on him and was able to open up the locked door with a bobby pin. She entered the bathroom to find Benjamin lying unresponsive on the floor with a gunshot wound. Earlier Benjamin had reportedly tested positive for alcohol and cocaine during the time of his death. Further, he had a "history of depression" and was "known to abuse alcohol and use illicit drugs, cocaine". He had also been to rehab several times prior to his death. He allegedly did not seek out any medical treatment for his mental health issues.