We didn’t report on B.B. King‘s death earlier this month, but needless to say, the loss of the legendary blues musician at 89 years old was incredibly sad. But now it might be even sadder than we initially thought, because while 89 is a completely reasonable age for someone to pass from natural causes, King’s daughters don’t believe that’s what happened at all, In fact, they believe their father was poisoned by his close aides.
From BBC News:
Karen Williams and Patty King said the musician was given “foreign substances to induce his premature death” by his business manager Laverne Toney.
Lawyers for King’s estate said the claims are unfounded and disrespectful.
Nevada’s Clark County Coroner said it would investigate with the Las Vegas Police Department’s homicide division.
“At this point, we don’t have evidence that these allegations of foul play will be substantiated,” Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg said.
“However, we are taking them very seriously and will be conducting a thorough investigation.
“We are co-ordinating our investigative efforts with the homicide division of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. I expect the investigation will take a minimum of six to eight weeks.”
However a statement from the Las Vegas Police Department said: “Until such time as the Clark County Coroner determines Mr King’s death to be from other than natural causes, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is not moving forward with any investigation.”
One of the assistants – who just so happens to be the executor of B.B.’s will – calls these claims “ridiculous”, but his family insists that these aides had sequestered B.B. from them in the later years of his life.
It’s so sad, either way, but if indeed there was something criminal here, these people need to be brought to justice.