Elvis Presley: Riley Keough shares heartfelt tribute to brother Benjamin after his death aged 27
Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, has described her younger brother Benjamin as “too sensitive for this harsh world” after his shock death aged just 27.
Celebrity Kids
Don't miss out on the headlines from Celebrity Kids. Followed categories will be added to My News.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, has paid tribute to her younger brother Benjamin after his tragic death aged just 27.
The 31-year-old actress and model described Benjamin’s death as “true heartbreak” in a moving Instagram post which featured a series of photographs of the brother and sister through the years.
“Mornings are the hardest. I forget you’re gone. I can’t cry because of the fear that I will never stop. A pain that’s new to me. You,” Keough wrote.
“There are no words for you. Angel is the closest I could think of. Pure light. Baby brother. Best friend. Wild man. Intellectual. Witness to my life. Twin soul. Protector. Too sensitive for this harsh world.”
Riley, who is married to Australian stuntman Ben Smith-Petersen, has two younger half-sisters, 11-year-old twins Finley and Harper, from her mother Lisa Marie Presley’s marriage to Michael Lockwood.
She and Benjamin are the children of Lisa Marie Presley and her first husband Danny Keough, who divorced in May 1994.
Twenty days later, Presley married pop king Michael Jackson in an ill-fated union that collapsed two years later.
The LA County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office confirmed last week that Benjamin died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a bathroom of the family home in California.
When the 27-year-old’s body was discovered by girlfriend Diana Pinto, the Daily Mail reported, responding LA County Sheriff’s Department deputies found Benjamin slumped on the toilet, in a chilling echo of the death of his famous grandfather, Elvis Presley.
Presley family sources said Keough was “lost in life” and “struggled” to live in his grandfather Elvis’ “shadow”.
Lisa, Benjamin and her twins, Harper and Finley, 11, were forced to move out of their $A2.8m home recently due to a mould problem and were living in a hotel, but Ben went back to the property on his own, sources told The Sun.
Revealing the tragic timeline of events, one stunned family insider said: “There was mould in part of the house and the entire family moved into a hotel, but Ben went back and stayed at the house over the weekend.
“He shouldn’t have been there, but it seems he wanted to get away. Lisa was at the hotel when she got the call, she’s distraught obviously, Ben was her life.
“He was depressed, he didn’t really have an education, a job or a passion, he was lost in life, and he has always been in his grandfather’s shadow.
“As far as people knew he wasn’t into drugs, and didn’t drink that much, but he was dealing with mental health issues.
“His girlfriend found him. It must have been shocking for her.”
Insiders said there were other friends at the house, along with Lisa’s assistant, but Keough went to his bedroom and remained alone for a number of hours before being found dead by his girlfriend of two years, Diana Pinto, a post production co-ordinator at Fox.
“We believe he was alone when he killed himself. It appears he talked himself into this,” a source revealed.
Sources close to the family said that Lisa’s relationship with her mom Priscilla is still “rocky” and hope this tragedy may finally bring them back together as they grieve.
But family and friends are terrified about how she will cope with the loss of her beloved son after previously opening up about her opioid addiction.
They also think that the loss of her friend Kelly Preston - John Travolta’s wife who died from cancer this week - will come as a double blow to her.
“Kelly’s death has been a double blow for Lisa, they weren’t close in recent years and she kept her cancer battle private, but she was good friends with Kelly and John.
“They were all very close in Scientology, they hung out together with their children, even vacationed together, and Lisa was a big support for them after their son’s death.”
‘GIRLFRIEND’ URGED ELVIS PRESLEY’S GRANDSON ‘DON’T DO IT!’
The grandson of Elvis Presley Benjamin Keough’s apparent girlfriend screamed “don’t do it” during a party at Lisa Marie’s $A2.8 million Los Angeles home on the night of his suicide.
Ben, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene on Sunday after suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
And the Daily Mail reported a neighbour heard partying at the residence at 1am and a woman loudly screaming “Don’t do it” at 3.30am.
Authorities arrived at the California home at 6am and overheard police interviewing a hysterical woman, who is believed to be Benjamin’s girlfriend, in the backyard.
The neighbour alleged: “I could hear somebody speaking really loud in the backyard. I looked outside and I saw what appeared to be his girlfriend outside talking to police, and she was pretty hysterical saying ‘I can’t believe it.’
“She just kept swearing and saying, ‘I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it.’’ She was saying, ‘I can’t believe he would do that to himself.’
“She said, ‘The family’s going to hate me’ and ‘They’re going to blame me.’ I think she was feeling guilty for it happening … but I don’t want to speculate [as to] what caused it. That was around 6.30-7am. They were out there for about an hour talking.”
The resident added that the woman had come to the home regularly and is believed to be his girlfriend of at least two years.
The neighbour said Lisa was not at the home at the time and hasn’t been for several weeks.
Other neighbours saw the Presley family gather at the home later in the day on Sunday.
Another resident said the famous family is “private.”
The insider said: “They go out of their way to turn around and not even wave or anything. Not that they’re rude, they just don’t want anybody to know who they are.”
Benjamin is the son of Danny Keough, who Lisa Marie was married to from 1988 to 1994.
A representative for Lisa Marie released in a statement: “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.”
Lisa is also mother to Danielle Riley Keough and twin girls, Harper and Finley, with ex-husband Michael Lockwood.
Lisa Marie said in a 2012 interview with CMT that her son’s resemblance to Elvis is “uncanny.”
She added: “Ben does look so much like Elvis. Everybody was grabbing him for a photo because it is just uncanny. Sometimes I am overwhelmed when I look at him.”
Ben got $5 million deal with Universal Records in 2009 to release five albums.
MORE NEWS
ONJ’s tribute to Kelly Preston
Body found in search for Naya Rivera
ELVIS PRESLEY’S GRANDSON DEAD AT DREADED AGE OF 27
Keough’s death has sent shockwaves across Hollywood.
The only son of Lisa Marie Presley and musician Danny Keough, he was found dead in Calabasas, California, from an apparent suicide at the age of 27.
He is the brother of actress Riley Keough, who is known for her roles in The Lodge and Mad Max: Fury Road.
His mother Lisa Marie is “completely heartbroken and inconsolable” over her son’s death, her manager Roger Widynowski said in a statement to USA Today.
“She adored that boy. He was the love of her life.”
Born into rock royalty, Keough is the latest celebrity to join the infamous ‘27 club’, the tragic list of celebrities who died just before they reached their 28th birthdays.
Singer Amy Winehouse was found dead aged 27 at her London home in July 2011 after a very public battle with drugs and alcohol.
The award-winning star‘s 2006 album Back to Black is the best-selling British album of the 21st century.
An inquest found Winehouse, who had struggled with an eating disorder, was more than five times the legal drink-drive limit when she died of alcohol poisoning.
Empty vodka bottles were found beside her bed when her body was discovered.
In April 1994, legendary Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain joined the 27 club after his death by suicide.
Cobain was found dead in a room above the garage of his Seattle mansion.
The tormented musician had long battled with heroin addiction and a tumultuous marriage to wife Courtney Love.
He had also struggled with expectations that he was a spokesman for Generation X.
After his shocking death at the age of 27, his mother Wendy O’Connor spoke of her anguish and alluded to the infamous 27 club.
“Now he’s gone and joined that stupid club, I told him not to join that stupid club.”
The 27 club originated with the shocking deaths of four of the 20th century’s biggest music names.
In July 1969, the mysterious death of Rolling Stones co-founder Brian Jones at the age of 27 left fans devastated.
A drug-addled Jones was found floating facedown in the swimming pool at his English country estate by his Swedish girlfriend after a night of partying with a group of locals.
An inquest reported death by misadventure but allegations of foul play have persisted for decades.
“And still the mystery of his death hasn’t been solved,” Keith Richards told Rolling Stone years later.
“I don’t know what happened, but there was some nasty business going on.”
In 1970, three of music’s biggest stars died at age of 27 just months apart.
Legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix was found dead in his London basement flat in September 1970.
MORE NEWS
Masks ‘better than strict lockdown’
Aussie rush to access super surpasses $29 billion
Jubelin: Danger lurking in hairy, sweaty men
The Australian doctor who tried to revive him after he was rushed to hospital later rejected the idea that Hendrix died at the age of 27 after accidentally choking on his vomit due to an overdose.
In his memoir Rock Roadie, John Bannister alleged that the star died after being force-fed wine and pills.
A month later, singer Janis Joplin died from an accidental heroin overdose after a long battle with drugs.
Joplin’s death in a seedy Hollywood hotel at the age of 27 came while she was putting the finishing touches on the her album Pearl, which would become the biggest hit of her career.
Nine months later, Doors frontman Jim Morrison became another addition to the 27 club after he was found dead in the bathtub at his Paris apartment.
The charismatic star had long battled substance abuse and his official cause of death was heart failure.
If you are experiencing mental health issues or suicidal feelings contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, BeyondBlue 1300 224 636, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 or Headspace on 1800 650 890. If it is an emergency call 000.