Introduction
The Strange Behavior of Vernon Presley Before and During Elvis’s Funeral
When Elvis Presley passed away in August 1977, the world mourned the loss of a cultural icon. But behind the public grief and tributes, those closest to him—especially longtime fans—noticed unsettling details that raised questions about the days surrounding his funeral. One person particularly attuned to these inconsistencies was Maria Columbus, then-president of the Elvis Presley Fan Club, who had known the Presley family for years.
Upon hearing the shocking news of Elvis’s death, Maria and her associates immediately attempted to reach out to Vernon Presley, Elvis’s father. While they did eventually speak to Vernon by phone, his response struck them as unusual. Instead of welcoming them to Graceland during this time of mourning, Vernon asked them not to come until the following week. He explained that things were “too hectic, too emotional,” and he wouldn’t have time to see them.
Maria has since speculated that Vernon’s request may have had a deeper motive—that their presence might have prompted uncomfortable questions. “He thought we would have noticed things… little details that weren’t right,” she recalled. This sentiment only grew stronger when Maria arrived a week later and found an atmosphere she described as disturbingly inappropriate: vendors selling sodas and popcorn near Elvis’s mausoleum, people posing with security guards, and an almost carnival-like tone rather than one of solemn remembrance.
More troubling still was the inventory of Elvis’s estate, which Maria reviewed shortly after. The document, spanning 84 pages, omitted numerous personal items fans knew Elvis to have owned—his diaries, journals, family photographs, and even an entire airplane were missing. The absence of such meaningful artifacts raised eyebrows and added to the suspicion that something about the way Elvis’s passing was handled behind the scenes didn’t align with the public image.
To this day, the strange behavior of Vernon Presley and the inconsistencies surrounding the estate continue to provoke questions from those who knew and loved the King.