Elvis Presley’s Stepbrother Claims It Was The Doctors Who 'Killed' Him: "Who Needs 10,000 Pills..."

Elvis Presley’s stepbrother, David Stanley, has made bombshell claims about the circumstances leading to the legendary musician's death, placing blame on Presley’s personal physician, Dr. George "Nick" Nichopoulos. Stanley, 67, asserted that Dr. Nichopoulos’ overprescription of drugs was the primary reason behind Presley’s demise at just 42 years old, stating “The doctors killed him.”

The "King of Rock and Roll" passed away on August 16, 1977, due to cardiac arrhythmia, according to the Shelby County Medical Examiner, Dr. Jerry Francisco. The autopsy also noted undetected coronary disease and mild hypertension. However, Stanley maintains that these health issues were exacerbated by the extensive medication provided by Dr. Nichopoulos.

“Dr. Nick gave him over 10,000 pills in the last eight months of his life,” Stanley told Express UK. “Without Dr. Nick, Elvis would have died in the 21st century. Nick would be in prison and would have died in prison.” Reflecting on the sheer volume of prescriptions, Stanley questioned, “Who needs 10,000 pills? Who needs 33 sleeping pills to go to sleep at night? Who needs cocaine and amphetamine to wake up every day?”

Dr. Nichopoulos, who passed away in 2016, had been under scrutiny for years regarding his prescribing practices. Records revealed that in the 31 months preceding Presley’s death, he had written 19,000 prescriptions for the singer. One prescription was reportedly written just 12 hours before Presley’s death. Although Dr. Nichopoulos faced charges of overprescribing medications to Presley and others, including Jerry Lee Lewis, he was ultimately acquitted.

Stanley, who grew up at Presley’s Graceland estate after his mother married Vernon Presley, described witnessing the singer's physical and emotional decline during his final years. He was part of the "Memphis Mafia," Presley’s close entourage, and traveled extensively with the star. Stanley recalled seeing Presley deteriorate from a cultural icon to a man weighed down by drug dependency and health issues.

“Fans go, ‘How could you talk that way about Elvis?’” Stanley said. “Be there for five years, the last years of his life, watch him go from King to 255 pounds — those were his words — totally wrecked, and do the job to keep him there alive as long as you can.” The stepbrother added, “The hardest thing for me was to watch that self-destructive spirit. Nothing could stop him.”

Stanley also reflected on his final interactions with Presley. Two days before the singer’s death, he visited him at Graceland and was struck by Presley’s words. “Elvis was reading his Bible and asked me, ‘David, who am I?’ I said, ‘You’re the King, man,’ and he replied, ‘No, there’s only one King.’” Presley then hugged Stanley, saying, “The next time you see me, I’ll be on a higher plane.” Two days later, Stanley discovered Presley lifeless in his bathroom. 

Addressing Presley’s broader struggles, Stanley noted, “There were no rehabs that were respectable to go to if you were a big star like Elvis. They just didn’t exist.” He acknowledged the immense isolation Presley faced, stating, “[Isolation] was part of his demise… he had no accountability.” Despite the tragic outcome, Stanley expressed his deep love for Presley, saying, “True love is not a fan base. True love is caring, no matter what.”