He planned to leave for a tour that was scheduled to begin in Portland. In the afternoon he watched television and in the evening went to the dentist. Fans at the gates of Graceland captured what were his last known live photographs.
Elvis Presley was found unresponsive in his bathroom at Graceland in Memphis by his girlfriend Ginger Alden. He was taken to Baptist Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at the age of 42.
Florists Transworld Delivery announced that the number of flower orders delivered to Graceland in a single day had surpassed all previous records associated with any event in the company's history. Florists in the Memphis area ran out of supplies, and additional flowers had to be flown in from other cities.
Two girls from Missouri were killed and a third was critically injured when an eighteen-year-old Memphis driver drove into a crowd of more than 2,000 mourners outside the Graceland music gates at around 4 a.m. The driver was charged with driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and two counts of second-degree murder. He ultimately served about two and a half years of a ten-year sentence.
Elvis Presley's funeral service was held at Graceland from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Approximately 150 invited mourners were inside, while about 75,000 fans gathered outside. Elvis was then buried in a white marble crypt at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis near his mother Gladys's grave. In November, he was reburied at Graceland at his father's request.
Ten of Elvis Presley's albums reappeared on the charts. Fleetwood Mac's album “Rumours” was at No. 1 on the US album chart for the third time, and “Float On” by The Floaters reached No. 8 on the singles chart.
Three men were arrested in Memphis while attempting to steal Elvis Presley's body from his mausoleum at Forest Hills Cemetery and demand a ransom for it. Police were waiting for them after receiving a tip about the planned break-in. The city of Memphis subsequently approved Vernon Presley's request to change the use of the land at Graceland and establish Presley Family Cemetery. Elvis's remains were then moved to the Meditation Garden at Graceland, where they were placed in safety.
After Elvis Presley’s death, he had 27 albums and nine singles in the UK Top 100; the album “Moody Blue” reached No. 1 on the album chart and “Way Down” topped the singles chart. Presley thus achieved a total of 17 UK No. 1 singles, equal to The Beatles.