On May 14, the music world shook with news of the death of storied blues guitarist B.B. King. Now, two of his daughters are claiming the 89-year-old died as a result of poisoning.
In two separate affidavits filed in Clark County, Nevada, this weekend, Karen Williams and Patty King named King’s longtime business manager, Laverne Toney, and his personal assistant, Myron Johnson, in allegations that medication was administered to King to induce diabetic shock. Using identical wording in documents provided to CNN by their legal representatives, the statements cite the administration of foreign substances by unlicensed and unscrupulous characters as the cause of the guitarist’s death.
The Clark County coroner’s office took to Twitter on Monday, writing: Our coroner takes jurisdctn over #BBKing body, performs autopsy . . . Homicide investgtn w/ @LVMPD.
County coroner John Fudenberg told CNN that initial autopsy results found no evidence to substantiate the allegations. King’s body was moved from the mortuary to the coroner’s office for examination on Sunday, and full results are expected in six to eight weeks.
Toney dismissed the claims by King’s daughters, telling the Associated Press: They’ve been making allegations all along. What’s new? In a statement, lawyers for King’s estate also called the claims ridiculous.
A 15-time Grammy Award winner, King died under hospice care in his Las Vegas home. A public viewing was held in Las Vegas on Saturday, and King’s memorial service is scheduled for Friday in Mississippi.
