The King of Pop: Dead or Alive?

Was Michael Jackson's death just a tragic accident, or was there more to the story?

The Smooth Criminal’s Story 

Micheal Jackson is one of the most famous musicians of all time. He has had thirteen #1 hits on the Billboard Chart, including “Beat It,” “Bad,” “Rock with You,” and one of his most popular songs, “Billie Jean.” Born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Micheal rose to fame in the singing group “The Jackson 5” with his brothers Tito, Jackie, Jermaine, and Marlon. The Jackson 5 are most known for their hit song “I Want You Back.” Micheal began his wildly successful solo career in 1971, with hits such as “Thriller,” “Black and White,” “Dirty Diana,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Don't Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” and more than 150 songs in total. Micheal’s sister, Janet Jackson, is also a celebrated singer along with her brother, and they are known for their collaboration on the song “Scream.”  

In the late 80’s Micheal was subjected to criticism by the media over his changing appearance, relationships, and lifestyle. He was accused of abusing the child of a family friend, but this was settled out of court and the FBI did not obtain significant enough evidence to charge him. Micheal is also known for his generous philanthropy and humanitarian work. In 2009, while preparing for his comeback tour, “This Is It,” Micheal died on June 25th in Los Angeles, at age 50 in his home. His death was later ruled as an acute overdose of the drug Propofol. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011, as it was discovered he provided Jackson with an overdose of the drug. The news of his untimely death caused many to mourn the loss of a music legend and an American icon. 

The MJ mystery 

Michael Jackson’s impact on the world was huge, and it still is today, but many people believe something was suspicious about his death. There are people who believe Micheal Jackson is still alive, or that there are some unsaid phenomena around his death. This may sound strange, but it highlights the fact many people would rather believe a beloved icon is hiding somewhere for some reason and still alive, rather than tragically passing away too soon. 

“He faked his death to get out of debt”

The main idea of Micheal Jackson death conspiracy theorists believe is this: Micheal is still alive, and he faked his death. There are many different theories on why. One theory is that Micheal was in debt and to escape this, he faked his death. There's no real evidence to back this up, but there is some to prove against it: his post mortem shows that it was in fact Micheal Jackson's body that was recovered from his Los Angeles house, and not a look-alike that was hired.

“He died two years earlier and was replaced” 

Another fake death theory about Jackson is that he died two years earlier than his reported death in 2009. This means he would have died in 2007. Along with the claim they also think he was replaced with a look-alike, which is backed up by the fact that “he looked different than he did prior to 2007.” This theory does not have much evidence for or against it, which leads to the conclusion that this claim is false.

“He's in Mexico” 

Some claim they saw Micheal cross the Mexican border shortly after his death. The rumor is that a border patrol officer saw Jackson cross from California to Mexico, but no one in Mexico has claimed to see the star anywhere. 

“He was murdered” 

There is also another theory that doesn't involve fake deaths or any other strange sightings: Micheal Jackson's death wasn't an overdose, it was a murder. This is most likely one of the most popular theories (and the most interesting) surrounding the pop star's death, and many people who were close to Micheal believe it also. In 2017 Micheal’s daughter Paris Jackson told Rolling Stone she believed her father's death was an “inside job.” She claimed “He would drop hints about people being out to get him,” and she also claimed he said, “They're gonna kill me one day.” When asked if she believed her father was in fact murdered, the 18-year-old at the time replied “Absolutely.” Paris was just 11 years old when her father died, she told Rolling Stone she still wore the African bracelet her nanny had retrieved from his body that day. 

Another Jackson who supports this claim is Micheal’s sister La Toya. In her book Starting Over, La Toya claims her brother feared he would be killed over his billion-dollar assets, and she claimed that his death was definitely premeditated. She also implied that Dr. Conrad Murray is not the only one to blame for Michael’s death. She alleges that John Branca, a co-executor of Jackson’s estate, may have been involved in a plot also. “They only care about what they can do and what they can get their hands on,” she said. These two claims seem to line up with each other, and the fact they are from close family members seems to raise the question, was Micheal Jackson actually murdered? 

The Truth Behind the Thriller

As it is for any famous icon, there will always be controversies and conspiracy theories. This is a perfect example of how a shocking event, such as Micheal’s out-of-the-blue death, can cause people to create strange, and sometimes believable reasonings, and just how much famous icons can influence what we believe in. Overall, Michael Jackson’s legacy lives on, and he has influenced a whole generation and the music industry forever.