Michael Jackson's sudden passing in 2009 shocked the entire world.
But what surprising details came out during his autopsy report — and could someone else
have been involved in his death?
Keep watching to find out.
World-famous pop icon Michael Jackson was declared dead on June 25th, 2009.
He stopped breathing after his personal doctor, Conrad Murray, administered the intravenous
drug propofol to the star at his rented Bel-Air home in California.
The death of the 50-year-old performer sent shockwaves across the globe amid a comeback
that would have served as his final shows at London's O2 Arena.
"Both the Los Angeles Times and CBS News are both now reporting that Michael Jackson has
died."
Those shows were slated to start on July 8th, but were pushed back a week to the 13th, sparking
mass speculation about Jackson's health.
Jackson had been rehearsing at Los Angeles Staples Center the night before he died.
Michael Jackson's use of propofol wasn't new.
According to Debbie Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and the mother of his two oldest children,
the singer was first introduced to the surgical anesthetic propofol in 1997.
That year, his then-doctor sent two German anesthesiologists to administer the drug to
him to help him sleep while on tour.
Regular sedatives weren't working, but according to Rowe, the propofol helped substantially.
The drug became a tool that Jackson sometimes used when he couldn't sleep but needed to
be able to perform.
Such was the situation when Jackson called Murray at about 1 a.m. on June 25th, complaining
of dehydration and insomnia.
Murray showed up and administered the drug, but things went awry — and Jackson's autopsy
later explained why.
According to the report, Jackson was relatively healthy with no history of heart disease.
At about 5-foot-7 in height, Jackson only weighed 136 pounds when he died.
He had many scars on his body and had tattooed a dark spot on his scalp.
His eyebrows were also tattooed, as were his lips.
One surprising detail found in the autopsy was that Jackson's hair was "sparse and connected
to a wig."
There was also dark coloring along his hairline, and his skin showed the spotty depigmentation
caused by the disease vitiligo.
Jackson was a 50-year-old man when he died, yet throughout his career presented himself
as having childlike qualities.
Still, he was far from a child.
His autopsy showed that he was taking the drug Flomax, which treats enlarged prostates
— an issue not uncommon for a man of his age.
Even more troubling was the number of prescription drugs found in Jackson's system.
According to the autopsy report, there were a few different benzodiazepines that are commonly
used to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and insomnia.
He was also taking trazodone, which is meant to treat major depressive disorders but is
also often used as a sleep aid.
The autopsy report stated that liquid, injectable forms of midazolam and lorazepam were found
in Michael Jackson's home.
However, it's not clear if Jackson injected himself with these drugs or if they were administered
by a doctor.
Curiously, there was no labeling on the bottle to include directions, a doctor's name, or
a patient name.
As if to combat all the sedatives, Jackson also had ephedrine and caffeine tablets at
his house.
No illegal drugs or alcohol were found in Jackson's system, but the combination of the
benzodiazepines and propofol proved deadly.
His cause of death was listed as acute propofol intoxication that was exacerbated by the "benzodiazepine
effect."
The death was ruled a homicide since the propofol was administered by another person — namely
Dr. Conrad Murray.
Murray, who was hired by Jackson's concert promoters and producers AEG Live, tried to
resuscitate his patient after sitting with him for hours without realizing Jackson wasn't
breathing.
The autopsy says Jackson had bruising and broken ribs, likely caused by CPR attempts,
as well as the signs of various medical interventions conducted in order to try to save his life.
The story told in Jackson's autopsy report is one of a man who was struggling to sleep
and dealing with anxiety; a man who was exhausted and frail behind the scenes as he poured himself
into preparing for what were to be his final concerts.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available.
Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact
SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).