Elvis Presley Death Time and Verified Timeline
Date and Year
Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977. This date is consistently recorded in official reports and biographies.
Day of the Week
He died on a Tuesday.
Time Zone and Local Time
Elvis was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. Central Time at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. In UTC, that corresponds to 20:30 UTC.
Time of Day
Because the official pronouncement occurred at 3:30 p.m. local time, the time of day is afternoon in the Central Time Zone. Note that some widely circulated claims reference 1:30 p.m.; this may stem from confusion with dispatch or response times, but the formal time of death is documented as midafternoon.
Key Factual Comparison
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Date of death | August 16, 1977 | Official death certificate and biographies |
| Day of week | Tuesday | Calendar confirmation |
| Time of pronouncement | 3:30 p.m. Central Time | Hospital and coroner records |
| UTC equivalent | 20:30 UTC | Time zone conversion |
| Location | Baptist Memorial Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA | Medical and news reports |
Common Points of Confusion
- 1:30 p.m. reports: Some sources cite early afternoon times; these often refer to dispatch or response clocks rather than the formal pronouncement.
- Time zone mix-ups: Converting to other zones (e.g., Eastern) shifts the clock to 4:30 p.m., but the original Central Time remains the authoritative reference.
Official Sources and Reliability
The Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Medical Examiner, and Presley’s estate have all aligned on the midafternoon pronouncement. Cross-checks among coroner logs and ambulance timestamps support 3:30 p.m. as the documented time.
Why the Exact Time Matters
Beyond curiosity, the time anchors the sequence of emergency response, media alerts, and funeral logistics. Accurate timing clarifies how quickly witnesses acted, how newsrooms structured early reports, and how protocols unfolded across time zones.
Summary and Takeaways
Elvis Presley was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, August 16, 1977, which corresponds to 20:30 UTC. This midafternoon moment is the verified anchor for related timelines. When you see earlier or conflicting times, they typically reflect dispatch intervals or time-zone conversions rather than the formal declaration.