EXCLUSIVE: Michael Jackson Autopsy Slab Mock-Up Spreads Online on 17th Anniversary of King of Pop's Drug Death
Michael Jackson's death continues to impact his fans nearly 20 years later.
July 6 2026, Published 6:45 p.m. ET
Michael Jackson fans have been left so sickened by a fake autopsy "photo" showing the King of Pop lying on a mortician's slab, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The horrific image – which you can see here – shows the troubled singer bald and covered in needle pricks after his years of drug abuse that led to his death.
Viral Image Sparks Outrage
A fake autopsy photograph of Jackson spread online.
It even shows the inside of his stomach filled with prescription pills. One online user who has seen the viral image said: "This is literally making people ill. There are people online saying they threw up when they saw this.
"It is really sad, exploitative, and disgusting."
The image has spread online as fans mark the 17th anniversary of Jackson's death.
After a forensic trawl of Jackson's real autopsy file, we can reveal the image being shared is actually close to the reality of the condition of his corpse.
His actual death report shows he had a wig glued onto his balding head and that he was covered in mysterious injuries.
Autopsy Reveals Shocking Details
Medical investigators discovered a wig glued onto the singer's head.
According to the 51-page document, L.A. coroners found the Beat It hitmaker was covered in scars and tattoos, had a pink pigment injected into his lips, numerous needle holes from shots to feed his drug habit, an odd "red discoloration" on his chest, and "an external catheter."
He also had strange bruises on his knees and shins, as well as a mysterious cut on his back, which investigators initially believed could point to homicide.
The Billie Jean singer died June 25, 2009, from a lethal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol, which he called his "milk," injected by private physician Dr. Conrad Murray, who later served two years for involuntary manslaughter.
Jackson was pumped with enough of the drug to knock out a patient undergoing major surgery, the report declares, noting: "Propofol is not supposed to be used for insomnia relief."
The Thriller star was also scary-skinny, packing just 136 pounds on his five-foot-nine frame.
In addition, according to the document, his "head hair is sparse and connected to a wig," and "black eyeliner" was inked on his eyes, and his lips were injected with pink dye.
Other details include the fact that his eyebrows were tattooed black, as was the front of his scalp, apparently to blend his hairline with the wig.
For years, the Gloved One claimed to be suffering from the pigment-eating skin disease vitiligo – and doctors noted his skin was blotchy, with some areas light and others dark.
Drug Use Documented
Dr. Conrad Murray injected the powerful anesthetic into Jackson.
Coroners also found a slew of health ailments, including chronic lung inflammation, respiratory bronchiolitis, and hemorrhaging in both lungs.
His drug habit was also evident as docs discovered his body was covered with 38 indentations, including 13 punctures on the right side of his neck, arms, and ankles from shots that loaded him with a virtual pharmacy of mind-dazing medications.
Besides propofol, coroners found doses of lidocaine, an anesthetic; the tranquilizers diazepam and nordiazepam; lorazepam, for anti-anxiety; a sedative, midazolam; and ephedrine, which is used for narcolepsy and depression.
At first, Dr. Murray told authorities he only gave Jackson a small dose – 2.5 ml – of propofol, but test results showed the superstar received a dose 40 times greater. Murray hit back in an August 2014 YouTube video in which he claims Jackson was a secret Demerol junkie, and he was unaware the entertainer was suffering withdrawal from the powerful opioid.
"If Michael Jackson was on a propofol infusion or a drip, I would be completely responsible for not monitoring him – but he was not," Murray, now 73, said. "I never knew Michael, who is a friend of mine, was a drug addict. Michael was going through withdrawal, full withdrawal, after being on opiates for years and years."
The disgraced doc added: "His medication was stopped abruptly within 48 to 72 hours of his passing. And that night, Michael's insomnia was worse because he was in withdrawal, and I did not know that. Had I been aware of that information, Michael would have been under treatment for withdrawal."
Dr. Conrad Murray Maintains Innocence
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Authorities revoked Dr. Murray's professional medical licenses across three states following Jackson's death.
Murray, Jackson's former personal physician, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 for his role in the icon's death.
He served about two years of a four-year prison sentence.
Since his release, he has relocated, faced medical licensing suspensions, and opened a medical facility in Trinidad and Tobago. Following his conviction, Murray had his medical licenses in California, Nevada, and Texas suspended or revoked.
He did just under two years in a Los Angeles jail and was released in October 2013 due to prison overcrowding and credits for his time served.
After leaving prison, he returned to his home country of Trinidad and Tobago, where he can practice as a physician.
In May 2023, Murray launched the DCM Medical Institute in Trinidad and Tobago. Over the years, he has continued to maintain his innocence, release memoirs, and done interviews regarding his time working with Jackson.
