Status Updates

When did Michael Jackson die: verified date, cause, and context

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009 . He was pronounced cardiac arrest at 2:26 p.m. at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, after emergency medical services respond...

Mara Ellison
When did Michael Jackson die: verified date, cause, and context

Death date and location

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009. He was pronounced cardiac arrest at 2:26 p.m. at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, after emergency medical services responded to a 911 call at his rented home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood. Time of death was recorded as 2:26 p.m. PDT.

Cause of death

The official cause of death was acute propofol intoxication with contributing factors of benzodiazepines and midazolam. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s report concluded the manner of death was homicide. Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 for administering propofol and other sedatives outside a clinical setting.

Conrad Murray’s role and conviction timeline

  • June 25, 2009: Jackson pronounced dead at UCLA Medical Center; Conrad Murray summoned via 911.
  • August 2009: Murray charged with involuntary manslaughter.
  • November 2011: Murray convicted of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to four years in state prison (served about two years after adjustments and credit).

Immediate public and media response

News of Jackson’s death spread globally within minutes, triggering an unprecedented surge in internet traffic and social media activity. Major television networks interrupted regular programming with live announcements. Public vigils and spontaneous gatherings occurred at landmarks including London’s Trafalgar Square and New York City’s Times Square. The immediacy of the response established a lasting cultural reference point for celebrity death and collective mourning.

Lasting cultural and commercial impact

In the years since his passing, Jackson’s catalog sales, streaming numbers, and touring-related merchandise have remained robust. Posthumous releases, reissues, and documentaries continue to shape pop culture discourse. The date June 25 is widely recognized as an inflection mark in how fandom, media, and public memory converge around a singular artist.

Key facts at a glance

AttributeVerified DetailSource Type
Date of deathJune 25, 2009Coroner’s report, news archives
Time of death2:26 p.m. PDTCoroner’s report, hospital records
LocationUCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CAEMS records, coroner
Manner of deathHomicideLos Angeles County Coroner
Primary causeAcute propofol intoxicationCoroner toxicology report
Convicted individualConrad MurrayCourt records, jury verdict
Murray sentencing4 years (served ~2 years)Court records

Related Reading

More pages in this topic cluster.

Pernell Roberts: cause of death, age at death, and verified facts

Pernell Roberts died in 2010 at age 81. The verifiable cause of death was complications following heart surgery, specifically an abdominal aortic aneurysm repair that led to pos...

Read next
Is SNL Delayed Tonight: Status Clarification and Air Time Details

Is SNL delayed tonight depends on the specific date, your local time zone, and any last-minute network decisions. Saturday Night Live typically airs live in the Eastern and Cent...

Read next
When Does Elena Die For Good: A Status Clarification

Elena Gilbert’s permanent death occurs in The Vampire Diaries Season 8, Episode 16, titled "I Was Feeling Epic," which aired on March 10, 2017. This is the only canonical inst...

Read next