 Here's what the Colonel says in a voiceover. What killed my boy? Them doctors say it was his heart. Others, the pills. Some say it was me. No, I'll tell you what killed him. It was love. His love for you. The Colonel steadfastly refuses to accept any blame for his role in Presley's death at age 42. Whether fame, circumstances, genetics, or addiction played a part, Elvis was largely responsible for his demise by not insisting on more control over his career and his life. As the late Waylon Jennings wrote in his memoir, he had not progressed very much from when he was 18. He was still like a little boy in so many ways. All he did was play like a kid and sing. If anything, I don't believe that he was deep enough inside. It was too easy to get caught up in the parties, the fancy cars and the girls.