Coroner Who Grandstanded on Liberace’s Death Dies

Ray Carrillo the elected Riverside County Coroner at the time of Liberace’s death has died. So outrageous was his conduct during the investigation of Lee’s passing the estate filed complaint with the county board of supervisors.  

Read coverage from the Desert Sun

As suspected by Lee’s loved ones this is all famously Ray Carrillo became known for as his legacy was ensuring that Liberace did not get to retain his privacy in death as he wished protected while he was alive.

Carrillo’s handling of Liberace’s death was so outrageous that it led the American Medical Association to make a national plea for confidentiality!

AMA issued a plea that it serves no public interest to release the details concerning Liberace’s death. – Click on image to read the full article

There is a difference between that a person was exposed to the AIDS virus and it having been the cause of death. – Click on image above to read article

Liberace’s was not the only case for which Carrillo received notoriety including attacks on a cryonic laboratory, the accidental cremation of a murder victim and multiple administrative issues.   His office also had deputy coroners who left behind body parts from autopsies in a house to the surprise of its new owners. 

Carrillo famously ordered the Riverside Sheriff to pull over the hearse containing Liberace’s body on its way to the funeral home to divert it to the county coroner’s office. Liberace’s personal physician had signed the original death certificate as heart failure.  Close personal friends including Mr. Steve Garey of Palm Springs California contend to this day it was heart failure and advanced emphysema which led to his death as primary factors rather than AIDS.

News Story about the diverting of Liberace’s body from Forest Lawn Cemetery to Riverside County for autopsy with Ray Carrillo

Liberace desired to be remembered as fabulous! talented! entertaining! brilliant! and a performance genius! Not as the victim of a stigmatized disease.

Ray Carrillo’s witch hunt into the cause of Lee’s death which even the original autopsy did not determine was caused by AIDS gave him temporary notoriety and is recognized as the achievement of his life.

Thankfully the spirit of Liberace has transcended even the labeling of his death by means he never wanted out to the world. Instead the world continues to love him for the character he was in life. So in the end it was the evolution of our society and the enduring genius of Liberace who won at the end of the day.

Liberace’s doctor denies cover up as to the cause of his death. Click on image to read full article

Exciting Developments with the Liberace Penthouse Event Center and Museum of Hollywood

Exclusive update from Liberace’s Living Protege Steve Garey! 

Steve Garey now serves as the Senior Vice President and resident curator of the Liberace Penthouse Event Center and Museum in Hollywood. HBO is currently filming Behind the Candlelabra at the penthouse right now. Once the production is complete the property will be put back in order ready to operate by fall 2012. 

When the Liberace Museum in Las Vegas closed three heart broken friends: Steve Garey, Bahman Sedighan, and an un-named private benefactor came together with the goal to ensure that the legacy of their dear friend Lee would live on for the next 500 years!

Steve has personally reached out to every performer still alive who worked with Liberace over his life to contribute more items for their display cases. Kay Ballard, Phyllis Diller, Debbie Reynolds, Shecky Greene, Joanne Wurley, and many others have come through to show their support by loaning items from the collection. The estate of the Queen of England has provided gifts Liberace had personally given to her. The Reagan Museum Foundation has further supported the project with items from Liberace’s friendship with the former President.

The tragic untimely death of business partner Bahman Sedighan in July 2012 has only strengthened Steve’s resolve to see his dream realized of an events center with a private museum that would pay tribute to their friend. Mr. Sedighan’s family is in full support of the project. Mr. Sedighan purchased the home for $2.55 million shortly after Liberace’s death. 

The penthouse is 5500 square feet of living space.  It features the only rooftop private pool on the west coast.  The 360 degree view is only as Liberace could do it. This venue can hold up to 200 people.  In fact it has been used in past years as a gifting suite before awards shows for celebrities to pick up gift bags featuring extraordinary products.

Check out this program from 2007 when it was used as an Oscars gift suite.

You should also check out the tour provided online from Bob’s Liberace World – Hollywood Penthouse Tour. 

Do yourself a favor and become a fan now of the Liberace Penthouse Event Center and Museum on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. 

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Wayland Pickard Hits Palm Desert this Weekend with this Liberace Tribute Show

I had a chance to catch this show in Las Vegas. It was wonderful!!! A real treat for any Liberace fan. This is going to be crowd who knows their Liberace music.  I hear that Steve Garey Liberace’s protege may be in attendance.

Even better this is a fundraiser for Gilda’s Club a support community for those surviving cancer in memory of one of my favorite ladies ever Gilda Radner.

Wayland Pickard will perform a one-man show, “The Wonderful World of Liberace,” at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday in the Sierra Ballroom at Sun City Palm Desert.

The show will bring back the golden age of television and the innocence of the 1950s through the music of Liberace.

Tickets are $25 per person and include a complimentary musical CD. Reservations are required.

A portion of the proceeds benefit Gilda’s Club Desert Cities.

Sun City Palm Desert is at 38-180 Del Webb Blvd., Palm Desert.

Information: (760) 772-0296