The Tragic Final Days: Unseen CCTV And The Last Images Of Prince Before His Death

The world lost a musical icon on April 21, 2016, when Prince Rogers Nelson was found unresponsive at his Paisley Park home and recording complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The shock of his sudden passing at just 57 years old led to an intense investigation, which, in turn, revealed a heartbreaking timeline of his final days. This timeline included a series of public appearances and, more poignantly, the last known images and video footage of the legendary artist, which painted a picture of a man struggling with a secret battle against chronic pain and opioid dependence.

As of 2025, the details surrounding Prince's death remain a source of fascination and sorrow for fans globally, especially the recently released investigative materials that offer a glimpse into his final, private moments. The last images of Prince are not the vibrant, energetic stage photographs his fans remember; rather, they are somber, grainy snapshots from security cameras that chronicle his declining health in the days leading up to the accidental overdose.

Prince Rogers Nelson: A Detailed Biography and Career Profile

Prince Rogers Nelson was one of the most influential and enigmatic musical figures of his generation, a true polymath who mastered nearly every instrument he touched. His biography is a testament to his relentless creativity and boundary-pushing artistry.

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• Full Name: Prince Rogers Nelson
• Born: June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
• Died: April 21, 2016, at the age of 57, in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
• Cause of Death: Accidental fentanyl toxicity (overdose). The fentanyl was contained in counterfeit hydrocodone/paracetamol pills.
• Spouses: Mayte Garcia (m. 1996; div. 2000), Manuela Testolini (m. 2001; div. 2006)
• Key Albums: Purple Rain (1984), Sign o' the Times (1987), 1999 (1982), Dirty Mind (1980)
• Musical Style: A revolutionary blend of funk, R&B, rock, pop, and new wave, often characterized by sexually explicit lyrics and flamboyant stage presence.
• Career Highlights: Over 100 million records sold worldwide, seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
• Signature Entities: Paisley Park Studios, The Revolution, The New Power Generation, The Love Symbol (☭), and his iconic color, Purple.

The Last Public Appearance: April 17, 2016

The final time the public saw Prince in person was just four days before his death. On the evening of April 17, 2016, he hosted a spontaneous "dance party" at his Paisley Park complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

This appearance was intended to reassure fans after his private jet made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, just two days earlier, which was later revealed to be due to a suspected opioid overdose.

During the brief, 15-minute appearance, Prince notably showed off a new, custom-made purple piano and a purple guitar. In a moment that now seems chillingly prescient, he told the crowd, "Wait a few days before you waste any prayers." The images from this night are the last known photographs of Prince interacting with his fans, attempting to project an image of health and vitality despite the underlying crisis.

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The Unseen Images: CCTV Footage from April 20, 2016

The most recent and definitive "last images" of Prince come not from a concert stage or a public event, but from a security camera. Investigative materials released by Carver County prosecutors in 2018 included a trove of video footage and pictures that provide a stark look into the singer's final 24 hours.

The CCTV footage, timestamped April 20, 2016, shows Prince visiting a local clinic in the Minneapolis area. The video captures the music legend, accompanied by his bodyguard, walking into a doctor's office. This footage confirms his visit to see Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg, a family medicine specialist who had recently treated Prince.

The purpose of this visit was directly related to the painkiller addiction that would ultimately claim his life. Dr. Schulenberg later faced sanctions for medical ethics and record-keeping violations, including allegedly writing a prescription for oxycodone in the name of Prince's bodyguard with the intention of giving the potent painkiller to Prince.

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The Walgreen's Sighting: The Final Confirmed Image

In addition to the doctor's office CCTV, reports indicate that Prince was last seen in public late on the night of April 20, 2016, leaving a Walgreen's pharmacy near his Paisley Park residence. While the image itself is often grainy and from a distance, this sighting marks the final confirmed moment of the star outside of his home before his death the following morning.

The Tragic Context: Fentanyl and Counterfeit Pills

The story of Prince's last images is tragically intertwined with the details of his death. The autopsy ruled his passing an accidental overdose due to fentanyl toxicity. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid significantly more powerful than heroin, and investigators determined that Prince had unknowingly taken counterfeit hydrocodone/paracetamol pills that were secretly laced with the deadly substance.

The investigation revealed that Prince was suffering from chronic pain, likely due to years of performing in high heels, and was seeking treatment from multiple sources. He was found unresponsive in an elevator at Paisley Park on the morning of April 21, 2016, by his staff. The stark contrast between the vibrant, almost superhuman public persona and the private struggle captured in the final CCTV footage is a poignant reminder of the hidden battles many face.

Topical Entities and LSI Keywords Surrounding Prince’s Final Days

Understanding the full context of Prince's passing requires a grasp of the key people, places, and substances involved in the investigation and his final moments. These entities provide a deeper layer of topical authority to the narrative of his last images:

• Paisley Park Studios: Prince's home, recording studio, and final resting place in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
• Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg: The doctor who treated Prince in his final days and faced legal repercussions for prescription violations.
• Fentanyl Toxicity: The official cause of death, stemming from an accidental overdose of the highly potent synthetic opioid.
• Counterfeit Pills: The specific vehicle for the fentanyl, which Prince believed to be legitimate hydrocodone/paracetamol (Vicodin).
• Carver County Prosecutors: The legal body responsible for the investigation and the release of the final images and video evidence.
• Piano & A Microphone Tour: His final concert tour, characterized by intimate, stripped-down performances that highlighted his musical genius.
• Moline, Illinois: The location of his emergency jet landing just days before his death, the first public sign of his health crisis.
• Opioid Crisis: The broader public health issue that tragically claimed the life of the music legend.
• Purple Piano: The new instrument he proudly showed off at his final public appearance at Paisley Park.
• Walgreen's: The pharmacy where he was last sighted on the night before his death.

The last images of Prince—whether it's the brief, reassuring smile at the Paisley Park dance party or the anonymous figure walking into a clinic on a security tape—serve as a powerful and enduring legacy, not just of his genius, but of the human vulnerability that lay beneath the glamour of a global superstar.