It may be a stretch to believe it, but there is a Los Alamitos-Elvis Presley connection — beyond the 1955 announcement in the Enterprise that some local Laurel School students had formed an an Elvis Presley fan club and were seeking members.
That could have — and probably did– happen everywhere.
No, our connection is more tangible and more unique. How many towns can say they played a role in Elvis’ divorce?
Okay, it was a very small part, but it happened because Los Alamitos once housed the studio of Mike Stone, the martial artist for whom Priscilla Presley left Elvis. Elvis later reportedly wanted to hire a mob hit man to take care of his marital problem, but wiser heads fortunately prevailed. Anyway, Stone tells the story in his biography:
I have to credit Ed for getting me started in martial arts in California. After I was discharged from the army in 1965, I spent a few months on the beach, but I got bored with that. I had met Ed back east at Jhoon Rhee’s tournament. He told me if I ever wanted to teach karate, I should come to California and he would get me set up. So I decided I should do something with my martial arts experience. I came to California and started teaching at his Pasadena school. I taught there four or five months, and then decided to open up my own school in Los Alamitos, California.
Ed and I worked together in movies later on. We used to laugh about an incident that happened on one particular movie. In 1968 or ’69, we worked together on a film with Dean Martin, Elke Sommers, Sharon Tate and Nancy Kwan called The Wrecking Crew. Bruce Lee was the stunt coordinator, and he held auditions for quite a few people–mostly martial artists–at the Columbia Pictures sound stages. To sift through them more quickly, Bruce had me and Chuck Norris get up on the stage and demonstrate some one-step sparring techniques. When these guys saw us, half of them got up and left. They figured if they had to do it at that level of ability, they had better forget about the audition. After it was over, there were Ed, myself, Chuck, Joe Lewis and a bunch of other really talented martial artists who ended up on the film.
Stone was still in the area in 1972. Although living in Westminster, he was hosting karate tournaments at Los Alamitos High School.
Elvis was a keen karate student, and persuaded Priscilla to take it up. Priscilla thought it would be a good way to pass the lonesome time while Elvis was on tour and she was also keen to share in Elvis’ interests. Following suggestions from Elvis, Priscilla began taking lessons from Mike Stone, a karate instructor she had met in 1972 backstage at one of Elvis’ concerts. Priscilla states in her book, “My relationship with Mike had now developed into an affair. I still loved Elvis greatly, but over the next few month I knew I would have to make a crucial decision regarding my destiny”
In her autobiography, Priscilla later states “Elvis must have perceived my new restlessness”. A couple of months later she said that Elvis had requested to see her in his hotel suite and there, Elvis “forcefully made love to me”, and said, “This is how a real man makes love to his woman” Although she later said, her choice of words had been an overstatement, she also said following the incident, his treatment made her start to “doubt my own sexuality as a woman. My physical and emotional needs were unfulfilled.”
Elvis and Priscilla separated on February 23, 1972, almost twelve and a half years after they first met and filed for legal separation on July 26, and a divorce was finalized on October 9, 1973, after almost six and a half years of marriage. The couple agreed to share custody of their daughter and Priscilla was awarded an outright cash payment of $725,000 as well as spousal support, child support, 5% of Elvis’ new publishing companies and half the income from the sale of their Beverly Hills home.
In another book, it is evident that Elvis was not a happy camper about Priscilla’s dalliances with the former Los Alamitos martial arts instructor.
Jealous Elvis Gave Orders To Assassinate Priscilla’s Lover
Elvis Presley’s anger over his wife’s affair grew so intense that in 1973 he issued orders to have Priscilla’s boyfriend killed. That’s the shocking scene described by Red West, who was Elvis’s friend and bodyguard for over 20 years.
Years of abusing powerful prescription drugs had fed the destructive side of Elvis’ personality and hastened the end of his marriage. Now the star was consumed with jealousy over his wife’s new romance with handsome karate instructor Mike Stone. Even worse, Elvis was the one who insisted Priscilla take lessons from the powerful young martial arts expert in the first place.
God-fearing and sensitive as a youth, by 1973 Elvis was capable of anything, including ordering a mob-style murder.
It was no surprise Elvis turned to Red West for the death warrant the obsessed singer wanted placed on his rival. Red was Presley’s most loyal and trusted friend for over 20 years. As Memphis teenagers, Red prevented the budding superstar from being thrashed by high school bullies who wanted to cut his long hair. Rugged and quick-fisted, Red quickly went from small town football hero to senior member of the Memphis Mafia, the squad of musicians, musclemen and business cronies who served The King’s every whim.
Now Elvis was asking Red to betray everything he believed in to serve the drug-fueled rage that was consuming the troubled singer’s soul.
Red received the order at Presley’s headquarters. He was called up to the deluxe 30th floor Imperial Suite penthouse topping the Las Vegas Hilton. Even though he was on tour with his mistress, beauty queen Linda Thompson, Elvis could not bear the thought of Priscilla with another man. Red tried to calm his boss, but Elvis was a man possessed.
“Mike Stone must die. He must die,” Elvis kept repeating.
Red recalls his trademark voice was monotone but fierce. His eyes were glazed and dark as he chanted the order. Elvis fixed him in his gaze. Red believed Elvis was trying to hypnotize him.
“You will do it for me. You must. He has no right to live. Red, find someone, somebody to wipe him out,” Elvis commanded.
Then, after an injection from his personal physician, the King sank into a narcotic slumber.
Red understood Elvis wasn’t kidding. In Vegas a call to the right underworld connections could fix a hit for the fee of $10,000. That was small change to the highest paid performer in the world.
Red’s sense of decency and fair play battled with his absolute loyalty to his boss and hero. He sought the advice of a trusted 
friend, actor Robert Conrad, star of the TV show “Wild, Wild West.” Conrad wisely counseled Red to stall Elvis until the singer came to his senses. Even so, Elvis continued his demands for the death of Priscilla’s lover. And day after day Red continued to make excuses and buy time.
Finally, Red huddled with Elvis in private a few minutes before the star took the stage in concert.
“I found the right guy,” bluffed Red, “but I didn’t do anything about it yet. E, are you sure you want me to call this guy back?”
The question hung in the air. Elvis was silent.
“Aw, hell,” said Elvis finally. “Just let’s leave it for now. Maybe it’s a bit heavy. Let’s just leave it off for now.”
Mike Stone was spared.
Red had seen the dark side of America’s idol. But now the fury had passed, leaving behind the God-fearing Southern boy Red swore his loyalty to years ago.
Elvis never mentioned the subject again.
— Nate Diamond
Source: Elvis: What Happened? By Red West, Sonny West, Dave Hebler as told to Steve Dunleavy; Ballantine Books, August 1977.