Celebrity Death

The 49ers' victory this weekend was secured with heavy hearts after the team learned C.J. Beathard's brother had been killed -- something their head coach addressed head-on with grace after heading back to the locker room.

Kyle Shanahan talked to his guys after beating the Rams in the final seconds of Saturday's game, and he didn't shy away from the obvious ... their backup QB just learned of a major tragedy within his family hours before kickoff.

His younger bro, Clayton Beathard, had been stabbed to death in a bar fight out in Nashville earlier that morning.

Cops are reportedly saying the fight erupted after an "argument over a woman," which then ended up outside where Clayton and another man were fatally attacked. He was only 22.

Shanahan said he was with C.J. shortly after hearing the horrific news, and then shared what the quarterback told him as he was heading out the door. Watch ... it's gut-wrenching.

In video of the heart-to-heart moment, you can clearly see the 49ers players have tears in their eyes. Things end on an uplifting note though, as Shanahan thanks the team for playing tough in the wake of such news and pulling out a W for one of their own.

Robert Glenn "Junior" Johnson -- one of NASCAR's first superstars -- has died, the racing organization announced on Friday. He was 88.

Johnson won the Daytona 500 in 1960 ... and had 50 career wins and 148 top-10 finishes. He was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers in 1998.

"From his early days running moonshine through the end of his life, Junior wholly embodied the NASCAR spirit," Chairman and CEO Jim France said in a statement.

"He was an inaugural NASCAR Hall of Famer, a nod to an extraordinary career as both a driver and team owner."

"Between his on-track accomplishments and his introduction of Winston to the sport, few have contributed to the success of NASCAR as Junior has."

Johnson was a successful team owner ... and his drivers accounted for 6 Winston Cup Championships and 139 race wins.

"The entire NASCAR family is saddened by the loss of a true giant of our sport, and we offer our deepest condolences to Junior’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

The "Wilkes County Wildman" retired from the sport in 1966 ... and was the most successful driver to never win a championship.

Model Mama Cax has died at the age of 30 after surviving cancer and a brief stay in the hospital.

A rep for Cax -- born Cacsmy Brutus -- posted the sad news on her Instagram Friday, saying, "It is with deep regret and immense sadness that we announce the passing of Cacsmy Brutus (Mama Cax). Mama Cax spent the past week in the hospital, and unfortunately, on Monday, December 16, 2019, she left this world."

They continue, "To say Cax was a fighter would be an understatement. As a cancer survivor, she had grown accustomed to taking on life's several challenges head on and successfully. It is with that same grit (fervor) that she fought her last days on Earth."

Shahdon Winchester -- international soccer star from Trinidad and Tobago -- died on Thursday at the age of 27 ... after the car he was riding in crashed and caught fire.

Winchester -- a soccer vet who made his international debut in 2010 (he has 23 international caps) -- died alongside a highway in Trinidad on Thursday morning.

The soccer star was reportedly riding with his girlfriend and 2 other men when the car crashed and became engulfed in flames ... killing all 4 passengers.

Firefighters responded to the scene ... but none of the passengers could be saved.

Legendary high school football coach Herman Boone -- portrayed by Denzel Washington in the movie "Remember the Titans" -- has died at age 84, his school announced Wednesday.

Boone was the head coach at T.C. Williams High School in Virginia where he led a group of integrated players to a 13-0 record and a state championship in 1971 ... as well as national championship runner-up honors.

"It is with great sadness that we share the sad news of the passing of former Head Football Coach Herman Boone who lead the Titans to the State Championship in 1971," the school said on Wednesday.

The accomplishment was turned into a Disney flick in 2000 and starred Washington as the Titans head coach.

Washington received a Black Reel Award for Best Actor in 2001 for the role ... as well as Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards.

Boone's team gained national attention in 1971 ... when President Nixon dubbed the Titans "the team saved the city of Alexandria."

Boone continued to coach the Titans until he was let go in 1979.

Lil Pump decided to forgo performing one of his mega-hit songs out of respect for Juice WRLD ... and honored his late friend instead.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... Lil Pump and his team removed the track, "Drug Addicts" from his Rolling Loud Festival setlist in L.A. in light of the circumstances of 21-year-old Juice's death. Fans know it's a track he commonly performs live.

Pump replaced the song -- which glorifies popping pills and abusing illegal street drugs -- with a short tribute. He played Juice's hit single, "Lucid Dreams," along with a video displaying "Rest in Peace" ... while the crowd held their phone lights up.

Lil Pump followed it up with another tribute to XXXTentacion ... who was killed in June 2018.

Brian Tarantina -- famous for playing a comedy club emcee on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" -- died from an overdose of multiple drugs, including what has become the most dangerous drug of all -- fentanyl ... TMZ has learned.

The actor died from acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and Diazepam -- otherwise known as Valium ... this according to the NYC Chief Medical Examiner. They've ruled his death accidental.

We broke the story ... the veteran actor died back in November when cops said his body was discovered early one morning in his Manhattan apartment with a white powdery substance nearby.

Chuy Bravo -- Chelsea Handler's longtime TV sidekick and hypeman -- died from a heart attack after a brief hospitalization ... according to a rep for the late comedian.

The Mexican-American actor -- famous for his frequent appearances on "Chelsea Lately" -- suffered the fatal heart attack Sunday morning in a Mexico City hospital after being rushed to the emergency room Saturday afternoon due to a stomach issue.

We're told Chuy went to the ER with a Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage (GI Bleed) and after complications, he suffered the fatal heart attack.

As we reported ... Chuy's family announced his death Sunday afternoon, and Chelsea wrote a heartfelt tribute to her longtime collaborator.

Chuy's funeral services took place Monday in Mexico, according to his rep, and his body will be cremated. We're told his family is devastated and his remains will be transported back to Los Angeles for a memorial service, but a date has not yet been scheduled.

Bravo was 63.

RIP

Juice WRLD was properly honored Sunday night at Rolling Loud, where his girlfriend and at least one of his rap friends shared some kind words of remembrance.

At one point during Day 2 of the L.A. music festival, a DJ brought out Juice's GF, Ally, who told the crowd what she loved most about JW ... his ability to turn any negative into a positive, and his adoring love for his fans. Sounds like she was fighting back tears too.

Rapper YBN Cordae also spoke during the onstage tribute, and said he felt people use the word "brother" too much without much thought. He says Juice was a true brother to him, as well as a counselor and healer to everyone in the crowd. The audience seemed to agree.

Juice's reported music video director, Cole Bennett, was another person who got on the mic ... and he said while many go underappreciated while they're alive, he insisted Juice wasn't one of them. The tribute ended in one of his songs, "Lucid Dreams," and collective prayer.

You'll recall ... rapper Tyla Yaweh was another Rolling Loud performer who paid tribute to Juice WRLD during his set. He was one of a few expected to shout out JW at the show.

TMZ broke the story ... Juice WRLD died last week after suffering a seizure at Chicago's Midway Airport. Witnesses told cops they'd seen Juice ingest a bunch of pills at some point during the feds' search of his private jet, which resulted in drugs and guns being found.

Chelsea Handler's longtime TV sidekick and hypeman, Chuy Bravo, has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

The Mexican-American actor -- best known for his many appearances on "Chelsea Lately" -- passed away Sunday, according to his family. We're told Chuy was hospitalized Saturday in Mexico City, where he's been visiting family for the past month.

His family members say he came down with a terrible stomach ache Saturday and had to be rushed to an emergency room in town, where he stayed overnight. On Sunday, the family says they were told Chuy had passed away. His exact cause of death is unclear.

Chuy was born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. at age 15. According to Hollywood lore, he wandered onto the set of 'Three Amigos' and decided to get into entertainment. He says he started taking classes and eventually got cast in "Austin Powers in Goldmember."

Tyla Yaweh got the crowd going Saturday at Rolling Loud by dedicating part of his set to the passing of Juice WRLD and XXXTentacion.

People crammed into the Banc of California Stadium in L.A., where he played Juice's "Armed and Dangerous." TMZ broke the story ... Juice died last Sunday after suffering seizures.

The tributes didn't end with Juice. Tyla said, "Let's also turn up for my brother, XXXTentacion," and the crowd was more than happy to oblige.

The cremated remains of Charles Manson continue to inspire a couple of artsy-fartsy folks ... who used real human blood and Manson's ashes to create life-like Manson masks.

Artist Ryan Almighty tells TMZ ... he and renowned mask-maker Rick 'Sik Rik' Fisher recently got together at Fisher's studio in Akron, Ohio and conjured up 2 masks painted with human blood and specked with Manson's ashes.

The final product ... creepy AF, which was probably the precise intention. The mask no doubt got a pro's touch. Fisher's created licensed masks and sculptures for Iron Maiden and Motorhead, among others.

We're told the duo made just 2 masks for their collection ... but if there's a high demand, they're down to make more.

Unclear how much of CM's ashes Ryan's got left. As we first reported ... Ryan's already done some bizarre Manson art, which also featured some of Manson's ashes and real blood. That painting ended up in Zak Bagans' Haunted Museum in Las Vegas.

There's also that skin-crawling Manson tattoo plastered on some weirdo's arm. You'll recall the ink Ryan used for that tat was mixed with some of Manson's actual ashes.

Juice WRLD's closest relatives and friends are paying their final respects to the late rapper at his funeral in Illinois.

Juice WRLD -- born Jarad Anthony Higgins -- had an open-casket funeral Friday at Holy Temple Cathedral Church of God in Christ in Harvey, Illinois ... about 45 minutes south of the rapper's hometown of Chicago.

The program included a collage of pictures featuring Juice WRLD. His mother, Carmella Wallace, also paid tribute to her son. His siblings and grandmother also shared some words.

Several staffers and execs from Interscope -- his record label -- attended, as did Juice's friend and fellow rapper, Ski Mask the Slump God.

Veteran actor Danny Aiello -- known for his scene-stealing supporting roles in many acclaimed movies since the '70s -- died Thursday night ... TMZ has learned.

According to his family ... Danny passed away at a medical facility in New Jersey where he was being treated for a sudden illness. We're told he suffered an infection related to his treatment. Danny's family had come to visit him Thursday, and we're told he died shortly after they'd left that evening.

Aiello, a native New Yorker, broke into movies in the early '70s by landing a small role in the Robert De Niro baseball drama, "Bang the Drum Slowly." He followed it up by playing Tony Rosato in "The Godfather: Part II" ... in which he delivered the famous line, "Michael Corleone says hello!"

Danny would go on to earn praise in several hit films in the '80s, like "Fort Apache the Bronx" with Paul Newman, "Once Upon a Time in America," "The Purple Rose of Cairo" and "Moonstruck" opposite Cher.

Don't count on ANYBODY getting charged for the 70 pounds of weed found in Juice WRLD's private jet and confiscated by the feds ... cause law enforcement sources say it'll be next to impossible to pinpoint who the massive stash belonged to in the first place.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... no one in WRLD's crew has claimed ownership of the multiple vacuum-sealed bags of weed inside luggage from the private jet. There were also no tags on the several suitcases identifying the owner.

Our sources say cops are poring through the suitcases and weed bags for DNA and fingerprints. But, even if there's a hit for prints/DNA, our sources say there's no way to prove individuals ID'd packed the weed and/or own the suitcases.

We're told Chicago PD is currently in possession of the suitcases and weed seized by the FBI during Juice WRLD's bust last weekend. Then there's this ... our federal law enforcement sources tell us they've kicked the case down to local law enforcement because it's, in their words, essentially a "non-case" and it's highly unlikely it will amount to anything.

Two men in Juice's crew -- Chris Long and Henry Dean -- have been the only ones arrested so far following the bust at Chicago's Midway Airport, though Long and Dean were hauled away for possession of handguns.

As we first reported ... it wasn't the first time Juice WRLD's private jet had been searched, though details are still murky on why his private jet was searched at LAX back in November.

And, as we reported ... law enforcement sources refuted claims by WRLD's friends he was racially profiled when they searched his jet at Midway. The rapper was busted in 2018 at LaGuardia Airport after TSA discovered weed and bottles of codeine.

During his Midway Airport bust, Juice allegedly swallowed a bunch of Percocet pills in an attempt to hide them from the feds. He ultimately suffered seizures, which proved fatal.

Rip Torn died after a years-long battle with Alzheimer's disease ... according to his death certificate.

The Emmy Award-winning veteran actor and comedian died at his Connecticut home in July, and according to the doc -- obtained by TMZ -- the cause of death is listed "due to (or as a consequence of) Alzheimer's dementia." Translation ... there were complications resulting from Alzheimer's that caused his death.

It says he was diagnosed "years" before he passed. Torn was then buried at a cemetery in Poughkeepsie, NY a few days later ... according to the certificate.

Rip was perhaps best known for his role as Artie on HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show," for which he won an Emmy and was nominated 6 more times. He was also an Oscar nominee in 1984 for "Cross Creek."

Torn's career spanned decades after his film debut in the 1956 film, "Baby Doll," and included memorable roles in the 'Men In Black' films and "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" ... along with TV shows like "Will & Grace" and "30 Rock."

He was 88.