Celebrity Death

Grant Imahara is getting a TV memorial, of sorts, from the TV networks where he became a famous and beloved host.

Honchos at Discovery and Science Channel tell TMZ ... the networks are paying tribute to Grant this weekend with a marathon line-up of his favorite "MythBusters" moments and other engineering programs.

As you know ... Grant, a brilliant electrical engineer, became a TV star with Discovery as one of the hosts of "MythBusters."

Discovery says some of Grant's favorite "MythBusters" moments from his 10 years on the show include episodes where he and his team tested "armor" made of folded paper, and tried to see if a hotel room shower curtain could be transformed into a life-saving parachute.

Imahara was a BattleBots champion, and the networks are also airing Grant's appearance in "Killer Robots: Robo Games 2011," when he served as a tour guide for the international competition.

As we reported ... Grant died suddenly this week at just 49 years old from a brain aneurysm.

The tribute marathon airs from 8 AM to 1 PM Friday on Discovery, and picks up Saturday on Science Channel from 3 PM to 9 PM ... ending with one of Grant's other famous hosting gigs, "White Rabbit Project."

Undefeated boxing star Travell Mazion -- known as "Black Magic" -- was killed Wednesday in a car crash in Austin, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was only 24.

Details about the crash are unclear -- we're working on it.

Mazion was 17-0 as a pro -- most recently defeating Fernando Castaneda at the Alamodome in San Antonio back in January.

It was an impressive 58-second victory for Mazion -- who won the NABF 154 pound title in the process.

Travell was a talented guy with tremendous potential. He was once backed by NFL star Von Miller.

Tributes are already pouring in from the boxing world.

Boxer Vergil Ortiz Jr. said, "I can’t believe it, R.I.P Travell Mazion."

"For those who don’t know him or never met him, he was a very talented boxer and one of the coolest people I knew. Always enjoyed watching him fight. Love you bro, watch over us."

The City of Minneapolis caused George Floyd's death by allowing officers to operate under a lie -- that neck restraints are not fatal -- so says the Floyd family in a new civil lawsuit.

Famed civil rights lawyer Ben Crump just unveiled the lawsuit, and the stakes are enormous. The family is suing the 4 officers who are now criminally charged with Floyd's death.

The reality is this ... the officers don't have the kind of money that typically makes a civil lawsuit worthwhile. Enter the City of Minneapolis, which actually has limited immunity in these cases, meaning it can't be sued UNLESS it's approved the policy either explicitly or by way of custom.

Crump says in the lawsuit ... the City long trained its officers to use neck restraints, claiming they were an "authorized form of non-deadly force."

The fact is this ... it's simply not true that it's non-deadly force, and the City would have to be blind not to know that. Fact is ... the technique has been used since 2012 on 428 people nationwide, and 14% lost consciousness. And, if City officials turned on the news, they'd know some of these cases were fatalities. So ... it IS lethal force.

The suit also slams the City for poor training and discipline. As you know, Derek Chauvin had 17 citizen complaints, yet there's no evidence the Internal Affairs Dept. of the P.D. ever connected the dots as they investigated all of them.

And, one more thing ... the suit claims that probationary officers like Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng were NOT allowed to question their supervisor. That works against the City, but it's the argument the 2 rookie cops are making in the criminal case.

The civil lawsuit does not specify the amount of damages the family is seeking.

Chauvin, who is still in jail, has been charged with 2nd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter.

"Ink Master" star Daniel Silva has just copped a plea deal in his criminal case involving the death of his friend ... YouTube star Corey La Barrie.

Daniel pled no contest to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. The L.A. County D.A.'s Office tells us, as part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the 2nd-degree murder charge. He'll be sentenced next month. As we reported ... Daniel's attorney was confident he would beat the murder charge following the fatal crash of a McLaren sports car back in May.

We broke the story ... Daniel was arrested and charged with 2nd-degree murder after Corey died from injuries in a car wreck just hours after they left Corey's 25th birthday party. Corey was a passenger in the car. We were told Daniel was seen drinking before getting behind the wheel of the car.

Our law enforcement sources told us Daniel allegedly tried to flee after the accident but was stopped by witnesses. Corey's cause of death was listed as multiple blunt force injuries.

Daniel's attorney, Mike Cavalluzzi, told us at the time of Daniel's arrest ... "This is a horrible tragedy and our hearts go out to Corey's family and friends. We are reviewing all of the evidence and will reserve comment for a later time. For now, it is most important that everyone involved is given time and space to grieve."

Grant Imahara complained of migraines in the days before doctors discovered his brain aneurysm, and emergency surgery, sadly, couldn't save him ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the "MythBusters" host's family tell us ... he'd been experiencing painful headaches for a few days before Saturday night, when he was having dinner with his girlfriend at a home in L.A.

We're told at some point during the meal, Grant's pain worsened and he felt dizzy, along with experiencing severe neck and back pain and numbness in his legs. After he showed signs of being unresponsive, his GF called 911 ... we're told this was around 9 PM.

Our sources say when paramedics arrived, Grant's vitals were normal but he was still in serious pain, so he was rushed to a hospital. We're told doctors soon realized he had a brain aneurysm, and he underwent emergency surgery.

Grant survived the surgery -- no small feat when dealing with an aneurysm -- but we're told he never fully recovered. He had another operation Sunday, but again came out unresponsive and in critical condition.

On Monday, we're told he had an MRI to prep for a third surgery ... but doctors discovered the extent of the damage was too severe. Grant was wholly unresponsive, and the decision was made to take him off life support.

As we reported ... the accomplished electrical engineer, roboticist and beloved Discovery host's sudden death, at just 49 years old, was a severe shock to his friends and longtime coworkers.

Former "MythBusters" host Adam Savage said, "Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend."

Naya Rivera's autopsy is now complete and officials confirm she died by drowning.

According to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office ... they had to confirm Naya's identity using dental records. The cause of death is listed as drowning and the manner of death is an accident.

Officials say the autopsy findings are consistent with a drowning and the condition of the body is consistent with the time that she was submerged. They also said, “There is no indication from the investigation or examination that drugs or alcohol played a role in the decedent’s death, but specimens will be submitted for toxicology testing.”

TMZ broke the story ... the "Glee" star's body was recovered from Lake Piru Monday. Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub's said there was nothing to indicate any foul play took place or that she died by suicide. Sadly, he said this was simply a tragic accidental drowning death.

Naya's body was discovered in the northeast portion of the lake, near the surface of the water. The sheriff also said that, based on conversations with Naya's 4-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, the 2 of them went out for a swim. But, while she was able to boost him back on the boat ... she had disappeared below the surface.

The current was, apparently, very strong the day Naya went missing. Ayub said that may have contributed to her drowning. Also, the boat Naya and her son had rented that day was not anchored when they went for a swim.

As we reported ... Naya was reported missing last week. She was later presumed dead as the search shifted from a rescue to a recovery mission. She was 33.

The "Glee" family is looking after Naya Rivera's kin ... the TV series' creators are setting up a college fund for her son.

Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan announced plans Tuesday to set up a college tuition fund for Naya's 4-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, as part of a touching tribute to the late "Glee" star.

The show's creators said "the three of us are currently in the process of creating a college fund for the beautiful son Naya loved most of all."

In their statement to the Hollywood Reporter, the group also remembered Naya, who played cheerleader Santana Lopez, as "warm and caring and fiercely protective of the rest of the cast."

The show's creators said Naya was tough, demanding, fun, kind, generous and had "the rare combination of humility and endless confidence in her talent."

As we reported, Naya's body was recovered Monday from Lake Piru after the actress went missing last week while swimming and boating with her son.

Jahreau Shepherd -- a pro MMA fighter who competed for Bellator in 2018 -- has died after officials say he was stabbed at his own 30th birthday party in London.

Shepherd was found bleeding with stab wounds around 10 pm on Saturday in the Kensington area, according to the Evening Standard -- and while emergency personnel rushed to the scene, they were unable to save him.

Earlier in the evening, Shepherd was celebrating at a backyard BBQ with friends and family ... including his mother and small children.

But, something went terribly wrong ... and later in the evening, Shepherd was reportedly attacked, suffering fatal wounds in the process.

A tribute to Shepherd has already sprung up at the site where he was killed -- with flowers and pictures.

Scotland Yard is treating Shepherd's death as a murder -- describing it as a "terrible attack" -- though so far, no arrests have been made.

Officials are asking for witnesses to come forward -- but it sounds like they have some leads.

Shepherd was 6-2 as a pro and earned a TKO victory over Marcin Zywica at a Bellator event in May 2018.

Lisa Marie Presley's son and Elvis Presley's grandson, Benjamin Keough, has died of an apparent suicide ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Ben appears to have died Sunday in Calabasas from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Not much is known about him other than the fact that he's got a super-famous family. He's the son of Lisa and musician Danny Keough -- and his sister is actress Riley Keough, who's been in a number of indie and horror films over the years, including 2019's "The Lodge."

Of course ... his grandparents are Elvis and Priscilla Presley.

Ben has kept a low profile throughout the years, but the one thing he's well-known for is looking almost identical to his famous grandfather, The King himself.

Lisa addressed the similarity, saying ... "Ben does look so much like Elvis. He was at the Opry and was the quiet storm behind the stage." She added, "Everybody turned around and looked when he was over there. Everybody was grabbing him for a photo because it is just uncanny." She even wrote a song about Ben called "Storm and Grace." Storm's his middle name.

He was also a musician ... he even struck a record deal back in 2009 worth $5 million. He's got a couple acting credits under his name, but aside from that, not much else is known about him publicly. He has few social media accounts.

One of the last times he was seen out with the family was during Elvis' 40-year death anniversary during a vigil at Graceland.

Benjamin was just 27.

RIP

Grant Imahara, a big part of the "MythBusters" team, has died ... from a brain aneurysm.

The beloved host of Discovery's hit series, and brilliant electrical engineer, died suddenly Monday from the aneurysm ... rattling his family, close friends and longtime coworkers.

A Discovery rep tells TMZ, "We are heartbroken to hear this sad news about Grant. He was an important part of our Discovery family and a really wonderful man. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family."

As fans of the show know, Grant was a roboticist by training and joined the show in its third season. He left in 2014, but reunited with cohosts Tory Belleci and Kari Byron for the short-lived Netflix series, "White Rabbit Project."

Before becoming a TV star himself, Grant worked behind the scenes for 9 years at LucasFilm. He cranked out inventions for the THX and Industrial Light and Magic divisions that showed up in some of the biggest sci-fi films of all time.

His animatronic creations were featured in the 'Star Wars' prequels. Grant didn't just work for George Lucas, though ... he was a legit fan of the films and the characters. He was one of very few people in the world qualified to operate R2-D2, btw. How cool is that??!!

Adam Savage, a former "MythBusters" host, who also worked with Grant at ILM ... said he was a "brilliant engineer, artist and performer."

Imahara also worked on 2 of the 'Matrix' movies, "Galaxy Quest," "The Lost World: Jurassic Park," "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" and 'Terminator 3.'

Grant was 49.

Naya Rivera's body has been recovered from Lake Piru ... TMZ has learned.

Ventura County officials said Monday that a body had been found at the lake, and our law enforcement sources have confirmed it is, in fact, her. A press conference sharing the news publicly is forthcoming.

As we reported ... Naya and her 4-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, were swimming in Lake Piru when something terrible happened Wednesday. Josey got back in the boat and when authorities arrived for a check, he told them he and his mom were swimming and he didn't know what happened to her.

Naya made a name for herself as a child actress and model, who appeared in various national TV commercials. She landed the role of Hillary Winston on "The Royal Family" at just 4 years old. She received a nomination for a Young Artist Award.

Naya's big break came in 2009 when she landed the role of Santana Lopez on the FOX hit series, "Glee." She was a talented singer ... signing with Columbia Records in 2011. That same year ... she was part of the "Glee" ensemble nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Don't Stop Believin'."

In 2013, she released a single, "Sorry," featuring Big Sean, whom she dated and was briefly engaged to in 2013, before ending the relationship in 2014.

Naya later dated Josey's father, actor Ryan Dorsey, marrying him in Cabo San Lucas in July 2014. They divorced in 2018 and had been sharing custody of Josey.

She was also no stranger to the big screen ... making her debut in 2014 in the horror film "At the Devil's Door." She also appeared on Lifetime's "Devious Maids."

Last time we saw her was in October 2018 at LAX, ... where we talked to her about doing her own lobbying for a part in Steven Spielberg's flick, "West Side Story."

Naya is survived by her son. She was 33.

RIP

Kelly Preston's quiet battle with breast cancer has ended -- the actress died Sunday ... according to a family rep.

The rep said John Travolta's wife of nearly 29 years was diagnosed with cancer about 2 years ago, but chose not to reveal that to the public. The rep told People, "Choosing to keep her fight private, she had been undergoing medical treatment for some time, supported by her closest family and friends."

Kelly is probably best known for her role in "Jerry Maguire" as Jerry's girlfriend, Avery Bishop, who he dumps -- but not before she gave him a few body shots.

She also starred opposite Kevin Costner in "For Love of the Game" and had roles in "The Cat in the Hat," "Battlefield Earth" and "What a Girl Wants."

Kelly and John met in 1987 on the set of the film, "The Experts" and eventually got married in 1991. Her last film was "Gotti" in 2018 ... when John played the mob boss and she played his wife, Victoria Gotti.

John and Kelly had 3 kids together ... Jett, Ella Blue and Benjamin. Jett, who had autism, died in 2009 after suffering a seizure.

The family rep added, "She was a bright, beautiful and loving soul who cared deeply about others and who brought life to everything she touched."

Kelly was 57.

RIP

Authorities will search cabins that line Lake Piru ... not because they believe Naya Rivera is there, but because there has been so much social media activity about the cabins that law enforcement wants to put the theory to bed.

An official from the Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. tells TMZ ... they have been seeing a ton of Twitter users imploring cops to search the cabins in the area ... presumably, because they think Naya may have made her way to one.

The official tells us ... they do NOT believe Naya is in a cabin. They're confident she's still in the water, but nevertheless, a search team will walk the area where the cabins are located.  Deputies will knock on doors and ask if they know anything about Naya's whereabouts.

If a cabin is not occupied, deputies will peer inside for any signs.

That said, the focus of the search is still Lake Piru, where Naya went missing Wednesday while swimming with her 4-year-old son. Because of extremely poor visibility due to debris in the water, searchers will be primarily relying on sonar.

Rapper Lil Marlo was shot to death over the weekend in Atlanta ... law enforcement confirms with TMZ.

Cops tell us, they responded to a call late Saturday night. The call came in as a car accident on Interstate 285 in downtown Atlanta, but when police arrived they found the rapper had been shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An police official tells TMZ, the investigation so far points to Lil Marlo being shot while he was driving.  The official adds, "At this time, investigators believe the victim was the intended target of the gunfire and they are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting."

The Medical Examiner confirmed with us they have the body of Rudolph Johnson ... that's Lil Marlo's government name.

Someone shot video of the aftermath.

Lil Yachty broke the news Sunday morning, saying, "We just did a song a 4 this morning smh rip brother."

Lil Marlo was signed to the Quality Control label and scored big with several songs, including "1st N 3rd," "F****em" and "9 + Z6ne = 1'5."

Marlo was in good company at QC ... other artists include Migos, Lil Yachty, Lil Baby and City Girls.

Marlo joined Quality Control in 2017 ... you hear him on "The Load" with Lil Baby and Gucci Mane.

Lil Marlo leaves behind a daughter and a son. On Father's Day he posted a video of himself and the little girl ... you see her trying to put a shoe on her father's foot. He captioned the post, "Thanks For Making Me Y'all Father I Wouldn't Trade Y'all For Da World."

Lil Marlo was 30.

Naya Rivera's ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, made his way to Lake Piru Saturday, and the emotion was palpable.

Ryan, whose son was on the boating trip when Naya disappeared last Wednesday, ventured out into the water -- just like Naya's dad -- as if to gain a connection to her. He then sat by himself as authorities continued their search for Naya's body.

Naya's father, George, and her brother also went into the water and stood, as if to pray.

As we reported, Naya and her 4-year-old son, Josey, were on a boating outing when they jumped in for a swim and she disappeared ... this according to what he told authorities.

Pop Smoke's murder investigation just led to a slew of arrests ... TMZ has learned.

Our law enforcement sources tell us the LAPD served multiple search warrants around Los Angeles early Thursday morning, and 5 people were arrested on warrants in connection to the rapper's murder.

Sources tell us 3 adults and 2 juveniles were arrested. It's unclear what the suspects are being charged with, but we're told all 5 will be interviewed by police and then booked.

TMZ broke the story ... Pop Smoke was shot and killed by 4 masked gunmen back in February in what appeared to be a home invasion robbery at a rental pad in the Hollywood Hills.