Celebrity Death

The legendary actor left his Upper East Side townhouse with a newspaper clutched in his hand, before getting into an SUV, which then chauffeured him to the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel nearby, according to photos taken by the Daily Mail.

The footage also showed De Niro walking into the funeral home with Leandro's parents, De Niro's adoptive daughter, Drena, and her ex-husband, Carlos Rodriguez. De Niro then returned to his Manhattan home after making funeral arrangements for Leandro, who was only 19.

As we reported, 19-year-old Leandro was found dead inside an NYC apartment Sunday when a friend went to check on him after not hearing from him for a while. NYPD detectives discovered what appeared to be narcotics and drug paraphernalia at the scene, leading them to believe Leandro's death was an overdose. The medical examiner will make the final determination on how he died.

Former WWE star Darren Drozdov -- who was tragically paralyzed after suffering an injury during a match in 1999 -- has died ... the wrestling org. announced Friday.

He was 54 years old.

"There are no words to convey the deep sense of loss and sadness we are feeling right now," Drozdov's family said in a statement. "We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to everyone. All of his fans, teammates, colleagues, and friends for all the love and support he received over the years."

"You all gave him meaning, purpose and something to live for," the Drozdov family continued. "He loved each and every one of you and cherished the conversations, notes and letters he received. His faith in humanity never faltered, so know that for all the love you've shown him, he loved you back."

Drozdov's family added that he passed away due to natural causes.

Drozdov was initially introduced to the sports world through football ... when he played noseguard in the NFL for three seasons.

But, following the end of his playing days, he found his true calling in wrestling ... first appearing in the ECW -- before debuting with the WWE in 1998.

Drozdov initially competed under the pseudonym "Puke" -- a nickname he had previously been given for his affinity for throwing up during football games -- but, he later wrestled as "Droz" ... gaining fame for the way he teamed up with the Road Warriors.

Sadly, in Oct. 1999 -- just as his wrestling career looked poised to take off -- he broke his neck in a match with D'Lo Brown ... and was paralyzed from the neck down.

He eventually gained movement in his arms and upper body -- but he would still require a wheelchair to get around for the rest of his life. He did, though, remain steadfast that Brown was not to blame for the incident -- and the two stayed friends over the years.

Following Drozdov's passing Friday ... Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson penned an emotional tribute to the wrestler, writing on his social media page, "We wrestled on a lot of cards together. Such an awesome dude."

"Great personality and great wrestling talent," he added. "We always talked about football and fishing. Sending love, strength, mana and light to his family. RIP brother."

Ryan Mallett's death does not appear to have been the result of violent riptides in Florida waters ... according to authorities, the belief is the tragedy was all simply a freak accident.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said in a video statement Wednesday there was "no indication of dangerous conditions" in the Destin area where Mallett drowned on Tuesday.

"We were under a yellow flag," Aden said, "which is a just swim with caution."

"It just seems to be just a tragic accident and not something to do with the conditions of the surf or tides or currents."

Initial reports said Mallett was among a group of swimmers who had been out in the ocean struggling to make their way back to shore. Mallett, authorities said, went underwater while fighting to return to safety -- and when he was eventually pulled out, he was unresponsive. He later was pronounced dead at a local emergency room.

Many had believed dangerous and unseen riptides were what caused the tragedy ... but Aden insisted those were "misperceptions out there."

"There were no indications of any 'riptides,'" Aden's office added in a written statement.

Authorities also released some body cam footage Wednesday from the incident ... showing the beach's conditions as officers raced to the scene.

Mallett's death rocked the sports world ... everyone from Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski to Bill Belichick mourned his passing in the hours after the news broke.

DC Young Fly is staying strong with the support of God and his children following the sudden death of his partner Jacky Oh! ... telling us it's important to stay positive, even when things get tough behind the scenes.

DC was back to work in NYC Wednesday, sharing he's understandably broken up over Jacky's death. DC admits his wounds are still raw, and he still cries over her loss ... but he's not someone who will post his emotional heartache online.

Overall, DC says his new mission is to continue to inspire people who may also be down after a significant loss.

DC and Jacky have three beautiful kids -- ages 6, 2 and 10 months -- and admits the conversations with his young ones have been tough. Admittedly, DC says you really truly understand what those emotions are like until you experience a personal tragedy.

Jacky died on May 31 after undergoing some sort of medical procedure, shedding light on a larger conversation about cosmetic surgery.

Vanessa Bryant was victorious in a lawsuit over one of the biggest investments Kobe Bryant ever made ... and in the process of winning, she exposed some pretty awful, racially-charged smack talk.

The background -- Kobe plunked down $6 million back in 2013 for a 10% interest in the sports drink company, BodyArmor. Several years later, the company sold to Coca-Cola for a whopping $5.6 BILLION. Kobe's investment reportedly netted him $400 million.

In 2019, six months before Kobe was killed in a tragic helicopter accident, the President of Kobe Inc., Molly Carter, claimed Kobe promised her 2% of his cut. Kobe called BS on her, saying he never made such a promise.

Molly sued, and Vanessa picked up the mantle and not only defended the case, she filed her own counterclaim, alleging Molly violated the duty of loyalty and the non-disparagement clause in her employment contract by trash-talking Kobe and his family.

As for the alleged trash-talking ... Vanessa claimed she referred to Kobe as an "asshole," a "douche nugget," and a "dick wad." She says Molly called her the "f***ing devil," "bitch" and PSYCHO," even mocking Vanessa's newborn as having "botox lips."

Vanessa says while Molly was working for the company, she was permitted to travel to an NBA All-Star game and on the jet she groused, there were "a lot of fancy-ass Black people" on the plane.

The case went to arbitration and Vanessa prevailed on both the lawsuit and her counterclaim and was awarded more than $1.5 mil in attorney's fees.

Actor Lew Palter, who played business magnate Isidor Straus in "Titanic," has died.

His daughter, Catherine, told the Hollywood Reporter ... Palter passed away in May after a bout with lung cancer.

Palter was best known for his role as Isidor Straus -- the co-owner of Macy's -- who perished with his wife, Ida, aboard the Titanic in the 1997 James Cameron movie.

In his most famous scene, Palter cuddles with Ida -- portrayed by Elsa Raven -- on the bed inside their cabin as the massive ship sinks into the North Atlantic Ocean after hitting an iceberg.

Interestingly enough, the real-life Straus was actually the great great grandfather of Stockton Rush's wife, Wendy. Stockton was one of the 5 who died in the Titan submersible.

Before "Titanic," Palter appeared in various hit TV shows, including "Columbo," "Kojak," "Charlie's Angels," "The Brady Bunch," and "Hill Street Blues."

Palter was 94.

The Migos reunited at the 2023 BET Awards Sunday night ... but the trio was now a duo, and they honored their late bandmate, Takeoff, with an emotional performance that brought the house down.

Quavo and Offset surprised everyone when they hit the stage an hour into the event at the Microsoft Theater in L.A. to pay tribute to Takeoff, who, as you know, was fatally shot at a bowling alley last November. The alleged killer, Patrick Xavier Clark, was indicted last month for Takeoff's murder.

Decked out in all-black leather, the two Migos kicked things off by diving into "Hotel Lobby," a song produced by Quavo and Takeoff, as the crowd went wild.

Special effects sent the show to the outer limits with a spaceship appearing on a large screen, which eventually took off as flames shot up from the stage. A massive image of Takeoff then morphed onto the screen behind Quavo and Offset while they were singing and dancing.

The pair then cranked out the Migos biggest hit, "Bad and Boujee," which rocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and was nominated for best rap performance at the 2018 Grammys.

By any musical standard, it was a memorable moment and the first time Quavo and Offset appeared onstage together since Takeoff's death.

Question is ... will Quavo and Offset carry on the Migos torch as a duo?

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Julian Sands' tragic story may finally get some closure after all -- hikers discovered human remains in the same area where he went missing ... and they could very well be his.

The San Bernardino Sheriff's Dept. reported the remains were found on Saturday in Mount Baldy. Deputies responded to the scene and brought the victim's remains to the coroner's office for identification ... which will be revealed next week.

As we reported, Sands went missing in January after hiking alone in the mountainous area just north of Los Angeles. A full-scale search and rescue effort was undertaken but with no success ... even as recently as June.

In fact, it was just last week SBSD conducted its eighth organized search with a rescue team of about 80 volunteers. Hundreds of hours have been put into the search ... through the use of helicopters, drones, and other tactics. SBSD said they came up short yet again.

Sands' family recently made their first statement since the actor disappeared ... saying they were, "deeply grateful to the search teams and coordinators who have worked tirelessly to find Julian." Some of Sands' relatives have expressed they've already said their goodbyes.

Sands starred in popular films during the '80s and '90s -- including "Warlock", "Arachnophobia," "Gothic," "Boxing Helena," and more. He was 65 when he vanished.

Adam Rich, who starred in the hit series, "Eight Is Enough" died from an overdose that's become far too common in America -- the culprit was fentanyl.

The L.A. County Medical Examiner's autopsy report, obtained by TMZ, says Adam's died in an accidental overdose of the powerful opioid. He also had non-toxic levels of alcohol and lorazepam... the generic for Ativan.

TMZ broke the story ... the former child TV star was found dead back in January inside his L.A. area home. At the time, foul play was not suspected. The M.E.'s report says his body was in a "state of mild decomposition."

Law enforcement later told us, his death was likely the result of an overdose ... adding the manager at Adam's apartment building found his lifeless body inside the bathroom and there was also a white powder substance, believed to be drugs.

Rich, who was 54, struggled with drugs for years and was once arrested for allegedly trying to steal pills from a pharmacy ... leading investigators to initially believe he overdosed.

Now, we have a clear understanding of what exactly led to his death.

Adam will be best remembered for his role as Nicholas Bradford, the youngest son on "Eight Is Enough." He stayed on the series for its entire duration from 1977-1981.

Larry Myers Jr. -- who appeared on Season 10 of "My 600-Lb. Life" -- has died in Texas.

Family spokesperson Sonya Hines-Hall tells TMZ ... Larry -- nicknamed "Mr. Buttermilk Biscuits" on the TLC show -- died from a heart attack at his Houston home last week while mourning the death of a friend.

Larry's relatives announced his passing on social media ... and set up a GoFundMe page to pay for his funeral costs. They also remembered Larry as a talented gospel singer who didn't let his struggle with weight dim "his drive to show love and kindness to all he met."

When Larry appeared on the TLC show in an episode that aired in January 2022, he was bedbound and tipped the scale at a whopping 940 pounds.

Larry underwent weight-loss surgery back in the day, but he gained 400 pounds after the procedure ... leading to his appearance on 'My 600-lb Life."

He was 48.

Former "Days of Our Lives" star Cody Longo died from years of hard drinking ... according to the medical examiner.

Cody's autopsy report, obtained by TMZ, says the late actor's cause of death was "chronic ethanol abuse" ... and the report also notes the manner of death was natural.

What's more, the autopsy says Cody's body was decomposing when he was found dead ... and the death scene was littered with alcohol bottles.

TMZ broke the story ... in February, 34-year-old Cody was found dead in a bed at a residence in Austin, Texas.

Sadly, the autopsy results will not come as a shock to those who knew Cody -- his family previously told us he had struggled with alcohol abuse for years and went to rehab in the summer of 2022.

They already believed he had relapsed and that alcoholism ultimately killed him.

Quavo and Offset have managed to push past whatever wedge came between them following Takeoff's death to celebrate their fallen comrade's birthday, which would have been his 29th.

On Sunday, the 2 remaining Migos were both chatting it up in Atlanta while wearing Takeoff memorial shirts.

The 2 rap stars nearly came to blows -- only to be separated by Cardi B -- back in February, but time has apparently healed their wounds.

Both men also dropped solo tributes to Takeoff on their IGs.

Takeoff was killed last November ... and his mother is currently seeking justice in the form of a lawsuit aimed at the venue where the shooting took place.

Milton Powell -- aka, Big Pokey, a longtime Houston rapper -- died this weekend after a scary fall onstage that came out of nowhere ... and which ultimately took his life.

The Texas-based MC collapsed at a bar in neighboring Beaumont late Saturday night. Video is circulating showing Pokey standing on what appears to be a two-story stage, where he seems to be performing ... as he has a mic in his hand, and he's interacting with a DJ.

Suddenly, BP lets out a big breath into the microphone ... and he starts to tip backwards, completely losing his footing/going unconscious and falling hard onto the stage. It's jarring.

At first, everyone seems to think it might not, perhaps, be that serious ... as you can hear some snickers in the crowd. However, it quickly becomes clear something is wrong -- and everyone around starts to attend to him in a panic ... seeing that he isn't waking back up.

A woman -- who says she's a nurse -- rushes to his side and tries to administer aid. Everyone else is fanning air and trying to help regain consciousness ... to no avail. Reports say EMS showed up a little after midnight and that he was transported to a hopsital.

Once there, he eventually died ... although it's unclear what the cause of death may be.

His rep confirmed Pokey's passing with a statement, saying ... "It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of our beloved Milton ‘Big Pokey’ Powell."

They add, "Big Pokey passed away ... He was well loved by his family, his friends, and his loyal fans. In the coming days, we will release information about his celebration of life and how the public can pay their respects. We ask that you respect his family and their privacy during this difficult time. Big Pokey will forever be ‘The Hardest Pit in the Litter!'"

Fellow Houston rapper Bun B shared his condolences online, writing ... "I wasn’t ready for this. One of the most naturally talented artists in the city. Low key, humble mountain of a man who moved with honor and respect. He was easy to love and hard to hate. He’d pull up, do what he had to do and head home. One of the pillars of our city. If heart of gold was a person. Iconic member of the SUC. There will never be another and will be missed dearly. We love and honor you Sensei. Rest in heaven."

Pokey was huge in the local scene, having gotten his start by collaborating with DJ Screw ... and helping launch the chopped-and-screwed style of the South that became wildly popular. He's put out tons of projects over the years ... and was considered a Houston legend.

Priscilla Presley is signaling a family truce ... seemingly showing they all made nice after the end of a bitter dispute over her late daughter Lisa Marie Presley's trust.

Priscilla just posted a photo with her granddaughters ... Riley Keough and twins Harper and Finley. It's unclear when the photo was snapped, though Priscilla says it's from the twins' middle school graduation ... and it's currently grad season.

It's a pretty strong signal from Priscilla ... remember, she was recently battling with Riley over control of Lisa's trust after Elvis Presley's only child died suddenly.

As we reported, Priscilla and Riley ultimately settled their beef ... Riley is the sole trustee and Priscilla walked away with a seven-figure payday, though her request to be buried next to Elvis at Graceland was denied.

Riley filed legal docs this week asking the court to approve the settlement ... which also calls for Lisa's ex-husband Michael Lockwood to be the guardian ad litem regarding these estate matters for Harper and Finley.

Rap pioneer Gangsta Boo died after consuming a cocktail of hard drugs and alcohol ... this according to a new report.

According to FOX13 in Memphis, the autopsy report for the hip hop artist states she died from an accidental overdose brought on by fentanyl, cocaine, and booze.

As we previously reported, Boo -- whose real name was Lola Mitchell -- was found unconscious on New Year’s Day inside a Memphis residence ... and despite efforts to revive her, she was pronounced dead on the scene. She was 43.

Treat Williams was alert and talking in the minutes after the motorcycle accident that ultimately claimed his life, a new report says.

On Wednesday, People magazine interviewed an eyewitness who revealed he saw Treat fly 15 feet into the air after his chopper collided with an SUV in East Dorset, Vermont.

Police said Treat was unable to maneuver out of the way of the oncoming Honda Element SUV, which had just made a turn into his path. The other motorist suffered minor injuries and has not been charged or cited in Monday's crash, although cops are still investigating.

The witness, Matt Rapphahn, told People … he sprinted over to Treat -- who was lying on the ground -- to see if the actor was ok. Rapphahn then dashed back to his auto repair shop and called 911, noting the SUV driver got out of his vehicle to console Treat.

Rapphahn said, "It was hard to tell [it was Treat] with the helmet on, but [the SUV driver] knows him — knew him — and he was saying, 'Oh, my God, it's Treat.'"

Paramedics quickly arrived on scene and started working on Treat, who was "conscious and verbal," according to Rapphahn.

Rapphahn went on to say Treat was in enormous pain as first responders moved him onto a stretcher so he could be placed inside an ambulance.