Celebrity Death

Tony Bennett, the legendary singer and songwriter of numerous classic American standards is dead ... according to his publicist

Sylvia Weiner confirmed to the Associated Press that Tony died Friday at his home in New York City. While no cause of death was revealed, Tony had battled Alzheimer's disease ... he first announced his diagnosis in 2016.

Tony set a standard for American crooners with timeless hits like his 1962 classic, “I Left My Heart In San Francisco," and, in the process, earned generations of fans and admirers within the music industry ... from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

He released more than 70 albums over a career that spanned 7 decades and earned him 19 Grammys. Most recently, he recorded, performed and toured with Lady Gaga ... who had a deep admiration for him, personally and professionally.

In fact, his last public appearance came with Gaga at Radio City Music Hall in August 2021, two months before his last release, the Bennett-Gaga set “Love For Sale,” the sequel to their chart-topping 2014 collaboration “Cheek to Cheek.”

That album enabled him to break his own record as the oldest living performer with a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. He was 88 at the time.

- Three years earlier, he topped the charts with “Duets II,” featuring such contemporary stars as Gaga, Carrie Underwood and Amy Winehouse, in her last studio recording

His rapport with Winehouse was captured in the Oscar-nominated documentary “Amy,” which showed Bennett patiently encouraging the insecure young singer through a performance of “Body and Soul.”

Despite his medical challenges, Tony continued performing and recording until 2021.

Tony was 96.

Gillie Da Kid's son YNG Cheese was shot and killed in Philly on Thursday evening, TMZ Hip Hop can confirm as heartfelt tributes flowing in for the "Million Dollarz Worth Of Game" podcaster.

Philadelphia police tell us they responded to a shooting around 8:24 PM on the block of 5800 Mascher Street and when officers arrived, they found three shooting victims, including YNG Cheese, real name Devin Spady, who had been shot in the back.

We're told YNG Cheese later succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a nearby hospital ... prompting his cousin and Gillie's 'MDWOG' cohost Wallo to take to IG for a heartfelt eulogy, where he promised to continue to speak out for good.

Cops are still investigating but tell us they are currently looking for a potential suspect with a light complexion male, either Black or Hispanic.

YNG Cheese was 25.

A former detective who worked on The Notorious B.I.G. murder case -- which overlapped with Tupac's murder -- says Vegas PD might finally be able to close the infamous case ... especially in light of whose home they raided.

Greg Kading gained extensive knowledge of both Pac and B.I.G.'s murders while he was with LAPD, and joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to offer insight into the Henderson, NV raid. We broke the story ... Vegas cops searched the home of Paula Clemons Monday night, and they say it was in connection with the still-open Tupac murder case.

Paula's husband is a guy named Keefe D, and Kading says Keefe has spoken openly about his involvement with Tupac's murder for years now -- alleging his nephew and fellow Crip Orlando Anderson was the trigger man that fateful night in 1996.

Kading says Keefe first confessed to this way back in 2009, during a police interview conducted by Kading. He says they struck a deal with Keefe, so they couldn't use the info he provided to prosecute him -- but he says that deal went out the window the moment Keefe started telling his story in public.

Kading suspects Keefe still thinks he's safe from prosecution, but the fact cops now appear to be zeroing in on him -- or at least, his loved ones -- will probably make him realize he's mistaken.

As for why Vegas cops are jumping on this now -- Kading tells us they might have been working on this in recent years, and only now have all the pieces lined up to prosecute someone.

The home cops raided in Vegas this week in connection with the unsolved Tupac murder belongs to the wife of a guy who says he was in the car with a man who shot and killed the late rapper.

TMZ has confirmed the address where Vegas Metro executed a search warrant Monday night ... it's owned by a woman named Paula Clemons -- who's married, we've learned, to Keefe D.

Folks familiar with Tupac lore know exactly who Keefe D is -- he's a former Crip, and for years now he's been doing interviews claiming to be the uncle of the late Orlando Anderson ... who's been suspected, at least on the streets, to have been the shooter.

Orlando and his crew -- including Keefe -- were in Vegas that night ... and Orlando was actually jumped by Tupac, Suge Knight and other Death Row affiliates at the MGM Grand. It's an altercation that was caught on surveillance video ... and many thought Orlando might have orchestrated a revenge shooting after the Mike Tyson fight that night. FWIW, Orlando himself had denied any involvement before he was killed in a shootout himself.

As for Paula, she also owned a home in Compton in the '90s ... what's interesting, in 1998, the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. recovered a gun in the backyard of a Compton home ... a home the Sheriff's Dept. said belonged to the girlfriend of known Crip who was in Vegas the night of the murder.

As we reported, cops raided Paula's Henderson, Nevada home Monday. The reason the raid is significant is because, to obtain that warrant, police had to show a judge there was probable cause to believe there was evidence in the home connected to Tupac's murder.

Cops are not saying what they recovered from Paula's Henderson home.

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

Denise Russo, famous for appearing on VH1's "The X-Life," died from a lethal combination of two of the most powerful drugs on the streets ... TMZ has learned.

According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner, Denise died from the toxic effects of fentanyl and methamphetamine in what's being ruled an accidental overdose.

We broke the story ... Denise was found unresponsive on the floor of a friend's home in San Diego back in March and was pronounced dead.

Police said drug paraphernalia was found at the scene, and the medical examiner notes the same thing ... saying paramedics arrived and performed "aggressive attempts at resuscitation" on the 44-year-old.

Denise was featured on the 2011 reality show, which followed the lives of extreme sports athletes and their partners ... she was dating professional skateboarder Pierre-Luc Gagnon at the time. Denise and Pierre-Luc had a son together, but had since broken up.

Dr. Terry Dubrow says weight loss surgery ultimately turned out to be a fatal decision for Lisa Marie Presley ... offering a warning to everyone in Hollywood, and beyond.

The "Botched" surgeon joined us on "TMZ Live" and explained how bariatric surgery eventually spelled doom for Elvis Presley's only child.

The good doc says Lisa Marie's weight loss procedure resulted in tons of scar tissue that ultimately blocked her small intestine -- which as we first reported, is her official cause of death.

Although there's no evidence LMP was taking Ozempic, Dr. Dubrow warns of issues with sudden weight loss.

And, get this ... Terry says Lisa Marie's digestive system was in such bad shape before she died, over 30 feet of her small intestine was already dead before she was rushed to a hospital.

Terry tells us Lisa Marie's health issues are widespread in America ... he says tons of folks are having weight loss surgeries, and many others are using Ozempic to manage their weight, a practice he says is prevalent in Hollywood.

Bodybuilder Gustavo "the Freakin' Rican" Badell -- who faced off against some of the greatest bodybuilders of all time and twice finished third in the prestigious Mr. Olympia competition, has sadly died at the age of 50.

Details surrounding the death are currently unclear.

Fellow competitor and friend Eddie Abbew confirmed the news on Thursday ... and shared photos of the men together during their bodybuilding careers.

"I woke up this morning to information that Gustavo has passed away. My heart goes out to his family and friends," Abbew wrote.

"Gustavo was ten years younger than me. It is always sad when a young person is taken away long before their time. Rest in peace Gustavo and know that you will be missed."

Badell started his bodybuilding career when he was 19 and won his first competition in 1991 at the Junior Caribbean Bodybuilding Championship.

He went on to compete in many huge competitions, including the Atlantic City Pro, which he won, the Ironman Pro, Arnold Classic, and the World Pro Championships.

His most iconic moments came in 2004 and 2005 when he finished third at Mr. Olympia, right behind bodybuilding G.O.A.T.'s Ronnie Coleman (8 consecutive Olympia titles) and Jay Cutler (won 4 Olympias).

After retiring in 2012, Badell continued to stay in shape ... and was still involved in the fitness community, often interacting with fans online.

Lisa Marie Presley died from small bowel obstruction ... this according to the L.A. County Coroner.

According to an L.A. Medical Examiner document obtained by TMZ ... the exact name of the condition is sequelae of small bowel obstruction. Translation -- Lisa Marie died of complications resulting from a small bowel obstruction.

This document is not the full report, and presumably, there will be toxicology results when that report is made public.

Since Lisa's death, there's been a lot of drama in the Presley household. Her mother, Priscilla, was in a war with Lisa's daughter, Riley Keough, over Lisa Marie's trust -- which has now been settled. Sources connected tell TMZ ... Lisa Marie's estate paid an undisclosed sum of money to Priscilla to settle the dispute. Our sources say it's in the millions.

Priscilla's attorney announced the settlement outside the courtroom after the hearing, saying ... "The families are happy. Everybody is happy and excited for the future."

As we reported, Lisa Marie was also taking weight loss meds and was fresh off of plastic surgery.

Lisa Marie passed away in January at a hospital in the L.A. area after suffering cardiac arrest.

Former LSU women's basketball star Danielle Ballard -- who helped lead the Tigers to the Sweet 16 in 2014 -- was tragically killed on Thursday ... after she was struck by a car in Tennessee.

She was just 29 years old.

The Memphis Police Department said the incident happened at around 1:30 AM at an intersection just a few miles away from the FedExForum in Memphis.

Cops said she was rushed to a local hospital after she was hit ... but she was sadly pronounced dead at the facility a short time later.

"The driver stayed on the scene," the MPD added in a statement. "This is an ongoing investigation."

Ballard was a standout for the Tigers during her time in Baton Rouge, averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 steals in her three seasons (2012-15).

Among the accolades that she racked up in her tenure included Most Valuable Player honors and a selection to the All-SEC Defensive Team. She also earned recognition as the LSWA Louisiana Freshman of the Year.

Prior to joining LSU, Ballard was considered one of the best female high school players in the nation, being ranked No. 25 overall by ESPN after leading her Memphis Central team to its first class 3A state title in 89 years.

Fans of Ballard flooded social media following the news of her death ... with many leaving their thoughts and prayers on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Dakota Fred Hurt, one of the stars of the Discovery show, "Gold Rush: White Water," is dead after a brief battle with brain cancer.

Dakota Fred died Tuesday, according to a statement from his family ... this only 4 months after he was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. The fam says Dakota Fred fought his cancer battle "courageously" and died with loved ones by his side.

Dakota Fred's loved ones say they are remembering Dakota Fred as someone who "touched many lives and was loved and supported by many" ... while 'Gold Rush' says "his joy for life and adventure was contagious."

Dakota Fred got his start gold mining in North Dakota way back in the day, and that's how he ended up mining for gold in Alaska on 'Gold Rush.'

He appears in the show's first 4 seasons.

A fan favorite, Dakota Fred and his son, Dustin, returned to the franchise in 2018 with their own spinoff show, "Gold Rush: White Water," this time dredging for gold in whitewater collection pools at the base of Alaskan waterfalls.

Dakota Fred was 80.

Former WWE wrestler Mike Halac, who famously competed as Mantaur in the '90s, has passed away. He was 55 years old.

Halac's daughter, Demi, announced the news on Halac's personal Facebook page on Tuesday ... saying, "He went peacefully in his sleep. He's no longer in pain."

"This really hit home to lose my father, he will forever be in my heart and many others. I love you dad. Make the skies beautiful for me."

Halac debuted as Bruiser Mastino for the Catch Wrestling Association in the early 1990s before joining the World Wrestling Federation as Mantaur, a role based on the mythical half-man/half-beast Minotaur character ... which was fitting for his 400-pound frame.

Halac -- who was open about his battle with diabetes -- continued to compete in the ring until 2019.

Fellow wrestler Paul Neu -- AKA P.N. News -- shared a touching tribute ... saying, "This is a bitter pill to swallow. RIP Michael Halac my tag partner, great friend and brother in all sense of the word except blood."

"We fought like family,, but always made up. You will be missed. God bless your soul. Until we meet again. Love you brother."

A jury determined a handwritten document found in Aretha Franklin's couch is a valid will ... a major development after years of her kids battling over her estate.

The ruling on the hard-to-read pages came in Tuesday in a Michigan court. The will was found in 2019 -- the year after she passed -- in a notebook tucked under the couch in Aretha's Detroit home.

The docs, dated March 31, 2014, are significantly different from a 2010 draft of her will.

The newer pages apparently designate her sons Kecalf and Edward as executors of her $6 million estate, and it looks like the name "Teddy," AKA Ted White II -- their brother who was pinned as executor in the 2010 version -- is crossed out.

What's more, the 2010 will appeared to require Kecalf and Edward would have to take business classes, and get a degree or certificate to benefit from Aretha's estate -- but the 2014 version doesn't include that requirement.

TMZ broke the story, no will was initially found when Aretha died in 2018 following a battle with pancreatic cancer -- but since then there has been an all-out war between her children.

Surfing star Mikala Jones has tragically died ... after part of his surfboard reportedly severed his femoral artery during a freak accident over the weekend.

It all happened at the Awera Resort in North Sipora on Sunday, according to Surfline, when the fin of Jones' surfboard appeared to cause a huge gash near his left groin.

The outlet reports medical personnel raced to assist Jones -- rushing him to the hospital ... though he sadly was declared dead there from his injuries.

He was just 44 years old.

His daughter, Isabella, grieved his death in an emotional Instagram post later on Sunday ... writing, "I'm not sure how to put this in words, but my dad got into a bad surfing accident and didn’t make it. Im happy he was doing what he loved the most."

"Life will never be the same without you," she added. "I miss you so much, i would do anything to get one more moment, even if it was us arguing and then laughing our asses off. Thank you for teaching me so many life lessons, and always being there for me. I wish you were still here with us right now. I will always be think about you dad ❤️"

Jones, a Hawaii native, began surfing at a young age ... and he eventually gained fame for his ability to ride through massive tubes in dangerous conditions. He was also notable for the way he filmed his rides -- earning praise from Surfline as "one of the 21st century’s most photogenic surfers."

Many in the surf world have mourned his passing ... including Kelly Slater, who wrote on Jones' most recent Instagram post, "Legend. 💔."

Andrea Evans, the longtime actress who starred in multiple soap operas over the years, has died.

Andrea passed away Sunday from cancer, according to casting director Don Carroll. It's unclear what sort of cancer she was battling, or when she'd been diagnosed.

She is, perhaps, most famous for playing Tina Lord on "One Life to Live" -- she started on that series way back in the late '70s, and had a memorable run through the '80s ... and even popping back during the early 2010s with recurring appearances.

She'd gone on to star in a lot of other soaps, including the iconic ones ... like "The Bold and the Beautiful" -- she appeared in 152 episodes -- and "The Young and the Restless" ... which had her on 19 different times.

Andrea also did a significant amount of work on "Passions" -- which featured her in a whopping 627 episodes -- portraying Rebecca Hotchkiss. Evans had starred in other shows as well ... like "DeVanity," "The Bay," "Out of Control," "CHiPs," and more.

She'd also been in a handful of movies -- so a well-rounded showbiz career.

AE actually retreated from the limelight for several years as a result of a scary stalking situation ... so, the fact she had such a prodigious career is impressive.

Andrea was 66.

Kobe Bryant will once again grace the cover of NBA 2K24, the video game maker announced ... the 4th time for the NBA legend!

2K -- first released in 1999 by Visual Concepts -- took to social media on Thursday, writing, "Sharing the Mamba Mentality with the next generation. Introducing our #NBA2K24 cover athlete, Kobe Bryant."

The game will come with two different covers ... a Kobe Bryant Edition and a Black Mamba Edition!

The KB version features a young Bryant, wearing number 8, flying through the air for a dunk. The BM edition features a veteran Kob, wearing his purple and gold away Lakers jersey.

"As we celebrate 25 years of NBA 2K with Kobe Bryant, we commemorate his legacy and the generational impact he has had on the game of basketball," the Prez of Visual Concepts said.

"While we mark the history of the franchise, NBA 2K24 also looks ahead to the future to bring an innovative leap in technology and the introduction of community-requested features like crossplay."

Kobe was last on the cover for the 2K21 edition ... following Bryant's tragic death in January 2020.

The NBA Hall of Famer was also featured on the special edition cover for NBA 2K17 ... and NBA 2K10.

Preorders for the game start Friday ... and the game drops at the beginning of September.

Journey's co-founding guitarist, George Tickner, is dead ... according to his former bandmate, Neal Schon.

Schon, Journey's longtime lead guitarist, announced Tickner's passing Thursday with a social media post saying, "Journey Junkies, I have some very sad news. George Tickner, Journey’s original rhythm guitarist and songwriting contributor on their first three albums, has passed away."

He added, "Our condolences to his family and friends, and to all past and present band members. So heartbreaking. I think we need to do a group hug."

Tickner was the original rhythm guitarist, when he formed Journey in 1973 ... along with Schon and bassist Ross Valory.

Interestingly, he bowed out of the band in 1975 -- before they became hitmakers, selling more than 100 million records -- because he wanted to pursue a career in medicine, and he was serious about it. George earned a scholarship to attend Stanford Medical School.

He never fully gave up on music, though ... he was reportedly writing and doing local performances as a hobby.

George rejoined his Journey bandmates -- and subsequent members like Steve Perry -- back in 2005 when the group got its star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That's him rocking that sweet handlebar mustache.

Prior to Journey, George was a member of Frumious Bandersnatch, a psychedelic rock band formed in Berkeley in the late '60s.

Neal's post didn't mention a cause of death. George was 76.