Celebrity Death

Ivan Douglas -- the left tackle for Ohio State's famous 2002 National Champion football team -- has died after a battle with COVID-19, his family and friends announced.

He was just 41 years old.

Douglas -- who helped block for Craig Krenzel and Maurice Clarett in the Buckeyes' epic upset win over Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl -- contracted the virus last month and was placed in the hospital shortly after.

According to a GoFundMe set up in his honor, Douglas was "purple in color and his oxygen level was at 63%" when he entered the medical facility -- and he needed to be placed into a medically induced coma a short time later.

Tragically, after weeks of fighting, Douglas' family and friends said he passed away on Thursday.

"Our family is devastated and ask for your continued love, support and prayers," a statement on Douglas' GoFundMe read.

Douglas' former teammate at OSU, Chukwuemeka Nnamdi Onyejekwe, AKA Mekka Don, also confirmed the news on Twitter ... saying, "Our good brother Ivan Douglas has passed away. Please keep his family in your prayers!"

Douglas leaves behind a wife and two children.

Tommy DeBarge -- a member of the R&B/funk band Switch -- and part of the music industry's famed DeBarge family has died.

A family member tells us Tommy has suffered from liver and kidney failure over the years, but recently took a turn for the worse. We're told he was hospitalized a couple weeks ago, and died in the hospital Thursday.

DeBarge rose to fame in Switch in the mid to late '70s -- the group recorded hits like "There'll Never Be," "I Call Your Name" and "Love Over & Over Again."

Tommy and his brother, Bobby, were founding members of the group, which had a huge influence on future bands in the genre, including DeBarge ... the group composed of their siblings.

Bobby and Tommy left Switch to mentor their younger brothers and sister in DeBarge, but Bobby died of AIDS-related complications in 1995.

Tommy was 64.

RIP

Tawny Kitaen, the late actress who starred in "Bachelor Party" and whose personal life was filled with radical ups and downs, died from heart issues ... this according to her autopsy.

According to the Orange County Coroner's Office, Tawny's official cause of death is dilated cardiomyopathy ... the most common type of heart disease.

Other contributing factors include clogged arteries, antidepressants, sedatives, Tylenol, nerve pain medication and opioids.

TMZ broke the story ... Tawny died May 7 in Newport Beach, CA and cops told her family there was nothing found at the scene suggesting alcohol, drugs or pills were a factor in her death, nor were there any signs she took her own life.

Tawny's death came not long after her father passed, and her brother told us their father's loss was simply too much for her to handle.

Her family and close friends recently gathered to remember her one last time with an intimate celebration of life in Newport ... and she's been cremated.

Tawny lived a pretty storied life -- she acted in films like the one mentioned above, and has credits in flicks like "The Perils of Gwendoline" and "After Midnight" -- as well as several hit TV series, such as "Santa Barbara," "The New WKRP in Cincinnati," "Eek! the Cat," "Hercules," "Moms Anonymous," and many, many more over the years.

And, Tawny famously was featured in some music videos ... notably Whitesnake's "Is This Love," and "Here I Go Again."

Trevor Jones -- a former contestant on Bravo's "Millionaire Matchmaker" and CNBC's "The Profit" -- has died.

According to a family friend, Jones died on Oct. 9 from a "sudden Vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome event." Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a genetic disorder that weakens connective tissue and can lead to spontaneous rupture of major blood vessels.

A GoFundMe page set up for his family remembers him this way ... "Trevor was the type of person that left a footprint in the world without even trying. He was sincere, generous, funny, and always tried to give back. Trevor had a gift where he could make anyone smile, laugh, or feel comfortable with just a look or a few words."

Jones is perhaps most famous for his season 8 appearance on Patti Stanger's dating reality show -- where she tried hooking up folks in the 7-figure world with a potential love interest. The guy was a successful entrepreneur, who launched a company called Flex Watches.

He memorably went on a date with "The Hills" star Stephanie Pratt -- and they seemed to hit it off at the time. Ultimately, though, Jones ended up marrying someone else.

Speaking of his business ... Flex Watches was eventually featured on CNBC's reality show "The Profit," which ended up getting partially acquired by investor Marcus Lemonis ... who made them a deal at the end of Jones' episode, and helped get the company off the ground.

Lemonis ended up offering $400k for 40% of Flex Watches' equity ... and Jones and his partner took him up on it.

Former UFC fighter Brian Gassaway -- who fought MMA legend, Diego Sanchez, back in 2005 -- has died, his family and friends announced. He was just 49 years old.

A cause of death has not yet been revealed.

According to a GoFundMe set up in Gassaway's honor, the 29-20-2 brawler was just as good of an MMA coach as he was a fighter -- with his family and friends calling him a legend in the combat sports world.

"Brian's selfless pursuit of improving the lives of his students through the study of martial arts was apparent to all," the statement read. "He gave his students purpose, pulling many up during their darkest moments. Being the light that showed them the path forward."

Gassaway fought for all kinds of promotions in over a decade as a pro -- including Bellator, WEC and King of the Cage in addition to UFC.

He's best known for his tilt against Sanchez at UFC 54 -- a fight that he lost by a 2nd-round TKO.

"He lived his life with purpose and goodness, dedicating every waking moment to being a better person, husband, friend, fighter and coach," Gassaway's family and friends said.

"And, at the same time, he elevated the lives of all the people around him."

Gassaway leaves behind a wife and son.

Colin Powell, the trailblazer who became the first black Secretary of State, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a military leader who was courted by many to run for President has died of COVID-related complications.

Powell died early Monday morning. His family wanted everyone to know he had been fully vaccinated.

Powell, the son of Jamaican immigrants, began his military career in combat duty during the Vietnam war. He was wounded twice -- in one instance he was involved in a helicopter crash and rescued 2 soldiers. He received 2 Purple Hearts.

Powell served in various capacities in the military. In 1987, he became Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor.

The General rose to become a national leader in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm. His fierce leadership won the admiration of the American public ... his approval rate was above 70% and lots of political leaders wanted to groom him for high political office.

He became the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and George W. Bush made him Secretary of State.

Powell retired from the military in 1993 as a 4-star general. The one blemish on his record was when he went before the UN Security Council and told the body Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. That justification led to the U.S. attacking Iraq, and after years of bloody war, no such weapons ever turned up.

Powell turned against President Bush in 2007 and spoke against the Administrations decision to declare war on Iraq. He also criticized the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

Powell was a Republican, but he became disenchanted with the party and ended up supporting Barack Obama in 2008. On January 10, 2021, days after the insurrection at the Capitol, he said he no longer considered himself a Republican.

Powell had been urged by many to run for President, but never took the bait. Lots of people thought he had a shot at winning, given his overwhelming popularity. His integrity was always strong and in tact, and he was respected by leaders in both parties.

Powell leaves behind his Alma Vivian Powell, along with 3 children.

Powell was 84.

RIP

Elvis Presley's drummer, Ronnie Tutt, has died.

Ronnie Tutt's wife, Donna, tells TMZ, he died Saturday of natural causes at his home in Franklin, Tennessee. He was surrounded by family and went peacefully. He did not want to be hospitalized. Donna says Ronnie had a longtime heart condition and there was nothing more doctors could do. She says his body had just had enough, adding, "He couldn't play another drum lick."

Ronnie played with The King from 1969 until Elvis' death in 1977. Ronnie was a member of TCB -- short for Takin' Care of Business -- which backed up Presley during his Vegas runs and other performances.

Elvis Presley Enterprises said of Tutt's death ... "All of us with Elvis Presley Enterprises were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ronnie Tutt. In addition to being a legendary drummer, he was a good friend to many of us here at Graceland."

Tutt made the rounds with some of the most famous musicians of his day, including The Carpenters, Roy Orbison, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, and Jerry Garcia.

Ronnie recorded with Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers, Elvis Costello, Stevie Nicks and Michael McDonald.

After Elvis died, Ronnie became Neil Diamond's drummer for recording sessions and concerts.

Ronnie is survived by Donna, his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Donna says Ronnie will be cremated and there will be a celebration of his life.

He was 83.

Vanessa Bryant will submit to a physician-ran test on her mental state see if she's actually tormented over the Kobe crash site photos being shared ... that is, if L.A. County get its way.

The late Lakers star's widow is being asked to undergo a psychiatric evaluation -- by force via a judge's ruling if need be -- by County attorneys who want her (and others) suing them to prove she's going through the emotional anguish and distress she claims in her lawsuit.

According to court docs, obtained by USA Today, the County's rationale here is ... Vanessa and co. say they've suffered severe emotional distress as a result of the crash site photos allegedly being spread around among L.A. County Sheriff's deputies, firefighters and others.

But ... how do we know their ongoing agony isn't simply because of the the crash/deaths of their loved ones, as opposed to the photos being disseminated among a relatively small group of people??? That's the County's position -- and they wanna get to the bottom of it.

The County's legal filing reportedly reads, "Despite putting their mental condition front and center in this case, Plaintiffs refuse to submit to independent medical examinations (IMEs)."

They add ... "The County brings this motion to compel IMEs of the Plaintiffs, which are necessary to evaluate the existence, extent and nature of Plaintiffs’ alleged emotional injuries. Plaintiffs cannot claim that they are suffering from ongoing depression, anxiety and severe emotional distress and then balk at having to support their claims."

Vanessa's legal team fired back, saying this was nothing more than a "scorched earth" approach, and a slimy one at that ... where the County is overreaching in their discovery process and going to extreme ends to defend what her attorney calls indefensible conduct.

L.A. County notes ... the photos (which apparently showed off the remains of some of the bodies that day) were allegedly only shared among other County employees, and a bartender -- saying they were never publicly disseminated.

Agnes Tirop, an elite Kenyan long-distance runner who finished 4th at the Tokyo Olympics, was tragically found stabbed to death in her home, according to a Kenyan athletic commission.

She was only 25 years old.

According to reports, police are actively looking for Agnes' husband who hasn't been seen since her death.

The BBC is reporting Agnes' father called police Tuesday night, worried he could not reach his daughter.

Sadly, when police arrived at her home in Iten, Kenya, they found Tirop laying in bed, surrounded by a pool of blood, according to the UK outlet.

Police say the runner had what looked like a stab wound to her neck ... and that's what they believe caused her death. She also reportedly had a stab wound to her stomach.

Agnes' husband was not at the home when they arrived ... and has not been heard from since authorities arrived on the scene.

Tirop was one of the best long-distance runners in the world. In fact, just last month she set a women's world record at a 10-kilometer race in Germany. Agnes also took home bronze medals at the World Athletic Championships in 2017 and 2019.

"Athletics Kenya are distraught to learn about the untimely death of World 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop," the country's athletics body said in a statement.

Everyone from Adidas to Kenya's president weighed in on the tragic loss.

"It is unsettling, utterly unfortunate and very sad that we've lost a young and promising athlete who, at a young age of 25 years, had brought our country so much glory," Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya's president said in a statement.

"The Adidas family is deeply saddened by the tragic news about Agnes Jebet Tirop. Agnes was an incredible person, a record-breaking athlete and a beloved member of our family. She will be greatly missed by us all and her legacy will forever live on in our memory," the sportswear giant tweeted.

Rest in peace.

The late Sean Taylor and his family will be honored with a special tribute before the Washington Football Team's game this weekend ... with the organization retiring his number and renaming the road leading to FedEx Field after him.

Taylor -- the #5 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft -- was shot and killed during a home invasion in 2007. He was just 24 years old.

Taylor emerged as one of the greatest players in the game during his 4 years in the NFL ... and was posthumously named 2nd team All-Pro in 2007.

The jersey retirement is the highest form of recognition within the WFT -- only 2 other players (Sammy Baugh and Bobby Mitchell) have received the honor.

No Washington Football Team player has worn #21 since Sean Taylor's death ... and on Sunday, the organization will make the move official.

The players will wear helmet decals and coaches will don #21 lapel pins against the K.C. Chiefs as well.

Taylor's family will be in attendance for the tribute ... and will be on the field for a special pregame ceremony. The family will also be able to visit Taylor's locker, which has been preserved from his last game.

The team will also acknowledge the renaming of the road leading to FedEx Field ... which was announced last year.

Washington Football Team President Jason Wright spoke about the weekend's ceremony ... saying, "I came into the NFL the same year as Sean Taylor and immediately his athletic ability, resilience, grit, and relentless work ethic set him apart."

"I and many others looked to him as a role model."

"The fact that he was tragically taken so early hurt our player community, but also our fans, coaches and staff. We will continue to remember him and hold him up as an example of professionalism and excellence, and we will all strive to mirror his excellence in our own ways."

#RIP

Matthew Mindler killed himself with an easily accessible substance he picked up online ... and his mother wants everyone to know about the extreme danger of the compound.

The Lancaster County Medical Examiner's Office tells TMZ ... the former child star's cause of death was sodium nitrate toxicity. According to the M.E., the OD was intentional and as such his death was ruled a suicide.

If you're unfamiliar ... sodium nitrate is an oxidizing agent -- one often used to preserve foods, like meat -- that causes hypotension and limits the flow of oxygen in the body, which can result in death.

While sodium nitrate deaths are often accidental, Matt's was anything but ... this according to his mom, Monica, who says she discovered a harrowing trail Matthew left behind.

Monica tells us she looked up Matt's recent Internet search histories, and it turns out ... he was looking up information on this lethal compound as it pertained to suicide, and ways to obtain it and take it for the ultimate effect of ending one's life painlessly.

We're told she had no clue this was something he'd been exploring prior to his body being found by school officials near his university in Pennsylvania -- but more importantly, she wants this to serve as a cautionary tale for others.

Monica hopes someone else's life can be saved if folks know what warning signs to look for ... as this is a fairly cheap product Matthew seems to have ordered on Amazon with relative ease, at just $15, which Monica says was enough to kill 4 people.

Ex-MLB catcher Ray Fosse -- famous for the wild play at home plate with Pete Rose in the 1970 All-Star Game -- died at 74 years old on Wednesday.

The Oakland A's announced the sad news ... saying they were "heartbroken" over the passing.

"Few people epitomize what it means to be an Athletic more than Ray," Oakland officials said in a statement. "He was the type of franchise icon who always made sure every player, coach, colleague, and fan knew that they were part of the Oakland A's family."

Fosse -- who worked as an analyst breaking down A's games following a 12-year MLB career -- said in August he had been fighting cancer for over a decade.

Sadly, after battling the disease for years, he passed away this week.

"We send our deepest condolences to Carol, Nikki and Lindsey, his family and friends during this difficult time," the A's added. "We'll miss you, Ray.”

Fosse was a two-time All-Star, a two-time World Series champ, and a two-time Gold Glover ... but he was perhaps best known for a collision with Rose in the 1970 Mid-Summer Classic.

In the game, Rose trucked through Fosse to score the winning run ... and it ultimately altered Fosse's career and life.

The catcher suffered major injuries during the play -- ones that affected the rest of his playing days -- though he still was able to play effectively for several more years.

Fosse ultimately finished his career with 61 home runs, a .256 batting average and 324 RBI.

"My deepest condolences to the Fosse family," said Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley, who not only played with Fosse but worked with him as an A's analyst as well.

"Ray was a dear friend. I cherished our long history and will miss him dearly. Oakland Coliseum will never be the same without Ray."

Chris Pearson's death was the result of someone losing it on him for being loud and disruptive in his apartment complex in the middle of the night ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

Our sources say the former "Ex on the Beach" star was down in the pool area with his girlfriend, making a lot of noise around 2 AM Sunday.  We're told Chris was yelling ... it's unclear at who, but it pissed off the other residents who were trying to sleep.

We're told Chris ignored everyone, but then someone on one of the balconies amped things up and was yelling hard at Chris, who in turn started screaming back at the guy. Our sources say Chris went inside the building to confront the guy ... and that's when he was fatally stabbed in the area around his heart.

Our sources say the guy who stabbed him fled before authorities arrived.

As we first told you ... Chris was rushed to a hospital, but died around 3:30 AM from his injuries.

According to our sources ... Chris was not normally a confrontational guy, but that wasn't the case during the incident.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... cops are investigating and looking for witnesses and videos that may help them figure out what went down, but so far no arrests have been made. Our law enforcement sources say cops are confident they'll catch the guy.

Fuquan Johnson may very well be alive today if there was an effective way to screen drugs he took for fentanyl -- and it's something that shouldn't be ignored ... so says his own mom.

The comedian's mother, Paulene Johnson, tells TMZ ... she's 100% in favor of fentanyl strips being used, and firmly believes her son might still be breathing right now if he had access to some on the night he and two others overdosed and perished from fentanyl-laced cocaine.

We should note, Paulene is NOT advocating for recreational drug use -- even telling us she wasn't aware Fuquan partook himself beyond weed -- but she acknowledges the reality ... that people are going to dabble, and if so -- why not be safe about it?

She believes folks who do hard drugs are stuck between a rock and a hard place in an OD sitch ... fearful of incriminating themselves by calling cops. With that said, Paulene says fentanyl strips could be a good alternative for users looking to avoid that entire scene.

Paulene says parties need to be made safer by any means necessary -- and if fentanyl strips are a viable option to prevent deaths, she's all for it.

As she sadly notes to us ... she buried her son last month, and shouldn't have had to.

TMZ broke the story ... Fuquan was one of three comedians who OD'd and died at a party in Venice -- this after cops believe they ingested coke laced with the deadly opioid. Kate Quigley, the 4th comedian who also overdosed, survived the ordeal ... and is on the road to recovery.

Chris Pearson, one of the first contestants on MTV's hit show, "Ex on the Beach," is dead from a stabbing incident ... TMZ has learned.

Chris died over the weekend according to several of his friends and law enforcement. We're told he got into an altercation early Sunday, around 2 AM, in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, and the other person ended up stabbing him. He was transported to a hospital, but died around 3:30 AM from his injuries.

Friends have started a GoFundMe for his family back in Colorado -- Chris' home state -- and the page describes the circumstances of his death as a "tragic encounter."

Chris, a professional DJ, appeared on the first season of 'EOTB' ... and, although the whole concept of the show is bring together castoffs from other reality shows ... Pearson was one of the few who seemingly had no prior TV experience.

On the show, 2 of his exes were brought on to confront Chris -- which is the whole gimmick of the show -- who came off as a party boy, but also got vulnerable ... crying on camera over one his old GFs.

All-in-all, he appeared in all 11 episodes, and provided some of the show's best drama. Since his time on 'Ex' ... he's gone on to continue his music career with much success.

One of Chris' fellow MTV stars acknowledged his passing -- Taylor Selfridge from 'Teen Mom' commented under his last IG post ... dropping sad face emojis and prayer hands. Others are leaving similar comments.

We're told police are investigating the stabbing, and they have leads. Our law enforcement sources say it's a "solvable case."

Chris was only 25.

Kate Quigley says she's getting back to her old self as her recovery from a near-fatal overdose -- spurred by fentanyl-laced cocaine -- continues ... which begs the question ... why don't more people know about (or use) strips that can detect the lethal poison?

The comedian recently posted an update on her journey back to normal, suggesting she was getting some sort of rehab done down in Mexico ... where she thanked everyone who'd helped her thus far get back to the old Kate everyone knows and loves.

It's an encouraging sign for sure -- but the deaths of Fuquan Johnson, Rico Angeli and Natalie Williamson still linger ... and with the advent of fentanyl strips -- which have been on the market for at least a couple years or so -- it makes one wonder if they could've made a difference here.

If you're unfamiliar ... these strips come exactly as advertised. They're able to be applied to just about any drug and like a litmus test ... can tell you if the narcotics have the opioid or not. While not always 100% effective, they do seem to work more often than not ... and are sometimes distributed to drug users. Although, not nearly as much as they should be.

Whether it's simply a lack of awareness or a taboo issue ... you really don't hear about these strips being talked about. And yet, they're out there ... and can absolutely save lives.

In fact, USC students have recently started to dabble in this ... forming a delivery service specifically for this -- among other drug resources -- to help protect the "naïve drug user." The strips are only a penny a pop, so they're certainly affordable ... and now widely available to students on campus who may be experimenting.

That's California ... but it looks like there are a handful of states across the country that take a different approach to this -- essentially outlawing these strips because they're viewed as "paraphernalia" ... perpetuating the old "Just Say No" D.A.R.E. mentality, which is antiquated.