Celebrity Death

Former NFL star Demaryius Thomas was found dead in the shower at around 7 PM on Thursday ... according to new police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports.

In the docs, cops say they initially responded to Thomas' Roswell, GA residence after they had received a call "in reference to a cardiac arrest."

Officers note in the documents that dispatch had advised them that the victim was "not conscious and not breathing."

When officers arrived, they said in the docs that they had to push a gate open with their hands in order to gain entry into the home.

Once inside, cops say they found Thomas laying down in the shower on his back -- with clear signs of rigor mortis visible.

In the docs, cops say the former Super Bowl champion was pronounced dead on the scene. Officials tell us an autopsy is scheduled to be performed on Friday.

As we previously reported, the NFL community has been devastated over the news of the tragedy ... with stars like Tim Tebow, Von Miller and Tom Brady penning emotional messages to the former Broncos wide receiver on social media.

"I'm so sad to wake up this morning to hear about the passing of my friend Demaryius Thomas," said Brady, who played with Thomas in New England in 2019. "We were all blessed with his humility and positive spirit, and we will all miss him."

Added Tebow, "So many are going to remember him for his athletic ability… but I’ll be remembering him for his kindness, his smile that would light up a room, and the love he had for those in his life."

Thomas would have turned 34 years old on Christmas.

Al Unser Sr. -- who won the Indianapolis 500 four times -- has died after battling cancer for years, racing officials announced Friday morning.

He was 82 years old.

Unser Sr.'s son, Al Unser Jr., confirmed the news in a statement on Friday ... saying, "My heart is so saddened. My father passed away last night. He was a great man and even a greater Father. Rest In Peace Dad!"

Unser Sr. was a racing legend -- he began competing in the sport in 1957 -- and later raced in his first-ever Indy 500 in 1965.

Unser Sr. went on to win the famous race four total times -- including in 1987, when he became the oldest-ever to win at 47 years old.

In his famed career, Unser Sr. also earned three Indycar Series championships in 1970, 1983 and 1985.

Tragically, Unser Sr. was diagnosed with cancer 17 years ago ... but he valiantly fought the disease all the way up until his death Thursday.

Of course, Unser Sr. was not the only Unser to have success on the track ... Unser Jr. won the Indy 500 twice -- making the two the only father-son duo to ever earn victories in the race. Unser Sr.'s brother, Bobby Unser, also won the 500 three times.

Unser Sr. was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 1986, and later inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1998.

Cops in and around L.A. are beefing up patrol and bracing themselves for possible gang retaliation killings in the wake of Slim 400's murder and a growing gang war in the city.

Law enforcement sources tell us that while they don't believe Slim was a targeted hit, they still think the killing was gang-related ... which almost always means revenge. Our sources say they believe Slim happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and his alleged ties to the Bloods didn't help.

We're told lately things have really ramped up between the Bloods and the Crips, so tensions are already high, and Slim's murder likely won't help that.

We're told the Inglewood Police Dept. will have a heavy and visible presence around the place of Slim's killing in hopes to discourage it from happening again to someone else.

As we reported, footage of the killing surfaced online Thursday showing the brazen attack. Slim's murderer walked up a driveway, pulled his gun and opened fire several times ... killing the rapper.

Peloton may want to hire a Hollywood type to vet its products being used in the movies ... because it allowed "And Just Like That..." to kill off one of its characters on the bike and Peloton's stock went into freefall.

So, in case you haven't seen it and you care ... read no further, but Big [played by Chris Noth] had a grabber [aka heart attack] as he peddled furiously in the saddle and kicked the bucket.

Once the word started circulating, Peloton's stock price tumbled more than 11%.

Now here's the crazy part ... Peloton says it not only allowed its bike to be used on the show, but it also allowed one of its instructors -- Jess King -- to play an instructor. In other words, it all looked authentic. Yet the company claims it had no clue about the plotline.

A spokesperson said, "HBO procured the Peloton Bike on their own. Peloton was aware that a bike would be used in the episode and that Jess King would be portraying a fictional Peloton instructor."

First rule for companies asked to participate in a flick -- GET THE SCRIPT SO YOU KNOW WHAT THE HELL THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT YOU!!!

Anyway ... Big's dead. RIP.

The news of Demaryius Thomas' sudden death on Thursday has rocked the NFL community ... with stars all over the league -- including Tim Tebow and Von Miller -- expressing heartbreak over the tragedy.

Just minutes after cops in Georgia confirmed Thomas had been found dead in his Roswell home ... ex-teammates and others from around the NFL wrote sad tributes to the former Broncos great.

"Woke up and saw the really devastating news about my teammate and friend, Demaryius Thomas," said Tebow, who connected with Thomas in one of the most famous touchdown passes in NFL playoff history in 2012.

"So many are going to remember him for his athletic ability…," Tebow continued, "but I’ll be remembering him for his kindness, his smile that would light up a room, and the love he had for those in his life. Please join me in prayer for the Thomas family."

Miller -- who played with Thomas in Denver for years and won Super Bowl 50 with the wide receiver -- was also heartbroken ... writing on his social media page, "I love you bro."

"FRFR real love," Miller added. "Unreal."

Terrell Davis, Russell Wilson, Jalen Ramsey, Dak Prescott and so many more posted remembrance notes to the former four-time Pro Bowler as well.

"Meeting in Denver to win a Super Bowl and then to South Africa to celebrate!" future Hall of Famer and former Broncos star DeMarcus Ware said Thursday night. "So glad you KNEW you were my brother ... Love you 88…until the next time we meet 🙏🏾. #RestInParadise"

Thomas was just 33 years old.

RIP

Slim 400 was the victim of what appears to be an ambush attack as he sat in a driveway ... only to be surprised and shot at multiple times.

Law enforcement sources confirm a video floating around online is the Slim 400 attack. You see the suspect walk up the driveway, gun in hand, and approach the driver's side of the vehicle, where Slim was seated.

It's unclear exactly what happens next, but you see a flash and hear a gun go off and Slim lunge at the suspect. Gunshots continue to go off as the rapper continues to move toward the street with the gunman.

As we reported, Inglewood PD responded to a call of shots fired Wednesday night, and discovered Slim in bad shape in a driveway. We're told he was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Slim 400 -- an up-and-coming rapper in the California hip-hop scene -- has been shot and killed in L.A. ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Slim was gunned down Wednesday night in Inglewood. It's currently unclear what led to the shooting and how many suspects were involved.

Born to military parents in Germany, Slim moved back to Los Angeles as a young child and was raised in Compton. The rapper was later discovered and signed by the now nonexistent Pu$haz Ink music label -- the same one made popular by YG and DJ Mustard.

Slim narrowly escaped death back in the summer of 2019 when he was shot 9 times in L.A. Slim claimed he was ambushed in the attack while visiting family in Compton.

Slim 400 was just 33.

RIP

Legendary wrestler Blackjack Lanza -- who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 -- has died at 86 years old ... Vince McMahon announced Wednesday.

"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Jack Lanza," the famed WWE honcho said in a statement on his social media page. "He was a man's man, respected and beloved by all."

No cause of death has been revealed.

Lanza began his wrestling career in the early 1960s, and gained fame after he formed a tag-team partnership with Blackjack Mulligan.

The two -- who went by the moniker "The Blackjacks" -- became one of the most legendary duos in wrestling history ... eventually going on to star in McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation in the 1970s.

Lanza ultimately retired from wrestling in the 1980s ... but continued to work with McMahon and the WWE for years.

"His loyalty and dedication will never be forgotten," McMahon said.

Lanza had a huge impact on today's biggest wrestling stars ... with Triple H calling Lanza a legend after the two had a meeting back in 2016.

"One of the greatest minds in the business," Triple H said at the time, "thank you for letting me sit under the learning tree."

He added on Wednesday -- "Certain talent will seek certain agents for advice, but EVERYONE sought out Lanza’s."

"The sweetest man but incredibly tough & 100% dedicated to making us better. Jack often didn’t tell you what you wanted to hear, but ALWAYS told you what you needed. I’ll miss you dearly my friend.

Drew Brees is speaking out on Glenn Foster's death ... posting a touching tribute to his former New Orleans Saints teammate on Tuesday.

"My heart goes out to the family and friends of my former teammate Glenn Foster," the future Hall of Famer said Tuesday on Instagram. "I’ll always remember his smile and positive nature."

As we previously reported, Foster died while in police custody on December 6 ... just two days after he was initially arrested on charges of reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and attempting to elude.

The details surrounding his death are unclear.

Foster played for the Saints alongside Brees in 2013 and 2014, logging 3 sacks in 17 games.

Players throughout the league have mourned Foster's death, including fellow ex-teammate Terron Armstead, who said, "I really can't find the words to properly express. Rest In Peace Glenn Foster, you’ll be missed bro!"

Former NFL defensive lineman Glenn Foster -- who logged three sacks for the New Orleans Saints in 2013 -- has reportedly died ... just two days after he was arrested in Alabama.

He was 31 years old.

A Pickens County Medical Examiner official confirmed the Dec. 6 death, according to NOLA.com, though the spokesperson would not reveal the circumstances surrounding the passing, saying an investigation is currently underway.

Jail records show Foster was arrested and booked on Dec. 4 on charges of reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and attempting to elude. The records show he was later rebooked on Dec. 5 on charges of simple assault and robbery.

It's unclear if Foster was still in police custody at the time of his death -- we've reached out to the Pickens County Sheriff's Office for comment, but it said the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation is handling inquiries.

Multiple attempts to reach spokespersons for the Alabama SBI have been unsuccessful.

Foster -- who starred for the Univ. of Illinois -- signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and played two seasons for the team, recording 8 tackles in 17 games.

He retired from the league in 2016.

Foster's former Saints teammate, current New Orleans star Terron Armstead, commented on the news on Tuesday -- saying on his Twitter page, "I really can't find the words to properly express. Rest In Peace Glenn Foster, you’ll be missed bro!"

Virgil Abloh was honored in a big way in his hometown -- with a memorial service full of big names ... including Kanye West, Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, just to name a few.

The service went down Monday at the Museum Of Contemporary Art in Chicago, with scores of people showing up ... including the above-mentioned names, and many more. Other stars who were there -- Tyler the Creator (who delivered an emotional eulogy), Drake, Kid Cudi, Frank Ocean and A$AP Rocky.

Like we said ... TTC was one of the handful of folks who spoke, and he ended up breaking down in tears remembering Virgil.

It turned out to be more than just a somber affair -- there was a live performance put on by none other than Lauryn Hill, who was also wiping away tears throughout. All in all, the service made for a lot of waterworks, and a lot of tributes and stories in Virgil's name.

On the way out, paps caught Kim with some shades on ... and also snapped RiRi and A$AP arm in arm, with everyone looking pretty blue. Ye was spotted outside too -- but he actually stopped to sign a bunch of autographs for people.

As we reported ... Virgil recently passed away from cancer -- a private battle he didn't disclose publicly, but only his closest friends were aware of. He'd just been tapped to head up Louis Vuitton's men's line as their artistic director -- this after a successful run as CEO of Off-White, his own fashion house.

The news sent shockwaves across Hollywood and beyond -- with an untold number of stars coming out with condolences ... as Virgil had friends far and wide in the entertainment industry.

Vanessa Bryant says her fear and anxiety over photos taken of the remains of Kobe and Gianna Bryant will last forever -- breaking down in heartbreaking detail how and why.

Kobe's widow filed a declaration in her ongoing lawsuit with L.A. County. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, she explains she actually asked Sheriff Alex Villanueva specifically on Jan. 26, the day of the crash, to secure the crash site and not allow anyone to take photographs of what was left behind ... this upon learning there were no survivors. In her docs, she says she told the Sheriff, "If you can't bring my husband and baby back, please make sure no one takes photographs of them."

A month later, she says she learned Sheriff's deputies and firefighters were sharing photos taken of Kobe and Gianna's remains ... precisely what she wanted to avoid. Vanessa says hearing this infuriated her, and also sent her into a constant cycle of distress they'd leak and be disseminated online.

Vanessa says she has reason to believe at least 20 different people obtained copies of the photos ... and despite the County's assurance that they'd all been secured/scrubbed ... she says she has strong doubts.

Vanessa says in the documents she's already seen one photo purportedly showing her late husband's remains, saying, "Since viewing the photo, I've been tormented with thoughts of who took it and whether it depicts my husband."

She adds, "It infuriates me that the people I trusted to protect the dignity of my husband and daughter abused their positions to obtain souvenirs of their deaths, as though possessing pictures of their remains somehow makes them special. I imagine Kobe watching over what occurred at that crash scene, and I am overcome by anger and emotion."

And there's more ... "I feel sick at the thought that deputies and firefighters have gawked at photos of my husband's and child's bodies without any reason. I also feel extreme sadness and anger knowing that photos of my husband's and daughter's bodies were laughed about while shown at a bar and awards banquet."

She points to the fact photos can be easily stored, transferred and preserved with the technology of today -- and is constantly fretting about the pics surfacing in some way, shape or form. She says she's triggered when she types Kobe's name in Google and a suggested search of "Kobe Bryant body" appears. She also says trolls threaten her by claiming to have the photos and promising to release them -- which she says also adds fuel to the fire.

Long story short, Vanessa says she's deeply troubled that one day her children might come across the photos while doing a family tree project for school ... adding, "For the rest of my life, one of two things will happen: either close-up photos of my husband’s and daughter’s bodies will go viral online, or I will continue to live in fear of that happening."

The man cops say is responsible for the shooting death of Jacqueline Avant, the wife of Clarence Avant, has been charged with murder ... TMZ has learned.

The L.A. County District Attorney's office announced the charges of murder, attempted murder and felon with a firearm as well as two counts of residential burglary with person present against Aariel Maynor Monday, less than a week after Avant was killed.

George Gascón, the D.A. says, “Mrs. Avant was a treasured member of our community. Her generosity and good will touched so many lives.”

TMZ broke the story, Maynor allegedly broke into the family home around 2:30 the morning of December 1. He then shot and killed Jackie and opened fire on a security guard. Both Clarence and the guard were uninjured.

As we reported, Maynor was arrested the night of the murder when he was found in a backyard 6 miles from the Avant home in the process of committing another crime. Somehow, Maynor shot himself in the foot with the same weapon it's believed he used to kill Avant.

Maynor's motive is currently unknown, but it's possible the Avants fell victim to a random attack at their Trousdale Estates home.

Clarence, known as the "Godfather of Black Music" is a music legend, with a career and influence spanning decades. He and Jacqueline were regulars at public outings, and after her death, tributes poured in across the entertainment and political world.

Gervonta Davis paid huge respect to Kobe Bryant during his fight at Staples Center on Sunday ... rockin' some Mamba-themed shorts and shoes for the big tilt with Isaac Cruz.

Davis entered the "House That Kobe Built" decked out in Lakers colors ... and stitched Kobe's famous #24 and #8 on his shorts.

Davis also sported some Kobe-inspired shoes for the match ... with his kicks resembling the Black Mamba's famous "Grinches."

And, after Gervonta beat Cruz by unanimous decision, he shouted out the NBA legend as well.

"L.A. we did it, baby!" Tank told the packed crowd, which included Magic Johnson, Kawhi Leonard and Dwight Howard. "Home of Kobe!"

It's fitting that Davis honored Bryant on the night ... considering he needed every bit of the Mamba Mentality to get through his bout with Cruz.

Fighting in the place of Rolando Romero, Cruz took it to Davis -- who had to battle through a hand injury to score the win.

Josh Jacobs hit the field in style on Sunday ... the Las Vegas Raiders running back rocked cleats honoring the late, great Virgil Abloh, who recently passed away at the age of 41.

The NFL allowed players to wear custom cleats in Week 13 to raise awareness and money for causes close to the players' hearts ... so Jacobs decided to honor the former artistic director of Louis Vuitton and Off-White founder.

As you can see, the cleat design was pretty dope. They were yellow and blue and featured the words "RIP Virgil" with Virgil's patented "Off-White" trademark.

The artist behind the cleats is I Am Luke Dangler ... who tells us he worked over 25 hours in over 4 days perfecting the design.

Virgil -- who was loved by many in the entertainment industry -- passed away in late November after privately battling cancer for years ... and it's clear that his death reverberated in both the fashion and sports world.

We've seen athletes in the NBA -- like Miami's P.J. Tucker -- show respect by wearing a pair of Off-White Jordan 5s with a special tribute on them.

Jacobs appears to be the first NFL player to wear cleats honoring the fashion icon.

Bob Dole -- one of the most enduring U.S. political figures -- has died, 10 months after revealing he was battling lung cancer.

The Republican stalwart from Kansas passed in his sleep early Sunday morning, according to his wife, Elizabeth Dole. Her foundation released a statement on his death, highlighting his 79 years of political service.

Dole was not only a U.S. Senator from Kansas, but also a decorated Army veteran, a U.S. Representative and a candidate for Vice President, and later, President.

In February, Dole announced he'd been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He said, “While I certainly have some hurdles ahead, I also know that I join millions of Americans who face significant health challenges of their own.”

Dole enlisted in the Army in 1942 to serve in World War II. It was during a battle in Italy that he was severely injured under enemy fire -- his right arm, collarbone and spine were all damaged, and he was eventually transferred to a hospital back in Kansas.

Although he beat the odds to survive a long list of injuries, Dole never regained full mobility of his right arm and suffered numbness in his left. He earned 2 Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for his service.

He won his first national political election in 1951 when he ran for the House of Representatives -- and became a U.S. Senator in 1969. He would remain in the Senate until 1996 when he resigned.

Dole ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 1980 and 1988, losing to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

It might seem shocking in today's era of bitter bipartisanship, but after the Republican icon retired ... President Bill Clinton presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.