RIP

CJ Harris, the former "American Idol" contestant whose sudden death left family members shocked died from a heart attack ... medical officials have confirmed.

The Walker County Coroner tells TMZ -- doctors at the hospital where Harris was rushed have listed his official cause of death as a heart attack -- and therefore, an autopsy is not necessary.

As we reported ... CJ was taken to a local hospital by ambulance in Jasper, Alabama Sunday night, after suffering what friends and family members believed was a heart attack at the time. Unfortunately, he didn't make it.

Fans will remember CJ as a contestant from season 13 of the hit singing competition series ... making it to the top 6 back in 2014.

His rendition of Allman Brothers Band's "Soulshine" got him a ton of buzz and attention from the show's judges.

After the show, he performed with Darius Rucker at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. CJ even played for audiences in 'American Idol's season 13 tour, which featured the top 10 finalists.

It was boy band heaven for Aaron Carter fans wanting to honor their favorite pop star while raising money for charity at the same time ... all thanks to an effort organized in part by Aaron's older siblings, Nick and Angel Carter.

Nick, alongside his Backstreet Boy bandmate AJ McLean, NSYNC's Lance Bass, 98 Degrees' Jeff Timmons, members from O-Town and LFO all gathered at HEART in West Hollywood.

Not only did the guys perform some fan favorites, the tribute show also raised $150k for On Our Sleeves -- a charity that works to help children facing mental and emotional health struggles -- with a goal to give every community in America access to free, evidence-informed educational resources, educating families and breaking stigmas.

We're told 100% of the proceeds raised at the show will benefit the charity.

TMZ broke the story, Nick penned a song for Aaron shortly after his death called "Hurts to Love You" ... and he performed it at Wednesday night's benefit show.

Alec Baldwin will be prosecuted for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on his "Rust" movie set.

Prosecutors in Santa Fe County, NM made the announcement Thursday morning that Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter. The film's head armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was also charged with involuntary manslaughter. Both face a maximum of 5 years in prison if convicted.

The Assistant Director, Dave Halls, has agreed to a plea deal for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon. He will get a suspended sentence and 6 months probation.

Interestingly ... no charges will be filed in connection with the non-fatal shooting of director Joel Souza, who was hit in the shoulder by the same bullet that killed Halyna.

Attorney Brian Panish, who represents the Hutchins family, tells TMZ, "We want to thank the Santa Fe Sheriff and the District Attorney for concluding their thorough investigation and determining that charges for involuntary manslaughter are warranted for the killing of Halyna Hutchins with conscious disregard for human life."

Panish goes on ... "Our independent investigation also supports charges are warranted. It is comfort to the family that, in New Mexico, no one is above the law. We support the charges."

It's interesting ... Halyna's widower, Matthew Hutchins, settled with Baldwin and the production and actually became an Executive Producer on the film.

In announcing the charges, the special prosecutor, Andrea Reeb, who was appointed by the D.A., said, "The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the 'Rust' film set. In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don't take our State's commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously."

Reeb said, "If any one of these three people - Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls - had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today. It's that simple."

Alec has all along denied any wrongdoing, insisting all he did was follow instructions during a rehearsal where he was practicing how to position the pistol for a "cross draw" scene in a chapel ... as director Joel Souza and Halyna figured out camera angles.

He's also repeatedly said Halls, the assistant director, handed him the prop firearm (something Halls denies) and said it was a "cold" gun ... meaning it was unloaded and safe.

While Gutierrez-Reed, the lead armorer, was not in the chapel ... Alec has suggested she bears some responsibility, as it was her job to prepare and check the props.

Alec was visibly torn up on set immediately after Halyna was shot. However, in subsequent interviews he went on the defensive, saying it was a tragic accident for which he bore no responsibility. He also insisted he did NOT actually pull the trigger on that fateful day.

The FBI disagreed with Alec's assertion ... after testing the weapon, it issued a report which concluded the pistol would not fire without someone pulling the trigger.

Halyna's death was eventually ruled to be accidental -- the medical examiner found no intent to cause harm in their official report.

Still, Halyna's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Alec and others involved in the production, saying he directly caused her death and that he was negligent in his handling of the gun -- not to mention safety protocols on the set.

They ultimately settled the lawsuit in October, and agreed to complete filming "Rust."

Alec also sued four crew members -- Gutierrez-Reed, Halls, Sarah Zachry and Seth Kenney - claiming they failed to safeguard the film set.

Pro soccer player Anton Walkes -- defender and midfielder for Charlotte FC -- tragically died after a boat accident in Florida, the team announced.

He was only 25 years old.

The Major League Soccer club said Thursday the organization is devastated by the news.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Walkes was found unconscious and received CPR from Miami Fire Rescue after a two-boat crash near the Miami Marine Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Walkes, who was operating one of the vessels, was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died from his injuries. The crash is under investigation.

"He was a tremendous son, father, partner and teammate whose joyous approach to life touched everyone he met," Charlotte FC owner David Tepper said.

"Anton made those around him better people in all areas of life and represented Charlotte FC to the highest standard both on and off the pitch."

The England native started his soccer career at 16 when he signed with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. He was loaned to Atlanta United before joining League One club Portsmouth in 2017, where he played for several years.

Walkes returned to ATL in 2020 ... where started in 64 games.

Walkes was selected by Charlotte with the second pick in the 2021 MLS Expansion Draft.

"There are no words to describe the sorrow of everyone in Major League Soccer today after learning of the tragic passing of Anton Walkes of Charlotte FC," MLS said in a statement.

"Anton was a talented and dedicated player who was loved by his teammates and fans."

"We extend our deepest condolences to his partner, family, friends and the entire Charlotte FC family."

The man accused of brutally murdering and dismembering his wife in Massachusetts may have had a motive ... inheriting lots of money.

Brian Walshe's wife left a real estate portfolio worth $2.8 million, and it's almost certain prosecutors will weave this into their case against him.

Prosecutors say Walshe performed Google searches on ways to obtain money from people who have disappeared, typing into the search bar, "how long for someone to be missing to inherit." Walshe did this on the heels of Ana Walshe's disappearance.

Ana was connected to eight properties in D.C., Maryland, and Massachusetts while she was a general manager for Tishman Speyer, a commercial real estate firm.

Since 2018, Ana had sold four properties, but still owned another four -- valued at nearly $3 million -- at the time she vanished on New Year's Day from her home in suburban Boston.

Walshe pled not guilty to charges of murder and improper handling and transport of human remains. He was arrested Jan. 8 after misleading investigators and has been held without bail ever since.

The Norfolk District Attorney says Walshe killed Ana around New Year's and chopped up her body before disposing of it. Police recovered a bloody knife from the basement of their home.

Cops also discovered a hacksaw, hatchet, rugs and a COVID vaccine card with Ana's name on it inside a dumpster taken from Walshe's mom's apartment complex.

What's worse ... Walshe allegedly scoured the Internet for information on how to dispose of a female body that weighs 115 pounds.

Police investigating the Idaho quadruple murder say they found a "possible animal hair strand" inside alleged killer Bryan Kohberger's home, and cops think it could be a direct connect to the site of the slayings.

A search warrant for Kohberger's home, obtained by TMZ, says police seized several other notable items from the raid ... including items with dark red and brown stains.

The search warrant notes there was a significant amount of blood spilled in the murder house, with investigators saying they believe the killer would have blood evidence on their body or clothing.

Police were looking for trace evidence of blood stains in Kohberger's apartment, and the docs say there was a pillow with a "reddish/brown stain" and an item with a "collection of dark red" spotting.

The hair strand could be huge -- there was a dog in the students' home at the time of the murders, and the killer spared the pooch. According to the docs, cops went looking for hair at Kohberger's apartment, and found the possible animal hair ... as well as strands from humans.

The docs say a dog was heard barking at 4:17 AM the night of the murders ... the dog, Murphy, belonged to victim Kaylee Goncalves, and was found unharmed in her room.

Other items seized from Kohberger's place ... a computer tower, a disposable glove, mattress covers, receipts and a vacuum cleaner's dust container.

The docs say cops also searched Kohberger's office at Washington State University, where he was a graduate student studying criminology, but police didn't seize anything.

While cops say they found Kohberger's DNA on a knife sheath found inside the murder house ... the actual knife was not found in the search of Kohberger's home, or anywhere else for that matter.

Jay Briscoe's death sent shockwaves throughout the sports entertainment world ... with his contemporaries, past and present, paying tribute to the late Ring of Honor wrestler, who tragically died in an auto collision in Delaware.

Paul Michael Levesque -- better known as Triple H -- tweeted, writing, "An incredible performer who created a deep connection with wrestling fans across the globe. My condolences to the family and friends of Jay Briscoe."

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins spoke about what it was like to compete against Jay ... and the impact Briscoe had on shaping the wrestler he is today.

"Being in the ring with Jay Briscoe got me my first ROH contract," Rollins tweeted. "He and Mark being so selfless helped Jimmy and I find our footing as AOTF. Without him, I don’t know if Tyler Black could ever have been Seth Rollins."

WWE Superstar Sami Zayn was speechless after Jay died ... writing, "I don’t have the words right now to properly convey my sorrow. I love Jay & Mark Briscoe. Always have. I wouldn’t be here without them."

He added ... "I’m very lucky to have shared the ring & shared so many laughs with Jay Briscoe, and I’m so sad to know neither will happen again. RIP, my friend."

As we previously reported, AEW founder Tony Khan announced Tuesday that Briscoe, who had been wrestling with the Ring of Honor promotion since 2002, passed away.

Briscoe and his brother, Mark, are one of the greatest duos in tag team history ... and at the time of Jay's death, they were the current Ring of Honor World Tag Team champions.

Wrestling legends X-Pac and Matt Hardy echoed similar sentiments ... saying they were "heartbroken" and "devastated" over Jay's death but also paid homage to the incredible performer and man he was.

WWE commentators Booker T and Vic Joseph shared their condolences on-air during NXT's show Tuesday night.

We also talked to WWE official, Adam Pearce ... Jay's longtime friend, who shared some memories when he joined Mojo on the "TMZ Sports" TV show on Wednesday.

NBA champion and former coach Chris Ford -- credited with making the first three-point basket in league history -- has died, his family announced Wednesday. He was 74 years old.

"Chris was beloved by his family, friends, and teammates," his family said in a statement. "He had a great love for his family, the city of Boston, the fans, and the entire Celtics family. He always showed humility and respect for all those that were fortunate enough to be a part of his life."

The C's also addressed Ford's passing ... saying, "The Boston Celtics sends their deepest sympathies to the Ford family and their many friends."

The Pistons selected Chris in the second round of the 1972 NBA draft ... and he spent his first seven seasons with Detroit before joining the Celtics.

Chris played the final four years of his career with Boston ... and was a vital member of the 1981 team that won a championship over the Houston Rockets.

Ford won two more NBA titles with the Celtics in 1984 and 1986 as an assistant coach ... and became the eleventh head coach in franchise history in 1990.

As head coach, Ford led his former teammates Larry Bird, Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale to the playoffs several times.

Ford also coached Bird, Isiah Thomas, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing in the 1991 All-Star Game.

The car crash that killed pro wrestling star Jay Briscoe on Tuesday also left his two daughters in critical condition ... cops announced on Wednesday.

According to Delaware State Police, the wreck happened in Laurel at around 5:09 PM ... when the driver of a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 suddenly veered into Briscoe's lane, and slammed head-on into his 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.

Cops say the driver of the Silverado 1500, 27-year-old Lillyanne Ternahan, and Briscoe (real name Jamin Pugh) were pronounced dead at the scene ... but Briscoe's two passengers, his 9-year-old and 12-year-old girls, survived.

Both, however, were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Ashley Pugh, Briscoe's wife, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning that the family needed prayers.

"Gracie is on her way into surgery on her back," Ashley said. "Jamin would want the whole world praying for his little girl. WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER!! Pray for the doctors and everyone working on her! Pray for her precious legs to move again! Pray for Jayleigh who has some pretty serious injuries, but is stable and resting!"

"Pray for strength for all of us!" she added. "We have a long long road ahead of us!"

Lisa Marie Presley will be laid to rest this weekend -- her exact burial spot is being excavated right now, and as expected ... it's in close proximity to her father, Elvis Presley.

Sources at Graceland tell TMZ ... preparations are currently underway at the Presley family compound in Memphis to accommodate the Celebration of Life ceremony scheduled to take place Sunday.

As you can see in the photos and videos we've obtained ... Lisa's gravesite will be positioned around the famous backyard fountain area where Elvis and his parents are buried.

Lisa's son, Benjamin Keough -- who died by suicide in 2020 -- is also buried there, and our sources say his mother's grave will be right next to his.

Work started Tuesday on the memorial site, but there are other things in the works for Sunday's gathering -- including what our sources say appears to be a stage with a backdrop on Graceland's front lawn.

No word on who might be addressing the gathered crowd, or performing music -- but considering this is going to be open to the public, and the fact 54-year-old Lisa was so beloved in showbiz ... we could see a big name rolling through to pay tribute.

Here's another interesting tidbit ... as of 3 days ago, Graceland's 24/7 camera feed which normally shows the grounds, has been shut down. We imagine that was done so the planning for this weekend's event could be completed.

It's unclear if they're going to turn on the live stream again for Sunday, or thereafter.

Of course, Graceland's front entrance is adorned with flowers that have been left by fans since Lisa's sudden passing last week. As we reported, she died after suffering a cardiac arrest at home, and later the same day, a second one while at the hospital.

Jay Briscoe, a professional wrestling star with Ring of Honor, has died. He was only 38 years old.

AEW founder Tony Khan, who purchased the Ring of Honor promotion last March, shared the sad news on social media ... writing, "Sadly, Jamin Pugh has passed away. Known to fans as Jay Briscoe, he was a star in ROH for over 20 years, from the first show until today."

"Jay and his brother Mark dominated ROH, reigning as champions to this day. We'll do whatever we can to support his family. Rest In Peace Jamin."

Jay -- real name is Jamin "Jay" Pugh -- joined ROH in 2002 and formed one of the greatest tag teams in the history of pro wrestling with his brother, Mark.

Jay and Mark were tag team partners wrestling under the name "The Briscoe Brothers," but Jay enjoyed success as a singles competitor, too -- becoming the Ring of Honor world champion on two separate occasions.

Pro wrestling insider Dave Meltzer reported the wrestling vet was involved in a car accident in Delaware.

Jay and Mark were inducted into the Ring of Honor's inaugural Hall of Fame class last year.

Jay's contemporaries throughout the wrestling biz have already begun sharing condolences over the tragic loss.

Tusk V, the University of Arkansas' legendary live mascot, has died, the school announced Tuesday. He was 4 years old.

The University released a statement on Tusk V's passing ... saying he died of natural causes at his home outside of Dardanelle, Arkansas.

Tusk, born on April 19, 2018, served as the school's official live mascot for three years (2019-2022) and witnessed the football team win two bowl games during his tenure.

Tusk V was a staple on the sidelines at Razorbacks games ... and would routinely interact with fans throughout the season.

Tusk V's last regular season appearance was on Nov. 19 at the team's home finale ... when Arkansas defeated Ole Miss 42-27 at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The Russian boar was most recently on hand for the Hogs' 55-53 win in triple overtime over Kansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

Tusk V became the official live mascot after his father, Tusk IV, retired in 2019. He will be succeeded by his brother, Tusk VI, who will continue the live mascot tradition.

Tusk V -- who would have turned 5 in April -- was laid to rest on the Stokes family farm, the caretakers for the university's mascots.

Devin Willock -- the Univ. of Georgia offensive lineman who tragically died in a car accident on Sunday -- was ejected from the vehicle during the wreck after not wearing a seat belt ... this according to the crash report, obtained by TMZ Sports.

In the documents, authorities say the crash happened at around 2:45 AM in Athens ... after the driver of the 2021 Ford Expedition, UGA staffer Chandler LeCroy, "failed to negotiate a left curve" and barreled into two poles and trees -- before eventually coming to a halt against an apartment building.

Excessive speed was listed as a contributing factor in the crash, the report states. The posted speed limit in the area was 40 MPH.

The report adds LeCroy was not tested for alcohol or drugs.

In the docs, authorities say LeCroy and another passenger, UGA offensive lineman Warren McClendon, were both wearing lap and shoulder belts. But, according to the report, Willock and the car's fourth passenger, 26-year-old Victoria Bowles, were not using theirs.

The report states Willock, who was just 20 years old, died at the scene after being thrown from the vehicle. LeCroy was transported to a hospital after the crash but died a short time later.

According to the docs, McClendon and Bowles were transported to medical facilities for treatment for what were described as "suspected minor or visible" injuries.

The UGA community -- which had celebrated the team's national championship win over TCU just hours before the fatal crash -- is still reeling from the accident ... with star quarterback Stetson Bennett saying in a social media post on Tuesday, he's devastated over it all.

Kevin Nash made dark and emotional comments regarding the three-month anniversary of his son's death ... sparking concern from fans after the WWE legend hinted at having suicidal thoughts.

Nash addressed 26-year-old Tristen's passing on his "Kliq This" podcast this week ... saying, "Today is week 12 that I lost my boy."

"Time flies when you got a gun in your mouth. I mean -- time flies when you're having fun."

Nash's cohost, Sean Oliver, was quick to denounce the morbid comment ... replying, "Don't play like that. You have guns, so you can't say those things."

But the 63-year-old doubled down on his statement ... saying, "I can do whatever the f*** I wanna do. Long as I leave a note."

The conversation changed to how Nash is actually coping with the tragic loss -- the wrestler says it's much easier to tell everyone he's doing fine ... when in reality, it couldn't be further from the truth.

Nash says he struggles to find a reason to get out of bed every morning ... but received words of support from fellow wrestler Tyrus.

Fans flooded the podcast episode's comment section following the discussion ... showing love and praise for Nash.

As we previously reported, Tristen died after suffering a seizure and going into cardiac arrest back in October. He was just 26.

Lisa Marie Presley will be laid to rest alongside her father, son and grandparents during a public memorial service at Graceland -- a very special place for the Presleys.

A rep for Graceland announced the service will take place Sunday at 9 AM at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee ... and the general public is invited to attend.

Graceland is obviously significant to the Presley family history -- it was home to Elvis Presley before he died on the property in 1977. Family members including Lisa Marie's son Benjamin Keough, her grandparents, Vernon and Gladys Presley, as well as Elvis’ grandmother, Minnie Mae, have also been buried there.

Graceland has also served as a backdrop for other family celebrations over the years -- including what would have been Elvis' 80th birthday in 2015 -- and a vigil to honor Elvis on the 40th anniversary of his death in 2017.

TMZ broke the story ... Lisa was rushed to the hospital last week after going into full cardiac arrest. She later died at the hospital surrounded by her loved ones.

As for Lisa Marie's service, the announcement also notes, "In lieu of flowers, the family encourages all who wish to send something to do so in the form of a donation to The Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation."

Former Univ. of Alabama basketball player Darius Miles has been accused of providing the firearm to the gunman who shot and killed a woman near campus over the weekend ... this according to cops in new court documents.

Police say in the filings, made public on Tuesday and obtained by TMZ Sports, that after Jamea Harris was killed by gunfire on The Strip in Tuscaloosa in the early hours of Sunday morning ... Miles admitted to providing a 20-year-old man named Michael Davis with the handgun prior to the shooting.

Cops claim Davis shot at the 23-year-old woman while she was in the passenger seat of a vehicle that had been stopped on the popular stretch of road near the Crimson Tide's campus. They say in the docs witnesses identified Davis as the gunman -- and that there is surveillance video of it all.

Harris died shortly after being struck by one of the bullets, cops say.

Tuscaloosa Police Capt. Jack Kennedy said in a news conference Sunday evening that it appeared "the only motive was a minor altercation that these individuals had with the victim as they were out on The Strip."

As we reported, both Miles and Davis were charged with capital murder over the incident ... and arrested on Sunday.

Miles, who was seen sobbing at the jail following the arrest, was released from the Alabama men's basketball team a short time after he was put in cuffs.

"We were made aware of the recent charge against student-athlete Darius Miles, and he is no longer a member of the Alabama men's basketball team," the school said. "Athletics, in conjunction with the University, is fully cooperating with this investigation."