RIP

A longtime hairstylist for KISS says the rock band didn't act fast enough to help a COVID-stricken guitar tech while they were on tour, leading to his death.

According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, David Mathews accused KISS' manager Doc McGhee, of mishandling the grave situation involving Francis Stueber. KISS legends Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are also named defendants in the suit.

Mathews claims the group was on a tour stop in October 2021 when he learned Stueber had contracted a severe case of COVID while staying in an Illinois hotel room.

He says he urged Stueber to contact Stanley to arrange being sent to the hospital, and  Stueber agreed to do so.

Mathews says he then went to Stanley's dressing room and told him, "Call Fran. He's very sick. I can hear the fear in his voice. He needs to go to the hospital."

Stanley allegedly responded, "I get it. I was afraid too when I was sick with COVID." The rock star, according to the docs, phoned Stueber and advises him to go to the hospital, explaining that the disease was "nothing to mess around with."

But, hours later, Mathews says McGhee told him Stueber didn't want to go to the hospital, which conflicted with Stueber's earlier statements to him.

Still, Stanley called Stueber again and told him to go to the hospital, the docs say.  Stueber apparently agreed, and McGhee promised to have a Live Nation rep take him to the medical center.

That allegedly never happened. Nearly an hour later, according to the docs, Matthews inquired about Stueber with McGhee, who said Stueber was being tested with an oxygen meter to see if he really needed to go to the hospital.

Matthews says, "Unfortunately, it was apparent that Mr. McGhee did not act in a timely manner. The Live Nation representative did not arrive until the following morning. When visitors entered Mr. Stueber's room at about 1 a.m., he was found dead."

Rolling Stone magazine then ran an article about Stueber's death, blaming KISS for having lax COVID protocols while on tour. The band was allegedly furious and blamed Matthews for the anonymous leaks to the R.S. reporter.

Although Mathews denied being the source of the information, the band apparently didn't believe him and allegedly ended up canning him the following May after 30 years of service.

Mathews is suing the group for wrongful termination, retaliation in violation of labor code and failure to pay all wages.

Nipsey Hussle's pal Cowboy is satisfied with the sentence that came down on the rapper's murderer, but still believes the wound left by Nip's death is one that will never heal.

We got Cowboy outside the DTLA courthouse where the judge gave Eric Holder 60 years to life. He told us it's a big win for those closest to the superstar rapper, but he also filled us in on why it's a bittersweet moment.

While the sentencing brings an end to the tragic saga of Nipsey's murder ... Cowboy says he'll still have Nipsey's family's back -- just as he did through the trial -- because they all made an impact on his life.

As we reported, Holder was handed his lengthy sentence Wednesday after a jury found him guilty last year of 1st-degree murder. He gunned down Nipsey back in 2019.

We also got activist Najee Ali after Holder's sentencing, and he echoes Cowboy's feelings ... saying any amount of time behind bars could never bring back Nip, but he too calls 60 years fitting for the crime.

The 911 call from an alligator's deadly attack on an 85-year-old woman in Florida has just been released ... and it's terrifying.

The frightened caller, who saw it all go down, tells the 911 dispatcher ... "There's a woman in the lake. The alligator's got her!"

The caller says the huge gator grabbed the woman as she walked her small dog by the water, telling the dispatcher ... "He pulled her into the lake."

The dispatcher asks if the gator dragged the woman below the surface ... and the caller says "Yes."

As the call unfolds, the caller says she hasn't seen the woman surface for several minutes ... but about 8 minutes in the caller notices a body floating in the water and exclaims, "I think she's gone, oh my God."

As we reported ... the attack happened Monday at a retirement community in Fort Pierce, FL, where the victim, 85-year-old Gloria Serge, was walking her dog near a retention pond when the gator lunged at them.

The roughly 10-foot alligator was ultimately captured and killed ... but the woman's dog survived.

Nipsey Hussle's killer, Eric Holder, was sentenced to 60 years to life behind bars, a sentence that came months after a Los Angeles jury found him guilty of 1st-degree murder.

Remember ... Holder gunned down Nipsey in broad daylight back in 2019, and the brutal details were outlined at trial, with prosecutors telling the jury Holder kicked Nipsey in the head after riddling his body with bullets, claiming it was proof the attack was personal.

Deputy District Attorney John McKinney then told the jury Holder told Nipsey, "You're through," to which the rapper replied, "You got me."

As we reported, Holder shot 2 other people while committing Nipsey's murder ... and he was also found guilty of 2 counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter, 2 counts of assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Holder may have to keep his head on a swivel in prison ... he was previously jumped by inmates in county jail while waiting for his transportation to court. Holder suffered a big gash to the back of the head that required staples, and the injuries delayed his trial.

The production company behind "Rust" has found a new place to call home outside of New Mexico ... with a church that looks incredibly similar to the one cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot in.

A rep for Rust Movie Productions tells TMZ Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana will serve as the new backdrop, adding the production team is all about honoring Halyna's vision.

We're told those running the ranch are also honored to "carry forward her inspiring legacy." Director Joel Souza, who was also shot during the tragic incident, says he's "deeply grateful" for the invite to film at the ranch, calling it a privilege to work with partners like this.

Sources familiar with production plans say March and April have both been discussed as possible start months.

Worth noting just how much the church set looks like the original one in New Mexico -- likely trying to keep scenes consistent without having to backtrack, but it's still kinda eerie.

Spencer -- the dog who became a star for cheering on runners during the Boston Marathon each year -- has sadly passed away after battling cancer. He was 13.

Spencer's owner, Rich Power, made the announcement on Tuesday ... saying the golden retriever died at their home last Friday under the care of their veterinarian.

"We are devastated to share the news of Spencer's passing,' Powers said on social media.

"Spencer has overcome some severe medical challenges over the past several years. We thought we would be lucky to have him for an extra month."

Powers -- who was gifted the pup in 2009 -- explained he was diagnosed in September 2022, and unfortunately, the cancer was inoperable.

"Spencer was not ready to give up and with the love and positive energy sent to him by hundreds of thousands of fans, He beat the odds and gave us 28 months."

Spencer went viral back in 2018 after he was seen holding a "Boston Strong" flag during a rain storm at the race -- his usual spot at the event for nine years -- and the runners always showed him love.

In fact, the Boston Athletic Association named Spencer the official dog of the marathon last year and honored him with a portrait and medal at a ceremony in Boston.

"Spencer, your spirit and determination inspired us all," the B.A.A. said after his death.

"We'll miss you, and are proud to call you a friend and forever the Official Dog of the Boston Marathon."

Spencer's owners are asking fans to donate to his memorial fundraiser ... which helps the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study.

The study focuses on canine health studies in the U.S. to "identify the nutritional, environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors for cancer and other diseases in dogs."

"Real Housewives of Orange County" rivals Tamra Judge and Gretchen Rossi never saw eye-to-eye on the show, and their feud only seems to have strengthened with time -- because we've learned Tamra has donated money to help honor Gretchen's late stepson.

Tamra put $500 towards the GoFundMe for 22-year-old Grayson's memorial and medical expenses ... inching the campaign closer to the halfway mark of $70k.

"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" alum Teddi Mellencamp also put $500 in the pot -- and more than 400 people have donated so far.

As we reported, the campaign was set up by the family of Michelle Arroyo -- Grayson's biological mother, and ex of Gretchen's fiancé Slade Smiley -- after her son passed this month from brain cancer.

There's no love lost between Michelle and Slade and Gretchen, which might have played a factor in Tamra's decision to financially back Michelle.

The donations will help with the cost of a memorial to honor Grayson, as well as outstanding medical expenses -- of which Slade is responsible for half, but allegedly never paid ... according to Michelle.

She told us Gretchen pretended to have a relationship with Grayson to gain sympathy online, and claimed Slade hasn't made child support payments since 2019. Sources close to the couple told us Michelle's accusations are absurd and need to stop.

Both Tamra and Teddi encouraged listeners on their iHeart podcast "Two T's in a Pod' to donate to Michelle's GoFundMe. Tamra pointed out how Gretchen just got a nice chunk of money for going on Ultimate Girl's Trip while Michelle is having to go through a GoFundMe to raise money for Grayson's memorial.

T.I. is firing back at Boosie Badazz after being publicly slandered with the news their joint album was canceled all because of T.I.'s now infamous story about ratting on his dead cousin.

An incensed Tip took to IG on Tuesday, accusing Boosie of not being genuine and daring the Louisiana rapper to pull up and examine the paperwork evidence for himself!!!

The invitation was also extended to Boosie's "OG Uncle" ... who apparently had the most influence over Boosie's decision to nix the project altogether.

T.I. says Boosie spoke out of turn ... rather unintelligently and ultimately painted his former collaborator's character as flawed.

Boosie has yet to respond to T.I.'s retort but has been resharing clips of his viral interview with the captions that amuse him the best.

An elderly woman is dead after an alligator attacked while she was walking her dog -- and her efforts to save her pooch ended up costing her her life.

The tragedy happened Monday at a retirement community in Fort Pierce, FL where the beast lunged at 85-year-old Gloria Serge. The gator reportedly went after the dog first, but Gloria wasn't giving up her pet without a fight.

Unfortunately, Serge got knocked over in the struggle, and the alligator yanked her by the foot into a nearby pond ... where she drowned. Not too long after that, the authorities were called in to wrangle and kill the gator.

Photos released by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Dept. show the dramatic scene ... officers straddling the reptile and tying it up as they prepared to haul it off in the back of a truck.

This one was estimated to be 10 feet in length, and was ultimately euthanized ... while the dog survived the ordeal.

As we know, gators are a dime a dozen in the sunshine state, and are incredibly dangerous. A toddler was killed under similar circumstances at Disney World in 2016.

Friends of Hayden Panettiere's brother, Jansen, became alarmed something was wrong with the actor after he no-showed a business meeting ... racing to his apartment to find him unresponsive.

We've obtained a police report from Jansen's death investigation detailing the moments leading up to the discovery of his body. Jansen's friends informed investigators he was supposed to be at the meeting on Sunday -- and when he didn't show up, they thought something might be wrong.

One of Jansen's friends went over to his apartment, and found him sitting upright in a chair, unresponsive, called 911 and started CPR.

Hayden and Jansen's dad, Skip, told cops he spoke with his son Saturday night and he sounded "okay."

TMZ broke the story of Jansen's death ... at this time, there's no foul play suspected, and final results from his autopsy and toxicology report won't be completed for several weeks.

UNLV defensive lineman Ryan Keeler has tragically died ... the school announced the redshirt freshman football player passed away on Monday.

He was just 20 years old.

Keeler died in Las Vegas, according to the university ... but no other details surrounding his death have been revealed.

School officials mourned his passing late Monday night, with the team's new head coach, Barry Odom, saying they're all "devastated to have lost a member of our Rebel family."

"While I had the honor of knowing Ryan for only a couple of months," said Odom, who was hired in December, "he already stood out to our coaching staff as an incredible person, student and teammate."

"Our condolences and prayers go out to Ryan's family as we grieve along with them over this tremendous loss."

Keeler, a highly touted, 6-foot-5 high school recruit out of Illinois, initially began his college football career with Rutgers ... but transferred to UNLV following his freshman season in 2022.

In his first year with the Rebels this past season, he played in two games ... recording a sack and eight total tackles.

One of Keeler's teammates last season, Adam Plant Jr., said he was "lost for words" after learning of the tragedy.

"Long Live Ryan Keeler gone way too soon," the former Rebels D-lineman said. "Love you forever brother."

Keeler was a pre-business major who had earned Academic All-Mountain West honors ... after recording a 3.80 GPA.

Rest in peace.

Boosie Badazz is washing his years-long friendship with T.I. and the album they completed together ... all due to T.I. admitting he once snitched on a deceased cousin to get out of a gun charge.

In his latest sit-down with VladTV, Boosie unloaded on T.I. for randomly choosing to divulge the info about the snitch-uation ... but, as a result, he says he has no choice, but to label his longtime friend a "rat."

Of course, that's IF the story is true ... Boosie halfway thinks T.I. was lying for podcast views, but nonetheless says he scrapped the project after waking up to more angry text messages than he could read at once!!!

Boosie expressed similar sentiments when discussing Cash Money Records CEO Birdman's older brother Terrance "Gangsta" Williams ... who openly testified against a dead friend to free himself from prison after serving 27 1/2 years on a life sentence.

Tip got his fair share of support when his podcast first aired -- fellow artists like Yung Joc, Lyfe Jennings and Young Dro all called the scenario a fortunate situation, but Boosie is going 100% lactose intolerant ... he's not accepting any cheese!!!

Hayden Panettiere's brother Jansen Panettiere has died ... TMZ has learned.

A family source tells us Jansen died over the weekend in New York. His cause of death is currently unclear. Law enforcement sources tell us they got a call to a residence Sunday night around 5:30 PM. We're told there's no foul play suspected in Jansen's death.

Jansen, 5 years younger than Hayden, jumped onto the scene in the early 2000s, working on projects like "Even Stevens," "Blue's Clues," "Robots," and "Ice Age: The Meltdown." He also had a recurring role as Truman X in Nickelodeon's "The X's."

At one point, Jansen worked alongside Hayden in 2004's "Tiger Cruise" and 2005's "Racing Stripes."

He went on to star in Disney Channel original movies and made-for-TV Nickelodeon films, picking up a nomination for a Young Artist Award back in 2008 for his work on "The Last Day of Summer."

Jansen kept acting through the 2010s, working on shows like "Major Crimes" and "The Walking Dead." He also was attached to 5 more projects at the time of his death.

Jansen was only 28.

Richard Belzer -- famous for his work on 'Law & Order' and in the standup comedy world -- has died ... this according to his close comedy pals.

News about Belzer's death spread like wildfire Sunday morning, with none other than Laraine Newman -- an original 'SNL' cast member, who worked alongside Belzer from the mid-'70s through the '80s -- confirming the latest.

She wrote, "I'm so sad to hear of Richard Belzer's passing. I loved this guy so much. He was one of my first friends when I got to New York to do SNL. We used to go out to dinner every week at Sheepshead Bay for lobster. One of the funniest people ever. A master at crowd work. RIP dearest."

Comedian Marc Maron also sent his condolences, calling him an original and "one of the greats." Other tributes are pouring in from all over showbiz, although details about his passing haven't been officially released just yet.

Belzer was most known for portraying Det. John Munch on 'Law & Order: SVU', dating back to 1996. He'd starred in over 300 episodes of the fan-fave cop series ...  playing the quick-witted and razor-sharp Munch for several years. His character was written off in 2016.

His famous police character had also existed even before 'SVU' came around ... Munch had existed in another TV universe -- namely, on the classic hit 'Homicide,' where he starred opposite Ned Beatty, Daniel Baldwin and other big actors for seven straight seasons.

Prior to his stint in network TV, Belzer was a renowned comedian ... as we mentioned, he appeared on 'SNL' during its inception period -- but he also did a lot of standup and sketch comedy on his own, plus ... he hosted variety shows/specials as well.

Beyond his esteemed work with Dick Wolf and co. ... Belzer had several other acting credits under his belt. Some other famous shows he'd been on include ... "Moonlighting," "Miami Vice," "D.C. Follies," "Monsters," "The Flash," "Nurses," 'Lois & Clark,' "The X-Files," "Arrested Development," "The Wire," "30 Rock," "American Dad" and many, many more.

His film resume was impressive too ... he'd starred in "Scarface," "Fame," "Fletch Lives," "The Bonfires of the Vanities," "Species II," "Man on the Moon," "The Puppet Masters" and others.

The last we got Belzer in the street, he was shooting jokes from the hip ... talking conspiracy theories and showing off that legendary dry humor he was known for. Super nice guy.

Belzer is survived by his wife, Harlee, and his extended family. He was 78.

Allison Holker, the widow of Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, posted an emotional video about her late husband.

Allison thanked fans -- of whom there are millions -- for their love and support, acknowledging, "It has been very challenging and emotional, but you guys have brought so much hope and inspiration to us by sharing stories and memories and moments and different ways that Stephen impacted your life."

She went on ... "He lived his life from love, and he made you feel a certain way. My family and I have always said that we wanted to make sure that our purpose was looked out by bringing joy to people."

Allison seemed overcome by the emotional reactions to her husband's death. TMZ broke the story ... tWitch took his own life in December at age 40.

Her message comes a week after the memorial to her husband, which was held in L.A.  Ellen DeGeneres was on hand, as were cast members from "So You Think You Can Dance."

Ellen posted a video Saturday as an homage to tWitch ... with highlights from his time on her show.

Allison has started an organization to promote mental health awareness.

Kyle Jacobs seemed upbeat and happy in his last social media post -- giving no hint whatsoever he would take his own life just one day later.

The husband of American Idol alum, Kellie Pickler posted a message to Instagram Thursday celebrating the success of country music star Lee Brice's fifth album, "Hey World." Jacobs produced the album and played guitar on it.

Jacobs wrote, "Platinum?! SWEEEET!!! An amazing crew of incredibly talented peeps put this one together."

He continued, "Deeply honored to be a creative part of it…Thank you Jesus!!!"

TMZ broke the story ... the next day, Jacobs died by suicide after shooting himself inside the home he shared with Pickler in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nashville PD said Pickler got worried when she awoke and couldn't find Jacobs. She and an assistant searched and came upon an upstairs bedroom door, which they couldn't open. After they called 911, police gained entry and discovered Jacobs' body inside.