RIP

NFL prospect Michael Jefferson is optimistic he'll make a full recovery from the injuries he sustained in a fatal car crash earlier this month ... and everyone in the former college football star's camp is still holding out hope a team will pick him in next week's draft.

Brad Sohn, Jefferson's attorney, said in a statement Wednesday that while the ex-Louisiana wideout will need to "undergo a grueling rehabilitation" after he was badly hurt in the April 9 accident in Mobile County, AL ... Jefferson still thinks "he can have an outstanding NFL career."

"We believe that optimism is well-founded," Sohn said, "and hope a team still will select this terrific young man and great football player."

Sohn declined to say what injuries Jefferson suffered in the wreck ... though he added in his statement the 23-year-old is "in good spirits under the circumstances."

"Michael would not have made it this far without being a fighter," Sohn said.

We broke the story ... cops say an impaired driver, 55-year-old Charles Dunn, slammed head-on into Jefferson while the two were on a four-lane road on Easter night. Officials say when Jefferson spun out of the initial collision, another car barreled into him. Dunn was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jefferson, who logged 51 catches for 810 yards and seven TDs last season, had been rated by some pundits as one of the 30-best wide receivers available in this year's NFL draft class ... and was expected to be a mid-round pick next weekend prior to the accident.

K-pop star Moonbin, of the popular boy band Astro, has died.

Astro's label Fantagio shared the tragic news with fans Wednesday ... saying the singer "left us and became a star in the sky." The company says it's "deeply mourning" the shocking death alongside his family, droves of fans, and fellow artists.

Fantagio says the family will hold a private funeral with close family, friends, and colleagues.

An official cause of death has yet to be revealed, but South Korean police reportedly found him dead in his apartment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul after allegedly not showing for a recent rehearsal.

Fans of Moonbin know he started working as a model in 2004 when he was just a child ... then transitioned into acting, first grabbing a role in 2009 on the Korean drama "Boys over Flowers."

He then debuted with Astro in 2016 with 5 others -- MJ, Jinjin, Rocky, Cha Eun-woo, and Yoon San-ha. They went on to come out with some hits, including "Candy Sugar Pop" and "Baby." Rocky left the K-pop group in late February of this year.

Moonbin took a brief pause from the band in 2019 due to health-related reasons but made his return the following year. The group had a concert scheduled for mid-May, but that's reportedly been canceled.

He was only 25.

Tyre Nichols' family is suing over his fatal beating at the hands of Memphis police ... drawing parallels with what happened to Emmett Till.

According to a new federal lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Tyre's family compares his death to the infamous 1955 killing of Emmett, saying Tyre, like Till, suffered a beating from the "hands of a modern-day lynch mob."

The Nichols family is going after the City of Memphis, Police Chief Cerelyn Davis and the officers involved in Tyre's brutal beating.

The suit claims Tyre's death was the "direct and foreseeable product of the unconstitutional policies, practices, customs, and deliberate indifference" from Memphis and its police chief.

As you know ... Tyre died in January, three days after a brutal beating at the hand of five Memphis police officers, all of whom were fired and charged with second-degree murder.

Tyre's family is also suing a sixth officer who was fired but not charged, plus three members of the Memphis Fire Department who responded to the scene but allegedly failed to render aid to Tyre.

Alec Baldwin and the cast and crew for the "Rust" movie will all be back on set tomorrow, more than a year after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed during production.

A spokesperson for the film tells CNN everything will be back underway Thursday at the Yellowstone Film Ranch in Montana -- a place meant to honor Halyna's legacy.

"Rust" originally began filming on set in New Mexico back in 2021 before Halyna was fatally shot on set with a prop gun Baldwin was holding. Director Joel Souza was also shot and injured... bringing production to a screeching halt.

It wasn't until earlier this year the production company behind the movie locked in a new church as the backdrop for the film ... which BTW, looks really similar to the original one.

As we told you, Matthew Hutchins, Halyna's widower, reached an undisclosed settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit filed against the actor and production companies back in October ... greenlighting filming for the movie to resume with the original principal players and Matthew as the Executive Producer.

Keith Nale, a two-time contestant on the "Survivor" TV series, has died after a bout with cancer.

His wife, Dana, tells TMZ ... Keith passed away Tuesday in his home in Keithville, Louisiana after he discovered that he had the disease in January. Dana said it was unclear what type of cancer he had.

His presence will definitely be missed. Keith was beloved by his fellow contestants from the "Survivor" franchise, whose producers isolate a group of strangers on an island where they compete in endurance challenges to avoid elimination through voting until one person is left victorious.

Keith and his son, Wes, appeared on 2014's "Survivor: San Juan del Sur," where Keith reached the final four competition before getting the boot. The following year, Keith returned to an alternate version of the show — Survivor: Cambodia — where he nearly made it to the finals again, but he got voted off.

Some of Keith's fellow contestants paid homage to him on social media.

Jeremy Collins, who won "Survivor: Cambodia" in 2015, tweeted his condolences to Keith's family, noting that he and Keith were both firefighters by trade.

Ex-contestant Kelley Wentworth recalled that Keith had the "purest heart" and a good sense of humor when everyone really needed some laughs.

ET was first to report his death.

Keith was 62.

American director and former actor Lonny Price was 28 years old when he played the role of Neil Kellerman -- the smart, nerdy and cocky nephew of the Kellerman's Lake Lodge owner -- in the 1987 dance and romance film "Dirty Dancing."

Price shared the big screen with Jennifer Grey playing "Baby" -- the curly-haired gal, trying to fall out of the "daddy's girl" image and into the arms of Johnny Castle -- the studly dancer trying to find his place in life -- played by the late Patrick Swayze.

Lonny has directed numerous musicals and originated the role of Charley in the Broadway play "Merrily We Roll Along." He also appeared in "The Golden Girls" alongside Betty White.

Vanessa Bryant shared a touching tribute to her late husband, Kobe Bryant, on Tuesday ... posting a throwback picture together in honor of their 22nd wedding anniversary.

"Happy anniversary, baby. I love you @kobebryant ❤️ #22," Vanessa captioned the picture in Florence, Italy.

Of course, Bryant held Italy near and dear to his heart -- he spent his childhood there, spoke fluent Italian and would frequently visit with Vanessa.

Kobe and Vanessa got engaged when Vanessa turned 18 ... and the couple officially tied the knot on April 18, 2001.

Vanessa's close friends Ciara and Lala showed her and Kobe love by commenting on the post ... as well as New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, who Kobe mentored.

Last summer, Vanessa penned a heartfelt birthday note on Kobe's 44th birthday, writing about how much she loves and misses him.

Angela Lansbury's Los Angeles estate of nearly 40 years has a brand new owner ... we've learned her family has sold the place the late actress called home for several decades.

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... Angela's family closed the deal Tuesday on the home in Brentwood, CA for $4.9 million. The legendary actress and her husband, Peter Shaw, snagged the property back in 1985 for $925k.

The home was her main residence up until she died in October 2022. You'll recall, Angela -- famous for "Murder, She Wrote" and as the voice of Mrs. Potts in "Beauty and the Beast" -- died in her sleep at the age of 96.

The 3,708-square-foot home which has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms radiates Angela's timeless charm on nearly a 1/2 acre lot.

The skylights and large windows in the home provide lots of natural light. The backyard is surrounded by lush greenery and is perfect for entertaining with a pool that's surrounded by a massive patio, a terraced garden area with a small greenhouse.

Aside from all the charm of the home ... one can only imagine the Hollywood legend's name was a huge selling point.

Aaron Carter took prescription pills and huffed before his death, according to the autopsy results ... TMZ has learned.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner says its findings show Aaron drowned in the bathtub of his Lancaster home, but he took alprazolam -- generic Xanax -- and inhaled compressed difluoroethane ... which is the propellant used in cans of compressed air.

The report says he became "incapacitated while in the bathtub due to the effects" of the drugs and the huffing ... and, ultimately, he slipped under the water and drowned. Aaron's death is officially ruled accidental.

TMZ broke the story -- Aaron was found dead last November. Aaron's family claimed the coroner had told them there was no water found in his lungs, and they believed he had died of a drug overdose.

According to the autopsy report, there were multiple cans of Surf Onn compressed air found in A bathroom and bedroom. Additionally, authorities found several prescription bottles in the home.

Several clothing items were found near the bathtub -- including a beanie, sweatshirt and pants. A nozzle tip to one of the compressed air cans was found in a front pocket of that sweatshirt.

Aaron's fiancée, Melanie Martin, told us she thought drugs were what killed him -- you'll recall, he had a serious substance abuse problem in the years leading up to his death. As we previously reported, cops found cans of compressed air and prescription pills in Aaron's bedroom and bathroom.

Melanie told us there was a text exchange on Aaron's phone, saying he owed someone $800 for an unknown substance ... submitting the exchange to authorities for further investigation.

His mom, Jane, revealed a series of photos in early March from Aaron's bathroom the day he was found, believing it wasn't an overdose -- instead, calling it a crime scene and speculating that her son may have been a victim of foul play.

Jane said she had support from Aaron's family and friends to put the pics out there, wanting to bring the spotlight back to the case.

We covered it all in the recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!

Chris Smith -- a former NFL defensive end who was playing in the XFL this season -- has passed away, according to his agent. He was only 31.

NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the devastating news via Twitter on Tuesday, sending condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.

"Rest in Peace Chris," Rosenhaus tweeted. "We will miss you."

Details surrounding his passing are unknown at this time.

Several tributes from fans and athletes were shared on social media after the announcement, including Buffalo Bills' Shaq Lawson who tweeted, "Man prayers up for Chris Smith family."

"This one hurts."

Cleveland Browns star David Njoku said the death of Smith is heartbreaking as he was a "hometown hero" and had "such a kind soul."

Smith was a fifth-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft after spending four seasons with the Arkansas Razorbacks where he was named Second-team All-SEC.

The North Carolina native played for the Jaguars, Bengals, Browns, Panthers, Raiders, Ravens, and Texans during his 8-year NFL career. He had 80 total tackles, 11 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles.

During the 2018-19 season with the Browns, Smith's girlfriend and mother of his daughter, Petara Cordero, was tragically killed after she was struck by a passing car after getting out of Chris's car.

Smith was starting a new career in the XFL and just signed with the Seattle Sea Dragons on March 9.

R.I.P.

U.S. law enforcement's decision not to charge anyone in the death of Shanquella Robinson has her family outraged -- but they're not ruling out a lawsuit to seek justice in civil court.

TMZ spoke to the late North Carolinian's mother and sister -- Sallamondra and Quella, respectively -- who told us how they're feeling in the wake of last week's news that U.S. officials are closing the book on this case without holding anyone accountable.

As you can imagine, they're devastated, but, more than anything, they're confused ... as results of different investigations -- both here and in Mexico -- are vastly different.

As you might have heard ... there were 2 autopsies done after Shanquella died this past fall near Cabo San Lucas. The initial one was conducted by Mexican officials almost immediately after she was pronounced dead and, reportedly, her cause of death was "severe spinal cord injury" and instability of her vertebrae ... suggesting she'd suffered trauma.

Considering there's a widely-circulated video showing Shanquella taking a beating from a woman she was vacationing with at the time. Her family thinks it's a no-brainer to connect the dots and assume one thing might've caused the other -- namely, that the attack might've played a part in their loved one's death. Apparently, U.S. investigators felt differently.

Shanquella's family says the feds did their own autopsy -- once her body was embalmed and shipped -- and conceded there was swelling in her brain, but ultimately determined an official cause of death was inconclusive.

The fact the feds seem to be relying on their autopsy findings -- which are undoubtedly less accurate than the more timely Mexican one -- is a discrepancy that has yet to be properly explained ... according to the family's attorney, Sue-Ann Robinson (no relation).

Sue-Ann tells us justice wasn't done, because, she believes, U.S. prosecutors punted. She also says the family isn't giving up and will continue to seek ways to pursue criminal charges.

Sue-Ann says the family will keep pressuring elected officials -- including President Biden -- to do the right thing and force the U.S. Attorney's Office's hand in taking action ... as that appears to be the only thing they can do to reopen Shanquella's case, criminally. We're told the family was offered the option to exhume her body for a third opinion, which is still an option.

Of course, there's also the possibility of civil legal action ... something the family tells us they are absolutely considering. Fact is, they personally know the friends who vacationed with Shanquella, and they believe some of them know more than they've revealed.

Chris Cornell's estate -- which is run by his widow, Vicky -- appears to finally be on the same page, legally, with his old band, and it seems like there's even new music on the way.

A statement was issued through Chris's official IG page, and it reads ... "Soundgarden and Vicky Cornell, on behalf of the Estate of Chris Cornell, are happy to announce they have reached an amicable out of court resolution."

It goes on ... "The reconciliation marks a new partnership between the two parties, which will allow Soundgarden fans around the world to hear the final songs that the band and Chris were working on. The two parties are united and coming together to propel, honor and build upon Soundgarden's incredible legacy as well as Chris's indelible mark on music history."

The update comes after years of acrimonious legal battles between Vicky and the band since Cornell's death.

From what we know ... she'd actually sued Soundgarden twice -- once in 2019 over royalties and 7 unreleased tracks and again in 2021 regarding the value of his stake in the band ... and there were even complaints to a judge about COVID protocols amid all this drama. It's been a lot.

Now, it seems like they've all buried the hatchet -- which presumably means both lawsuits have been settled. And that's gotta be great news for Chris' fans around the world.

Jeff Franklin, the creator of "Full House," has put his swanky Bev Hills home on the market once again, and there's a reason it hasn't sold for over a year ... it's just too attractive to celebs. Let us explain.

The sitcom creator relisted the 21K-square-foot mega mansion Wednesday, with an asking price just shy of $60 mil -- and as we reported, this isn't the home's first time at the rodeo.

Jeff had the compound listed 3 times last year ... asking for $85M in January, $70M in June, and $60M in September. Clearly, the house was initially overpriced, but the reason it didn't sell is more complicated.

Real estate sources tell TMZ ... every time Jeff looks to unload the property, he gets calls from celebs, top business execs and even royals looking to rent the property, fetching an average of $350K a month. Once the lease runs out, he puts it back on the market.

You'll recall, Jeff's 9-bedroom, 18-bathroom home comes with the works -- a 75-yard pool with multiple waterfalls, a movie theater, a billiards room, a hair salon, and its own gym. There's also a 16-car garage underneath ... not to mention those stellar views of L.A.

The home sits where Sharon Tate and her friends were brutally murdered by Charles Manson's followers back in 1969 ... but the murder house was razed and replaced with Jeff's massive Mediterranean-inspired estate decades later.

The argument between Cash App founder Bob Lee and the man accused of stabbing him to death allegedly centered around the suspect's sister ... according to prosecutors.

In court docs, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors say Lee and Tech start-up owner Nima Momeni had a spat before the stabbing ... and a witness says it was about whether Momeni's sister, Khazar, was doing drugs or anything inappropriate.

Prosecutors say the witness claims Lee tried to talk Momeni down and reassure him about Khazar. According to the witness that convo happened at some point in the afternoon or evening of April 3.

From there, investigators have pieced together the events leading up to Bob's death using videos. According to the docs, Bob left his apartment at 12:31 AM on April 4 ... and took an 8-minute walk to Khazar's apartment. Around 2 AM, Nima shows up at Khazar's apartment, and, a few minutes later, he and Bob leave together in Nima's car and drive to a secluded area.

When they get out of the car, Nima allegedly uses a kitchen knife to stab Bob 3 times ... once directly in the heart. Again, prosecutors say they have video of the stabbing. As we've reported, surveillance video -- obtained by Daily Mail -- shows Bob at 2:35 AM, injured and bleeding and desperately looking for help.

The docs say Khazar even texted Lee after the argument, making sure he was ok -- writing "Nima came wayyyyyy down hard on you."

She added, "Thank you for being such a classy man handling it with class Love you Selfish pricks."

As we reported, Momeni was arrested Thursday for the murder of Lee ... and it turns out Momeni has a history of arrests -- including a DUI in 2004 and illegal possession of a switchblade in 2011.

Mark Sheehan, the guitarist from the famous Irish rock band The Script, is dead.

The band announced Mark's death Friday, saying he died in the hospital following a brief illness. The official cause of death is unclear.

Mark's bandmates are remembering him as a "much loved husband, father, brother, band mate and friend."

When The Script toured the United States last year for the American leg of their greatest hits tour, Mark was not performing with the band ... and at the time, singer Danny O'Donoghue told the "Sunday World" Mark was taking time away from the group to be with family.

Mark helped found The Script in Dublin way back in 2001, along with Danny and Glen Power on the drums.

The group's first album, "The Script," reached No. 1 in both the United Kingdom and Ireland ... and their lead single, "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" peaked at No. 2 on the singles charts.

Mark was 46.

Asian Doll is slamming the highly-controversial YouTube documentary that labels the late King Von a real-life "Terminator" ... and also features footage of the female rapper, who dated Von.

On Friday, AD lashed out at the presentation labeled "King Von: Rap's First Serial Killer" ... a 3-hour exposé that alleges Von was responsible for committing 10 murders in his lifetime.

Asian Doll angrily tweeted Friday morning at random viewers of the doc, as well as the guy who produced it ... Trap Lore Ross, who's a UK-based blogger. His YouTube channel specializes in covering drill rappers by using social media and news clippings.

The video originally premiered on YouTube on April 7, but Ross says the platform took it down due to multiple issues with the content.

He says he blurred out all the guns and drug paraphernalia, and switched up a few of his theories to appease YouTube censors ... and it's back up now.

Von was killed in 2020, so he's obviously not around to defend his name -- but Asian Doll's clearly not approving ... even with Ross' edited version.