RIP

Taylor Swift fans are rallying for one of their own, flocking to a GoFundMe page set up for a fellow Swiftie who was killed by a drunk driver after her Houston concert ... and it's garnering a ton of cash in just over 24 hours.

20-year-old Jacob Lewis and his sister April were leaving Taylor's Eras Tour concert early Saturday morning when their car broke down on a highway. As Jacob got out to push the vehicle, he was struck by 34-year-old Alan Bryant Hayes.

Jacob died at the scene, and a GoFundMe was started to help his family cover funeral expenses ... and it blew past the $60K goal in a little over a day -- with Swifties seemingly providing a good portion of that total.

Many TS fans chose to donate $13 each -- Taylor's lucky number. A lot of the comments on the fundraiser are references to the singer's music, too ... like "Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you… Long live, Jacob."

Len Goodman, the popular longtime judge on "Dancing With The Stars," has died, his manager confirmed.

Goodman passed away Saturday in a hospice center in Kent, England after a battle with bone cancer, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation.

His manager, Jackie Gill, announced his death Monday morning, saying in a statement that Goodman was "a much loved husband, father and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends and all who knew him."

A once professional ballroom dancer, Goodman served as a 'DWTS' judge from 2005 to 2022 and was known for his wry humor. He acted as head judge in the 2005 season. From 2004 to 2016, he was the top judge on the British adaption of the show called "Strictly Come Dancing."

Friends and family took to social media to remember Goodman.

TV personality Piers Morgan tweeted a photo of himself with Goodman and a caption that read, "Always had a laugh with Len, and swapped a few strong opinions. A quintessential Londoner and a top bloke."

BBC Director-General Tim Davie tweeted that Goodman "appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone's family."

Goodman was 78.

Tragic news in the horse racing world ... jockey Dean Holland died on Monday after he fell from his horse during an event, officials announced.

He was just 34 years old.

According to Racing Victoria, thoroughbred racing's governing body in Victoria, Australia, Holland was riding in the opening race at Donald Racecourse ... when he and another jockey were thrown from their horses.

Officials say Holland was immediately tended to by medics -- and was slated to be airlifted to Melbourne -- though he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

Racing Victoria announced the other rider who fell, and their two horses, did not sustain significant injuries in the accident.

"On behalf of the Victorian racing industry, I would like to extend our prayers and heartfelt condolences to Dean's partner Lucy, his children, his family, friends and colleagues on the incredibly sad news of his passing," Racing Victoria exec Andrew Jones said in a statement on Monday.

"It was a tragic accident at Donald today and we are all are deeply shocked and saddened that Dean has passed away as a result of injuries sustained in the fall."

Racing Victoria added an investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Holland began his racing career in South Australia in 2005 ... and piled up over 1,000 wins. In fact, he had just won a race last week.

Racing Victoria said he was the father of four children.

"Together with Racing Victoria," Victorian Jockeys Association Chief Executive Matt Hyland said Monday, "the Jockey Assistance Program will be wrapping its arms around the riding group and will be working to support Lucy and the Holland family both now and importantly into the future."

The family of a Florida man who died on a Celebrity Cruises ship and was allegedly put in a drinks cooler is suing the company for a million bucks.

78-year-old Robert Lewis Jones died on the Celebrity Equinox back in August in the middle of the high seas. When the ship docked in Ft. Lauderdale 6 days later, his wife says she learned the body of her husband of 55 years was placed in a walk-in cooler, which is used to stock beverages and keep them cold.

The lawsuit claims the body should have been placed in the cruise ship's morgue for proper care. They say as a result Jones' body was badly decomposed.

The lawsuit seems to allege the corpse was at first placed in the morgue but then moved to the cooler.

The ship docked in Puerto Rico after Jones died, and the suit claims his widow was given 2 options ... take the body off in Puerto Rico or keep it in the morgue until it returned to Ft. Lauderdale. The suit claims the crew urged his widow to keep the body on board, which she did.

When the ship docked in Ft. Lauderdale, a Sheriff's deputy came on board and the body was nowhere to be seen in the morgue. The suit claims funeral service workers found it inside a blood-splattered bag, laying on the floor of the cooler.

Casey Anthony is feeling the magic at Mickey's kingdom, which just so happens to be down the street from where she was once accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter.

The formerly accused, but acquitted defendant was spotted Friday in Orlando ... as she checked in to one of the Walt Disney World hotels.

It looks like Casey's going to spend the weekend enjoying all WDW has to offer ... and she doesn't have to worry about pushing strollers or keeping kids entertained at the Mouse House, because "Tot Mom" is rolling with an adult friend.

Hotel guests tell TMZ ... Casey checked in with a blonde woman and didn't seem to be trying to keep a low profile, openly walking around the lobby with her luggage in tow.

We haven't seen Casey since she was back in the spotlight at the end of 2022, when her controversial documentary, "Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies" was released.

You won't find that doc on Disney+, though ... it's a Peacock production.

Of course, Casey's got deep ties to Orlando ... that's where she lived in June 2008, when her 2-year-old daughter Caylee was reported missing.

Caylee's skeletal remains were ultimately found a few months later in a wooded area near the Anthony family's, and Casey was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

She pleaded not guilty and stood trial in 2011, with the jury acquitting her of murder, manslaughter and child abuse. She was only found guilty of lying to cops.

The first photos of Alec Baldwin on the new "Rust" movie set have trickled out ... and one showed him handling a lever action rifle.

Baldwin was shooting scenes for the film in Pray, Montana, Friday when the images were snapped -- the actor was spotted passing the prop gun, handle first, to another crew member.

Another picture shows the actor wearing old Western garb while standing next to a horse just one day after prosecutors dropped involuntary manslaughter charges against him in the 2021 killing of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the first "Rust" set in New Mexico. Director Joel Souza was also wounded in the shooting but survived.

From the beginning, Baldwin maintained that he never pulled the trigger when he shot Hutchins with a revolver while practicing for a scene, claiming the gun had discharged on its own. He also said he was told the gun was not loaded with live ammo.

The Santa Fe D.A. folded like a cheap suit, belatedly conceding the prop gun Baldwin used at the time had a modified trigger that increased the likelihood the firearm could misfire without actually pulling the trigger.

Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed still faces involuntary manslaughter charges. Former "Rust" assistant director David Halls cut a plea deal with prosecutors for his role in Hutchins' death and was sentenced to 6 months probation.

Quavo's latest IG caption angered fans who jumped to the conclusion he was taking shots at Offset's new tattoo honoring Takeoff ... but his mother is setting the record straight.

On Thursday, Quavo amassed thousands of comments with a photo shoot atop a giant military aircraft and wrote, "Rocket Power It’s In You Not On You! 👑 #RocketPower🚀."

Many fans took the "not on you" quip as a slight towards the full-back portrait ink Offset debuted last week -- but Quavo's mother/Takeoff's grandmother is assuring fans the line is a quote taken from the late rapper's legacy.

That said, it's not like the remaining Migos members have given fans a ton of reasons to believe they're going to be cool with each other going forward.

Koko Da Doll, one of the memorable subjects from the recent documentary "Kokomo City," is dead ... and the film's director says she was shot and killed as a result of trans violence.

D. Smith -- director of the moving, award-winning doc featured this year at Sundance -- shared the sad news Friday, saying Koko, AKA Rasheeda Williams, "was shot and killed in Atlanta" Tuesday night.

She added, Williams' death makes her "the latest victim of violence against Black transgender women," -- but says she will "inspire generations to come and will never be forgotten."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Atlanta PD says cops responded to reports of a shooting just before 11 PM, and investigators found a woman who had been shot -- she was pronounced dead on the scene.

For those unaware, "Kokomo City" took home 2 awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival -- following Black transgender sex workers, including Williams, as they lived and worked in New York and ATL.

Williams, along with Daniella Carter, Liyah Mitchell, and Dominique Silver, accurately put a spotlight on the horrendous threats women like them face on a daily basis.

Sundance is also paying respects, saying "We were honored to have her at the Festival this year with KOKOMO CITY, where she reminded Black trans women, 'we can do anything, we can be whatever we want to be.' It is a tragic loss."

Williams was 35.

Alec Baldwin has been vindicated in the "Rust" shooting case ... at least criminally, because the New Mexico prosecutors will drop the involuntary manslaughter case against him ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

We're told Baldwin has been informed the case against him is over. Attorneys Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas were expected to wage legal war in less than 2 weeks ... but the D.A. blinked in a big way.

Frankly, it makes a lot of sense. The D.A. has charged armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed with involuntary manslaughter, presumably because she's the expert, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense why an actor would double-check her work.

Beyond that, although Baldwin is an executive producer on the movie, he's not the one making day-to-day decisions.

As you know, the accidental shooting took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

The case against Baldwin will be dismissed without prejudice, meaning it could be filed in the future, but that seems to be little more than a face-saving move by the D.A.

Spiro and attorney Luke Nikas tell TMZ ... "We are pleased with the decision to dismiss the case against Alec Baldwin and encourage a proper investigation into the facts and circumstances of this tragic accident."

Colin Kaepernick is stepping up to help a family find answers ... paying for the autopsy of a 35-year-old man who died under peculiar circumstances in county jail after the medical examiner's initial autopsy failed to provide answers.

LaShawn Thompson died in his Fulton County Jail cell in September 2022 ... and his family wholeheartedly believes the facility's horrific and unsanitary conditions led to LT's death. But, the official autopsy came back "undetermined."

Enter Colin. He heard about the story and wanted to help, so he contacted Ben Crump, attorney for the family, and offered to fund a second, independent autopsy.

Typically, autopsies can cost between $20-50k.

Aside from wanting to provide the family with closure, we're told Colin was, and is, upset about the conditions in which LaShawn, initially arrested for a misdemeanor simple battery, and other inmates endured.

In fact, it's those disgusting conditions the Thompson family believes contributed, if not caused, LaShawn's death.

"The cell he was in was not fit for a diseased animal. This is inexcusable and it’s deplorable,” Thompson family attorney Michael Harper said of the cell where LaShawn lived, and ultimately died.

The family has released several photos of the scene, as well as LT's body, which appears to be covered in bug bites.

In the wake of the outrage over jail conditions, three high-ranking jail officials have stepped down, with the Fulton County Sheriff saying, “It’s clear to me that it’s time, past time, to clean house,” adding they're making "sweeping changes" to the facility.

Aaron Carter's cause of death -- drowning as a result of being under the influence -- doesn't add up for his fiancée, which is why she wants a second opinion as to how he died.

Melanie Martin -- who shares a child with Aaron -- tells TMZ ... she's not satisfied with the findings of the L.A. County Coroner's Office -- which ruled Aaron's death an accident based on an autopsy following his sudden death last year.

The reason ... she says there are still elements surrounding the circumstances of his passing that don't quite make sense to her -- like the fact he was partially clothed in the bathtub when his body was found ... suggesting to her he was lucid before he died ... which could point to someone else being involved.

Another thing ... there was mention in Aaron's autopsy of a small abrasion on his left eyebrow and another one at the base of his septum. MM tells us that's a red flag to her and a sign of a possible struggle.

Because of these lingering doubts -- which Melanie says she and her son are entitled to have addressed -- she's mulling over the possibility of having Aaron's case examined a second time by a private investigator and medical professional ... only this time, private ones hired by the family.

Melanie also says she wants the additional investigation to give her peace of mind and closure ... as she believes Aaron himself would want no stone unturned.

Here's the reality ... Melanie tells us she simply isn't sure if she'll be able to pull the resources together to do it all. As you might imagine, it's very expensive, and she says she's not equipped at the moment to get it done. Still ... she's considering her options.

Fact is, Melanie is on the same train as Aaron's mother, Jane Carter -- who recently told us the death scene photos that surfaced screamed foul play ... a theory she doesn't think investigators looked into seriously enough.

Melanie says she's even tried doing a little investigating on her own -- going door-to-door for surveillance footage ... but coming up empty. She tells us she wants the homeless housekeeper who was staying with him to get a second look by cops ... not to mention drug dealers she claims had it out for Aaron, and who might've been supplying him.

Suge Knight's name is a constant topic on hip hop podcasts these days, but the incarcerated ex-music mogul is about to tell his life story his way, and says it'll be nothing but raw, uncut facts!!!

TMZ Hip Hop spoke to the Death Row Records founder from the CA state penitentiary where he's doing 28 years for voluntary manslaughter -- and also plotting out a 10-season TV series on BLK Prime chronicling his life before during and after launching the legendary label home to Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.

Even though he's behind bars, Suge told us he plans to provide voice-over for the series like Ray Liotta did as Henry Hill in "Goodfellas" -- and each season will chronicle a different era of his life.

Season 1 will dive headfirst into Pac's stint at Death Row until his death; season 2 will focus on Biggie's presence in the Death Row/Bad Boy beef; season 3 will be about Suge's friendship turned rivalry with Diddy; seasons 4 and 5 will tackle Dre and Snoop respectively.

Death Row's reputation as a hostile work environment has been discussed for years and Suge, being the big boss that he is, couldn't deny his office had its fair share of physical dustups.

According to Suge, he intentionally brought the competitiveness he learned playing football to his office space to make Death Row as tough as its name. He says Pac and Snoop had no problem thriving in the gangsta environment but does acknowledge those crazy times took their toll on the company.

The 5 other planned seasons dig into the N.W.A-era and Eazy-E ... plus the East and West coast tensions, the Crips and Bloods and, of course, Suge's trial and conviction.

The show will begin filming this summer and stream exclusively in the fall on BLK Prime ... a network Suge promises will leave his story intact, no matter how brutal it comes across.

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.