RIP

Ohio State freshman receiver Carnell Tate's mother was tragically killed in a shooting on Sunday. She was just 40 years old.

Law enforcement says the fatal incident happened around 2 AM in the Garfield Park neighborhood in Chicago ... where a woman was shot multiple times in an alleged drive-by.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital ... where she, unfortunately, succumbed to her injuries. She was later identified as Ashley Griggs, Tate's mother.

Four others, aged 38 to 42, were also injured in the shooting. Reports say they are in fair condition.

Chicago PD says one of the injured victims claimed the shooter was "traveling in a vehicle at the time of the shooting."

Tate -- a Chicago native -- moved to Florida to play at IMG Academy, where he averaged 20.3 yards during his senior year in 2022. He was 247Sports' 22nd-ranked player in the country.

The 4-star prospect committed to OSU that December ... and is considered one of the best incoming freshman receivers.

Ashley was excited about Tate's upcoming season -- in fact, one of Griggs' last posts was about his No. 17 Buckeyes jersey going up for sale online.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Funny Cide, who became the 30th horse to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 2003, passed away on Sunday from complications of colic.

He was 23 years old.

Funny Cide emerged as a fan-favorite racehorse after defeating odd-on favorite Empire Maker at the 2003 Kentucky Derby ... and winning again at the Preakness Stakes.

The famed thoroughbred fell short of the Triple Crown ... finishing in third at the Belmont Stakes.

Funny Cide competed until 2008 ... winning 11 races overall and raking in more than $3.5 million in career earnings.

For the final 15 years of Funny Cide's life, he retired to Kentucky Horse Park ... where he was a member of its Hall of Champions.

Sackatoga Stable -- the ownership group for the "Gutsy gelding" -- shared the tragic news in a statement ... saying, "We are so grateful to Kentucky Horse Park for giving our guy a wonderful retirement. To say we will miss him, is an understatement."

Jose Santos Jr. -- son of Funny Cide's jockey, Jose Santos -- paid tribute to the legend ... writing, "By me, you will be remembered for the moments you gave our family. You are a family member to me."

"It hurts to know I’ve lost that, but I will never lose the memories you gave me, as well as the love I have for you ... Fly high champion"

Birkin was also a model and came to be widely seen as a fashion trendsetter, inspiring Hermes' famous Birkin handbag.

The news comes after Birkin was forced to cancel a handful of concerts in May due to health concerns, and less than two years after Birkin suffered a minor stroke.

Birkin was known for her professional and personal relationship with the musician Serge Gainsbourg.

The pair were together for 12 years but remained friends after their split, with Gainsbourg still writing songs for Birkin.

Her acting credits included films such as the 1966 classic Blow Up, Death on the Nile (1978), and Evil Under the Sun (1982).

Denise Russo, famous for appearing on VH1's "The X-Life," died from a lethal combination of two of the most powerful drugs on the streets ... TMZ has learned.

According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner, Denise died from the toxic effects of fentanyl and methamphetamine in what's being ruled an accidental overdose.

We broke the story ... Denise was found unresponsive on the floor of a friend's home in San Diego back in March and was pronounced dead.

Police said drug paraphernalia was found at the scene, and the medical examiner notes the same thing ... saying paramedics arrived and performed "aggressive attempts at resuscitation" on the 44-year-old.

Denise was featured on the 2011 reality show, which followed the lives of extreme sports athletes and their partners ... she was dating professional skateboarder Pierre-Luc Gagnon at the time. Denise and Pierre-Luc had a son together, but had since broken up.

Cops say Robert De Niro's grandson ingested fake oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, and even though his alleged dealer knew the pills could kill ... she sold them anyway.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, investigators found several pills at the death scene of 19-year-old Leandro De Niro. They say they went through the teen's phone, and discovered he had exchanged texts with a 20-year-old woman named Sophia Marks about purchasing counterfeit oxycodone and Xanax just days before his death.

Most disturbing, cops say during one exchange Marks asked, "do you really need them? I don't wanna kill you." She continued, "I just don't like serving u them cuz they not script."

Eventually, the two struck a deal for 3 of the fake oxycodone pills and two tablets of Xanax for $105 ... and Marks allegedly texted (about the Oxy), "don't go overboard with these."

The drugs were delivered by car to De Niro around 9 PM July 1, and at 1:50 AM July 2 cops say Marks texted the teen, "u good?" ... De Niro never responded.

De Niro was found dead of a suspected overdose on July 2 ... investigators found one bag of cocaine, one straw with residue, two blue pills with "M" and "30" (the oxycodone) and seven rectangular tablets -- believed to be Xanax.

Shockingly enough, cops say Marks continued to sell after De Niro's death -- selling an undercover agent 25 pills for $500 on July 9 ... allegedly telling the undercover, "please be careful with these. don't do more than one at a time. my friend just died."

Investigators say further analysis revealed both the pills found at the De Niro scene as well as those sold to the undercover all contained traces of fentanyl.

Dr. Terry Dubrow says weight loss surgery ultimately turned out to be a fatal decision for Lisa Marie Presley ... offering a warning to everyone in Hollywood, and beyond.

The "Botched" surgeon joined us on "TMZ Live" and explained how bariatric surgery eventually spelled doom for Elvis Presley's only child.

The good doc says Lisa Marie's weight loss procedure resulted in tons of scar tissue that ultimately blocked her small intestine -- which as we first reported, is her official cause of death.

Although there's no evidence LMP was taking Ozempic, Dr. Dubrow warns of issues with sudden weight loss.

And, get this ... Terry says Lisa Marie's digestive system was in such bad shape before she died, over 30 feet of her small intestine was already dead before she was rushed to a hospital.

Terry tells us Lisa Marie's health issues are widespread in America ... he says tons of folks are having weight loss surgeries, and many others are using Ozempic to manage their weight, a practice he says is prevalent in Hollywood.

There's been a breakthrough in the Gilgo Beach murders case ... a suspected serial killer is now in police custody on Long Island.

Rex Heuermann, an architect from Long Island who works at a firm in New York City, was taken into custody Friday in connection with some of the killings from over a decade ago ... according to multiple reports.

You may recall, the Gilgo Beach murders case started capturing national attention way back in 2010 ... when police discovered four bodies wrapped in burlap during a search for Shannan Gilbert, a sex worker who vanished on Long Island.

The bodies, known as the "Gilgo Four," were ultimately identified as Amber Lynn Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Melissa Barthelemy. The woman were all reportedly sex workers in their 20s.

Police have long believed a serial killer was responsible for the women's deaths ... but the investigation never really turned up much over the years, until Friday's arrest.

In total, 11 sets of human remains have been found on Gilgo Beach ... including Gilbert's and those of Valerie Mack, a sex worker who had been missing for over 2 decades ... plus a man and a toddler.

Heuermann was arrested after being matched with DNA, according to the New York Post, and he's expected to be arraigned later today.

Police have cordoned off Heuermann's home in Massapequa ... and the place is crawling with law enforcement.

The district attorney is set to address the arrest around 4 PM ET Friday during a news conference.

Bodybuilder Gustavo "the Freakin' Rican" Badell -- who faced off against some of the greatest bodybuilders of all time and twice finished third in the prestigious Mr. Olympia competition, has sadly died at the age of 50.

Details surrounding the death are currently unclear.

Fellow competitor and friend Eddie Abbew confirmed the news on Thursday ... and shared photos of the men together during their bodybuilding careers.

"I woke up this morning to information that Gustavo has passed away. My heart goes out to his family and friends," Abbew wrote.

"Gustavo was ten years younger than me. It is always sad when a young person is taken away long before their time. Rest in peace Gustavo and know that you will be missed."

Badell started his bodybuilding career when he was 19 and won his first competition in 1991 at the Junior Caribbean Bodybuilding Championship.

He went on to compete in many huge competitions, including the Atlantic City Pro, which he won, the Ironman Pro, Arnold Classic, and the World Pro Championships.

His most iconic moments came in 2004 and 2005 when he finished third at Mr. Olympia, right behind bodybuilding G.O.A.T.'s Ronnie Coleman (8 consecutive Olympia titles) and Jay Cutler (won 4 Olympias).

After retiring in 2012, Badell continued to stay in shape ... and was still involved in the fitness community, often interacting with fans online.

Former Detroit Lions CB Stanley Wilson Jr. died from a pulmonary thromboembolism likely caused by deep vein thrombosis -- a blood clot in a deep vein -- according to an autopsy report obtained by TMZ Sports.

Wilson, who was 40 years old, was pronounced deceased at the Metropolitan State Hospital in Los Angeles County on February 1 ... after officials said he suddenly collapsed, never regaining consciousness.

Stanley's family, however, wasn't buying the explanation ... hiring an attorney who filed three lawsuits against the county in March, accusing them of being deceitful with the truth.

"The County has grossly misrepresented the cause and circumstances of Stanley Wilson Jr.'s death," the attorney said in the court filings at the time.

However, an autopsy conducted on February 4 by the medical examiner in L.A. concluded Wilson Jr. passed away naturally from a pulmonary thromboembolism.

According to the Mayo Clinic, that's a "blood clot that blocks and stops blood flow to an artery in the lung. In most cases, the blood clot starts in a deep vein in the leg and travels to the lung."

The report does mention "red abrasions" to the "forehead, right hand, and right knee" ... but they were described by the doctor as "superficial."

The report says Wilson Jr. was in a prescreening area of the hospital and complained of anxiety before he collapsed. Officials say medics responded to the scene, but unfortunately they weren't able to save Stanley.

Lisa Marie Presley died from small bowel obstruction ... this according to the L.A. County Coroner.

According to an L.A. Medical Examiner document obtained by TMZ ... the exact name of the condition is sequelae of small bowel obstruction. Translation -- Lisa Marie died of complications resulting from a small bowel obstruction.

This document is not the full report, and presumably, there will be toxicology results when that report is made public.

Since Lisa's death, there's been a lot of drama in the Presley household. Her mother, Priscilla, was in a war with Lisa's daughter, Riley Keough, over Lisa Marie's trust -- which has now been settled. Sources connected tell TMZ ... Lisa Marie's estate paid an undisclosed sum of money to Priscilla to settle the dispute. Our sources say it's in the millions.

Priscilla's attorney announced the settlement outside the courtroom after the hearing, saying ... "The families are happy. Everybody is happy and excited for the future."

As we reported, Lisa Marie was also taking weight loss meds and was fresh off of plastic surgery.

Lisa Marie passed away in January at a hospital in the L.A. area after suffering cardiac arrest.

Former LSU women's basketball star Danielle Ballard -- who helped lead the Tigers to the Sweet 16 in 2014 -- was tragically killed on Thursday ... after she was struck by a car in Tennessee.

She was just 29 years old.

The Memphis Police Department said the incident happened at around 1:30 AM at an intersection just a few miles away from the FedExForum in Memphis.

Cops said she was rushed to a local hospital after she was hit ... but she was sadly pronounced dead at the facility a short time later.

"The driver stayed on the scene," the MPD added in a statement. "This is an ongoing investigation."

Ballard was a standout for the Tigers during her time in Baton Rouge, averaging 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.4 steals in her three seasons (2012-15).

Among the accolades that she racked up in her tenure included Most Valuable Player honors and a selection to the All-SEC Defensive Team. She also earned recognition as the LSWA Louisiana Freshman of the Year.

Prior to joining LSU, Ballard was considered one of the best female high school players in the nation, being ranked No. 25 overall by ESPN after leading her Memphis Central team to its first class 3A state title in 89 years.

Fans of Ballard flooded social media following the news of her death ... with many leaving their thoughts and prayers on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Thalia Chaverria, a 20-year-old, junior soccer player at New Mexico State University was found dead in her home earlier this week. Cops are investigating, but don't believe foul play was involved.

The Las Cruces Police Department was called to the New Mexico home of Chaverria, who hailed from Bakersfield, CA, around 7 AM Monday morning for an "unresponsive woman." When first responders arrived, Thalia was already deceased.

Police say they "have no reason to believe Chaverria’s death is suspicious or the result of criminal activity."

New Mexico State's Athletic Director Mario Moccia released a statement addressing Chaverria’s death.

"[Monday] we lost an amazing young woman, and we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of a member of our Aggie family. Thalia had a vibrant personality and those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her knew she had a bright future ahead of her," Moccia said.

"The New Mexico State community is very tight-knit, and this tragedy is felt throughout. Our most sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Thalia's family and friends in this time of mourning."

Head coach Rob Baarts also commented ... "The sudden loss of Thalia has completely rocked our Aggie soccer families' world. T was an inspiration and rock to this team. She will be missed but not forgotten. Her spirit will be with us every day, on and off the pitch. I will always love you T!"

Thalia, a defender, was going into her third season with the Aggies ... where she was expected to play a pivotal role on the team.

Last season Chaverria started 20 games, logging nearly 1,800 game time minutes ... a season in which NM St. earned its first-ever WAC conference title in women's soccer.

In the wake of the awful news, a Chaverria family friend has started a GoFundMe to help cover expenses related to the death.

Shaquil Barrett paid tribute to his late daughter in a touching way this week ... getting the 2-year-old's face tattooed on his forearm -- just three months after she tragically died in a drowning accident.

The NFL star turned to Tattoo Red to get the piece of little Arrayah done ... and the homage came out perfectly.

The ink features an image of the little girl from her second birthday party ... as well as some stars and a ray of light shining through clouds.

Tattoo Red -- who's been inking athletes and musicians for 14 years -- tells TMZ Sports ... it all took about five hours to put down. The artist also said Barrett's wife, Jordanna, got a tattoo on her wrist in honor of Arrayah too.

"Knowing what an emotional piece this was for the family made me feel honored," Tattoo Red said. "I wanted to give them the best piece I could."

Jordanna -- who also has three other kids with Barrett -- recently announced they are expecting another baby ... saying in the big reveal, "Arrayah had a special hand in picking this sweet girl to add to our family!"

Dakota Fred Hurt, one of the stars of the Discovery show, "Gold Rush: White Water," is dead after a brief battle with brain cancer.

Dakota Fred died Tuesday, according to a statement from his family ... this only 4 months after he was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. The fam says Dakota Fred fought his cancer battle "courageously" and died with loved ones by his side.

Dakota Fred's loved ones say they are remembering Dakota Fred as someone who "touched many lives and was loved and supported by many" ... while 'Gold Rush' says "his joy for life and adventure was contagious."

Dakota Fred got his start gold mining in North Dakota way back in the day, and that's how he ended up mining for gold in Alaska on 'Gold Rush.'

He appears in the show's first 4 seasons.

A fan favorite, Dakota Fred and his son, Dustin, returned to the franchise in 2018 with their own spinoff show, "Gold Rush: White Water," this time dredging for gold in whitewater collection pools at the base of Alaskan waterfalls.

Dakota Fred was 80.

Alex Murdaugh seems to be getting the brush off from his son Buster after his conviction in his sensational double murder case ... at least according to a new audio recording.

From a maximum security prison, Alex phoned Buster and had a chat with him, but the conversation seemed cold and distant -- and lasted all of 43 seconds.

As you know, Alex was convicted of brutally murdering his wife Maggie and younger son Paul at their South Carolina home and is now serving two life sentences.

Check out the recording, recently obtained by FITS News, which captured the May 16 discussion between Alex and Buster, who right from get go appears ready to hang up and move on with his life.

Alex opens the dialogue with a sweet greeting, "Hey buddy." But Buster gives a hurried response, “Hey I don’t have a whole of time I just boarded a ferry to go back to Hilton Head Island from Daufuskie (Island).”

The killer then admits he's been trying to get in touch with Buster -- clearly with little success -- and a man named Jim, apparently referring to his lawyer Jim Griffin. Alex asks Buster to have Jim contact him.

Buster gives a curt response, “Mm-kay." Alex inquires about something else related to Jim, but Buster claims he can't understand what his father is saying due to the phone line crackling.

Alex ends the icy exchange by professing his love for Buster, adding, "Proud of you."

Leslie Van Houten is likely to kill again after being released from prison -- so says Sharon Tate's sister ... who's deeply offended California cut loose the former Charles Manson follower.

Debra Tate tells TMZ that she's disappointed in the criminal justice system in the state, and especially the governor's office ... which she thinks really dropped the ball in not fighting harder against Van Houten's release.

While Gov. Gavin Newsom said he isn't happy with the decision handed down by the Court of Appeals -- siding with the parole board releasing Van Houten -- he also said he wasn't going to push back, arguing it was a losing effort.

Debra says Newsom could've taken it to a higher court, which is true, and she's taking his surrender as a huge slap in the face to the families of Manson's victims.

As far as how those loved ones feel about Van Houten being a free woman again ... well, she tells us they're absolutely terrified because there's a fear she could resort to her killing ways again in a heartbeat.

Clearly, Debra doesn't buy the parole board's belief Van Houten's rehabilitated. Her rationale boils down to the nature of the crime itself, and the mindset Van Houten was once under. She says once somebody goes down that dark path, in her eyes, it's easy to go back.

Now, while Van Houten wasn't involved in the Tate murders -- remember, it was the LaBiancas she helped butcher -- she's publicly said she really wanted to be present for the slayings of Sharon and 3 friends.

Debra finds that very troubling, and says that's why she has every right to weigh in here.

She adds ... the victims' families are outraged Van Houten gets to live out the rest of her life outside of prison -- despite a life sentence they assumed would be imposed forever more.

Debra's been leading a charge to keep all the Manson family members locked up, with an ongoing online petition she's maintained for a while now.