RIP

Melania Trump's mother has passed away -- this according to the former First Lady.

The ex-FLOTUS announced the sad news about her mom, Amalija Knavs, Tuesday on X -- writing, "It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija."

She adds, "Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity.  She was entirely devoted to her husband, daughters, grandson, and son-in-law. We will miss her beyond measure and continue to honor and love her legacy."

Melania did not reveal a cause of death -- but her mother's health had recently been in the news ... with her husband, Donald Trump, reportedly telling a NYE crowd at Mar-a-Lago that Amalija had fallen "very ill" ... while suggesting she was hospitalized in Miami.

Melania wasn't on hand for Trump's New Year's bash ... and he sent well-wishes to both.

Amalija was of European descent, but actually immigrated to the States and became a U.S. citizen alongside her husband, Victor, in 2018 -- something MT touted at the time with pride. Before that, they'd been here in America through green card sponsorships, via their daughter.

She was reportedly close with Melania, and had even started to grow a solid relationship with her grandson, Barron. Amalija had been living at Mar-a-Lago of late -- and before that, they even lived part-time at the White House ... having been spotted countless times.

She was 78.

El Ex-Scorpions y batrista de Kingdom Come, James Kottak, ha muerto tristemente... TMZ lo confirma.

La hija de Kottak, Tobi, nos dice que su padre falleció el martes por la mañana en Louisville. No hay detalles sobre las circunstancias exactas. Según Metal Sludge —que primero se enteró de la muerte del músico— fue descubierto sin respuesta en un baño.

Por el momento se desconocen las causas exactas de su muerte.

James es mejor conocido por estar en la banda alemana de hard rock Scorpions, uniéndose al grupo en 1996 y convirtiéndose en su miembro más longevo hasta que fue despedido en 2016 por su alcoholismo.

Había hablado de su batalla contra el alcohol a lo largo de los años, diciendo en octubre de 2022 que no había sido capaz de abandonar por completo el alcohol y que era un proceso en curso.

Antes de eso, era bien conocido por ser el baterista original de Kingdom Come, que tuvo un impacto significativo en los años 80 gracias a su música al estilo Led Zeppelin.

También giró en otras bandas como Krunk, Montrose, Wild Horses y Buster Brown, entre muchas otras.

Paralelamente a la música, James hizo algunas apariciones en reality shows de televisión, más notablemente en "Ex-Wives of Rock" de 2012.

Él estaba casado con la hermana de Tommy Lee —Athena— desde 1996 hasta 2010, con una amarga batalla por la custodia sobre su hijo Matthew.

Tenía 61 años.

Ex-Scorpions and Kingdom Come drummer James Kottak has sadly died ... TMZ can confirm.

Kottak's daughter, Tobi, tells us ... her father passed away Tuesday morning in Louisville, KY -- although further details about the exact circumstances weren't immediately available. Metal Sludge first reported rumblings of the musician's death.

His exact cause of death is unknown as of yet.

James is best known for being in the hard rock German band Scorpions ... joining the group in 1996 and becoming their longest-serving member until he was fired in 2016 for his alcoholism.

He had spoken of his battle with booze over the years ... saying in October 2022 he hadn't been able to completely ditch alcohol and it was an ongoing process.

Before that, he was well known for being the original drummer for Kingdom Come ... who made a significant impact in the '80s thanks to their Led Zeppelin-style music.

He also toured in other bands such as KrunK, Montrose, Wild Horses, and Buster Brown, among many others.

Alongside music, James made some reality TV show appearances -- most notably in 2012's "Ex-Wives of Rock."

He was famously married to Tommy Lee's sister Athena from 1996 to 2010 ... with a bitter custody battle ensuing over their son Matthew.

He was 61.

The mother of "The Voice" star Lauren Duski appears to have died by suicide ... this after being found dead in her car with a gunshot wound, TMZ has confirmed.

According to the Tuscarora Township Police in Indian River, Michigan, officers found a car "sitting on the edge of the roadway with a female in the driver's seat slumped over" on Friday -- and paramedics were unable to find a pulse when they arrived.

Police say she had a "single gunshot wound to the chest" and a handgun was found in the car with "one round spent." TMZ confirmed with law enforcement sources the woman was Lauren's 59-year-old mother, Janis Duski.

While cops are still investigating Janis' death, it appears all signs point to it being a suicide.

Lauren said an emotional goodbye to her mother in a touching post online Monday, saying, "My mom was the greatest human I’ve ever known. There was no one who loved harder."

In the post, the season 12 contestant took time to remind people to "please talk to one another. If you’re struggling, do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Do not be ashamed. Your mental health is nothing to be ashamed of and neither is talking about it."

Janis was 59.

RIP.

La madre de la estrella de "The Voice" —Lauren Duski— parece haber muerto por suicidio, esto después de haber sido encontrada muerta en su carro con una herida de bala, TMZ ha confirmado.

De acuerdo con la Policía de Indian River (Michigan) los oficiales encontraron un carro "sentado en el borde de la calzada con una mujer en el asiento del conductor desplomado" el viernes... y los paramédicos la encontraron sin pulso cuando llegaron.

La policía dice que tenía una "sola herida de bala en el pecho" y se encontró una pistola en el carro con "una ronda menos." TMZ confirmó con fuentes policiales que la mujer era la madre de Lauren, Janis Duski, de 59 años.

Aunque la policía sigue investigando la muerte de Janis, parece que todo apunta a que se trata de un suicidio.

Lauren dio un emotivo adiós a su madre en un conmovedor post en línea el lunes, diciendo: "Mi mamá fue la más grande persona que he conocido. No había nadie que amara más".

En el post, la concursante de la temporada 12 se tomó su tiempo para recordarle a la gente que "por favor, hablen entre ustedes. Si tienes problemas, no te avergüences. No se avergüencen. No te avergüences. Tu salud mental no es motivo de verguenza y tampoco lo es hablar de ello".

Janis tenía 59 años.

RIP.

An iconic piece of Paul Reubens' past is heading home to a lucky bidder -- the bicycle he rode as Pee-wee Herman was sitting outside an auction house after it sold for 6-figures.

We spotted the 1953 Schwinn DX Cruiser in the back of a truck Monday afternoon while the TMZ Celebrity Tour was taking some lucky guests around Hollywood. Normally, we spot celebs, but this time we found this memorable celeb ride outside Bonhams auction house on Sunset Blvd.

Bonhams is known for its unique auctions, with sales of everything from Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol art to Rush drummer Neil Peart's drumkit -- and everything in between.

The auction house had its Pop Culture: Then & Now auction last month, with the whimsical bicycle from "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" fetching $140,000 ... so it seems the sweet ride was about to be shipped to the winning bidder.

As we reported, Paul died back in July after a private battle with cancer.

The man cops say is responsible for Tupac Shakur's death can walk out of jail today as he waits for his criminal trial to get going -- but only if he can come up with a helluva lot of cash.

Duane Davis -- AKA, Keefe D -- was in court out in Vegas Tuesday for a hearing on his potential release on bail pending his criminal trial ... where his legal team was arguing before a judge that their client wasn't a danger to society, nor was he a flight risk if they'd agree to cut him loose from lockup until the trial.

Mind you, Keefe's been in the Clark County jail since late September -- when he was first indicted for the murder of Tupac and taken into custody by cops ... the first big break in the cold case for a long, long time.

Remember ... Keefe's been out there publicly claiming to have been in the car that night way back in 1996, when Tupac was shot and killed while riding passenger with Suge Knight.

Keefe has suggested he wasn't the trigger man himself, but he's also the only one left alive to prosecute over the long-unsolved crime -- and Vegas officials finally brought him in.

Keefe's legal team pointed out that the proof was in the pudding in terms of Keefe not being a risk -- openly asking the court, if he was so dangerous, why did it take so long for cops to haul him in, even though his affiliation with the Tupac murder was well-known for a while.

They also doubled down on his not guilty plea -- saying he only said all that stuff about Pac's murder for entertainment/monetary gain ... but prosecutors pushed back, arguing this guy was a cold-blooded killer and absolutely should not be out on the streets.

In the end, the judge agreed to let him out pending trial ... but set his bail pretty high at $750,000. He also said even if Keefe could cough up the dough, he'll be confined to house arrest with electronic monitoring while he waits for his trial.

Sinéad O'Connor died of natural causes, British authorities announced Tuesday.

A rep for London's Southwark Coroner's Court tells TMZ ... she passed away from "natural causes" and "the coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death."

As we reported, cops in London responded to a report of an unresponsive woman at a residence ... arriving to find the 56-year-old singer already dead. Attempts were made to revive her, but they were unsuccessful.

Sinéad's 17-year-old son, Shane, died by suicide in early 2022 just 2 days after going missing from the hospital while on suicide watch. After his death, Sinéad called her son "the very light of my life" ... begging for him to be at peace.

She expressed more grief about Shane less than 2 weeks before her death, saying on social media, "He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo without him."

Sinéad has also struggled with her mental health in the past, telling Dr. Phil in 2017 she'd attempted suicide 8 times in a year.

She also was reported missing the year before, allegedly threatening to jump off a bridge -- but Sinéad was found safe and said the suicide claims were BS.

The singer's seen a ton of love from the community since her death ... including from Conor McGregor, who had her sing during his 2015 walkout at UFC 189 in Las Vegas. He told TMZ, "The world has lost a beautiful voice and an even more beautiful person."

Pink and Brandi Carlile also paid tribute to her, jumping on stage together to perform a moving rendition of Sinéad's hit song, "Nothing Compares 2 U."

Sinéad O'Connor falleció de causas naturales, anunciaron las autoridades británicas el martes.

Southwark Coroner, representante del Tribunal de Londres, dice a TMZ que murió de "causas naturales" y "el juez de instrucción, por tanto, ha cesado su participación en su muerte".

Como informamos, los policías de Londres respondieron a un informe sobre una mujer que no respondía en una residencia. Cuando llegaron encontraron a la cantante de 56 años ya muerta. Intentaron reanimarla, pero no tuvieron éxito.

El hijo de Sinéad, Shane, de 17 años, murió por suicidio a principios de 2022, dos días después de desaparecer del hospital mientras estaba bajo vigilancia por intento de suicidio. Después de su muerte, Sinéad llamó a su hijo "la luz de mi vida", rogando por que estuviera en paz.

La cantante expresó más dolor por Shane menos de 2 semanas antes de su muerte, diciendo en las redes sociales: "Él era la única persona que siempre me amó incondicionalmente. Estoy perdida en el bardo sin él".

Sinéad también había estado luchando con su salud mental en el pasado. En 2017, le dijo al Dr. Phil en 2017 que había intentado suicidarse 8 veces en un año.

También fue reportada como desaparecida el año antes. Supuestamente, habría amenazado con saltar de un puente, pero fue encontrada a salvo y dijo que las afirmaciones de suicidio eran mentira.

Sinéad ha recibido una tonelada de amor de la comunidad desde su muerte, incluyendo de Conor McGregor, que la hizo cantar durante su 2015 walkout en UFC 189 en Las Vegas. Le dijo a TMZ: "El mundo ha perdido una hermosa voz y una persona aún más hermosa".

Franz Beckenbauer -- a German soccer icon widely regarded as one of the greatest in the sport -- has died at 78 years old, his family announced.

Beckenbauer was a legend in the game ... leading his home country of West Germany to three World Cups -- once as a player in 1974, and again as a head coach in 1990. He is one of three people in history to have won as both a player and a coach.

"It is with deep sadness that we announce that my husband and our father, Franz Beckenbaur, passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday, Sunday, surrounded by family," his family said in a statement.

Beckenbauer was born in Munich and went on to star for Bayern Munich from 1964 to 1977. During his time at the club level, he won three European cups and five league titles.

Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer released a statement about his passing ... speaking on the impact Beckenbauer left on the club.

"There are no words to express how great our grief is, and the gap that Franz Beckenbauer leaves behind," Hainer said.

"As a player, he brought a sense of effortlessness, elegance and magic to the pitch. Franz Beckenbauer brought the glamour. Even after his playing career, he left an indelible mark on FC Bayern and football, and his legacy cannot be measured in titles. The FC Bayern family is eternally grateful to him, and I personally mourn the loss of a friend."

Beckenbauer's excellence on the pitch earned him the nickname "Der Kaiser," which translates to "the emperor." He played in 103 international matches for Germany ... serving as a captain for 50 of them.

Der Kaiser had a very decorated individual career ... having won the Ballon d’Or award in 1972 and 1976. In 1977, he decided to take his career international, joining the New York Cosmos.

He played for the Cosmos from 1977 to 1980, and one final time in 1983. During that period, he played alongside Brazilian soccer legend Pelé, winning three North American Soccer League trophies.

The soccer legend announced his retirement in 1983 at the age of 38, but continued to receive accolades past his career. Beckenbauer was named to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2000, he was named Germany’s Footballer of the Century for his excellent efforts. He also received the FIFA Centennial Player and Football Personality Award in 2004.

One of his final great achievements was as an official ... helping his home country Germany win its bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

3:49 PM PST -- The Palm Beach Sheriff's Office tells TMZ ... Cindy's roommate called cops to their Lake Worth Beach home on Dec. 30, 2023 -- saying she returned home from a holiday trip, knocked on Cindy's door in their residence ... but got no response.

The roommate told officers she smelled a strong odor emanating from inside and called 911, noting the last she'd seen CM alive was on Dec. 19. Cops went in and found Cindy dead in her room ... with no foul play suspected. An investigation is underway.

3:22 PM PST -- A county rep confirms to TMZ that Cindy died of "natural causes."

Cindy Morgan -- famous for her role in "Caddyshack" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office confirmed the actress' passing in the area, but no further details about when she died or under what circumstances were immediately available. We've also confirmed her body is currently at a local funeral home there in Florida.

Morgan will likely best be remembered for playing Lacey Underall in the famous 1980 comedy opposite Chevy Chase, Bill Murray and Rodney Dangerfield -- portraying the country club owner's hot niece who captures the attention of pretty much every male character.

She had quite a few scenes in there ... and was memorable as the key temptress in the flick. There's one notable scene she shared with Chevy, where she tried seducing him at a party.

While she was great in "Caddyshack," Cindy had actually starred in several other big films throughout her career ... specifically, in "Tron" -- where she played 2 big roles, Lora and Yori. In addition to this, she also starred in "Galaxis," "Silent Fury," "Up Yours" and other movies.

Her TV resume was even more impressive ... CM had roles on hit shows like "The Love Boat," "CHiPs," "Bring 'Em Back Alive," "The Fall Guy," "Falcon Crest," "Matlock," "Hunter," "The Highwayman," "Manusco, FBI," "The Larry Sanders Show," "Under Suspicion" and more.

Cindy's resume included 37 acting credits, and it looks like she'd been active as recently as 2022 with a voice role in an indie flick. We've tried reaching out to her team ... but haven't had any luck in tracking down someone who currently reps her.

She was 69.

RIP

La difunta hermana de Nick y Aaron Carter, Bobbie Jean Carter, ha sido enterrada ... TMZ ha averiguado.

Fuentes con conocimiento directo nos dicen que Bobbie Jean fue enterrada el sábado por la mañana en Florida, en algún lugar afuera de la zona de Tampa. Nos dicen que fue una ceremonia pequeña y privada, con solo amigos y familiares cercanos entre los asistentes.

No está claro si el propio Nick estaba allí, pero nuestras fuentes dicen que la madre de Bobbie Jean, Jane, dio el discurso.

Aunque su hermano pequeño, Aaron Carter, fue enterrado en el sur de California, nos dicen que la tumba de Bobbie fue elegida para estar más cerca de Jane, para que pueda visitar a su hija con regularidad. TMZ también ha obtenido el obituario de Bobbie Jean y menciona a sus famosos hermanos, así como a su difunta hermana menor, Leslie, que también falleció trágicamente en 2012.

Fuimos los primeros en contar la historia, Bobbie Jean fue encontrada sin respuesta en su cuarto de baño el mes pasado y aunque estaba en libertad condicional por un cargo relacionado a las drogas, la policía dice que no encontraron narcóticos en la escena y no se sospecha de crimen violento. Se desconoce la causa de su muerte.

Bobbie solo tenía 41 años.

Nick and Aaron Carter's late sister, Bobbie Jean Carter, has been laid to rest ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Bobbie Jean was buried Saturday morning in Florida -- somewhere outside of the Tampa area, specifically. We're told it was a small, private ceremony ... with only close friends and immediate family in attendance.

Unclear if Nick himself was there, but our sources say BJ's mother, Jane, gave the eulogy.

Whereas her little brother, AC, was buried here in Southern California ... we're told Bobbie's gravesite was chosen to be closer to Jane, so that she can visit her daughter regularly. TMZ has also obtained Bobbie Jean's obituary, and it mentions her famous brothers as well as her late younger sister, Leslie, who also tragically passed away in 2012.

We broke the story ... Bobbie Jean was found unresponsive in her bathroom last month -- and while she was on probation on a drug-related charge ... cops say there were no narcotics found at the scene, and no foul play is suspected. Her cause of death is unknown.

Bobbie was only 41.

Christian Oliver -- the star of such films like "Speed Racer" and "Valkyrie" -- died along with his two young kids after their plane crashed into the sea near a Caribbean island.

The Hollywood actor and his daughters, Madita, 12, and Annik, 10, were the only passengers flying aboard a small single-engine jet Thursday as they headed to St. Lucia after taking off from J.F. Mitchell Airport on the Grenadine island of Bequia.

During the afternoon flight, the aircraft experienced an unexplained issue, causing it to plunge into the ocean shortly after it took off.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard launched a rescue effort assisted by fishermen and divers in the immediate area, but their efforts were futile. In the end, they recovered four bodies from the wreckage, identifying them as Oliver and his daughters as well as the pilot, Robert Sachs.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Christian Oliver, protagonista de películas como "Speed Racer" y "Valkiria", murió junto a sus dos hijas pequeñas luego de que su avioneta se estrellara en el mar cerca de una isla del Caribe.

El actor de Hollywood y sus hijas, Madita, de 10 años, y Annik, de 12, eran las únicas pasajeras a bordo de un pequeño avión monomotor el jueves cuando se dirigían a Santa Lucía tras despegar del aeropuerto J.F. Mitchell en la isla granadina de Bequia.

Durante el vuelo de la tarde, la aeronave experimentó un problema inexplicable, lo que provocó que se precipitara al océano poco después de despegar.

Los guardacostas de San Vicente y las Granadinas lanzaron una operación de rescate con la ayuda de pescadores y buceadores de la zona, pero sus esfuerzos fueron inútiles. Al final, recuperaron cuatro cadáveres de entre los restos, identificándolos como el de Oliver y sus hijas, así como del piloto, Robert Sachs.

La causa del accidente está siendo investigada.

David Soul, famous for playing Detective Kenneth Hutchinson on the buddy cop TV series "Starsky and Hutch," is dead ... TMZ has learned.

The actor died Thursday at a hospital in London following a long term illness ... according to a family member. We're told David was surrounded by his family when he passed.

David suffered from a number of health issues in his life ... most notably chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He blames COPD on a half-century of smoking three packs of cigarettes daily.

His wife Helen Snell said the "beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family. He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend."

She added, "His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched."

David became a pop icon in the 1970s in his starring role as Hutch, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed detective opposite Paul Michael Glaser as Detective Dave Starsky. He appeared in all 92 episodes from 1975-79, covering four seasons on TV, and also directed a few episodes.

After "Starsky and Hutch," David landed roles in the 1979 TV miniseries "Salem's Lot" and the  1980 TV movie "Homeward Bound."

David and Paul also reprised their roles as Starsky and Hutch with a cameo appearance in the 2004 movie remake, "Starsky & Hutch," with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.

Before his Hutch fame, David got started in Hollywood in the mid-1960s with small TV roles on shows like "Flipper," "I Dream of Jeannie," and "Star Trek" -- and, interestingly, Clint Eastwood was an early supporter of David's talent ... as he cast him as one of the cops co-starring with him in the 1973 Dirty Harry film, "Magnum Force."

He was also a very successful singer/songwriter ... scoring a number-one hit in 1976 with "Don't Give Up On Us."

David moved to the UK in the 90s and began starring in West End stage productions and British TV shows. He eventually became a British citizen in 2004.

He's survived by his wife and 6 children from previous relationships.

David was 80.