RIP

12:14 PM PT -- The San Diego County Sheriff's Dept. tells TMZ that a call came in for medical aid around 1:30 PM PT Monday -- and that when deputies arrived, fire officials were already providing lifesaving measures for Karen Houghton ... who sadly passed away.

Unclear what medical incident precipitated the call.

Kris Jenner's sister, Karen Houghton, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Karen was reported as deceased to San Diego County officials Monday in San Marcos, CA. The exact circumstances of her passing are unclear, but we're told county officials are attributing her death to natural causes for now.

Karen was Kris' only sister -- sharing parents MJ and Robert Houghton -- and was born three years after the famed momager. Karen and Kris grew up in San Diego together, living predominantly with MJ after her divorce from the girls' father.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Kris is very upset over the passing of her sibling -- and is also concerned about Karen's mother and niece. This is MJ's first loss of a child, so obviously it's devastating. We're told the family at large is rallying around each other.

Kris addressed Karen's death on social media as well, with a sweet tribute that touched on their history and relationship ... remembering Karen fondly.

Despite the Kardashians' very public life, Karen has not played a major role in their reality TV fame ... as the sisters have had a somewhat complicated relationship over the years.

Karen went public with their issues back in 2014, alleging in an interview that Kris had changed since skyrocketing to A-list status. She also infamously weighed in on Kris' high-profile divorce from Olympian Caitlyn Jenner ... seemingly siding with her ex-in-law.

Then, in 2016, Karen made headlines for undergoing a five-hour facelift in order to look more like the Kardashian-Jenner matriarch -- ultimately pleased with the results, at the time.

A family truce seemed to be confirmed in 2019 -- when Karen and Kris posed for a photo with their mom MJ and their respective daughters, Natalie Zettel and Kylie Jenner, at Christmastime.

However, Karen hasn't been spotted with the family in recent years, having kept a low profile out of the limelight. She worked as a part-time nurse and an author before her death.

Karen is survived by her daughter -- who she welcomed with ex-husband Mark Zettel -- mother, sister and several nieces and a nephew. She was 65.

RIP

10:42 AM PT -- The Miami-Dade Police Department tells TMZ Sports ... Konstantin Koltsov was found dead in an apparent suicide at around 12:39 AM on Monday at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort.

An investigation into the death is ongoing, but cops said no foul play is currently suspected.

Ex-NHL player Konstantin Koltsov -- the boyfriend of tennis star Aryna Sabalenka -- has died.

The hockey player's former club in Russia, Salavat Yulaev, announced the heartbreaking news Tuesday ... though further details surrounding his death were not made immediately available.

"He was a strong and cheerful person," Salavat Yulaev officials said, "he was loved and respected by players, colleagues, and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich forever wrote himself into the history of our club."

"May he rest in peace."

Koltsov got his start in the NHL after the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him with the 18th overall pick in the 1999 draft. He eventually logged time on the ice for the team in the 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons.

After becoming a free agent in 2006, he jetted to play professionally in Russia, signing on with Salavat Yulaev. Following his playing days, he later returned to the team as an assistant coach.

In 2021, Koltsov began dating Sabalenka -- the No. 2-ranked women's tennis player in the country -- and the couple appeared inseparable.

Throughout their years of dating, 25-year-old Sabalenka posted him on her Instagram page often ... most recently sending him birthday wishes in April with a sweet collage of pics and videos.

Sabalenka was just seen competing at Indian Wells last week ... and had been slated to play in this weekend's Miami Open.

Koltsov was just 42 years old.

RIP.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Garrison Brown was negatively affected by social media before his death -- and it impacted his own sense of self-worth ... this according to one of his siblings.

The "Sister Wives" star's actual sister, Madison Brown Brush, hopped online to post an emotional video reflecting on her brother's untimely passing -- and she spoke a lot about his mental health struggles, while also acknowledging pointing to mental health convos at large.

Maddie explains her brother was battling issues internally -- and even says he felt he wasn't doing enough with his life ... using social media as a comparison point.

She also says something pretty poignant ... namely, social media isn't real.

Maddie goes on to explain how she and the rest of the family have been dealing with Garrison's suicide -- describing how difficult it's been finding a new sense of normal.

She urged her followers to remember that social media is just a snapshot into someone's life -- it doesn't show everything. Remember, Garrison's loved ones say he seemed perfectly happy online ... having just adopted a new cat days before he died by suicide.

Maddie goes on to say that she's going to continue putting a spotlight on mental health ... and sends a message to people who might be battling demons -- telling them that if they're not feeling fulfilled with how they're spending their time, they gotta change that ASAP.

We broke the story ... Garrison was found deceased in his Flagstaff, Arizona home earlier in March. Flagstaff PD told us that no foul play is suspected, as Garrison appeared to have suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

He was only 25.

Jalen Hurts is lending a big hand to the family of a high school football player who was shot and killed in Texas earlier this month ... paying for the teen's funeral expenses.

The footballer -- 18-year-old Jarvon Coles -- died on March 9 ... after authorities say at least one shooter fired gunshots in the direction of a Houston house party he had been attending.

Cops say Coles was struck by the gunfire -- and despite life-saving efforts, the North Shore H.S. linebacker was pronounced deceased a short time later at a nearby hospital.

Hurts, who attended a rival high school of North Shore, was so moved by the tragedy after learning of the news ... he decided to pay for Coles' memorial service, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The funeral was held over the weekend at The Light of the World Christian Fellowship Church in Humble, Texas.

"He was like a light in the tunnel," Coles' grandfather, Braxton, told KHOU. "Everybody loved him. He had absolutely no enemies and it’s just beyond my comprehension that something like this would happen."

Coles, who wore No. 10, was a team captain in 2023. He helped lead North Shore to a 15-1 record this past season.

He had a 4.1 GPA and received several college offers ... but was planning to go to Lamar University.

Un vuelo en globo de aire caliente se convirtió en una tragedia esta semana después de que un pasajero cayó 1.500 pies... y parece que los policías hicieron todo lo posible para cubrir las secuelas.

Un pasajero cayó sin previo aviso de un globo aerostático comercial el lunes -el cual despegó de Melbourne- a menos de 30 minutos de su viaje. El cuerpo al parecer aterrizó en una zona residencial con el globo de aire caliente realizando un aterrizaje seguro muchas millas más lejos.

Según testigos locales, muchos residentes del suburbio no se dieron cuenta de lo que había ocurrido hasta que se escucharon sirenas. De hecho, una fuerte explosión se escuchó antes de que llegaran los equipos de emergencia.

El incidente provocó la caída de varios cables de alta tensión y hubo una gran presencia policial para bloquear la calle local del tráfico de la mañana.

Aunque la tragedia no está siendo tratada como sospechosa, los policías están hablando con los otros ocupantes del globo para tratar de deducir qué causó exactamente la inesperada caída.

La Industria Nacional de Globos Aerostáticos Comerciales y la Federación Australiana de Globos se han pronunciado sobre la tragedia, asegurando que las cestas de los globos aerostáticos están diseñadas para evitar que los pasajeros se caigan, por lo que no está claro lo que puede haber causado esto.

Dicen que el operador va a organizar apoyo psicológico y asesoramiento para los testigos afectados.

Esta es la segunda tragedia de globo aerostático este año. Recordemos que cuatro personas murieron en Arizona en enero luego de que un globo aerostático cayera durante una salida de paracaidismo. Un informe preliminar de la Junta Nacional de Seguridad en el Transporte dijo más tarde que la envoltura ya estaba desinflada y el quemador todavía encendido antes de que el globo aerostático chocara contra el suelo.

A hot-air balloon flight turned tragic this week after a passenger fell 1,500 feet to his death from the basket ... and it looks like cops went out of their way to cover up the aftermath.

A male passenger fell without warning from a commercial hot-air balloon Monday -- which took off from Melbourne -- less than 30 minutes into his ride. The body reportedly landed in a residential area with the hot-air balloon making a safe landing many miles away.

According to local eyewitnesses ... many residents in the suburb didn't realize what had occurred until sirens were heard. In fact, a loud bang was heard before emergency responders arrived.

The incident caused several powerlines to go down and a large police presence to block off the local street from morning traffic.

While the tragedy is not being treated as suspicious, cops are speaking with the other occupants in the balloon to try and deduce what exactly caused the unexpected fall.

The National Commercial Hot-Air Ballooning Industry and the Australian Ballooning Federation have spoken out about the tragedy, assuring people that hot-air balloon baskets are designed to prevent passengers from falling out ... so it's unclear what may have caused this.

They say the operator will be arranging for psychological support and counseling for the witnesses affected.

This marks the second hot-air balloon tragedy this year. Remember, four people were killed in Arizona in January after a hot-air balloon went down during a skydiving outing. A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board later said the envelope was already deflated and the burner still on before the hot air balloon collided with the ground.

Alec Baldwin could've walked away from the "Rust" shooting with no more than a slap on the wrist ... at least, if a new report is to be believed.

According to Variety, new court documents released Friday claim Baldwin was offered a lenient plea deal. However, according to them, the deal was taken off the table before AB could make up his mind.

The actor was reportedly offered a plea deal that was "identical to the petty misdemeanor deal accepted by Dave Halls."

Halls -- who served as first assistant director at the time of the shooting that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins -- received six months of unsupervised probation, a $500, 24 hours of community service and a mandatory firearm safety class.

Variety reports Baldwin was offered this deal October 5 and given until October 27 to decide ... but prosecutors allegedly took the deal away on October 17 and informed Baldwin's team they were going forward with a grand jury. Unclear what changed in that short window.

As we reported ... Baldwin and his attorney Alex Spiro filed to get the case dismissed Thursday claiming Santa Fe County D.A.'s office rigged the grand jury against Alec, pointing to biased witnesses and their alleged omission of relevant evidence that undermined the case against Baldwin.

His filing claims the D.A. didn't present the entirety of the testing the FBI did on his firearm ... which he claims would prove it could've been fired without him pulling the trigger.

Larry H. Parker -- the famous auto accident and personal injury attorney known for his iconic commercials in the '80s and '90s -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

The famed attorney's longtime law firm partner, Ron Beck, confirmed to us Friday that Larry had passed away ... but wouldn't elaborate on details -- including where, when or under what circumstances.

Larry's daughter-in-law, Alissa, also told us the sad news was true -- but she wouldn't reveal more either ... telling us the family is considering their next steps.

We're hearing he may have died as recently as this week, although it's not 100% clear. In any case, it's a huge blow to the legal community ... as LHP was a titan in the industry.

People in and around Los Angeles -- and even in the greater Southern California area -- know Parker well ... if not for his TV ads, then for his many billboards all over the region. If you've been on the 405 in L.A., you've very likely passed by and seen Larry's face.

He's the founder of the Law Offices of Larry H. Parker -- which mostly specializes in taking cases for people who've been in car accidents, but which takes a variety of injury-related cases. His firm has been up and running for at least 50 years ... so he's an L.A. staple.

Larry opened his law office in the '70s, and it's gone on to become one of the biggest in America -- which now employs over 150 lawyers, all of whom work under Larry's brand.

His approach to promoting his services pierced pop culture and arguably served as the blueprint for many other attorneys (and spoofs) seeking to reach an audience. You could say that the spirit of his straightforward legal ads has gone on to inspire several iterations ... both fictional and real. The 'SNL' Green & Fazio sketch seems to have been inspired by Larry's work, and ditto for 'Better Call Saul.'

Of course, there are countless other real-life lawyers who've followed in his footprints all over the country ... buying up billboards, ad space and airtime to let people know they're ready to take a case and go to court for the public.

His slogan was "We'll Fight for You!" ... and safe to say, it's burned into the American psyche.

Larry was 75.

La estrella porno Sophia Leone murió a principios de este mes, y a pesar de que no hay pistas de agresión, la policía describe su muerte como una "situación única".

Los oficiales le informan a TMZ que el cuerpo de Leone fue encontrado el 1 de marzo en su casa, y mientras que una causa oficial de la muerte no se ha determinado, nos dicen que la policía está investigando su muerte como sospechosa, aunque también señalan que no había signos de trauma.

Su agencia de modelos afirmó que las circunstancias que rodearon su muerte implican un robo y homicidio, pero la policía dice que no es el caso.

Un representante del Departamento nos informa que el robo u homicidio no estaban en su radar... reiterando que calificaron el caso como una "muerte sospechosa". También enfatizaron que no serían capaces de determinar la causa de la muerte hasta que los resultados de toxicología estuvieran listos. Le preguntamos si parecía estar relacionado con las drogas, pero prefirieron no responder.

Un agente dijo: "No sabemos en este momento si fue víctima de un delito, por lo que esta es una situación única". La policía dice que Sophia Leone era simplemente su nombre artístico y señaló que su familia era cautelosa acerca de llamar más la atención.

Aunque su familia no quiere discutir los detalles de la muerte de Sophia, han puesto en marcha un GoFundMe para cubrir los gastos de su funeral y memorial, una carga financiera que la familia no estaba dispuesta a cumplir. La familia ha fijado un objetivo de 12.000 dólares.

En el post de GFM, su padrastro Mike escribió: "Como su padrastro, quiero agradecerles personalmente su amabilidad y generosidad durante este difícil momento. Echaremos mucho de menos a Sophia, pero su recuerdo perdurará en los corazones de todos los que la querían. Que descanse en paz eterna".

Sophia se hizo un nombre en el mundo de los adultos, trabajando con varios estudios diferentes a lo largo de su carrera, incluyendo Brazzers, Evil Angel y Reality Kings. Tenía 26 años.

Jason Kelce's beloved dog, Winnie, has sadly passed away ... and the Kelce family is heartbroken over the loss, with his wife writing in an emotional social media post that she's "lost part of my soul."

It's unclear how the pooch passed ... but Kylie Kelce said on her Instagram page Thursday night the pup "is at peace" now.

"When I was in high school I had a folder on my desktop labeled 'Gods gift to earth,'" Kylie said in an IG post. "It was images of Irish Wolfhounds that I had collected from Google. I had fallen in love with the breed when I was a young and never let my fascination with them fade. It all lead me to Winnie and holy s*** did she live up to the hype."

"I love you, Winn," she continued. "You will always be my first born child."

Travis Kelce sent out his condolences in the comment section, writing, "You [gave] Winn an amazing life Ky!!" The Chiefs star's ex, Kayla Nicole, sent her support with a comment too.

Winnie played a huge role in the Kelce family ... she was the "flower girl" at Jason and Kylie's 2018 wedding. She was also mentioned on Jason and Travis' "New Heights" podcast often ... in fact, the brothers just brought her up on a recent episode when comparing her to animals Travis had seen on his Australian zoo date with Taylor Swift.

Winnie and the Kelces' other dog even had their own Instagram page.

"She was everything I had hoped for in a wolfie," Kylie said in mourning the dog's passing, "and more."

Porn star Sophia Leone died earlier this month -- but it doesn't sound like cops are sure if foul play is afoot ... even though they're currently describing her death as a "unique situation."

Albuquerque PD tells TMZ ... Leone's body was found March 1 at her home ... and while an official cause of death hasn't been determined, we're told police are investigating her death as suspicious ... although they go out of their way to note there were no signs of trauma.

After word of Sophia's death made the rounds, her modeling agency claimed the circumstances surrounding her death involved a robbery and homicide ... but APD tells us that's not the case.

A rep for the Department tells us they never indicated robbery or homicide was on their radar ... reiterating they were looking at it as a "suspicious death." They also emphasized they wouldn't be able to determine the cause of death until toxicology results were in. We asked if it appeared to be drug-related -- cops wouldn't say one way or another.

An APD rep also said this ... "We do not know at this time if she is a victim of a crime so this is a unique situation." Police say Sophia Leone was simply her stage name and noted her family was wary about drawing more attention.

While her family might not want to discuss the details of Sophia's death, they have since launched a GoFundMe to cover the costs of her funeral and memorial -- a financial burden the family wasn't prepared to meet. The family has set a goal of $12,000.

In the GFM post, her Stepdad Mike wrote, "As her Stepfather, I want to personally thank you for your kindness and generosity during this difficult time. Sophia will be deeply missed but her memory will live on in the hearts of all who loved her. May she rest in eternal peace."

Sophia made a name for herself in the adult biz, working with several different studios throughout her career ... including Brazzers, Evil Angel and Reality Kings. She was 26.

Alec Baldwin quiere quedar libre de cargos en el caso de homicidio involuntario de "Rust", porque afirma que los fiscales manipularon la baraja en su contra con el Gran Jurado que lo acusó.

El actor y su abogado, Alex Spiro, presentaron nuevos documentos legales -obtenidos por TMZ- donde se busca argumentar que el proceso del gran jurado fue completamente manipulado por la oficina del Condado de Santa Fe, alegando que los 7 testigos estaban increíblemente manipulados.

En concreto, Alec dice que tres de los testigos estaban en la "nómina" del fiscal, dos de ellos eran de la Oficina del Sheriff de Santa Fe, uno ya lo estaba demandando en un caso civil separado, y otro públicamente culpó a Baldwin por la muerte de Halyna Hutchins días después... a pesar de que Alec dice que esta persona no estaba trabajando en la producción en ese momento.

Otra alegación en los documentos se refiere a las pruebas del FBI de la pistola utilizada en la escena. Alec afirma que el fiscal no presentó todas las pruebas y que, según alega, demostró que el revólver se disparó sin apretar el gatillo cuando los 6 cartuchos estaban cargados, igual que el día de la tragedia.

Recordemos que hasta ahora habíamos oído lo contrario. Básicamente que las pruebas del FBI demostraron que sin lugar a dudas el arma solo se podía disparar si se aprieta el gatillo. Esto es crucial, porque Alec siempre ha mantenido que no apretó el gatillo.

Por todas estas razones, Alec le está pidiendo al juez que retire el cargo de homicidio involuntario. Como informamos, él ya se declaró inocente... esto después de que el D.A. desestimó sus cargos la primera vez.

The basketball community is rallying around Toronto Raptors player RJ Barrett ... after it was revealed his brother, Nathan, recently passed away.

Nathan's former youth basketball coach, Chris Stewart, confirmed the tragic news on Thursday ... saying the athlete was special to the program.

"Nathan was only with us for a short time in grade 7 before he moved to Florida but whenever he was back in Mississauga the boys connected," Stewart said.

"No parent should ever have to bury a child, hug your kids today a little longer. You will be missed Nathan, RIP ❤️🏀🙏🕊️"

Details surrounding his death have not been revealed at this time.

Nathan -- a 6-foot-1 guard -- played at Montverde Academy, just like RJ. He had dreams of becoming a pilot.

"In my family, we’re very competitive," RJ told SLAM in 2018. "Everyone is always trying to beat each other. Everyone is an athlete, so that’s where I get all my competitive drive."

RJ spent one season at Duke University before going 3rd overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. He played for the Knicks until he was traded to the Raptors in December.

Barrett -- who did not play in Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons -- has been ruled out of Friday night's contest against the Orlando Magic ... and understandably, it is unclear when he will return to the court.

The Barrett family released a statement on Nathan's death ... saying he passed away surrounded by his loved ones.

"While our family is devastated by this great loss, we will continue to cherish the memories and time spent together. Nathan was a God-fearing young man of strong character. He was thoughtful, kind, loving, compassionate, creative, admirable and driven."

"Though his time with us was brief, he will live forever in our hearts."

The father of Michigan high school shooter Ethan Crumbley, has been found guilty on all 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter ... just weeks after his wife Jennifer saw the same verdict.

The jury reached the decision for James Crumbley Thursday after 1 day of deliberations. His sentencing is scheduled for April 9, the same date as his wife.

With this verdict, Crumbley was found to be negligent for disregarding warning signs exhibited by his son that could have potentially prevented the devastating event. Prosecutors said he even purchased a gun for his son just days before he used it to open fire at Oxford High School in the Detroit suburb of Oxford Township, MI, in November 2021, killing 4 students.

The verdict comes a few weeks after his wife Jennifer's conviction -- which marked an historic moment, as it's unprecedented for a parent to be criminally charged in connection with their child's involvement in a mass shooting.

Jennifer's testimony during her trial had shed light on the role she says her husband, James, played in the tragic events ... saying he had purchased the gun their son used in the shooting and was the one responsible for hiding it.

She also testified she was aware her son was struggling but had no inkling he was capable of carrying out a mass shooting ... saying if she had known, she'd done the whole thing differently.

17-year-old Ethan was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole back in December.

Alec Baldwin wants to be let off the hook in the "Rust" manslaughter case, because he claims prosecutors stacked the deck against him with the Grand Jury that indicted him.

The actor and his attorney Alex Spiro filed new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, where he seeks to have his criminal case completely tossed ... arguing the grand jury process was completely rigged by the Santa Fe County D.A.'s office -- alleging they trotted out 7 witnesses who were incredibly biased.

Specifically, Alec says 3 of the witnesses were on the D.A.'s "payroll," 2 of them were from the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office, one was already suing him in a separate civil case -- and yet another publicly blamed Baldwin for Halyna Hutchins' death days afterward ... even though Alec says this person wasn't working on the production at the time.

Another eye-popping allegation in the docs involves the FBI testing of the pistol used in the scene. Alec claims the D.A. failed to present all the evidence from that testing ... which he alleges showed the revolver did, in fact, fire without the trigger being pulled when all 6 rounds were loaded, just as they were on the day of the tragedy.

Remember, up until now ... we'd heard the opposite -- that the FBI testing proved without a doubt the gun could only fire if the trigger was pulled. This is crucial, because Alec has always maintained he did not pull the trigger.

For all these reasons, Alec's asking a judge to drop the involuntary manslaughter charge. As we reported, he already pled not guilty in this second go-around ... this after the D.A. dismissed their charges the first time.

Regina King finalmente se está abriendo sobre el suicidio de su hijo Ian, diciendo entre lágrimas que respeta su decisión y también compartiendo su propia experiencia con el dolor.

La actriz y directora se sentó a conversar con "Good Morning America", donde profundizó sobre la trágica muerte de Ian en 2022, y tocó el difícil viaje que ha vivido desde entonces.

Regina King piensa que el dolor es como el amor que no encuentra un lugar hacia donde ir, y que está tratando de celebrar a su hijo por todo lo que es. Ella incluso utiliza el tiempo presente para referirse a él, pues dice que Ian está siempre con ella. King añade que realmente no ha tenido tiempo de meditar sobre la decisión de Ian, la que dice que entiende, porque es claro para ella que él ya no quería estar aquí.

Regina dice que lo que más le gustaba de sí misma era ser la mamá de Ian, y que al final, simplemente tiene que respetar el proceso a pesar de que también se pregunta sobre lo que posiblemente podría haber hecho mejor como madre.

Como informamos, Ian Alexander Jr., el único hijo de King y su ex marido Ian Alexander Sr., se quitó la vida en enero de 2022 en su cumpleaños número 26.

En ese momento, Regina dijo: "Nuestra familia está devastada en lo más profundo por la pérdida de Ian. Él es una luz tan brillante que se preocupaba profundamente por la felicidad de los demás. Nuestra familia pide consideración y respeto durante este momento privado. Gracias".

Ian era un invitado habitual de Regina en la alfombra roja e incluso la llamó "Super mamá" en la alfombra roja de los Globos de Oro en 2019 y publicó un sentido homenaje para ella cuando cumplió 50 años en 2021.

Parece que Regina está dando el siguiente gran paso en su viaje, aunque claramente Ian nunca está lejos de su mente.