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A couple living in the area where the University of Idaho student slaughter says their dog was brutally killed -- skinned from head to tail -- just weeks before the 4 students were massacred.

Buddy, a 12-year-old mini Australian Shepherd, was killed in October ... according to owners Pam and Jim Colbert, who told DailyMail they let the pup outside before heading to bed -- and he was soon found dead.

They say the only fur left on the dog was on its paws and head ... they believe someone might've been waiting for them to let Buddy outside.

Police reportedly haven't made the connection between the death of Buddy and the college students' murders ... but it's clear the Moscow community has all the more reason to stay on high alert.

As we reported, investigators believe the attack was targeted, but have not pinpointed an exact motive. They've been searching high and low for the murder weapon -- a combat knife similar to the one used by Sylvester Stallone's character, Rambo.

Moscow PD recently acknowledged the 911 call came from one of the surviving roommates' phones ... but wouldn't say exactly who called the police.

Moscow PD Chief James Fry said in a press conference there were 'other friends' in the residence when the 911 call was made.

Fry also confirmed that the killer did not make the 911 call.

Cher and Alexander Edwards had people's jaws on the floor after being spotted gettin' cozy together over the last few weeks ... and we're told this isn't for show -- it's the real deal.

Sources with knowledge tell TMZ ... despite the fact Alexander is a Universal Music exec, the 2 aren't working on any projects together.

We're told they've spent A LOT of time together over the last couple of months at Cher's Malibu home ... the one that's currently on the market for $85 mil!!!

The couple first met at Rick Owens' Paris fashion show back in September ... where Cher and Tyga snapped some pics together.

As we reported, Cher and Alex -- 40-year age difference and all -- had a fun night in WeHo earlier this month ... hittin' up a couple of spots with Tyga -- before the 2 headed back to her pad for the night.

The stars were shinin' BRIGHT at the American Music Awards ... and it looked like everyone was having the time of their lives behind the scenes at one of music's biggest nights!

Kelly Rowland, Måneskin, Lionel Richie, and Meghan Trainor were just a few of the big names pulling up to the Microsoft Theater in L.A. Sunday night -- Taylor Swift and Smokey Robinson were even huggin' it out when the cameras weren't rolling.

Country singer Dustin Lynch and Machine Gun Kelly cheesed for a photo together ... and it looks like MGK's still trying to keep some social distance with that wild outfit!!!

Sabrina Carpenter and Gayle also met up with Taylor between breaks ... and the 3 were lookin' fabulous together -- maybe a possible collab in the future? 👀

The ultra-rare Tom Brady-signed flag that was allegedly ruined by the Patriots Hall of Fame has been re-signed by the G.O.A.T. ... and the owner of the piece now says he feels like he's been made whole.

Daniel Vitale was initially livid over the situation earlier this year ... claiming after he temporarily donated the 1-of-1 American flag to the Pats' HOF, officials there ruined the Brady signature on it by displaying it improperly.

Vitale shared pics of the piece, showing the dark blue Brady John Hancock that the QB had put on it in the early 2000s had lost its "T" after being in the New England museum's possession.

The father of three filed a lawsuit over it all, alleging that the flag was worth potentially $1 MILLION less ... and he was asking for the Pats HOF to pay him for damages.

Vitale's lawsuit is still ongoing ... though he tells TMZ Sports he feels at least part of the situation has been remedied, after the Patriots helped get Tom to re-sign the flag last week following the Buccaneers star's return from Germany.

Vitale says the new signature is incredible -- it's "four times" the original size, he told us -- and he now believes the piece is worth significantly more than the $1 million it was initially appraised at.

Vitale will begin the process of trying to sell it now -- he's taking offers immediately -- and he tells us he's trying to do a lot of good with some of the eventual proceeds.

The longtime Pats fan has a daughter who has autism, and he's planning to donate some of the flag's sales to raise awareness for the disability. Specifically, Vitale is hoping to funnel funds to Spectrum Connection, a division of Community Partners in New Hampshire.

Before this curly-headed cutie was working with some of the music industry's biggest stars, he was just strapped into a grocery cart and a pair of red overalls while growing up in New York City with his four siblings.

With no intentions of name-dropping ... Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato are just a few careers this star-studded guy manages. And, music isn't the only pot he has his hand in ... in 2011, he produced Bieber's "Never Say Never" documentary which historically became one of the biggest-grossing docs of all time!

DJ Khaled is giving two lucky fans a chance to walk in his shoes -- literally. He's offering a decked-out Airbnb stay that comes with a version of his own sneaker closet!!!

The hip hop mogul is giving away two exclusive one-night stays at a beautiful home in the heart of Miami.

The house has all the bells and whistles, including an outdoor lounge and the obligatory pool. Best part ... it's loaded with some of Khaled's most prized possessions -- sneakers!

Whoever gets the keys will be able to sleep in gym shoe heaven ... Khaled recreated his legendary sneaker closet, and it features a ton of his personal kicks, but not all of them -- he has more than 10,000 pairs.

Guests will also get a pair of We The Best Jordan 5s, a private shopping session at a premiere sneaker store, 305 kicks ... and they'll even get catered dinner from his restaurant, The Licking.

The one-night stay goes down Dec. 5 and 6, and guests will be greeted with a handwritten welcome note from Khaled himself.

Guests only have to pay $11 (a nod to his shoe size) a night for the one-time experience in the 305.

Eva Mendes may have let the cat out of the bag on whether she's hitched to Ryan Gosling or not ... but doesn't really seem to care to confirm one way or another.

The actress appears to have spilled the beans during an interview Friday with Channel Nine's "Today" show down in Australia ... during which she discussed some charity work she's doing there as RG films his latest movie, "The Fall Guy."

The hosts were asking how and she the family were getting along, and that's when EM refers to Ryan as her "husband" -- not thinking twice about it and not correcting herself either.

On its face, it seems Eva is confirming longtime speculation that she and Ryan are, in fact, married -- this after 11 years together and two shared children later. Not just this, but a recent pic she not-so-subtly posted is also fueling the rumor mill anew.

It's a photo of her wrist with a tattoo reading ... "de gosling," which could mean she's taken his last name, as is custom in Spanish culture. Eva addressed this photo recently during her press run down under, clarifying she got it years ago and jokingly wondering ... "Who's to say we aren't (married) already?" EM went on to say she likes to keep it a mystery.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are starting their own production company that promises to put creatives first -- both in terms of less corporate red tape ... and more money long-term.

The two Hollywood titans -- who have three Oscars between the both of them, and who've starred in, written and directed countless hit films over the years -- announced Sunday they were launching something called Artists' Equity ... which speaks exactly to their goal here.

The idea behind this new enterprise is to host and cater to premier peeps in the film and TV industry -- but instead of paying 'em bank up front, the way a big studio/streamer might these days on talent-for-hire, BA and MD are taking it old-school ... with a cut of the profits.

Back in the day, pre-streaming, that was the playbook in showbiz. Actors and directors and other folks attached to a flick would often be contractually entitled to cash after the fact based on how well something did at the box office. If a movie crushed over time, it could mean more moolah than a one-time payout -- high as it may seem at first -- which is SOP now.

Ben and Matt wanna bring that back, with BA explaining to the NYT ... "As streamers have proliferated, they have really ended back-end participation, and so this is partly an effort to try to recapture some of that value and share it in a way that’s more equitable." He went on to add, "Not just writers and directors and stars. But also cinematographers, editors, costume designers and other crucial artists who, in my view, are very underpaid."

Artists' Equity also aims to do what big studios can't ... getting out of the way, and letting creatives have actual ownership/control of their vision without all the politics that tend to hinder production, sometimes for the worst. At AE, Ben and Matt are adopting laissez-faire.

It's a neat idea ... and it's not just a pipe dream either. Matt and Ben have secured at least $100 million in initial financing from RedBird Capital Partners -- plus an undisclosed amount of dough from their own pockets. Ben says he's going to lend his services exclusively to Artists' Equity going forward. Matt's committed to a handful of films as well.

Cheryl Burke is hanging up her boogie shoes on "Dancing With the Stars" -- and while she'd love a seat at the judge's table ... it doesn't sound like that's gonna happen, at least for now.

The longtime pro dancer and 'DWTS' staple -- who's been a recurring contestant for 26 seasons, and won twice -- announced Sunday she wouldn't be competing on the reality competition show anymore, saying it was time to retire and move on to new horizons.

In a lengthy IG post, Cheryl explained Monday night's finale episode would be her last dance performance on 'Dancing,' and added a heartfelt thank you to the production as a whole.

She writes, "This show has been my 2nd family since I was 21 years old. The cast, crew & fans have seen me through my highest highs & some of my lowest lows, & I honestly don’t know who I would be today without them. I also know that it is time for me to begin the next phase of my career, although dance will always be a part of me."

CB adds, "I am excited about the idea of evolving, about being challenged in new ways, having the ability to expand my commitment to mental health advocacy, focusing on my new found love for podcasting, & I’m ready to face the uncertainty (though it’s scary as sh**) of what the future holds - I do have a few things up my sleeves though, so don’t worry."

The official 'DWTS' Twitter page wished her well amid the news, calling her an icon. That's nice, but Cheryl was brutally honest about why she's exiting in follow-up interviews.

Cheryl told Variety that she actually wanted the empty judge's chair being vacated by mainstay Len Goodman -- who announced last week he was retiring as well. She says she's been vocal about this for years now, and has apparently expressed it to upper management ... but to no avail, it seems. Instead, it looks like ABC and co. are letting her walk away.

Jason David Frank -- one of the original "Power Rangers" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

The actor and mixed martial artist died in Texas, according to his rep Justine Hunt. Sources with direct knowledge tell us his death was the result of suicide.

JDF is best known as Tommy Oliver from the original run of the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" franchise, dating back to the kids series' debut in 1993 ... when he was introduced as one of six crime/monster-fighting superheroes, masked head to toe with kung-fu skills.

Fans will remember ... he started out as the Green Ranger in Season 1, introduced at first as an enemy of the Power Rangers -- only to do a 180 and become good. After his powers start to deteriorate, however, he's turned into the White Ranger ... and tapped as the new leader of the group. Frank starred as one of the leads for 3 seasons, totaling 123 episodes.

Frank went on to reprise his role as Tommy in several adaptions of 'Power Rangers' -- including 'Wild Force,' 'Turbo,' 'Zeo,' 'Dino Thunder,' 'Megaforce,' 'Ninja Steel,' 'HyperForce,' and more. He's been a Red Ranger, a Black Ranger and a Green Ranger anew. JDF is a fan favorite Power Ranger ... which is why he's returned to the franchise time and again.

His onscreen fighting abilities translated into the real world ... Frank was a professionally trained MMA brawler, who was well-versed in everything from Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and others. He fought professionally for a time from 2008 to 2010.

He's survived by his four children.

Jason's rep Justine tells TMZ  ... "Please respect the privacy of his family and friends during this horrible time as we come to terms with the loss of such a wonderful human being. He loved his family, friends and fans very much. He will truly be missed."

Frank was 49.

RIP

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

Kyrie Irving, suspended since November 3rd, has rejoined his Nets teammates and is expected to play Sunday night ... nearly a month after posting a link to a controversial movie.

30-year-old Irving was at Nets shootaround Sunday morning -- hours before BK plays the Grizzlies at Barclays -- once again told reporters he wasn't antisemitic.

"I don’t stand for anything close to hate speech or antisemitism or anything that is going against the human race," Irving said.

"I feel like we all should have an opportunity to speak for ourselves when things are assumed about us and I feel it was necessary for me to stand in this place and take accountability for my actions, because there was a way I should have handled all this and as I look back and reflect when I had the opportunity to offer my deep regrets to anyone that felt threatened or felt hurt by what I posted, that wasn’t my intent at all."

Of course, it was way back on October 27th Kyrie tweeted a link to the movie "Hebrew to Negroes: Wake Up Black America" ... a film full of antisemitic tropes.

Irving eventually deleted the tweet ... but refused to apologize for giving the movie attention. After multiple missed opportunities to apologize, the Nets suspended Kyrie on November 3, saying he was "unfit" to be a Net.

But, after meeting several criteria ... including a face-to-face with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, the Nets organization believes Kyrie has done enough.

Qatar pulled out the big guns to open the 2022 World Cup ... hiring Morgan Freeman to share some words of wisdom and a BTS member to sing us toward kickoff.

The actor was on hand Sunday during the Opening Ceremony, where he performed in a rehearsed skit that sorta felt like something out of a Disneyland production ... with MF mic'd up and talking to a Qatari man who was a bilateral amputee from the waist down.

It's interesting ... their scripted convo certainly seemed to address the controversy over Qatar hosting in the first place because of outcry over their human rights record. Morgan asks the man if he's welcome there, seeing how they abide by different customs and practices.

The Qatari man assures him he is, and that Qatar by extension invites the entire world in hopes of gaining a better understanding of one another ... noting soccer brings them together.

Jungkook's performance was more straightforward and traditional ... he did a showstopping number of 'Dreamers' alongside Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi, with a lot of dancers/ production value behind 'em, similar to how a lot of the WC opening ceremonies have been.

The home crowd was fired up from it all ... although their enthusiasm waned once their team took the pitch. Qatar lost 2-0 to Ecuador for the first match -- and it wasn't really close.

Turns out the 911 call that reported the slaughter of 4 University of Idaho students came from the cell phone of one of the surviving roommates ... but police aren't saying who called.

The City of Moscow PD clarified its prior statements late Saturday, acknowledging the phone that was used to make the call, but adding, "the identity of the caller has not been released."

It's unclear why cops don't want the ID known, but they have gone back and forth about whether the community is safe, given that the killer/killers are still on the loose.

Police have said they don't believe the surviving roommates were involved in the stabbings. What's puzzling ... authorities believe the murders occurred sometime around 3 AM, but the 911 call wasn't made until noon -- 9 hours later.

Weirdly, the 911 call -- logged at 11:58 AM, November 13 -- requested assistance for an unconscious person ... yet police say it was a bloodbath inside, with blood seeping through the walls onto the exterior of the house.

A big clue seems to be a series of calls made shortly after the victims returned home ... one of them called a guy named Jack a total of 7 times while another tried 3 times, but police offered no further information.

Detectives are on the hunt for surveillance video from 3 AM to 6 AM Sunday, November 13. They're looking at nearby businesses and homes in the area.

It appears some of the victims put up a fight, given they had defensive wounds. Police believe the victims were asleep when the attack began. Police said early on this was a "targeted" attack.

Cops have not found the murder weapon, although they have checked local businesses to see if a Rambo-like knife had been recently sold.

Aaron Carter's dog has made it safe and sound to a new home ... and we're told she's staying somewhat within the fam -- going to a relative of his fiancée.

Jennifer Martin, Melanie's sister, and her fiancé Max tell TMZ ... they took in Zelda, the 3-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd, the day after Aaron passed.

Zelda was in the room with Aaron when he passed ... and seemed to be in shock when she was found ... acting nervous and scared.

Jennifer and Max tell us ... Melanie was going through a lot after Aaron's death, so it just felt right to take Zelda in, adding the dog's been doing a lot better since the traumatic incident. The couple has started a TikTok for Zelda's journey.

Zelda isn't going to get fixed, but they don't want more pups ... Zelda's already had 2 litters. They're worried about the surgery changing her temperament -- she's already been through a lot.

Another massacre at a gay club has left 5 dead and at least 18 injured.

A gunman opened fire at Club Q, a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs. The shooting occurred just before midnight Saturday, when authorities began receiving a barrage of 911 calls.

It appears the gunman is in custody. According to the Club's Facebook page ... "the quick reactions of heroic customers ... subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack."

A police official confirmed they apparently got the gunman ... "They did locate one individual who we believe to be the suspect inside. At this point in time, the suspect is being treated, but is in custody."

Police have not discussed or revealed motive, but the club itself has already called this a hate crime.

Club Q was hosting musical acts Saturday night, including its weekly Diva Drag Show.

The FBI is on the scene, and nearly a dozen ambulances rushed there to treat and transport the injured.

The club posted on its page, "Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community. Our thoughts are with all the victims and their families and friends. We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack."

This is far from the first attack in gay clubs. Perhaps the worst ... back in 2016, when a gunman opened fire at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, killing 49.

This is the latest in a slew of mass killings in America this year -- more than 500 -- snuffing out the lives of more than 2,700 innocent people.

Kim Jong Un has been shaking up the world with his terrifying antics, and he used one of those occasions to introduce the world to his adolescent daughter.

The brutal North Korean dictator gave everyone an uncharacteristic first look at his cherubic-faced girl watching a ballistic missile test in a series of photos released Saturday by his state media. The child's name, age and other personal characteristics were kept under wraps.

She appears to be around 9 years old. Kim and his wife reportedly have 3 kids, but they have all been shielded from public view.

Of course, Kim is famous for walling off himself and his country, which is how it got the nickname the "Hermit Kingdom." So, Kim's decision to unveil his daughter in such an official setting is interesting ... since he might view her as a next-generation leader.

In the images, Kim is seen walking with his daughter and holding her hand ... but his choice for their special outing is something most dads would never dream of.

Instead of buying her ice cream, Kim took her to Pyongyang International Airfield to watch a new intercontinental ballistic missile launch into the sky. ICBMs are typically used for nuclear weapons delivery.

As you may know ... Kim has been ratcheting up tensions in the region with a stream of ballistic missile tests in recent weeks. He warned President Biden that he would take "fiercer" measures if the U.S. continued to defend North Korea's rivals -- South Korea and Japan. The latest test shows these missiles are now capable of reaching just about any part of the U.S. mainland.