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"The Wire" star Bobby J. Brown was drinking alcohol before he died in a Maryland barn fire, TMZ has learned.

Brown consumed several alcoholic beverages prior to his death at his home in Chaptico, MD, on February 24, 2026, according to an autopsy report obtained by TMZ. However, the actor tested negative for drugs.

The report also states that Brown suffered catastrophic, life-threatening burns that went deep into his skin and tissue. In addition, carbon monoxide levels in his blood reached 71 percent, the report says.

LaVar Ball has revealed that he and his wife of 30 years, Tina Ball, have taken their talents to Splitsville.

Check out the clip ... the father of NBA stars Lonzo, LaMelo, and former NBA G-Leaguer LiAngelo, was on N3on's podcast and revealed for the first time that he and Tina are no longer together.

It seems like she made the decision, and LaVar -- while he certainly seems hurt by it -- is rolling with the punches.

Kansas City police think they've found the body of the gunman suspected of killing one person in a series of highway shootings earlier this month.

Jake Becchina, the Kansas City Police Department's Public Information Officer, announced to media Wednesday they are under the assumption they located 22-year-old Oscar Sanchez-Munoz's body inside the burned basement of a family member’s home. The body was found wearing clothes identical to those believed to be worn by Sanchez-Munoz.

Becchina said police originally searched the home after an hours-long stand-off, but it had caught on fire and flooded ... making it difficult to thoroughly search. He explained the family contacted authorities after they searched through the rubble and smelled something decomposing, leading them to the remains.

Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes left a trail of destruction -- and the heartbreak wasn't limited to humans, with one terrified puppy pulled alive from the rubble.

Check out the video ... the frightened little pup clings to a rescuer as firefighters offer it sips of water after it was dug out from the wreckage of a collapsed building in Caracas Wednesday night.

The poor pooch looks completely shell-shocked, seemingly trying to make sense of the chaos. It's unclear where its owners are, but the puppy is now in the care of the Caracas Fire Department.

Dolly Parton made a surprise appearance Wednesday at the opening of Dolly's Tennessean Travel Stop ... a great relief to worried fans after she canceled her Las Vegas residency a month ago due to health issues.

Dolly dropped by the opening ceremony of the travel stop in Cornersville, TN ... the joint serving BBQ and coffee aptly named "Cup of Ambition," per local reports.

The country music icon was a sight for sore eyes ... because she's stepped back from several appearances while recovering from health issues -- and grieving the death of her husband, Carl Dean.

Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White is fed up with how Caitlin Clark is getting treated during games ... and a fist to the hooper's throat seemed like the last straw.

The league's biggest name was roughed up during the Fever's 111-109 loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday ... a contest Clark left in the third quarter due to back issues.

Prior to her departure, Clark was at the center of two incidents White considered to be "cheap shots" ... including one that spread like wildfire on social media.

A GoFundMe for a years-long street vendor has passed the $100K mark and continues to climb after the vendor was brutally beaten in a horrific attack.

A video first shared online Sunday shows a nasty brawl that broke out between the vendor, Arabelia Martinez, and an unknown woman at the former's stand in Los Angeles. The video shows a heated dispute escalating as the woman pours hot sauce on Martinez's hot dogs, prompting Martinez to throw red powder at the woman.

They then got physical ... with the woman throwing punches at the back of Martinez's head as people rush in to break them up. Martinez is able to slip away momentarily, but the woman charges at her again, sending a barrage of blows to her head and face ... before yanking her to the ground with her hair.

The suspect in the Planet Fitness Peeping Tom case is still walking the streets ... and it's all because of a technicality in California state law.

Jeremy Burns -- a spokesperson for the Arroyo Grande PD -- tells TMZ ... police haven't been able to arrest Kyle L. Combs yet because his alleged crimes are considered misdemeanors in California.

According to Burns, officers can only make a misdemeanor arrest when they witness the offense firsthand ... the alleged evidence in the case isn't enough.

Whitney Houston wasn't high when she fell off Oprah's stage, at least not according to her bodyguard ... and he says he would know because he was there for it all.

Ray Watson sat down with TMZ's Charlie Neff to recall the moment the iconic artist took a tumble during her 2009 appearance on Oprah's talk show.

He says she was coming towards the front of the stage and couldn't see the edge ... and that's why she went down.

The "Jackass: Best and Last" premiere definitely had one Bam-sized hole in it -- but the rest of the crew made damn sure nobody left bored!

Wednesday night's Hollywood premiere reunited the usual suspects -- Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man, and the gang -- all for another round of fun and chaos.

As you'd expect, this wasn't your average polished red carpet. It was loud, wild, and packed with adrenaline -- with big-timers like Pedro Pascal, Paris Jackson, and "Obsession" star Inde Navarrette also joining the fun.

But in case you were missing Bam, his parents, Phil and April Margera, proudly flew the family flag in his absence.

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela Wednesday night ... one of them sent professional baseball players running for their lives as the stadium shook before them.

Check out the surreal clip -- the ground begins to rumble at Estadio Universitario de Caracas as the players continue the game ... until they can't ignore the movement any longer. Players and officials flee to the center of the field, while you hear the crowd erupt in chaos as the stadium shakes under them.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports the first earthquake was initially measured at a magnitude of 7.2, while a more powerful quake followed less than a minute later, measuring at 7.5.

The official cause of death for "The Wire" star Bobby J. Brown has been revealed ... and it lines up exactly with what his daughter told us.

Brown died back in February in a barn fire ... and now TMZ has confirmed with the Maryland Medical Examiner that Brown's cause of death was ruled as diffuse thermal injury and smoke inhalation. His manner of death was determined to be an accident.

That statement is now what is officially on record as Brown's cause of death.

Poo Bear will be looking for a new place to hibernate this winter, it seems ... because he's selling his Miami penthouse -- asking for an 8-figure sum.

The singer and producer -- best known for his frequent collaborations with Justin Bieber -- has listed his three-story penthouse, which takes up floors 60-62 of a high-rise situated right on Biscayne Bay, for $10 million.

The 8,309-square-foot abode includes six suites and 7.5 bathrooms and terraces with great views of the bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Miami skyline.

Tia Mowry is officially off the market -- and while she's more than happy to gush about her new man, don't expect wedding bells just yet!

Check out our chat with Tia in NYC, shortly after she hard-launched her boyfriend, Javone Williams. We asked whether another trip down the aisle could be in the cards, and she definitely responded ... pretty quickly, too.

Tia said a lot without saying a lot -- read into that what you will -- but one thing's crystal clear ... Tia is absolutely smitten, telling us everything's going amazingly with Javone.

A pilot reportedly suffered a medical emergency during an Air Canada flight, and passengers jumped in to help restrain him after the aircraft took a sharp turn.

The frightening incident occurred Wednesday on an Air Canada flight from Newark, New Jersey to Halifax, Nova Scotia, after the pilot experienced what some passengers thought was a seizure that lasted about 40 minutes, according to ABC News.  

The first officer reportedly took command of the fight, diverting the plane to Boston, where it touched down safely. After landing, the captain was rushed to a hospital for treatment. His condition is currently unknown.

Lionel Richie had a rough night onstage, cutting short his Minnesota concert after falling ill onstage in front of a packed crowd.

The legendary singer was performing "Dancing on the Ceiling" at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul on Wednesday night, when he started feeling dizzy and was forced to sit down.

Videos posted on social media show Richie belting out the song as he walks around the stage before parking his butt on a platform.