Celebrity Death

Rae Carruth -- the piece of garbage NFL star WR who hired a hitman to kill his pregnant girlfriend -- was released from prison Monday morning, 19 years after the deadly incident.

Rae was a talented football player -- the Carolina Panthers took him in the 1st round of the 1997 NFL Draft and made the NFL All-Rookie Team after a pretty solid rookie season.

But, he threw it all away in Nov. 1999 when he conspired with a gunman to murder 24-year-old Cherica Adams, who was 8 months pregnant with his child.

Officials say Carruth and Adams got in separate cars after a movie date and once they got on the road, he blocked her vehicle so the gunman could have a clean shot.

Adams was hit 4 times but managed to call 911 -- and emergency personnel were able to perform an emergency C-section and save the baby. Cherica died 4 weeks later.

The child, Chancellor Lee Adams, was born with severe cerebral palsy due to trauma from the shooting. He's been raised by Cherica's mother, Saundra, ever since.

Rae was hit with several criminal charges -- but when the time came to turn himself into authorities, he infamously ran like the coward he is. He was later found hiding in the trunk of a car in Tennessee.

Carruth was ultimately convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, attempting to destroy an unborn child and discharging a firearm into occupied property.

He was sentenced to 18 to 24 years in prison.

Carruth -- now 44 years old -- told WBTV in a recent interview he's "excited" to get out of prison but nervous about how he'll be received by the public, acknowledging there is "so much hate and negativity toward me."

Dennis Hof's longtime pal in the sex biz, Heidi Fleiss, tells us the famous brothel owner's sugary diet and poor eating habits played a major role in his death.

Heidi would know better than anyone ... she's known Dennis forever and tells us he was constantly chowing down on an insane amount of Fudgsicles before and after dinner, and things got so bad recently, Dennis could barely walk.

Dennis' eating habits were so out of whack, Heidi says the famous pimp equated a Taco Bell salad to kale. She's convinced Dennis' declining health was a direct result of his poor diet, and believes it contributed to Hof's death.

The two longtime friends were planning to turn things around with a health retreat, but Heidi says they never got the chance.

As we first reported ... Dennis' Love Ranch has been shut down in the wake of his sudden death, and the future of his other brothel, the Bunny Ranch, is also up in the air.

Paul Allen's cause of death was the septic shock brought on by his battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma ... TMZ has learned.

We obtained Allen's death certificate, and it lists septic shock and immunosuppression as causes of death ... but both were clearly the result of his cancer. According to the document ... Allen died Monday at 12:35 PM at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle.

The Microsoft cofounder had announced nearly 3 weeks ago his cancer had returned after 9 years of remission.

Allen owned the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trailblazers, and cofounded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975. His estimated net worth was north of $20 billion. Allen was never married and had no children. He was 65.

According to the death certificate, he opted to be buried instead of cremation.

You're gonna have to go somewhere else to fulfill your wildest fantasies ... because we've learned Dennis Hof's famous Nevada whorehouse closed its doors the day he died.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the Love Ranch was shut down Tuesday immediately after the owner's death.

Dennis was the sole owner of the famous brothel where Lamar Odom overdosed, and no one else is legally permitted to run the biz. The Love Ranch had its prostitution and liquor licenses stripped, 'cause Dennis was the only name on the paperwork.

Other sources tell us sheriffs hit up the Love Ranch Wednesday night and took away the girls' permits to legally prostitute themselves. The women have been told to hit the road.

It's been a long time coming ... we're told sheriffs have been trying to close the Love Ranch ever since Dennis announced he was running for State Assembly.

The brothel's future looks bleak ... the Love Ranch can't reopen until someone else locks down licenses, and that person will have to prove they own the property, prove it can be financially stable and pass background checks. It's not clear who will inherit the property.

There's still some good news for those starved for sex ... Hof's other whorehouse, the Bunny Ranch, is still operating.

But, get those last pumps in quick, we're told the D.A. is exploring whether to shut down the Bunny Ranch as well.

Max Lomas -- the friend who discovered Bobbi Kristina submerged in a bathtub with a toxic mix of drugs in her system -- died from a fentanyl overdose himself ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Lomas' official cause of death was "fentanyl toxicity," and his death was ruled accidental. We broke the story ... Lomas died of an overdose in Mississippi earlier this year, but it was unclear at the time what drug had caused it.

As we've reported ... Lomas was the guy who found Bobbi Kristina lifeless in a tub all those years ago, which eventually led to her death after she was taken off life support. A bunch of drugs were later found in her system.

Lomas was ID'd by some authorities as Bobbi Kristina and Nick Gordon's drug dealer, but he denied that. He was at their home in the hours leading up to her death.

Mike Tyson could barely contain his emotions while reflecting on the night his good friend, Tupac Shakur, was shot ... saying the rap legend was "really happy" just before he was gunned down.

Tyson and Pac were great friends in the '90s -- and he was Tyson's VIP guest the night he fought Bruce Seldon on September 7, 1996 at the MGM Grand in Vegas.

Tyson says Tupac was in great spirits during their last interaction at the post-fight press conference ... and remembers Pac talking "a bunch of sh*t" after his 1st-round TKO.

Of course, Tupac was shot 4 times while leaving the fight in Vegas by an unknown assailant while Suge Knight was in the driver's seat next to him. Pac died 6 days later.

Tyson choked back tears while recounting that night while sitting down with radio legend Big Boy from 92.3 ... saying, "It's very difficult to talk about. Young kid that wanted to be great and then that happened."

Tyson recalls being frustrated because he wasn't allowed to visit Pac in the hospital before he passed away.

But, Iron Mike says Pac's legacy lives on ... and he's still asked about the late MC wherever he goes.

10:15 AM PT -- Oli was found dead in a pond near his Connecticut home ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We're told police were dispatched to Oli's Stafford Springs home Tuesday afternoon after someone reported him missing. Cops searched the area and found Oli in a nearby pond.

Police sources say the death does not appear to be suspicious, but an autopsy needs to be performed to confirm the cause and manner of death. The Connecticut medical examiner is investigating.

Oli Herbert, a founding member and lead guitarist of metal band All That Remains, has passed away at the age of 44.

The band confirmed Oli's death on its Facebook page -- "We were devastated to learn that Oli Herbert, our friend, guitar player, and founding member of All That Remains, has passed away."

No word on the cause of death yet.

The band's message continued ... "Oli was an incredibly talented guitarist and song writer who defined Rock and Metal from the Northeast. His impact on the genres and our lives will continue indefinitely."

Oli started the band back in 1998 in Springfield, MA alongside frontman Phil Labonte.

All That Remains has released 8 studio albums, with over 1 million records sold worldwide. The band is scheduled to release a new album, "Victim Of The New Disease," November 9.

Oli is survived by his wife, Beth.

RIP

Dennis Hof was the picture of health before his untimely death, and there are no obvious signs he was under the influence when he died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us no drugs or alcohol were found near Hof's body Tuesday when paramedics arrived at his Love Ranch home in Crystal, Nevada. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

Sources close to the late owner of the famous Bunny Ranch brothels say Hof did not drink or take drugs of any kind -- and insist even his signature cigar was fake.

Also interesting ... we're told 72-year-old Hof was given a clean bill of health just 2 weeks ago after undergoing cataract surgery at the Mayo Clinic. Our sources say Hof appeared to be in tip-top shape last weekend during his birthday celebrations.

We're told friends became concerned Tuesday when they weren't able to get a hold of him, as sources say he was always up by 4:30 AM and easily reachable by cell unless he had company.

Since he wasn't answering Tuesday, his pals assumed that was the case ... until Ron Jeremy discovered his body at his home around 11 AM.

Hof was in the middle of a campaign for State Assembly in Nevada before he passed.

Dennis Hof -- the owner of the famous Bunny Ranch, and Love Ranch where Lamar Odom overdosed -- has passed away at the age of 72.

Law enforcement sources tell us they got a 911 call from Hof's Love Ranch in Crystal, Nevada around 11 AM. We're told the call was for an unresponsive male. Detectives are currently on scene ... no foul play is suspected.

Hof had recently celebrated his birthday with a weekend-long bash that included celebs like Ron Jeremy, Flavor Flav, Afroman and Johnny Buss. According to Hof's campaign manager, Jeremy was the one who discovered his body.

Hof shot to superstardom as the star of the HBO series 'Cathouse' -- which followed him as he ran his famous brothels in Nevada.

Hof bragged about being a pimp -- and came up with his own catchphrase, "There's no business like ho business."

The most infamous incident under Hof's watch went down in October 2015 when Lamar Odom overdosed after a bender at Hof's Love Ranch South. Blood tests later revealed Lamar had cocaine in his system. Odom was placed in a coma for 3 days after the incident.

In a recent interview, Lamar revealed he suffered 12 strokes and 6 heart attacks while hospitalized for the incident.

Hof was a master when it came to publicity -- he famously hired Tiger Woods' mistress Devon James to work at the Bunny Ranch back in 2010. He fired her and at the time said, "I wish nothing but the worst for her."

Hof was currently in the middle of a campaign for State Assembly ... winning the GOP primary in June.

Paul Allen, the billionaire who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975 is dead.

Allen succumbed to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He died Monday afternoon in his hometown of Seattle.

Allen, whose wealth was estimated north of $20 billion, announced 2 weeks ago his cancer had returned after 9 years in remission.

Allen and Gates, both college dropouts, hatched the idea for Microsoft in Albuquerque. They designed software for the yet-to-explode personal computer revolution.

The 2 men met when they were teenage students at Lakeside School outside Seattle. They became fast friends and bonded over their love of computers. The two would go "dumpster diving" for computer program code. Allen, who dropped out of Washington State, convinced Gates to bail from Harvard.

Allen is the one who came up with the name -- Micro-Soft.

The company moved to Bellevue, Washington in 1979. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1983 and resigned shortly thereafter, but still was an active member of the board until 2000.

Allen bought the Seattle Seahawks back in 1996, 8 years after buying the Portland Trail Blazers. He also bought the Seattle Sounders, part of Major League Soccer, with business partners including Drew Carey.

Allen was a huge music fan, especially of Jimi Hendrix, and founded The Experience Music Project Museum in Seattle.

Paul donated more than $2 billion to various charities.

Allen was never married and had no children.

Paul's family says, "For all the demands on his schedule, there was always time for family and friends. At this time of loss and grief for us -- and so many others -- we are profoundly grateful for the care and concern he demonstrated everyday."

Paul was 65. RIP.

Margot Robbie's been in full Sharon Tate mode while filming Quentin Tarantino's new Manson flick ... and shots like these show just how strong a resemblance she bears to the '60s actress.

QT's leading star for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" was on set Monday in L.A. getting ready to shoot a scene, decked out in a black turtleneck, white skirt and matching go-go boots.

We don't have to tell you how much she looks like Sharon, we'll just show you. Here's a photo of Sharon with her husband, Roman Polanski, in 1968 ... a year before she and 4 others were brutally murdered by the Manson family.

Sharon was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time she was killed in '69. Margot's already shot scenes with her faux pregnancy belly.

If her acting is anywhere near as spot-on as her look is -- and Sharon's sister indicated to us earlier this year that it is -- then we're almost certainly in for some Oscar-worthy work.

Quavo is setting the record straight after Lil Peep's stans got furious at what they thought were lyrics mocking the late rapper's death ... and he's doing it by announcing a self-imposed rule.

The Migos rapper tweeted out a message Monday that addressed the massive backlash he received over the weekend on the heels of dropping his solo album, "Quavo Huncho."

On the song "BIG BRO," Quavo raps ... "Think you poppin' Xanax bars, but it's Fentanyl // Think you're living like rockstars but you're dead now."

Tons of people took that as a diss aimed at Lil Peep, and were justifiably pissed over the apparent low blow. But, Quavo clarified his intent behind the lyrics, saying, "Lil Peep Is A Legend A Real Rockstar N E V E R will speak on the deceased."

He went on to explain that he believes in God, and doesn't question his plans ... adding that he had a 10-year barber who died from Fentanyl use. He capped off his tweet with ... "RIP TO ANYBODY WHO LOST THERE LIFE TO DRUG ABUSE!"

As we reported ... Peep died from a Xanax and Fentanyl overdose. Many other drugs were discovered in his system as well. He was 21 years old.

Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson hit a life-changing fork in the road last month when Mac Miller died -- and his death was the tipping point that led to their split ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to AG and PD tell us ... Ariana was in an incredibly dark place following her ex-boyfriend's apparent fatal overdose. She didn't blame herself -- she feels she did everything she could to get him sober -- but it left her an emotional wreck.

In the aftermath of Mac's death, our sources say Ariana realized a couple of things -- she couldn't be fully invested in her relationship with Pete, and she had rushed into a looming marriage way too fast by getting engaged.

TMZ broke the story ... Ariana and Pete broke things off this weekend and called off their engagement.

She never signaled things were bad. In fact ... Ariana was at 'SNL' Saturday supporting Pete and nothing seemed amiss. Folks who were there say they looked all boo'd up, kissing and holding each other backstage. Something clearly snapped Sunday.

Neither have commented on the breakup.

Dolores O'Riordan died when she drank too much and drowned ... a sad fact confirmed by her death certificate.

According to the doc -- obtained by TMZ -- The Cranberries singer's cause of death is listed as drowning and alcohol intoxication ... and the conclusion is that it was an accident.

As we reported ... the coroner's report revealed Dolores was found dead in a bathtub in her London hotel in January. Toxicology results show she had a blood alcohol level that was four times the legal limit for driving.

Dolores died in January, a day before she was set to record new music with another band. Despite friends of hers telling us she was very depressed at the time -- implying she may have committed suicide -- she sounded upbeat and happy on a voicemail to a friend just hours before she passed.

Suicide was officially ruled out last month by the coroner, who added ... "There's no evidence that this was anything other than an accident."

O'Riordan's funeral was held in her home country of Ireland, where there was a massive service.

Dolores was 46.

Deven Davis -- wife of Korn singer Jonathan Davis -- died from the combined effects of 5 different types of drugs ... TMZ has learned.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ .... an autopsy revealed Deven had cocaine, heroin, clonazepam (a sedative used to treat seizures or anxiety), topiramate (nerve pain medication) and fluoxetine (used to treat depression) in her system when she died.

The docs say she was found dead in Bakersfield, California ... and her cause of death has been ruled accidental.

We broke the story ... Deven died in August around the same time Jonathan filed a request for a domestic violence restraining order against his estranged wife, claiming she had major drug issues. Deven had been living in a sober home, but went AWOL about a week before her death.

The Korn frontman later revealed she had been sick for nearly a decade ... and blamed mental illness and addiction for her death.

The 2 were married in 2004, but Jonathan filed for divorce from her in 2016. They had 2 sons together.

Verne Troyer's death has officially been ruled a suicide ... TMZ has confirmed.

The L.A. County Coroner's Office released an autopsy report Wednesday saying the 'Austin Powers' star died of "sequelae of alcohol intoxication" ... basically alcohol abuse. Shortly after his death, the Coroner's Office "deferred" Verne's cause of death ... pending an investigation. The Coroner's Office has now determined alcohol abuse is what killed the actor.

As we reported ... Verne struggled with alcoholism for years and had been to rehab many times. In early April, Verne had been rushed to a hospital after cops got a call that he was suicidal. We were told he was being treated for alcohol poisoning because his BAC was triple the .08 limit.

He'd been on life support ever since -- but, as TMZ first reported, he died a few weeks later. He was 49.