Celebrity Death

Neiron Ball -- a beloved ex-Florida Gators football star -- has died at 27 after a long battle with a rare brain disorder, his family announced.

Ball was a stud at UF from 2011 to 2014 despite being diagnosed with Brain AVM (arteriovenous malformation) ... a condition characterized by tangled blood vessels in the brain. It reportedly affects less than 1% of the population.

Ball was hospitalized in 2011 after collapsing during football practice. Doctors determined he was suffering from a brain bleed and required surgery.

Despite the crippling condition, Ball recovered and GOT BACK ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD -- and he played so well, the Oakland Raiders selected the pass rusher in the 5th round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Ball racked up 9 tackles, a fumble recovery and a sack his rookie year.

But, he suffered an injury and was released the next season.

In 2018, Ball reportedly suffered a brain aneurysm and was placed in a medically induced coma. His sister said Ball's health suffered tremendously -- describing him as a quadriplegic who could only communicate using his eyes.

The family announced Ball passed away Monday morning -- saying, "Neiron was a very special and loving father, brother, and teammate. Neiron has transitioned to a place of peace."

The Florida Gators football team posted a tribute on social media -- "Rest in Peace, Neiron. You'll be forever remembered and always missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family during this difficult time."

Jarzinho Pieter -- a goalkeeper for the Curacao national soccer team -- died Monday night after suffering an apparent heart attack 24 hours before playing Haiti, officials say.

He was only 31.

Pieter was in Port-au-Prince with his Curacao teammates -- prepping to take on Haiti in Tuesday's CONCACAF Nations League game -- when officials say he became ill at the Marriott Hotel where the team was staying.

FYI -- CONCACAF stands for Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.

Haitian sports minister Edwin Charles issued a statement on social media -- saying Pieter was the "victim of a heart attack."

Pieter was 2nd string goalie for Curacao -- but the guy was a stud in the net and began his international career with Team Curacao back in 2013.

As for Curacao's scheduled match, the players had a meeting and decided to take the pitch to honor their teammate.

“The Confederation has been informed by the Curacao Football Federation that following consultation with the players, it has decided to play tomorrow’s match against Haiti in tribute to their team-mate," ... CONCACAF said.

Robert Axelrod, the voice of Lord Zedd and Finister in the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," has died.

Robert's agent said, "It is with a heavy heart that we write that client, Robert “Bob” Axelrod passed away yesterday in Los Angeles at the age of 70."

Axelrod played Lord Zedd in the flesh in "Mighty Mophins Power Ranger: Live" in 1996.

His career was layered with characters ... he played more than 150 over the years. He was featured in "Digimon" and "Samurai Pizza Cats." He wrote more than 50 episodes of 'Pizza Cats.'

Robert was a well-known guitarist in the early '70s ... playing folk rock and soul. He was also a singer before becoming a famous voice-over actor.

His agent said, "Robert enjoyed meeting his fans and inspiring them to follow their passions. His beautiful and kindred soul will never be forgotten and we take comfort in knowing his memory will live on in all those he inspired, met and knew."

Rober was born and raised in New York City. He appeared in commercials as a kid, he also did off-Broadway plays at the Soho Avant-Garde Theater as a teen.

Robert starred in Michael Jackson's 1995 music video, "Stranger in Moscow," from the album 'HIStory.' The video's been watched on YouTube over 46 million times.

His most recent credit was the 2019 comedy thriller, "Induced Effect," which was released in April.

Robert was 70.

Eazy-E would've been happy about this -- his family just put in a new tombstone over his grave that's worthy of his excellence ... and that's properly fact-checked too.

The unveiling of E's new headstone went down Saturday at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Whittier, CA -- where his kids, friends, fam and die-hard fans came out to show the world a newly commissioned engraving that was way more decked out than his OG slab.

It also included his correct date of birth, with the right year ... 1964, not 1963 as his tombstone had indicated for years since he was buried in the '90s.

Besides that, the headstone is truly a work of art -- with photos of Eazy from his NWA days, and a new title that reads, "The Godfather of Gangsta Rap." It includes the same line from his old tombstone -- "We loved him, but God loved him more" -- but has an additional remembrance as well ... "He Put Compton On The Map." Yep, he sure did.

Eazy's kids have told the media that this is something they've wanted to do for a long time for their dad, as the old grave site was, frankly, not up to par ... not to mention misleading.

What makes the day so special in addition to the new headstone itself is the fact that it was put on display on what would've been Eazy's 55th birthday. People were certainly in a celebratory mood too, as the crowd rapped his lyrics and released doves to boot.

We talked to Cemetery Tim, the creator of the new tombstone, and he told us about the pressure he felt in creating this new one in the ground. Looks like he did a job well done, 'cause his daughter was pretty ecstatic with how it all played out.

The rapper died in 1995 from complications due to HIV/AIDS. He was only 30 years old.

Chris March, a costume designer who appeared on "Project Runway" -- and dressed huge stars like Beyonce and Meryl Streep -- is dead ... TMZ has confirmed.

Sources close to Chris' family tell TMZ ... he died Thursday afternoon at 1:45 PM from a heart attack. We're told Chris had been in and out of the hospital for the last year, but the heart attack came as a surprise to doctors and relatives.

Despite his medical battles -- related to a nasty fall he suffered 2 years ago -- we're told Chris was still designing dresses until the end.

Chris was a finalist on season 4 of "Project Runway" ... he also appeared on "Project Runway All Stars" and had his own show on Bravo called "Mad Fashion." He also made cameos on "The Real Housewives of New York City" ... helping find elaborate costumes for Sonja Morgan.

Known for his avant-garde style, Chris had major A-list clients. He designed for Madonna, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Coolidge and, as we said, Bey and Streep. He was responsible for Meryl's 2010 Golden Globe and Oscars gowns.

Chris also designed costumes for Cirque du Soleil and a slew of Broadway performances.

He had struggled to fully recover from a June 2017 fall in his apartment where he'd hit his head. Chris laid there for 4 days, finally woke up and called 911 before being rushed to the hospital.

He had to be placed in a medically induced coma, and suffered organ failure ... including a collapsed lung.

Chris was 56.

Dog the Bounty Hunter is about to be a first-time viewer, just like Joe Q. Public, of his new reality show ... and he nearly broke down as he told us why.

We spoke to Duane "Dog" Chapman on "TMZ Live" about Wednesday night's debut of "Dog's Most Wanted" and he broke some interesting news. Dog says he has NOT seen the final edit of the of show -- which is not his normal process.

Dog said he usually weighs in on edits of the show, but after his wife, Beth Chapman, passed in June ... things changed for him.

Dog says it was too difficult to watch footage of Beth, and therefore ... he stayed out of how the show was cut. As far as what's documented though -- Dog tells us the show captures Beth's final days before she passed away in June, including one final ass-kicking moment in the field.

We also asked Dog for an update on the break-in at his Colorado storefront last month, in which crooks made off with some of Beth's personal belongings. The investigation is ongoing, but he opens up about what local police begged him to do ... or NOT do.

As we reported ... Dog had a hunch the crime was an inside job based on what a psychic told him, who claimed she'd spoken to Beth from the great beyond.

He admitted it wouldn't be pretty if he ends up getting a hold of the culprits.

The "Fastest Woman on Four Wheels" was traveling at a breathtakingly incredible speed for well over a minute -- with no signs of trouble -- just before her fatal jet-car crashed.

This video of Jessi Combs' final ride -- obtained by TMZ -- shows the professional racer absolutely flying across the Alvord Desert in Oregon last week as she attempted to break the land-speed record she'd previously set in 2016.

Shortly after this footage ends, the vehicle started to come apart. As we reported, Combs' jet-powered car crashed and killed her. Photos of the wreckage show the 56-foot-long jet-car -- called the North American Eagle -- was destroyed with only a few parts even recognizable after the horrific accident.

According to the Harney County Sheriff's Office ... the cause of the crash is still unknown and under investigation.

Along with setting land-speed records that earned Jessi her moniker -- she was a TV personality with notable appearances on "MythBusters" and "Overhaulin'."

Spanish Olympic skier Blanca Fernandez Ochoa was found dead in the Guadarrama Mountains outside Madrid on Wednesday ... nearly 2 weeks after going missing. She was 56 years old.

The 1992 bronze medalist was last seen on August 23 and was reported missing by her daughter ... sparking a massive search operation with drones, helicopters and volunteers to find the world-class athlete.

There's a lot of questions about her death that have just not been answered yet -- including why she left home without her cell phone and credit cards ... and how she ended up at that location. We'll post more information as it becomes available.

Fernandez Ochoa's abandoned Mercedes vehicle was found on Sunday ... and an off-duty officer found her body early Wednesday morning.

Fernandez Ochoa competed in 4 Winter Olympics in the '80s and '90s ... becoming the first Spanish woman to take home a medal in the 1992 winter games in France when she won the bronze in the slalom.

Trina's mother has passed away ... TMZ has learned.

The 'Love & Hip Hop' star and legendary femcee's mom, Vernessa 'Nessa' Taylor, died Tuesday morning, according to Trina's rep. We're told she lost a battle to cancer.

Trina's camp tells us that Nessa was the rock that molded her daughter into the strong, successful woman she's become, and that she was also a pillar in her community in advocating for self-love, confidence and perseverance among women in general.

The rep tells TMZ ... "Thank you all for your kind words and condolences regarding Trina’s mother. It truly gives the family some peace and comfort knowing that 'Nessa' lived such a fulfilling life filled with love and abundance." Trina's team asks for privacy as the family mourns.

Trina mentioned her mother in her music, notably referencing her in a song similar to Pac's "Dear Mama." In her 2017 track -- simply titled "Mama (The One)" -- Trina raps about wanting to pass before her mother did 'cause of how attached she was to her.

Trina's lyrics go like this ... "Thinking 'bout you mama / Got me running to the liquor / Mama where you goin'? / I'm gon' have to beg to differ / I'd rather go first, so I wanna go with you 'cause I can't do this without you." Obviously, they were incredibly close.

Just last year, Trina and co. threw Nessa an extravagant rooftop birthday party, where photos and music were in abundance and a good time was had by all. Even in this clip though, you can see Nessa struggling a bit to walk -- it's clear she was ill at the time.

We're told Trina's inner circle is trying to keep her grounded during this difficult time, and that she's surrounded by loved ones as she works through the grieving process.

Nessa was 62.

Haley Smith -- a former contestant on "American Idol" -- died over the weekend after crashing her motorcycle in Maine ... TMZ has learned.

The singer passed away early Saturday morning in Millinocket, Maine in a one-vehicle crash after police say it appears she failed to make a sharp turn along a residential road that becomes a highway in certain sections. Police say she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her father, Mike Smith, tells TMZ ... Haley was riding on a country road and her family believes a deer might've caused the accident -- as he implied she was a good rider, and they doubt she simply lost control of her bike.

Haley's time on 'AI' was relatively brief in 2012, when she auditioned in Colorado during season 11. She didn't make it beyond the second Hollywood round, but Haley certainly left an impression on the judges at the time in her audition.

She sang Rufus and Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good," putting a folksy twist on it that left Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler pretty impressed.

Steven even said it was an honor to hear her sing, 'cause he said she was out of his "era" with her look, sound and vibe.

Haley was 26, and her family says they were preparing to celebrate her birthday this upcoming November.

RIP

Tyler Skaggs' reputation will ALWAYS be as a hero who dominated on the diamond ... so says ex-MLB stud Dallas Braden, who tells TMZ Sports Skaggs' autopsy results don't change anything.

"People are going to pass their judgments," Braden says ... "They're going to say what they're going to say -- we remember Tyler for what he's done on the field."

A medical examiner in Texas last week found Skaggs tragically died after choking on his own vomit due to a lethal mix of pain killers and alcohol in his system.

But, when we got Braden out in NYC just hours after the news broke ... he told us Skaggs will always be remembered for his pitching -- not by the way he died.

"What you do on the field, how you compete on the field, is what a lot fans are going to remember you by," Dallas says. "Off the field, you're a completely different human being."

Skaggs played 7 years in the MLB before his death in July ... starting 96 career games with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels.

The 27-year-old won 28 career games and posted an ERA of 4.41.

Skaggs' family announced last Friday they are working tirelessly to find out who might have given the former pitcher the drugs, saying, "We were shocked to learn that it may involve an employee of the Los Angeles Angels."

Detroit Tigers minor league catcher Chace Numata died in a Pennsylvania hospital on Monday at the age of 27 … after sustaining serious injuries in a skateboarding accident last week.

According to police, Numata -- who played for the Tigers double-A and triple-A affiliate this season -- was riding his skateboard home early Friday morning around 2 AM when he appears to have fallen and hit his head.

Minutes later a motorist saw Chace on the ground -- unconscious and bleeding -- and called 911. Emergency responders transported Numata to the hospital … where he remained until passing away earlier today.

Numata was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 10th round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He also spent time with the Yankees organization before signing with the Tigers organization before this season.

Numata -- in 77 games this season -- had a .244 batting average with 4 home runs and 28 RBI's. Over his career, Chace played in 575 minor league games.

The Tigers released the following statement on Chace's death, saying … “The Detroit Tigers are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Chace Numata. Though this was his first year with our organization, Chace was beloved by many from our Major League club through all levels of our player development system."

"He had an engaging personality that quickly established him as a leader on and off the field, and his presence will be forever remembered in our organization and beyond. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, teammates and coaches.”

Dog The Bounty Hunter is still hurting months after losing his beloved wife -- not to mention all the other unfortunate events that happened soon after ... but he's got a plan to move forward.

We got Dog out Thursday in NYC and asked him how he's doing these days. He didn't cover up the pain ... Dog says each day is a challenge. He described how he's feeling using a 1 to 10 scale. It's a struggle, for sure.

Dog says he's relying on friends and family as he continues reeling from losing his wife, Beth Chapman to cancer back in June. Adding insult to injury ... crooks broke into Dog's shop not long after, and he suspects it's an inside job. Then there's the scam Dog nearly got wrapped up in. Yes, it's been a rough 2019.

But, there's a new case that fell on Dog's lap and he's more than ready to pounce. He says getting back in on the action will really help him grieve. Sounds like a solid plan.

Valerie Harper -- who starred on the classic sitcoms including "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Rhoda" and "Valerie" -- is dead.

Valerie died Friday morning ... and while a cause of death has not been released, she's had tons of health issues over the years.

Harper was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009 and then, after beating that, announced in 2013 she had terminal brain cancer.

Doctors said she only had three months to live after the brain cancer diagnosis, but she responded well to treatment and actually competed on "Dancing With the Stars" later that year.

As we reported ... Valerie was rushed to a hospital in 2015 after suffering a medical emergency during a performance of a musical in Maine.

Valerie was born in New York and she enjoyed a successful career on Broadway before she landed the role of Rhoda on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," which then led to the spin-off show "Rhoda."

She came back to television several years later on the show "Valerie," but left after two seasons.

Harper also won four Emmys and one Golden Globe for her various roles.

Valerie was 80.

MLB star Tyler Skaggs died in a Texas hotel room from a deadly mix of booze, fentanyl and oxycodone ... according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner.

In the toxicology report released Friday, the ME's report lists the cause of death for the Angels pitcher as a mix of "alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone intoxication with terminal aspiration of gastric contents." In other words, Skaggs choked on his own vomit while under the influence.

The report says his death has been ruled an accident.

It's interesting, the autopsy says, when Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room, he was "clothed in black denim jeans, a black belt with white metal decorations and decorated white buckle, red boxer shorts, black socks and dark brown western boots." The description sounds a lot like what Skaggs was wearing on the team plane, when the Angels dressed in western gear as they flew from California to Texas on June 30.

As we reported ... Tyler was found dead in his team hotel room July 1, when the Angels were in Texas to play the Rangers.

Tyler's family issued a statement Friday, inferring an Angels employee might have been involved in the tragic incident.

The Skaggs family says ... “We are heartbroken to learn that the passing of our beloved Tyler was the result of a combination of dangerous drugs and alcohol. That is completely out of character for someone who worked so hard to become a Major League baseball player and had a very promising future in the game he loved so much."

The statement continues ... “We are grateful for the work of the detectives in the Southlake Police Department and their ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Tyler’s death. We were shocked to learn that it may involve an employee of the Los Angeles Angels. We will not rest until we learn the truth about how Tyler came into possession of these narcotics, including who supplied them. To that end, we have hired attorney Rusty Hardin to assist us.”

Tyler's death sent shockwaves through MLB ... and the Angels tossed a combined no-hitter in their first home game after his passing.

His wife, Carli, gave a heartfelt tribute to the late pitcher during his private funeral.

Tyler was 27.

Franco Columbu, a former Mr. Olympia and one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's closest friends, has died.

Franco died Friday, with reports out of Italy saying the legendary bodybuilder lost his life in an incident at sea in his native Sardinia.

Arnold said goodbye to Franco with a heartfelt message ... writing, "I love you Franco. I will always remember the joy you brought to my life, the advices you gave me, and the twinkle in your eye that never disappeared. You were my best friend."

Franco won Mr. Olympia way back in 1976, the year after Arnold retired from the famous bodybuilding competition. Franco won again in 1981, the year after Arnold's comeback win.

In addition to his success as a bodybuilder, weightlifter and boxer, Franco also had a long career acting on TV and in movies.

One of Franco's most famous movie moment was in the 1977 documentary, "Pumping Iron" ... when he lifted a car to help the driver escape a tiny parking spot.

Franco also appeared in a string of Schwarzenegger movies in the 1980s ... including, "The Terminator," "The Running Man," and "Conan the Barbarian."

Franco and Arnold met in Munich 54 years ago, and instantly became pals ... in later years, Franco was known as Arnold's squire, and Arnold always told people Franco was the strongest man he ever knew.

Franco is survived by his wife, Deborah, and their daughter, Maria. He was 78.