Celebrity Death

Pop Smoke's death wasn't a robbery gone wrong ... it was a targeted hit ... and that conclusion is supported by surveillance video.

People who have seen the surveillance footage from outside the Hollywood Hills home where Pop was killed Wednesday morning tell us ... you see 4 men approach the home at around 4:30 AM and sneak around back.

A couple minutes pass before 3 of the 4 walk back up the side of the home to the front. The 4th apparently walked in the backdoor but no camera was trained on it. The next time you see the man, he exits through the front door of the house.

As we reported, multiple shots were fired inside the home and they only struck Pop Smoke, who was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

At first, it seemed like it might have been a robbery because the rapper posted a photo earlier in the day of a bunch of gifts ... one of which had his home address emblazoned on it. He also posted another pic hours before the shooting of himself and a friend in a car ... the friend is holding an enormous amount of cash.

But, here's the thing. The folks who have seen the surveillance video tell us the person inside the house -- presumably the shooter -- did not carry anything out. Given that he shot someone, it's doubtful he would take the time to stuff items in his pocket.

Pop Smoke was only 20 and already making a name for himself in music. His song, "Welcome to the Party" was remixed by Nicki Minaj and he appeared on Travis Scott's latest project "JACKBOYS." His mix tape charted #7 Tuesday on the Billboard 200.

A former pro-Australian rugby player murdered his wife and 3 young children in an apparent murder-suicide ... according to law enforcement officials in Australia.

42-year-old Rowan Baxter -- who played for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League (NRL) -- was found in his car early Wednesday morning along with his wife, 2 young daughters and his son. The kids were aged 6, 4 and 3.

Officials believe Baxter doused the car with gasoline and set it on fire. Witnesses say they saw Baxter's wife trying to escape the car while yelling, "He's poured petrol on me."

Emergency responders raced to the scene -- and Baxter's wife was transported to a nearby hospital ... but she ultimately succumbed to her injuries. Emergency responders also reportedly tried to revive Rowan, but he was declared dead.

Police say Rowan's wife had been driving the car and he was sitting in the front passenger seat.

A Good Samaritan who tried to help the family was also hospitalized with facial burns, according to local media.

Scott Morrison -- the Prime Minister of Australia -- has issued a statement about the situation saying, "My heart goes out to the families and community going through this tragic time and the emergency responders confronting what would be a shattering scene."

Rowan and his wife had been running a fitness company called Integr8 in Brisbane. They reportedly separated late last year and were trying to hammer out custody arrangements.

Baxter stayed around the game after his playing career was over, working as a fitness coach for teams in NRL, Super Rugby and the Australian Football League.

"Good Times" star Ja'Net DuBois appeared in good spirits -- and more importantly, healthy -- just a couple weeks before suddenly dying.

We got this photo of Ja'Net posing with "Good Times" costars Jimmie Walker, Johnny Brown, Bern Nadette Stanis and Ralph Carter -- all 5 of whom showed up together on Feb. 1 at the Los Angeles Marriott at the Burbank Airport for a scheduled meet and greet with fans.

The group talked with longtime viewers, took photos and signed autographs. As you can see, Ja'Net seemed perfectly fine with the rest of the TV stars. In good enough health, anyway, to walk around and pose for at least a couple shots -- if not more.

Just a little more than 2 weeks later, she was found unresponsive at her Glendale, CA home -- where her family says she died in her sleep unexpectedly. We're told there were no known ailments or illnesses she was battling prior to her passing ... it just happened.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Ja'Net died of natural causes, plain and simple. The fact she was up and smiling just days earlier makes her loss all the more tragic.  It's interesting ... we're told there will be NO autopsy, despite the puzzling nature of her death.

As you might know, she had a hand in some iconic shows besides "Good Times" -- serving as the gorgeous voice that greeted viewers in the opening song, "Movin' On Up," on "The Jeffersons," as well as voicing Mrs. Avery on "The PJs" for all 43 episodes.

She was 74.

RIP

Gareth Pursehouse -- the man accused of murdering Drew Carey's ex fiancee, Dr. Amie Harwick -- has been arrested again and charged with her murder.

Pursehouse was re-arrested Wednesday on a no bail warrant and was charged with one count each of murder and first-degree residential burglary with the special circumstance allegation of lying in wait ... according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney.

Gareth is facing the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole, if convicted. The D.A. says no decision has been made on whether to seek capital punishment.

We broke the story ... Amie was murdered this weekend after cops say Pursehouse attacked her, causing her to fall from a third-story balcony in the Hollywood Hills.

Amie and Gareth dated years ago and as we reported ... Harwick filed for 2 restraining orders against him in 2011 and 2012, claiming he attacked her multiple times and even threw her out of a vehicle on the side of the freeway.

Pursehouse was initially arrested for murder Saturday afternoon, but he bonded out of jail Tuesday night after being held on a $2 million bail.

Now, Pursehouse is back in custody and the D.A. says on Thursday he will be arraigned.

Dallas Cowboys star wide out Amari Cooper was NOT shot in a parking garage in Texas -- despite rumors on social media ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Oh, and also Amari is saying it himself.

"That was fake news y'all. Everything good over here."

There were rumblings on social media the 25-year-old was attacked in a parking garage early Wednesday morning.

And, in the wake of the shooting death of rapper Pop Smoke, people were freaking out about the possibility of losing 2 notable figures to gun violence in less than 24 hours.

Obviously, Amari's statement should end the rumors -- but just for good measure, we also contacted the Dallas Police Dept. which confirmed nobody named Amari Cooper was involved in a shooting.

Amari's pal, Dez Bryant, says he also spoke with Amari today and confirmed all is well.

Pop Smoke, an up-and-coming rapper, was shot and killed Wednesday morning in what appears to be a home invasion robbery ... TMZ has learned.

The rapper was at a home in the Hollywood Hills at around 4:30 AM when 2 men wearing hoodies and masks broke into a house ... this according to law enforcement sources. We're told the 2 men fired multiple shots, striking and critically wounding Pop Smoke. The men were seen fleeing on foot.

Pop Smoke was rushed by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood where he was pronounced dead.

The suspects have not been caught and as far as we know they have not been identified.  It's unclear if Pop Smoke knew the shooters. One man was placed in handcuffs but cops determined he was not involved and was released.

Pop Smoke released an album back in July and one of the songs, "Welcome to the Party," blew up ... it was considered by many the song of the summer. Nicki Minaj did a remix of the song a few months later. He also did a song, "Gatti," with Travis Scott.

We got Pop Smoke out at LAX back in July, and he told us about a hoop dream that came true.

Pop Smoke was 20.

RIP

Australian F1 superstar Daniel Ricciardo is paying tribute to the late Kobe Bryant with his helmet as the new season kicks off ... showing off a design that would be Mamba-approved.

Ricciardo showed up for the opening of the Formula One preseason with an all-purple helmet ... and later on in the morning, had the design added to complete the NBA legend-inspired look.

The helmet has "KB8" and "KB24" below the visor ... as well as a snake and the words "Mamba Mentality" on top.

Ricciardo is a big NBA supporter and lives in L.A. ... so we take it he was a big fan of Kobe.

The helmet will be used throughout the preseason ... and Ricciardo will reveal a new design in time for the Australian Grand Prix next month.

The Kobe tributes have been pouring in since the tragic accident in January ... from the All-Star Game MVP trophy name change to many Bryant tattoos to players changing their jersey numbers.

Dr. Amie Harwick -- Drew Carey's ex-fiancee who cops say was murdered by her ex-boyfriend -- was also attacked multiple times by the ex, almost a decade ago ... according to 2 restraining orders.

Amie filed for the first restraining order in June 2011 against Gareth Pursehouse, the man accused of murdering her. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, she claimed he once pushed her out of a car after they had an argument, leaving her on the side of a freeway.

She also alleged Pursehouse physically assaulted her about a month before the car incident. Amie claimed he "choked me, suffocated me, pushed me against walls, kicked me, dropped me to the ground with force ... slammed my head into the ground, and punched me with a closed fist."

Her injuries included bruising to her neck, back, legs and arms ... according to the docs. Although she was granted a temporary restraining order, the case was dismissed after she failed to appear for a court hearing.

However, about a year later in April 2012, she again filed for a restraining order claiming Pursehouse broke into her apartment and smashed 10 picture frames and texted her, "things will get worse."

The next day, Pursehouse allegedly broke into her building to leave flowers on her door -- and again the next day to wait outside her door playing music ... according to the docs.  He also allegedly sent threatening emails to her friends.

This time around, the restraining order was granted for 3 years. It expired in April 2015.

We broke the story ... Amie was murdered this weekend after cops say Pursehouse attacked her and caused her to fall from a third-story balcony. Cops say there's evidence of forced entry and a struggle inside the home.

Veteran character actress Esther Scott -- who's been in countless movies and shows over the years -- has died.

A member of Esther's family tells TMZ ... Esther suffered an apparent heart attack last Tuesday at her Santa Monica home, and was later found unconscious and taken to a hospital. We're told she remained hospitalized for a few more days before eventually passing on Friday.

She was surrounded by family and loved ones at the time she died. Her sister, Shaun, tells us, "She loved what she did. She would get stopped on the street often and people would recognize her -- but they didn't know her name. Hopefully now people will remember her name, her work and the contributions she gave to the entertainment industry."

Esther had a massive resume, having appeared in at least 73 films and shows dating back to the '80s. She's perhaps most well known for her role as Bridget, one of Nat Turner's relatives, in 2016's 'Birth of a Nation.' Esther's been in several other projects, however.

She's also been the voice Shodu in the 'Star Wars' animated spin-off, "Ewoks" -- and had a memorably hilarious scene in "Boyz n the Hood." She played the grandmother of a girl who hooked up with Tre, Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character.

Her resume is crazy impressive, with roles on "Encino Man," "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Full House," "The Wayans Bros.," "Martin," "Nash Bridges," "Melrose Place," "ER" and "The King of Queens" ... just to name a few.

Esther was 66.

Jason Davis' death has authorities thinking he might've overdosed on heroin -- a drug he'd been addicted to in the past and once kicked ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation tell us ... Jason was found unresponsive in his bathroom Sunday morning around 10:30 AM. We're told there were items nearby that were consistent with heroin or opioid use -- including burnt tin foil and other paraphernalia.

An official cause has yet to be determined -- we're told an autopsy and toxicology analysis still needs to be conducted, but for now ... authorities are treating his death as a possible OD.

It makes the situation all the more tragic, as Jason had battled addiction ... and in 2011, he was even arrested and charged for allegedly having heroin on him.

Those charges were eventually dropped after he completed a drug diversion program. About a year before that, he'd been featured on "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew," where he attempted to get clean. We got him on camera around the time his criminal case was being worked on, and he talked sobriety with us -- saying at the time he'd been off drugs for almost a week.

Jason went on to cofound a charity called Cure Addiction Now, which he's said to have been heavily involved with running.

Jason was most known in Hollywood as the voice of Mikey Blumberg on the long-running Disney Channel show, "Recess." He'd acted in several other movies and shows as well.

The guy was just 35.

RIP.

"The Price Is Right" is going on a brief hiatus ... we've learned the game show is not taping this week as part of the fallout from the shocking murder of Drew Carey's former fiancee.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... "The Price is Right" won't be shooting any new shows for the entire week. They had episodes scheduled to shoot on Tuesday and Wednesday. Audience members got an email about the cancelation Monday morning.

TMZ broke the story ... cops say Drew's ex-fiancee, Dr. Amie Harwick, was murdered over the weekend after an ex-boyfriend allegedly attacked her and caused her to fall off a third-story balcony in the Hollywood Hills.

Police arrested the ex, Gareth Pursehouse, Saturday and booked him for murder.

Drew and Amie started dating back in 2017 and announced their engagement in early 2018, but less than a year later they split.

As you know ... Drew's hosted "The Price Is Right" since 2007, succeeding longtime host Bob Barker.

Kellye Nakahara, who played Lieutenant Nurse Kellye on "M*A*S*H," has died ... TMZ has learned.

Kellye died Sunday after a short battle with cancer. Her family was with her when she died at the family home in Pasadena ... this according to a family member. We're told she went peacefully.

Kellye, who was born on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, actually moved to San Francisco as a young adult not to pursue acting but rather a career in art.

She was on "M*A*S*H" for the entire run of the show. In case you didn't know ... "M*A*S*H" was considered one of the best shows ever produced on TV. It still lives in reruns and syndication.

She also appeared in the films, "Clue" in 1985 and "Black Day Blue Night."

She married David Wallett in 1968 and they had 2 kids. She also has 2 grandchildren.

Kellye was an accomplished artist who was awesome with watercolors. She loved making Xmas ornaments and one even hung in the White House. She and her husband were active supporters of the Ronald McDonald House.

Kellye was 72.

Mickey Wright -- one of the greatest females golfers EVER -- has died after suffering a heart attack ... her attorney said on Monday. She was 85 years old.

Sonia Pawluc, Wright's lawyer, told the Associated Press that Mickey had been battling health issues after she was hospitalized in Florida this past month following a bad fall.

"One of the best to ever play the game, she will be greatly missed," The World Golf Hall of Fame said in a statement Monday. "#RIPMickey"

Wright is a legend on the golf course ... she famously won 82 events on the LPGA Tour and also recorded 13 major championship wins.

In fact, her swing was so buttery smooth ... Ben Hogan called it the best he had EVER seen.

She joined the LPGA Tour in 1955 ... before retiring from playing full-time in 1969.

She died just 3 days after her 85th birthday.

The Kobe Bryant tributes were AMAZING at the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night ... and some of the biggest stars in the world were front and center for all of the emotional moments.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West sat courtside at the United Center in Chicago -- surrounded by stars like Cardi B, Chris Tucker, Ludacris, Offset, Chance The Rapper, Chadwick Boseman and more!

There's more ... a LOT more -- Fat Joe, Bad Bunny, Ninja, Spike Lee, Jeff Ross, Common, Tiffany Haddish and Jon Stewart were all on hand to watch Team LeBron take on Team Giannis.

But, the show started BEFORE tip-off when Chicago-native Jennifer Hudson performed an incredible tribute to Kobe ... with a beautiful video montage in the background.

One of the cooler tributes at the game was a Kobe tribute video with music by Dr. Dre. The video was created by 23-year-old director Gibson Hazard and Jackson Bannon ... and honestly, it's pretty amazing stuff.

As we previously reported, the NBA renamed the All-Star Game MVP award after Kobe ... and Kawhi Leonard became the first person to take home the Mamba-inspired honor.

After the game, Leonard told the crowd, "This one's for him."

Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, Jan. 26 -- along with 7 other people.

Jason "Gummi Bear" Davis -- who voiced Mikey Blumberg on "Recess" for years -- has reportedly died.

The voice actor -- who's also the grandson of the late Hollywood billionaire mogul Marvin Davis and Barbara Davis -- passed away Sunday in Los Angeles ... according to a family statement provided to THR. The circumstances around his death are unclear for now.

Jason's mother, Nancy Rickel, tells the outlet ... "I am so heartbroken to share the saddest news of my life that my son Jason Davis passed away this morning in Los Angeles."

She goes on to add, "Jason had a true heart of gold with such a zest for life. He was such a caring soul to everybody who ever knew him. He loved his friends and his family above all else. We ask for privacy as we take time to grieve this most devastating loss."

Jason had struggled with addiction in the past, appearing on "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" in 2010. Since then, however, he was said to have been working on his recovery and even co-founded a charity called Cure Addiction Now. He was heavily involved in running it.

When it comes to acting, Jason had starred in several other shows and movies besides "Recess" -- for which he served as the voice of Mikey since the '90s and in pretty much all the spin-off movies that followed. He also made appearances in "7th Heaven," "Roseanne," "Dave's World," "Beverly Hills Ninja," "Rush Hour," "Mafia!," "The Bathroom Diaries," "The Locusts," "The Crude Oasis" and more.

He's survived by his parents and his four siblings.

Jason was 35.

Former 'Love Island' host and well-known UK personality Caroline Flack died in her home this weekend after taking her own life -- this just weeks before she was set to go to trial.

The longtime reality TV presenter was found dead Saturday in her London apartment -- which her family confirmed in a statement to the British press. A family spokesman says, "We can confirm that our Caroline passed away today on the 15th of February. We would ask that the press both respect the privacy of the family at this difficult time."

Sky News reports Flack had killed herself, citing an attorney for the TV star.

Caroline was set to face a judge on March 4, pertaining to an assault case she was fighting there across the pond. Her tennis star boyfriend, Lewis Burton, had accused her of attacking him with a lamp at their home -- for which she was charged and pled not guilty.

In December, she had stepped down from her 'Love Island' hosting role and was keeping a low profile, out of the public eye. On Instagram, however, she doubled down on her proclaimed innocence, and vowed not to be silenced and to keep living her life.

Several famous British TV presenters and hosts expressed shock over news of her death. Several people say the British press treated her harshly and unfairly -- criticizing the sympathetic tone several outlets and papers are taking today upon her death.

Besides 'LI,' Caroline had an extensive on-camera resume ... having appeared as a guest, panelist, judge and presenter on shows like 'Big Brother,' 'X Factor,' "Celebrity Juice," "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!," "Britain's Got More Talent," 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,' "Viral Tap," "Loose Women," "Sunday Brunch," "Strictly Come Dancing" and more.

She was 40.

RIP