Celebrity Death

Naya Rivera's ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, has broken his silence on her untimely death -- and his tribute to her is gut-wrenching.

Ryan -- who's also the father of her son, Josey -- took to Instagram Saturday with a heartfelt post about his ex-wife for the first time since she disappeared and was later discovered dead at Lake Piru, throwing up a photo of her and their boy together along with a lengthy caption.

He writes, "This is so unfair...there's not enough words to express the hole left in everyone's hearts. I can't believe this is life now. I don't know if I'll ever believe it. You were just here... We were just in the back swimming with Josey the day before."

Ryan continued, "Life just isn't fair. I don't know what to say...I'm thankful for our times and our journey that brought us together and gave us the sweetest and kindest smart little boy we could ever hope for. I remember sometimes you used to get annoyed at me: 'Ryan can you stop snap chatting!' Haha. I'm glad I didn't listen to you because I have hundreds and probably thousands of snaps and videos that Josey will have forever and know his momma loved him more than life, and how much fun we had together as he was growing up."

He went on to say that Josey's presence alone would make any bad times a little less because a piece of Naya will forever live on within him, and by extension ... with Ryan. He added, "(Josey will) never forget where he came from. We miss you. We will always love you. Love you Meep."

Ryan went on to thank everyone for the outpouring of support, saying ... "I'll just say in closing, be kind to yourself, be kind to others, forgive...forget...don't hold grudges....if you have nothing nice to say maybe try not to say anything. There's peace in silence." He finished, "Time on Earth is precious and you just never know....you never know what could happen. Hold your loved ones close, and cherish the times you have with those you care about."

Ryan was one of several members of Naya's loved ones who went to Lake Piru in the days after her disappearance -- even getting in the water at one point to feel a connection.

They had a somewhat tumultuous 4-year marriage -- Naya was arrested for domestic violence in 2017 after an argument over their kid turned violent. She filed for divorce shortly thereafter.

Peter Green, one of the founding members of Fleetwood Mac, has died.

The family put out a statement that said ... "It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep."

Green, a blues/rock guitarist, created Fleetwood Mac with Mick Fleetwood way back in '67, and the group produced an insane number of hits ... the insanity only surpassed by the drama inside the group.

Among the hits ... "Black Magic Woman" and "Need Your Love So Bad."

The group was originally known as Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac featuring Jeremy Spencer. It's a mouthful, and was collapsed to simply Fleetwood Mac several years later.

Peter left the group in 1970, creating a guitarist void in the group that was eventually filled by Lindsey Buckingham. He struggled with mental illness, which was a principal reason he left the group.

There were 9 members of the band during the years -- Mick, Peter, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie, Christine McVie, Danny Kirwan, Bob Welch and Jeremy Spencer. All but Welch were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Marlon Wayans is remembering his late mother on what would have been her 82nd birthday, and revealing the Wayans family matriarch, Elvira, has died.

We're told Elvira passed away a couple weeks ago, but Marlon waited until her birthday to share the somber news. He posted a touching tribute to his mother Thursday, on what is usually a very special day for them ... they share a birthday, and Marlon says it's hard to celebrate another year knowing his mom is gone forever.

The comedian wrote ... "Losing you shattered me into 1000 pieces. I'm putting my life back together piece by piece. You will always be my glue. Miss you. Today I celebrate for the both of. In the midst of this hurt... i just love you ma."

Marlon adds ... "i accomplished so much, made you so proud... but now i got angel to lift me. #loveofmylife #bdaygotl s*** ma, i gave you all my bdays... wth do i do now 😂 millions of weetahs sugtas and homies #myfirstmylastmyeverything rest well."

Damien Wayans also commented on his uncle's post ... "1,000,000 weetahs Indeed!"

Let's face it, Hollywood owes Elvira a debt of gratitude ... the woman brought 10 Wayans children into the world, giving birth to one of the biggest and most successful families in show biz.

Elvira's kids -- Keenan, Damon, Shawn, Marlon, Dwayne, Kim, Nadia, Elvira, Diedre and Vonnie -- have written, directed, produced and starred in countless movies and TV series, including "The Wayans Bros.," often working together on their content.

Elvira was 81.

Former "Bad Girls Club" star Demitra "Mimi" Roche has died.

Demitra's death was announced Wednesday in a touching Twitter tribute from record producer Vince Valholla, the founder of Valholla Entertainment where Roche also formerly worked as Vice President of A&R.

Vince remembered Demitra as a "big dreamer" and said, "I'm at a loss for words. Don't know what to say. Mimi was kind to everyone she came across."

Demitra's former boss added ... "I'm heartbroken by the news of her passing. I'm thankful I got to know & work w/ her. My thoughts are with her family & loved ones."

Valholla did not reveal Mimi's cause of death.

Roche was named VP of artists and repertoire at Valholla Entertainment back in 2011, but she's best known for her role in "Bad Girls Club" season 8 in 2012. Her nickname on the show was "The Miami Maverick."

One of Mimi's friends also paid tribute to the late reality TV star on Facebook, saying ... "I just wished you a happy birthday then the next day this is what I see. Some of you may know her from bad girls club but I knew the real her. Such a sweet soul and with radiant energy so full of life. Gone to soon."

Demitra was only 34.

Priscilla Presley is speaking out about losing her grandson, Benjamin Keough, to suicide earlier this month, and she says the tragedy's left the family broken.

Elvis' widow broke her silence Wednesday saying, "These are some of the darkest days of my family’s life. The shock of losing Ben has been devastating."

Priscilla continued in a Facebook post ... "Trying to put all the pieces together of all the possible whys has penetrated my soul. Each day I wake up I pray it will get better. Then, I think of my daughter [Lisa Marie Presley] and the pain she is going through as she was a doting mother. Ben’s father, Danny [Keough], who is completely lost, as Ben was his only son."

Other than a statement through Lisa Marie's attorney shortly after news broke of Ben's death, neither of his parents have spoken publicly about his passing. Clearly, as Priscilla explains, they're shattered over this ... the entire brood is -- uncles, nieces, nephews and all.

Priscilla ended her thoughts with Ben's only full-blooded sibling, Riley Keough. She says, "Riley, so loving and so close to him; Harper and Finley, who absolutely adored Ben. Navarone, who struggles deeply with loss and death. Rest In Peace Ben, you were loved. ❤️"

Marilyn Monroe's pearls from her last ever photo shoot could be sitting in your collection -- the historic jewelry is hitting the auction block.

Marilyn wore faux pearl earrings and slipped on a faux pearl necklace for the photo spread -- famously known as the "Last Sitting" -- with legendary fashion photog Bert Stern.

The pics were snapped just 6 weeks before her death, and they're going up for sale through online auction house Gotta Have Rock and Roll, where they're expected to fetch a pretty penny.

The jewelry is cool, but so is the Nikon camera Bert used to take thousands of photos that day, and it's also up for auction. While Vogue Magazine supplied the props, clothes, jewelry and accessories ... the camera was Bert's personal one.

Marilyn even used the camera as a prop, spontaneously grabbing the Nikon while Bert grabbed a spare camera and kept snapping away. The auction house expects the Nikon to fetch $60,000 due to its place in pop culture.

The pearls are expected to bring in $50,000 for the earrings and $8k for the necklace.

Some of Marilyn's extensive wardrobe is also part of the auction ... we're told a gown and shawl is estimated to go for $40k and a pair of black and white checkered pants could fetch $15k. MM owned and wore the clothing.

The auction opens July 22 ... good luck!!!

Pop Smoke's alleged murderers were tracked down by LAPD detectives the old-fashioned way ... there were no shortcuts or easy breaks.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the big break in the case leading to the arrests of 4 men allegedly connected to the rapper's death didn't come from a tipster, but instead from LAPD detectives pounding the pavement and knocking on doors.

We broke the story ... Pop Smoke was gunned down back in February by at least 4 masked gunmen after what appeared to be a home invasion robbery at his rental property in the Hollywood Hills.

Detectives went back to the basics because, as we reported, they hit a roadblock back in February when potential witnesses wouldn't cooperate, and combing social media turned out to be a bust.

Our sources say detectives used video from citizens and businesses in the area to help track and ID the suspects, who were slapped with murder charges last week and could face the death penalty.

Sources also tell us cops believe Los Angeles street gang members were involved in Pop's murder, but they say the case doesn't appear to be a gang hit or an East Coast-West Coast beef -- Pop was from NYC.

Instead, police believe the tragedy was a robbery gone wrong after the alleged killers saw Pop's posts on social media in the hours before the fatal shooting. Pop shared his address, and flexed with huge wads of cash.

We're told, even though the arrests have been made, the case remains under active investigation as detectives search for more evidence.

Marco Rubio made a flub in his tribute to Rep. John Lewis -- mistaking him for another African-American congressman who passed away last year ... Elijah Cummings.

The Senator from Florida posted a heartfelt message about his iconic colleague on House side of Capitol Hill, in a since-deleted Twitter post, writing ... "It was an honor to know & be blessed to serve in Congress with JohnLewis a genuine & historic American hero."

He added, "May the Lord grant him eternal peace." Marco attached a photo of himself with ... not John Lewis. It was former U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, who died in 2019.

It would appear he and/or his staff quickly noticed the error -- because they took it down and replaced it with a post featuring a pic of Marco and the real John Lewis.

MR owned up to the mistake, writing ... "Earlier today I tweeted an incorrect photo. John Lewis was a genuine American hero. I was honored to appear together in Miami 3 years ago at an event captured in video below. My God grant him eternal rest."

Lisa Marie Presley's daughter, Riley Keough, has broken her silence on her brother, Benjamin Keough's death -- and her final words to him are heartbreaking.

The actress posted a touching tribute to her younger sibling on Instagram Saturday -- a week after his body was discovered in Calabasas in what was a suicide by gunshot wound. Riley also attached several photos of the two of them.

She writes, "Mornings are the hardest. I forget you’re gone. I can’t cry because of the fear that I will never stop. A pain that’s new to me. You. There are no words for you."

Riley continued to describe Ben, saying ... "Angel is the closest I could think of. Pure light. Baby brother. Best friend. Wild man. Intellectual. Witness to my life. Twin soul. Protector. Too sensitive for this harsh world."

And then, her farewell ... "I hope you give me strength to endure the giant hole you’ve left in my heart. I hope you give me the strength to eat. I hope you’re cradled in love. I hope you feel my love. I hope you feel god. You are god. I can’t believe you’ve left me. Not you sweet Ben Ben. Anyone but you. I guess this is true heartbreak. I hope we meet again."

TMZ broke the story ... Benjamin was found dead last weekend with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The L.A. County Medical Examiner determined Benjamin died from a shotgun to his mouth -- his death was officially ruled a suicide.

Congressman John Lewis, a central and powerful figure in the Civil Rights movement, is dead after a 7-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Rep. Lewis, who represented Georgia's 5th Congressional District for 17 terms, died Friday. He had been diagnosed as stage 4 in December 2019. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said, "Today, America mourns the loss of one of the greatest heroes of American history."

She referred to him as the "Conscience of the Congress."

Lewis had been in Congress since 1987, but had already had an inspiring impact on American history long before that -- having marched, shoulder-to-shoulder at times, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the fight for Civil Rights.

In 1961, Mr. Lewis was part of a protest against segregated buses in the South which became know as the Freedom Rides. He spoke at the landmark March on Washington in 1963, where Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech, and marched for voting rights in Alabama in 1965.

John was one of the protesters brutalized by cops during the march from Selma to Montgomery, AL. As he led several hundred marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, John was clubbed in the head by a state trooper -- fracturing his skull and leaving a scar he carried for the rest of his life.

His second-to-last tweet, back on July 7, commemorated his release from prison after he'd been arrested during a Freedom Ride in Jackson, Mississippi.

Recently, the Distinguished Gentleman from Georgia had become a nemesis of President Trump. Rep. Lewis did not attend Trump's inauguration, openly called him a "racist," and they would frequently trade barbs in the media.

Former President Obama awarded the Congressman the Medal of Freedom in 2011. During the ceremony he said, "Generations from now, when parents teach their children what is meant by courage, the story of John Lewis will come to mind -- an American who knew that change could not wait for some other person or some other time; whose life is a lesson in the fierce urgency of now."

Rep. Lewis was 80.

RIP

Naya Rivera's ex-fiance, Big Sean, has been silent about her tragic death ... until now.

Sean posted a tribute to his ex, saying, "Rest in Peace Naya, God Bless your Soul! Thank you for blessing us all with your talent and presence. You are a hero!  Not just because of how you saved your son, also because of the barriers you knocked down for so many people to make them feel confident in themselves and to stand tall and be proud when they couldn't achieve that on their own."

He goes on ... "I appreciate and cherish everything that ever happened between us for making me wiser and a better person. I'm still grieving and in shock, I can't believe this is real."

As you probably know, Naya and Sean were engaged in 2013 after dating for only 6 months. They had a bad breakup 5 months later. Naya says the end of the relationship was hurtful ... "We'd been fighting for five straight days while he was traveling, and then on the one day he was back in LA, he said he didn't want to see me."

Grant Imahara is getting a TV memorial, of sorts, from the TV networks where he became a famous and beloved host.

Honchos at Discovery and Science Channel tell TMZ ... the networks are paying tribute to Grant this weekend with a marathon line-up of his favorite "MythBusters" moments and other engineering programs.

As you know ... Grant, a brilliant electrical engineer, became a TV star with Discovery as one of the hosts of "MythBusters."

Discovery says some of Grant's favorite "MythBusters" moments from his 10 years on the show include episodes where he and his team tested "armor" made of folded paper, and tried to see if a hotel room shower curtain could be transformed into a life-saving parachute.

Imahara was a BattleBots champion, and the networks are also airing Grant's appearance in "Killer Robots: Robo Games 2011," when he served as a tour guide for the international competition.

As we reported ... Grant died suddenly this week at just 49 years old from a brain aneurysm.

The tribute marathon airs from 8 AM to 1 PM Friday on Discovery, and picks up Saturday on Science Channel from 3 PM to 9 PM ... ending with one of Grant's other famous hosting gigs, "White Rabbit Project."

Undefeated boxing star Travell Mazion -- known as "Black Magic" -- was killed Wednesday in a car crash in Austin, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was only 24.

Details about the crash are unclear -- we're working on it.

Mazion was 17-0 as a pro -- most recently defeating Fernando Castaneda at the Alamodome in San Antonio back in January.

It was an impressive 58-second victory for Mazion -- who won the NABF 154 pound title in the process.

Travell was a talented guy with tremendous potential. He was once backed by NFL star Von Miller.

Tributes are already pouring in from the boxing world.

Boxer Vergil Ortiz Jr. said, "I can’t believe it, R.I.P Travell Mazion."

"For those who don’t know him or never met him, he was a very talented boxer and one of the coolest people I knew. Always enjoyed watching him fight. Love you bro, watch over us."

The City of Minneapolis caused George Floyd's death by allowing officers to operate under a lie -- that neck restraints are not fatal -- so says the Floyd family in a new civil lawsuit.

Famed civil rights lawyer Ben Crump just unveiled the lawsuit, and the stakes are enormous. The family is suing the 4 officers who are now criminally charged with Floyd's death.

The reality is this ... the officers don't have the kind of money that typically makes a civil lawsuit worthwhile. Enter the City of Minneapolis, which actually has limited immunity in these cases, meaning it can't be sued UNLESS it's approved the policy either explicitly or by way of custom.

Crump says in the lawsuit ... the City long trained its officers to use neck restraints, claiming they were an "authorized form of non-deadly force."

The fact is this ... it's simply not true that it's non-deadly force, and the City would have to be blind not to know that. Fact is ... the technique has been used since 2012 on 428 people nationwide, and 14% lost consciousness. And, if City officials turned on the news, they'd know some of these cases were fatalities. So ... it IS lethal force.

The suit also slams the City for poor training and discipline. As you know, Derek Chauvin had 17 citizen complaints, yet there's no evidence the Internal Affairs Dept. of the P.D. ever connected the dots as they investigated all of them.

And, one more thing ... the suit claims that probationary officers like Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng were NOT allowed to question their supervisor. That works against the City, but it's the argument the 2 rookie cops are making in the criminal case.

The civil lawsuit does not specify the amount of damages the family is seeking.

Chauvin, who is still in jail, has been charged with 2nd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter.

"Ink Master" star Daniel Silva has just copped a plea deal in his criminal case involving the death of his friend ... YouTube star Corey La Barrie.

Daniel pled no contest to vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. The L.A. County D.A.'s Office tells us, as part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the 2nd-degree murder charge. He'll be sentenced next month. As we reported ... Daniel's attorney was confident he would beat the murder charge following the fatal crash of a McLaren sports car back in May.

We broke the story ... Daniel was arrested and charged with 2nd-degree murder after Corey died from injuries in a car wreck just hours after they left Corey's 25th birthday party. Corey was a passenger in the car. We were told Daniel was seen drinking before getting behind the wheel of the car.

Our law enforcement sources told us Daniel allegedly tried to flee after the accident but was stopped by witnesses. Corey's cause of death was listed as multiple blunt force injuries.

Daniel's attorney, Mike Cavalluzzi, told us at the time of Daniel's arrest ... "This is a horrible tragedy and our hearts go out to Corey's family and friends. We are reviewing all of the evidence and will reserve comment for a later time. For now, it is most important that everyone involved is given time and space to grieve."

Grant Imahara complained of migraines in the days before doctors discovered his brain aneurysm, and emergency surgery, sadly, couldn't save him ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the "MythBusters" host's family tell us ... he'd been experiencing painful headaches for a few days before Saturday night, when he was having dinner with his girlfriend at a home in L.A.

We're told at some point during the meal, Grant's pain worsened and he felt dizzy, along with experiencing severe neck and back pain and numbness in his legs. After he showed signs of being unresponsive, his GF called 911 ... we're told this was around 9 PM.

Our sources say when paramedics arrived, Grant's vitals were normal but he was still in serious pain, so he was rushed to a hospital. We're told doctors soon realized he had a brain aneurysm, and he underwent emergency surgery.

Grant survived the surgery -- no small feat when dealing with an aneurysm -- but we're told he never fully recovered. He had another operation Sunday, but again came out unresponsive and in critical condition.

On Monday, we're told he had an MRI to prep for a third surgery ... but doctors discovered the extent of the damage was too severe. Grant was wholly unresponsive, and the decision was made to take him off life support.

As we reported ... the accomplished electrical engineer, roboticist and beloved Discovery host's sudden death, at just 49 years old, was a severe shock to his friends and longtime coworkers.

Former "MythBusters" host Adam Savage said, "Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend."