Celebrity Death

Rapper Biz Markie -- most famous for his iconic hit "Just a Friend" -- has died after a series of complications from diabetes that he's been fighting for more than a year ... TMZ has confirmed.

A family source tells us Biz passed away in a Baltimore hospital at 6:25 PM Friday night. We're told his wife, Tara Hall, held his hand as he took his last breath ... and the nursing staff was there to support his family, telling them how strong he was through his fight.

A rep for Biz tells us, "We are grateful for the many calls and prayers of support that we have received during this difficult time. Biz created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years. He leaves behind a wife, many family members and close friends who will miss his vibrant personality, constant jokes and frequent banter."

TMZ broke the story, Biz was hospitalized last summer for an ailment his rep told us was related to his Type II Diabetes. At the time, the rep said, "He is receiving the best care from an amazing team of medical professionals and we remain positive about the outcome."

However, his condition remained somewhat of a mystery until April when Big Daddy Kane made an appearance on The Breakfast Club, telling the show's hosts Biz was doing better, and in a physical rehab facility.

Throughout his hospital stay, rumors swirled Biz was in a coma, but our source says that was never the case.

Born in Harlem, Biz first made a name for himself, nationally and internationally, in 1989 when his single "Just a Friend" became a Top 40 hit in multiple countries and went platinum.

The rapper's career took off after that ... he acted, did comedy, DJ'd and produced music.

The last time we got Biz was at Reagan National Airport in DC where he joked about the unique way he paid off a debt to 50 Cent.

Biz was just 57 years old.

Whitney Collings -- one of the early members of TV's "Bad Girls Club" -- died from a toxic mix of booze and hard drugs ... including fentanyl and cocaine.

According to her death certificate, obtained by TMZ, Whitney's immediate cause of death was acute intoxication by the combined effects of fentanyl, cocaine, alcohol and clonazepam ... which is a prescription medication used to prevent/control seizures and prevent panic attacks.

Whitney died at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital in Boston. The manner of death is listed as accidental and she was buried in Peabody, MA on December 10.

Interesting side note: Her occupation is listed as sales in the cannabis industry. Recreational weed is legal in Massachusetts.

TMZ broke the story ... Whitney died on December 3 at the age of 33. Her mother revealed the news on Facebook, saying "I am completely broken and will never get over this. Life is so unfair. She was kind with a big heart."

Legendary guitarist Jeff LaBar, famous for playing in the rock band "Cinderella," has died.

Jeff's first wife, Gaile LaBar-Bernhardt, tells TMZ ... Jeff was found dead Wednesday inside his apartment in Nashville.

We're told Jeff had gone off the grid the past few days, with friends and family unable to reach him, so his ex-wife went to go check on him ... and that's when she found him dead.

The cause of death remains unclear.

Jeff's son, Sebastian, who he shares with Gaile, is remembering his late father as his hero and idol ... and he shared some photos of all the fun times they had.

Cinderella was one of the biggest hard rock bands in the 1980s, famous for their big hair and smash hits “Nobody’s Fool” and “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” ... the band’s biggest Billboard hit. Jeff replaced the band's OG guitarist Michael Schermick.

Jeff also launched a solo career, releasing one record called "One For The Road" ... and he also played in a smaller band with his Cinderella bandmate, Eric Brittingham, the "Naked Beggars."

LaBar was 58.

RIP

Former Marshall football star Jaquan Yulee tragically died in a horrific car crash in Virginia on Tuesday ... law enforcement officials confirmed.

He was just 24 years old.

According to the Suffolk Police Department, Yulee was driving alone in a rural area of Suffolk when his car was involved in an accident and flipped on its roof.

Cops say they arrived on the scene at around 7:12 PM Tuesday ... and pronounced Yulee dead a short time later.

Officials say an investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.

Yulee was a touted recruit at Indian River H.S. in Virginia back in 2016 ... and despite receiving offers from Alabama, Clemson and Florida, he decided to go to Marshall instead.

The 6-foot-1, 242-pound linebacker played a key role for the Herd after redshirting in 2016 ... logging 42 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles and 1 sack in his redshirt freshman and sophomore seasons.

He got his first career start in his junior year in 2019 ... but in that game, he broke his neck and didn't play for the rest of the season.

Yulee, though, worked his ass off the last two years and was finally medically cleared to play again just last month.

He had been looking to enroll at Virginia State University, Central State University or Virginia Union University for his next college football stop.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of former Marshall football student-athlete Jaquan Yulee," the Marshall football team said in a statement Wednesday.

"His energy and ability to connect with so many in our fanbase was exemplary. He will be missed by so many in the Thundering Herd."

A new tribute to DMX is finally complete -- a huge mural in his hometown of Yonkers, NY ... and TMZ has a first look at the art.

We got these images of the mural designed by NYC artist Floyd Simmons ... no relation to DMX, by the way. He painted it on a wall near the Calcagno Homes on School Street, the same public housing where DMX once lived -- and it will be unveiled to the public Tuesday morning.

Floyd, pictured above in front of the unfinished wall, tells TMZ ... residents at the housing project reached out to him because they liked another famous mural he'd done in Harlem back in the '90s.

The DMX project was supposed to last a week, tops ... but a heat wave followed by rain caused a delay and complicated matters. The project ultimately took a little over 2 weeks to complete.

As if that wasn't enough ... Floyd says he broke his pinky in the middle of the job when he got it jammed between the cherry picker lift and the wall.

But, when it was all said and done, the mural -- 35 feet by 22 feet -- featured a stoic DMX front and center and a verse from his "Look Thru My Eyes" track ... which pays homage to the very same neighborhood.

WWE Hall of Famer Paul "Mr. Wonderful" Orndorff -- the man who famously had epic matches with Hulk Hogan in the 1980s -- has died, his family announced Monday.

He was 71 years old.

Orndorff's son, Travis, did not reveal his father's cause of death, but said in a statement, "It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my father, Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr. He is better known as "Mr. #1derful” Paul Orndorff."

Travis continued, "Most of you will remember him for his physique. Many will remember his intensity. But if I could only get you to understand and see his heart. He will always be Pop, Paw Paw, and Daddy at home."

"And as much as many of you hated him as a wrestler, he absolutely loved you for it."

Orndorff became a star in the 1980s ... after he was a headliner in the first-ever Wrestlemania in 1985.

In that matchup, Orndorff partnered Roddy Pipper in the main event to face off with Hogan and Mr. T.

Orndorff went on to have plenty of storylines and matches with Hogan ... before he officially retired in 2000. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

"RIP my brother," Hulk said in a statement Monday. "Love you and thank you for always making me fight for everything in our matches. Heaven just got even more wonderful. love U4LifeHH."

After retirement, Orndorff still made appearances at wrestling events -- even getting back into the ring at a tag team event in 2017 at 67 years old.

"He was an amazing father that showed me more love than I ever deserved," Travis says, "I love you Daddy."

Suzzanne Douglas is getting an honorary homegoing from the sorority she championed, and helped lead, for well over a decade.

Beverly Smith, National President and CEO of Delta Sigma Theta, tells TMZ ... the 108-year-old organization is already planning a special memorial service to honor the veteran stage and TV actress who recently passed away.

We're told the service Suzzanne's getting is called the Omega Omega service ... which is a final rite of passage and farewell service for the sorority's sisters. The org, BTW, is an historically Black sorority whose notable members include Barack Obama's former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

While most members have their Omega Omega service held at the local level ... we're told Suzzanne's service will be a nationwide celebration of her life and similar to its memorials for Aretha Franklin and Cicely Tyson.

Former national presidents and leaders for the sorority will be present. It'll be open to the public ... though the org's still trying to figure out where the event will be held.

For those who can't make it, we're told there will be a live stream. Cicely's live stream drew upwards of 30k viewers.

The sorority clearly meant a lot to Suzzanne. She was inducted into honorary membership in 2004 and served as Honorary Co-Chair of the National Arts & Letters Commission from 2013 to 2017. She was active in local, regional and national initiatives since her induction.

As we reported ... Suzzanne -- best known as the matriarch in the WB sitcom "The Parent 'Hood" and who recently appeared in the Netflix series "When They See Us" -- died from complications of cancer.

Wendy Williams made light of the murder of TikTok star Swavy on her TV show -- something for which his mother and brother say she now needs to apologize ... because she painted him in a bad light and outright disrespected him too.

We spoke with Swavy's mom and older sibling -- Chanell Clark and Rahkim Clark, respectively -- about the segment Wendy did earlier this week on-camera ... where she introduced Swavy to her audience by comparing social media followers, and throwing up a not-so-flattering photo of him -- this before getting to the lede ... namely, him being killed.

You can see the clip for yourself ... and it's obvious why Chanelle and Rahkim are upset -- not to mention scores of people who watched this at home, who were outraged by her handling of such a sensitive topic. The Millers are in the same boat, as it turns out.

Check out our interview ... Rahkim takes the lead on explaining why Wendy's words were so hurtful. As he points out -- this isn't just another celebrity news gossip story she may normally cover in her day-to-day lineup ... this is their own flesh and blood, and it's real life for them.

As angry as he is, it's probably nothing compared to Chanelle -- whom, BTW, says she saw her son get shot in Delaware Monday, and was actually with him during his last breaths. She flat out tells TMZ ... Wendy owes her/the fam a huge sorry for discussing her boy that way.

The Millers say they felt Wendy misrepresented Swavy as a thug or as someone who dabbled in the street, and that couldn't be further from the truth. So, they're demanding a full mea culpa ... and a correction for good measure.

Fact is ... the young man was already blowing up online, but his mother and brother feel she exposed him to a whole new demographic in the worst possible way -- tarnishing his legacy.

Tragic news from Chris Eubank ... the boxing legend just revealed his 29-year-old son, Sebastian, has died ... with reports he was found dead on a beach in Dubai.

Eubank made the emotional statement Friday, saying "Never did I ever imagine I would write these words or experience the feeling I now have at the loss of my son."

"My family and I are devastated to hear of the death of Sebastian just days before what would have been his 30th birthday."

According to reports, Sebastian drowned near his home in Dubai ... where he lives with his wife, Salma, and one month old son, Raheem.

Sebastian is the third oldest of Eubank's five kids -- his mother, Karron Meadows, married Eubanks in 1990 and divorced in 2005. They have 4 children together.

His dad was a big time fighter in the '80s and '90s ... and held the WBO middleweight and super-middleweight belts in the early and mid 1990s.

Chris is considered one of the best British boxers of all time.

Sebastian was following his father's footsteps as a pro boxer ... he went by the ring name "Alka Lion" and won 2 professional fights (last fight in March 2019). He just made his MMA debut last year.

He was also a professional trainer.

Eubank continued ... "As well as being a personal trainer and professional boxer, Sebastian was also a deep thinker who liked to challenge accepted wisdom."

"He was loved and respected by all who knew him and will be forever in the thoughts of friends and family."

Steven Avery -- the man at the center of the Netflix series "Making a Murderer" -- is dealing with another personal blow ... the death of his mother.

Dolores Avery passed away Thursday morning, according to Avery's attorney, Kathleen Zellner. Zellner included a message to Avery's fans, saying, "He needs your support now more than ever." She also included his mailing address at the Waupun Correctional Institution in Wisconsin.

Steven's brother, Earl, tells us Dolores had been in hospice care for 3 weeks before her death ... ultimately passing from dementia. He said the last time she spoke to Steven was likely 8 or 9 months ago.

Dolores, who always maintained her son was innocent, died just one day before Steven's 59th birthday.

Steven and his nephew, Brendon Dassey, were convicted of killing photographer Teresa Halbach in 2005 after cops say her remains were discovered in a burn pit on the Avery family's property. Steven was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2007.

Zellner took on Steven's case in 2016, arguing he had his rights violated and detectives had gathered evidence that went beyond their search warrant. More recently, she's stated she has more witnesses that should warrant a new trial for Avery.

Zellner has asked the appeals court to put Avery's recent appeal on hold and send his case to circuit court to hear the testimony of the new witnesses.

Dolores was 83.

Robert Downey Sr. -- whose credits included filmmaking, directing, writing, acting and fathering Robert Downey Jr. -- has died at the age of 85.

Sr. died in his sleep at home in NYC Wednesday after a battle with Parkinson's Disease, according to his wife, who spoke to the NY Daily News.

Downey Sr.'s career started back in the '60s with directing and writing smaller projects before moving on to big-budget films in the '70s with "Greaser's Palace." He also appeared in "Boogie Nights," "Magnolia," and other films.

Sr. fathered two children with actress Elsie Ann Ford -- Allyson and Downey Jr. -- but the couple divorced in 1975. He went on to marry two more times ... Laura Ernst, who died in 1994, and 4 years later he married Rosemary Rogers, whom he remained with until his death.

Sr.'s most recent film, "Rittenhouse Square," wrapped in 2005 about the everyday happenings in a park in Philadelphia.

Robert Downey Jr. has not yet commented publicly on his dad's passing.

Robert Downey Sr. was 85.

RIP

Suzzanne Douglas -- best known as the matriarch in the WB sitcom "The Parent 'Hood" and who recently appeared in the Netflix series "When They See Us" -- has died, TMZ has confirmed.

The veteran actress' husband tells TMZ ... Suzzanne died Wednesday at her home in Martha's Vineyard from complications of cancer. Her husband said, "Her energy and creativity will be missed by all."

Suzzanne's cousin Angie Tee posted a heartwarming tribute to her on Facebook. Angie said, "She warmed our hearts on movie screens and television sets all over the world."

She added, "I can remember growing up, there weren't very many black actresses who had starring roles but there was my cousin with the lead role in "Tap" starring alongside great dancers such as Gregory Hines and Sammy Davis Jr."

Angie said Suzzanne "also performed with Angela Bassett and Whoopi Goldberg in 'How Stella Got Her Groove Back.' 'The Inkwell,' 'Jason's Lyric' and so much more the list goes on. The world will miss your talent but your soul will live on forever Rest in Paradise my beautiful cousin Suzzane you will be missed RIP."

Suzzanne starred as Jerri Peterson opposite Robert Townsend on "The Parent 'Hood" ... which ran from 1995 to 1999 on the WB.

She earned an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture in 1989 for her lead role in "Tap."

Richard Donner -- one of the most famed and prolific directors of all time, known for flicks like "Superman," "Lethal Weapon," "The Goonies" and countless others -- has reportedly died.

The legendary filmmaker recently passed away -- this according to his production company, The Donner's Company, who confirmed the news to Variety. No word on when exactly he passed, or under what circumstances -- we've got calls in to his reps to figure it out.

At any rate ... it's a tragic update, as the guy was absolutely beloved in Hollywood -- and rightly so. He's responsible for some of the most iconic films to grace the big screen over the years -- including an incredible run of pictures from the late '70s throughout the '80s.

Donner got his first big directing break with the cult classic horror film "The Omen" (the original one), which catapulted him into stardom and led to his next major studio film, "Superman" (also the original) ... which paved the path for countless other flicks, including 'Goonies,' and ALL of the "Lethal Weapon" movies, starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover.

Other notable film directing credits of his include staple movies, such as "Scrooged," "The Toy," "Maverick," "Ladyhawke," "Assassins," "16 Blocks," "Timeline" and more. His EP credits are even more impressive.

Donner shepherded films like "The Lost Boys," "Free Willy," "X-Men" ... this list goes on. His death is actually quite shocking, and seemingly sudden -- just last year, he announced a desire to direct the 5th installment of "Lethal Weapon," and it seemed that was in the works.

We even congratulated Rich on that news a full year ago, when we ran into him out and about in Hollywood ... and chatted him up about the controversy (at the time) surrounding Amazon's new show, "Hunters," which was catching flak for its portrayal of the holocaust and the fallout that followed. In his mind, he said producers were to blame ... not directors.

At any rate ... very sad to hear. Donner is survived by his wife, Lauren. He was 91.

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died Sunday night at the age of 24 after being struck in the chest by a firework at a July 4th celebration, according to local authorities.

Kivlenieks -- who was born in Latvia -- signed with the Blue Jackets in 2019 ... and appeared in 2 games for Columbus this season.

Matiss was at an Independence Day party at a private residence in Novi, Michigan when the deadly accident occurred.

Officials in Michigan say a mortar style firework was inadvertently fired in the direction of a group of people in a hot tub ... striking Kivlenieks.

Rescue workers rushed to the scene around 10 PM and transported Matiss to the hospital ... but doctors were unable to save the goalies life.

Law enforcement is still investigating ... but doesn't believe there was any foul play involved.

"At the moment, we're pretty certain this was a tragic accident," a police spokesperson said.

Authorities originally believed Matiss died of a subsequent slip and fall after the blast ... but on Monday morning, a medical examiner in Michigan said that wasn't true -- clarifying the firework caused the fatal injury.

The Blue Jackets issued a statement on social media, writing ... "It's with a very heavy heart that we share the news that goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks passed away last night at the age of 24."

"We are heartbroken. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. Rest in peace, Kivi."

The teams General Manager, Jarmo Kekalainen, also weighed in on the horrific loss ... "Life is so precious and can be so fragile. Hug your loved ones today. RIP Matiss, you will be dearly missed."

George Jung -- the prolific cocaine smuggler portrayed by Johnny Depp in the film "Blow" -- died of kidney failure due to advanced liver disease, and as you'd probably imagine ... his hard-living played a major role.

According to George's death certificate ... George's immediate cause of death is listed as hepatorenal failure due to alcoholic cirrhosis. In other words, his organs succumbed to his chronic alcohol abuse. The manner of death is listed as natural causes.

George died on May 5 in Lowell, MA, and he was cremated 2 days later. Interestingly, his occupation is listed as storyteller/teacher/education. If you've seen the movie, that's not entirely inaccurate.

TMZ broke the story ... George had been experiencing kidney and liver problems before his death. He had been in home hospice care and died with his wife, Ronda, and friend, Roger, by his side.

George served 20 years in prison for running drugs for the Medellin Cartel. He was known as "Boston George" and infamously helped notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar smuggle planeloads of coke into the U.S.

At the time, Escobar's cartel was reportedly responsible for 80% of the world's cocaine.

Former Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who served under President George W. Bush when America was attacked on 9/11, has died.

Rumsfeld's family says he died surrounded by loved ones in Taos, New Mexico. The family released a statement saying, "History may remember him for his extraordinary accomplishments over six decades of public service, but for those who knew him best and whose lives were forever changed as a result, we will remember his unwavering love for his wife Joyce, his family and friends, and the integrity he brought to a life dedicated to country."

Rumsfeld had the distinction of serving as the youngest Defense secretary under President Ford and the oldest under President Bush. He was inside the Pentagon having breakfast on 9/11 when the highjacked plane struck the building.

Immediately following the attack, Rumsfeld was seen outside helping with rescue efforts ... before officials finally convinced him to find shelter.

In the aftermath of 9/11, Rumsfeld spearheaded the attack on al-Qaida in Afghanistan. Then, in 2003, Rumsfeld shifted his focus to Iraq ... invading the country in search of weapons of mass destruction -- there were none -- and the subsequent ousting of Saddam Hussein.

Rumsfeld will also be remembered as a controversial figure who was largely held responsible for the Abu Ghraib torture scandal for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

Rumsfeld, a Chicago native, attended Princeton before he was commissioned as a U.S. Navy aviator and flight instructor. He was on active duty for 3 years in the mid to late 1950s.

He was a congressman from Illinois before serving under presidents Richard Nixon and Ford. He'd spend more than 2 decades in the private sector before returning to his old position under Bush.