Celebrity Death

The Santa Fe County Sheriff says he's not ruling anything out in the deaths of iconic actor Gene Hackman, his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog -- and his deputies even got a search warrant in case the investigation turns criminal, TMZ has learned.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza tells TMZ ... his deputies responded Wednesday to the compound of Hackman and Arakawa after receiving a call ... and they initially entered the house only to find the bodies of the couple and one of their 3 dogs -- 2 others survived.

Once they found the corpses, Mendoza says, the deputies backed out of the house and applied for a warrant to conduct a more thorough search.

Sarah Michelle Gellar has poured her heart out in a gut-wrenching tribute to her "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" costar Michelle Trachtenberg after MT's shocking death -- and it’s bound to devastate fans of the show.

The actress posted a series of photos of them together, both on and off set, with a heartbreaking caption ... "Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you 💔💔💔🗝️."

Any Buffy fan will instantly recognize the meaning of her caption -- Trachtenberg played Buffy’s little sister, Dawn Summers, and in the season 5 finale, Gellar’s Buffy sacrificed herself after saying, "Dawn, the hardest thing in the world is to live in it. Be brave. Live for me."

Gene Hackman once spoke about his fear of dying in a haunting interview that’s now resurfaced ... just a day after he, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead at their New Mexico home.

In a 2004 chat with Larry King, Gene admitted he didn’t fear much -- but dying definitely freaked him out ... adding it’s the kind of thing that hits you when you get up there in age.

Gene, who was 74 at the time, said his fear of dying wasn’t just about him -- he wanted to make sure his wife and family were taken care of, too.

Gene Hackman was rarely seen in public leading up to his tragic death, and the last sighting of him and his late wife shows them enjoying each other's company.

Gene and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were spotted nearly a year ago at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in New Mexico. During their outing on March 28, 2024 at the Albuquerque restaurant,  Gene is seen holding his wife's arm for support.

At the time, Gene had recently turned 94 and was holding onto a walking cane as the couple stepped out of the restaurant. Gene was keeping his look casual with a vest, cap and sunglasses, while Betsy wore a patterned shirt.

Gene Hackman is being mourned by Hollywood following the unexpected news of the deaths of the actor and his wife of 34 years, Betsy Arakawa.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed the pair were found deceased in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on Wednesday -- reportedly after a neighbor called in for a wellness check.

It's no secret the Oscar winner had an immense impact on the film industry, having a prolific five-decade career before he retired in 2004. The stars are feeling the heartbreaking loss and taking to social media to share their sorrows and fond memories of the big-screen legend.

10:55 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Michelle Trachtenberg’s body may have rejected the liver transplant she received within the last year, causing complications. We're told Michelle's mother found her.

Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her roles in "Gossip Girl" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," has died.

Police sources confirmed the shocking news to TMZ, though the exact cause of her death remains unclear. We're told police and paramedics responded to a call for a woman in cardiac arrest, and found Michelle unresponsive. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

A separate source tells us the actress had received a liver transplant recently ... meaning within the last year. At this point, police reportedly believe she died of natural causes.

We're told Michelle was out with friends Thursday night of last week at Sartiano's in NYC.

In recent months, she had posted photos where fans felt she appeared gaunt and frail.

Blake Lively's remembering her former costar Michelle Trachtenberg ... saying she always gave 200% effort and she always stood up for what she believed in.

The actress took to Instagram just hours after it was announced that Michelle had passed to pay homage to the star ... sharing a photo of their first day meeting and talking about her former "Gossip Girl" costar.

Blake says she brought an electricity to every room she walked into ... always living life to the fullest -- laughing hard at jokes, taking on authority head-on when she saw injustice and added she was proud to be an actor even when the industry can be difficult.

Michelle Trachtenberg is being remembered for the positive energy she brought to set by many of the stars she worked with over the years ... after her death was announced today.

Numerous stars have taken to social media to show their love for the late actress, sharing stories from their times working with her.

Kenan Thompson posted a pic of the two from way back in the day ... calling her the first Nickelodeon movie star -- as well as one of his close friends.

Michelle Trachtenberg was a wonderful person who died much too young ... so says her "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" costar.

We spoke with James Marsters -- a veteran actor who played punk vampire Spike in 97 episodes of the hit TV show -- and, he says his heart is heavy today because of the loss of Michelle.

Marsters says the world has "lost a beautiful soul" and remembers Michelle as being "fiercely intelligent, howlingly funny, and a very talented person."

Michelle Trachtenberg’s untimely death at 39 has sent shockwaves through her fans and colleagues -- and her former "Gossip Girl" costar Ed Westwick has posted a tribute to the star.

In a heartfelt post on his IG Story Wednesday, Ed shared a pic of Michelle as Georgina Sparks from the popular teen drama series ... captioning it, "So sad to hear of the passing of @michelletrachtenberg."

He added "sending prayers" with the prayer hand and a white heart emoji.

Matthew Perry's final days were flooded with ketamine -- 27 doses in the three days before his tragic death in October 2023, a bombshell new documentary has revealed.

Peacock's "Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy" was released Tuesday, with U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada -- who led the investigation -- pointing fingers at the people who allegedly supplied Perry with the powerful anesthetic.

According to Estrada, these weren't just medical professionals -- they were opportunists who "should have known much better."

Liam Payne’s alcohol concentration levels have been released, shedding more light on his condition at the time of his death in October.

The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 14 has released a report revealing the late 1D singer had an alcohol concentration of up to 2.7 grams per liter in his blood when he fell from his hotel balcony in Argentina after a drugs and alcohol bender.

According to Alcohol.org, a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 2.7 grams per liter equates to 0.27% -- a level that can cause severe symptoms like confusion, disorientation, and feeling dazed.

New York lost a legend ... Al Trautwig, longtime voice of MSG Network, broadcaster of the Knicks and Rangers, has died at the age of 68.

"I’m sad to share the news that we lost a legendary voice in sports. But we lost a lot more than that," Trautwig's MSG colleague Alan Hahn wrote on X Monday morning.

"He was not only a friend, but a mentor and a teacher. He was, personally, one of my biggest resources of support when I moved into this career."

Legendary singer Roberta Flack has died, according to a statement by her representatives.

The R&B singer emerged into fame in the 1970s with her version of the song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."

Another well-known song of hers, "Killing Me Softly With His Song," was covered by the Fugees in the 1990s, with Lauryn Hill crooning on the track.

A Bible given to O.J. Simpson with an interesting inscription from Robert Kardashian right after the infamous white Bronco car chase is going up for a proposed auction ... and the timing is notable.

Malcolm LaVergne, O.J.'s longtime attorney and executor of his estate -- tells TMZ ... the Bible was given to O.J. in the clink by his close pal and "Dream Team" member the day after the iconic Bronco chase through L.A.

Robert, the late father of the Kardashian clan, wrote a message of hope in the book ... telling O.J. he loved him -- and so did God.

Lynne Marie Stewart, the actress best known for her roles in "American Graffiti,"  "Pee-wee’s Playhouse" and "It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia," has died, TMZ has confirmed.

Bette Smith, Stewart's manager tells TMZ ... the actress died unexpectedly yesterday afternoon at her sister's California home. In December, doctors found a tumor between the liver and gall bladder. Prior to the diagnosis, Stewart wrapped Ben Stiller's upcoming film "The Dink" ... as well as kept working on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."

"She was the most talented and funny and most honorable person I have ever known," Smith told us of Stewart.