Celebrity Death

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have been laid to rest -- weeks after their remains had been unclaimed for more than a month after their deaths in New Mexico -- in a private memorial ceremony.

PEOPLE reported Tuesday a funeral was recently held for the couple, with family and close friends attending the memorial. As TMZ reported ... as of March 27, the couple's bodies had not been formally claimed, according to New Mexico's Office of the Medical Investigator.

Hackman's three children -- Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie -- were reportedly at the recent private Santa Fe event.

Dead rodents and their nests were scattered across eight detached outbuildings on Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s property in Santa Fe, New Mexico ... a health report  obtained by TMZ reveals.

The New Mexico Department of Public Health conducted an environmental assessment back in March, one week after Gene Hackman was found dead in the same house as his wife Betsy, who died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), caused by hantavirus.

The deadly disease spreads through rat and mouse urine and droppings, often picked up when someone’s cleaning out attics or basements.

"Dazed and Confused" actor Nicky Katt died by suicide at his home in California, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Katt's body was discovered hanging inside his L.A. area apartment by his landlord on April 8.

Our sources say the landlord visited Katt's apartment about a week earlier, telling him his rent was due, and he needed to pay it.

Former Louisiana State University wide receiver Kyren Lacy is suspected to have died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a police pursuit ... TMZ has learned.

According to documents and law enforcement sources ... a call for service in the Houston area regarding a weapons disturbance was made around 11:15 PM Saturday night in the Houston area -- with the reportee allegedly telling officers Lacy, her family member, got into a verbal argument with her and then fired a weapon into the ground before fleeing the scene.

Cops say they spotted Lacy's car and attempted to pull him over, but say Lacy drove off, leading to a vehicular police pursuit.

Jean Marsh -- a longtime British star who appeared in several hit '80s movies -- has passed away ... TMZ has confirmed.

Lesley Duff -- Marsh's longtime agent -- tells us Jean did indeed pass away Sunday while also sharing a statement from Michael Lindsay-Hogg -- a pioneer in the music video industry and pal of Marsh's -- revealing she passed at her home in London Sunday due to complications of dementia.

Lindsay-Hogg says he and Marsh were close for 60 years, speaking almost daily over the last 40 ... adding she was a wise, funny, pretty, kind person -- talented as both an actress and writer -- who was loved by everyone who met her.

Marsh began her screen career in the late 1940s ... appearing in a series of uncredited roles in smaller shows before grabbing bit parts on "The Twilight Zone" and "I Spy" as well as a small role in the Elizabeth Taylor-led flick "Cleopatra."

Nicky Katt -- a recognizable character actor who appeared in dozens of well-known shows and movies -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

Attorney John Sloss -- head of the firm that repped Katt, Sloss Law -- confirmed Nicky's death ... though he did not provide any more details.

Nicky got his start in acting way back in the early 1980s ... appearing in bit parts on "Fantasy Island" and "CHiPs."

George Foreman's death is still being felt in the boxing world ... and now the filmmaker behind the "Big George Foreman" biopic is opening up on the late-heavyweight champ's impact, especially amongst the Black community.

TMZ Sports recently spoke with George Tillman Jr., the man who not only directed but also co-wrote the film that was released in mid-2023 ... a movie most fans loved.

Tillman Jr. and Foreman came to know each other well ... and with the death of Big George, we asked about the legacy the larger-than-life figure leaves behind.

It's been more than a year since the shocking death of Vontae Davis ... but time hasn't come with answers, 'cause the medical examiner doesn't know what caused the former NFL star to die at just 35 years old.

TMZ Sports obtained the autopsy report from the Broward County Medical Examiner on Friday ... after Davis was found deceased by an assistant in his home gym in Southwest Ranches, FL, on April 1, 2024. The cause of death is listed as "undetermined." The manner of death is also a mystery to the ME.

"Due to the totality of the circumstances, including inconsistencies between the scene and the findings at autopsy, the cause and manner in this case is best classified as undetermined," the Medical Examiner wrote in the 11-page report.

Ted Kotcheff -- famous for directing iconic movies the likes of "First Blood" and "Weekend at Bernie's" -- has died, TMZ confirmed.

Thomas Kotcheff, Ted's son, tells TMZ ... the filmmaker died peacefully Friday night at Hospital Joya in Nuevo Nayarit, Mexico surrounded by family.

A cause of death was not disclosed.

UConn star Azzi Fudd says she believes her Huskies got an assist from the Mamba and the Mambacita during their title tilt last weekend ... telling TMZ Sports she felt Kobe and Gianna Bryant "watching down on us" during the big game.

Some five years after the NBA legend and his daughter -- who was a massive UConn fan -- passed away in a tragic helicopter accident ... Fudd says she felt their presence as she and her teammates were taking down South Carolina in the national championship in San Antonio.

She told us it all became crystal clear to her when someone pointed out a few Bryant-related numbers in the matchup's box score.

Val Kilmer's cause of death has been revealed ... the legendary actor died from pneumonia, TMZ has learned.

TMZ has obtained the death certificate released by the Los Angeles County Department of Health. Kilmer's immediate cause of death has been confirmed as pneumonia. Underlying causes listed on the death certificate are acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, chronic respiratory failure, and squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue.

Other contributing factors include malnutrition, and a tracheocutaneous fistula. We've also learned he was cremated on April 7.

Mel Novak, the Hollywood actor best known for his starring role in Bruce Lee's classic "Game of Death," has died, his daughter Nikol Conant tells TMZ.

Novak died Wednesday morning at a SoCal board and care facility of natural causes, Nikol told us.

The iconic actor whose career spanned decades in Hollywood suffered numerous injures during his time in the biz ... 'cause he was known for doing all of his own stunts and fighting scenes. But, he was in pain daily -- especially the past few years -- from the beatings he took in front of the camera, Nikol says.

Liam Payne's friend Roger Nores -- who was with the One Direction singer in his final chaotic days in Buenos Aires -- is taking legal steps to drop a lawsuit he filed against Liam's dad.

Roger beelined it to court Wednesday and filed new legal docs to dismiss his defamation lawsuit against Geoff Payne.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Roger says he wants to dismiss the suit without prejudice ... meaning it could be refiled in the future.

Former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel will be laid to rest on Thursday ... after he tragically died in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.

The former World Series champion was of the 100-plus people who perished when a roof collapsed during a Santo Domingo nightclub concert ... and his family said they will now honor his memory throughout this week.

On Wednesday, Dotel's loved ones said they'll hold an event at a DR funeral home ... before the ex-Astros closer gets a Christian burial on Thursday.

Jay North -- a veteran actor who played the eponymous character in the 1960s sitcom "Dennis the Menace" -- has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

Laurie Jacobson -- a longtime friend of North and wife to "Lassie" actor Jon Provost -- tells TMZ ... Jay passed away Sunday at his home in Lake Butler, Florida after a battle with colorectal cancer.

We're told his health started to deteriorate over the past month, and he was surrounded by family -- his wife Cindy and her daughters from a previous marriage, which we're told he "adored" -- when he passed.

The rare hantavirus -- that few had heard of before it killed Gene Hackman's wife -- has killed more people ... this time in California.

Three victims in the town of Mammoth Lakes succumbed to hantavirus ... which is what killed the actor's wife, Betsy Arakawa.

The Mono County Health and Human Services Public Health Division announced this week the third death due to HPS in the town about 330 miles east of San Francisco.