Celebrity Death

"American Idol" alum Doug Kiker -- who was known by the moniker "The Singing Garbage Man" -- died from an opioid overdose, TMZ has learned.

According to the City and County of Denver Medical Examiner's report obtained by TMZ, Doug died from the combined toxic effects of fentanyl, methadone, and amphetamines, with recent cocaine use -- and his death has been ruled an accident.

Kiker died last month, as confirmed to TMZ by his brother William and mother Joyce -- with his ex-fiancée, Valerie Cook, telling us she hates that her kids lost their father.

Michelle Trachtenberg's cause of death is official ... with NYC authorities saying she died from complications of diabetes.

The actress -- who passed away in February -- died from "complications of diabetes mellitus" according to the medical examiner, who cited lab results. Diabetes mellitus is the more technical name for diabetes. It doesn't denote whether Michelle had type 1 or type 2.

The ME is classifying Michelle's death as "natural" ... meaning the investigation into Michelle's death is pretty much closed at this point.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were still madly in love right up until their tragic deaths -- a stack of love notes found on their property makes that heartbreakingly clear.

Santa Fe authorities released the touching notes -- in one, Hackman sweetly thanked Betsy, who had been caring for him through his advanced Alzheimer’s, for helping him make her own birthday dinner, and signing it off with, "Love you and the guys, G."

It was clear the pair -- who married in 1991 -- loved the old-school way of showing affection ... with Gene calling Betsy a "lovely girl," and in another note saying he was thinking of her.

Gene Hackman's New Mexico property won't have a tough time selling despite some tough circumstances ... at least according to real estate agents in the area.

Gene, his wife Betsy Arakawa and one of their dogs were found dead in their secluded Santa Fe estate earlier this year, and the place was infested with dead rodents and rats' nests ... but realtors say neither instance should be a dealbreaker when it comes time for the property to hit the open market.

Ken Martinez of Keller Williams Realty, Jer Collins of Exp Realty and Shak Bani from Santa Fe Properties all agreed ... the rodent problems will be cleaned up, and the home's secluded location is going to be the big selling point.

Police just released body cam video from the Gene Hackman death case ... and you see officers searching his New Mexico home before ultimately finding his and his wife's bodies ... with one of their live dogs lying next to Betsy Arakawa.

TMZ obtained the footage Tuesday and you see cops scouring the Santa Fe home in search of Gene and Betsy.

Police find Betsy's body first -- she's on the floor near a locked exterior door, with one of their dogs by her side ... and Gene's body is later found near the kitchen.

Gene Hackman's handyman and caretaker talked to cops after claiming he spied the late actor's wife's dead body inside their secluded New Mexico home ... telling them to keep things on the down low.

New police body cam footage released Tuesday shows the interaction between cops and Gene's handyman ... and he tells them he went to check on the couple because he hadn't heard from them in nearly 3 weeks.

The guy claims he was trying to get a wellness check and stumbled upon Betsy Arakawa's body. He says it's Gene's house and the couple valued privacy and to keep the incident on the hush.

Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, was searching online for answers about symptoms Gene was experiencing just days before dying from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a new investigation shows.

The new report released by New Mexico officials, obtained by TMZ, revealed Betsy had bookmarks open on her computer from Feb. 8 and the morning of Feb. 12 -- the day she died -- showing she was searching whether COVID could cause symptoms like dizziness or nosebleeds.

An email to her masseuse revealed Gene woke up on Feb. 11 with flu or cold-like symptoms. His COVID test came back negative, but Betsy said she’d reschedule her appointment "out of an abundance of caution."

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.