Celebrity Death

Jimmy Kimmel’s longtime bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III, died because his heart couldn't pump enough blood to keep him alive, TMZ has learned.

We obtained Cleto's death certificate and it lists cardiogenic shock as the immediate cause of death ... with vasodilatory shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver as the underlying causes.

The document also says other conditions that contributed to Cleto's death include sepsis, graft versus host disease, immunosuppressed, chronic kidney disease and pneumonia.

Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening condition that happens when the heart suddenly can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs ... according to the Mayo Clinic.

Dave Burgess, the leader of the band behind the hit song "Tequila," is dead.

A musician, songwriter and producer, Dave was the band leader for The Champs ... and the group wrote the song "Tequila," which topped the charts in March 1958 and is still well-known to this day.

Dave died October 19 in Tennessee ... according to his obituary. The cause of death is unclear.

Ozzy Osbourne’s death stunned the world ... and even Donald Trump felt the shockwaves so deeply he actually reached out to the late rocker’s grieving family to offer his condolences.

Jack Osbourne spilled the tea on the latest episode of "The Osbournes Podcast" with mom Sharon and sister Kelly ... playing Trump’s voicemail, where he’s heard saying he’d met Ozzy a few times and just wanted to say how talented and unique the rock legend was.

Donald added, "I just wanted to wish you the best and it’s a tough thing. I know how close you were and whatever I can do. Take care of yourself. Say hello to the family. Thanks, bye."

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed Marshawn Kneeland's passing on Wednesday ... saying the team's "heart is heavy" as it deals with the loss -- while also revealing the late defensive end's girlfriend, Catalina, is currently pregnant with the couple's child.

The first-year head coach met with the media coming off Dallas' bye week ... and opened up his availability by offering condolences to Marshawn's family and his girlfriend as they navigate the difficult situation.

Schottenheimer said they had the opportunity to "celebrate" Kneeland's life Tuesday night ... and they were able to "tell some stories, share, laugh [and] cry."

Angus Cloud's mom is striking back at lawyers she claims have been hounding her with bogus claims against the "Euphoria" star's estate ... according to new court documents.

In the two years since losing her son to an accidental overdose, Lisa Cloud -- who administers Angus' estate -- claims in a new lawsuit she has suffered elder abuse, emotional distress, and more in connection with a claim from an alleged former "personal assistant" of Angus against her son's estate.

Lisa is going after the firm Hackard Law, attorney Michael Hackard, and associate Brian Geremia for filing what she's calling "meritless creditor's claims and a civil action" seeking around $310K against Angus' estate without sufficient evidence.

Jimmy Kimmel broke down in tears as he honored his late friend and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" band leader Cleto Escobedo III during Tuesday night's show, just hours after announcing his shocking death.

Check out the heartfelt tribute -- the late night TV host remembered Cleto not only as an impressive musician who was a staple to the show for over 2 decades, but as one of his closest friends.

Jimmy recalled meeting Cleto and automatically clicking with him after his parents moved their family from Brooklyn, New York to Las Vegas, Nevada when he was a kid. He said they were like brothers, basically inseparable -- and even claimed he once slept over Cleto's house "33 nights in a row."

Mynie Steffens -- a cookbook author and cooking show host -- is dead after her helicopter flew into powerlines and crashed into a South African farm ... according to multiple local reports.

The beloved TV chef died Monday ... she was flying the chopper over her own farm and spraying pesticides on her oranges, according to the outlet Cape Argus.

Steffens reportedly flew into powerlines just before 8 AM local time before the helicopter went down ... which ended with the craft "substantially damaged due to impact force," according to the country's Accidents and Incidents Investigations Division.

Tragedy for friends and family ... Jimmy Kimmel just announced his show's longtime band leader and childhood friend, Cleto Escobedo III, died Tuesday morning.

Jimmy paid tribute to him in an IG post Tuesday ... saying he's heartbroken, especially since he and Cleto had been inseparable since Jimmy was 9 years old.

Jimmy writes ... "The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true. Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers."

A gnarly fight broke out in front of "So You Think You Can Dance" star Joshua Allen's open casket over the weekend -- and it's caused tension among his family.

Check out the video circulating online -- you can see a young female leaning over the casket, when all of a sudden, an older woman pounces on her to pull her back ... and an all-out brawl breaks out.

Legendary KISS guitarist Ace Frehley passed away Thursday, Oct. 16, after his family made the difficult decision to turn off his ventilator ... and today his cause of death has been released, TMZ has learned.

TMZ confirms, Ace died as a result of blunt trauma to the head due to a fall.

According to the Morris County, New Jersey Medical Examiner's report ... Ace suffered a fracture to the back of his skull, a subdural hematoma -- a collection of blood formed between the brain's protective outer layer and the brain itself -- and a stroke. His manner of death was ruled an accident.

Lenny Wilkens -- a Hall of Fame basketball player and coach -- has died ... the NBA confirmed in a statement Sunday.

Wilkens reportedly passed away while surrounded by loved ones ... though the family has not revealed a cause of death at this time.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Wilkens "one of the game's respected ambassadors" ... adding his on-court contributions were incredible -- yet paled in comparison to his influence on the community of Seattle.

The Dallas Cowboys are paying tribute to Marshawn Kneeland after he tragically passed away on Thursday ... leaving flower bouquets at his locker.

Cowboys cornerback Josh Butler shared an Instagram photo on Friday that shows the current state of Kneeland's spot in the team facility.

"Love you dawg," Butler wrote.

Lee Tamahori -- a well-respected director with decades in the film industry -- has died ... his family revealed to New Zealand's public broadcasting company on Friday.

Tamahori passed away after a battle with Parkinson's Disease, his family told RNZ ... adding, "His legacy endures with his whānau, his mokopuna, every filmmaker he inspired, every boundary he broke, and every story he told with his genius eye and honest heart."

Tamahori rose to international prominence after the release of his 1994 film "Once Were Warriors" ... a film which followed a family as they struggled with the detrimental effects of European countries colonizing New Zealand.

Dak Prescott opened up on the death of his teammate, Marshawn Kneeland, on Thursday ... saying he wishes the 24-year-old "didn't have to go through what he went through."

The Dallas Cowboys quarterback addressed the tragedy at a field dedication ceremony at his alma mater, Haughton High School in Louisiana ... admitting it was a "very tough day" for him.

"Tragic loss," Prescott said. "I hurt. Heavy, heavy heart today. I hurt for Marshawn, I hurt for his family, I hurt for his girlfriend. I hurt for every single one of my teammates. It's just a pain that you don't wish upon anybody. You wish none of us had to go through this."

British actress Pauline Collins -- known for her Oscar-nominated starring role in "Shirley Valentine" -- has reportedly died.

According to Express, Pauline's family confirmed her death in a statement ... "Pauline was so many things to so many people, playing a variety of roles in her life. A bright, sparky, witty presence on stage and screen. Her illustrious career saw her play politicians, mothers and queens. She will always be remembered as the iconic, strong-willed, vivacious and wise Shirley Valentine – a role that she made all her own. We were familiar with all those parts of her because her magic was contained in each one of them."

They continued ... "More than anything, though, she was our loving mum, our wonderful grandma and great-grandma. Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was always there for us. And she was John's life-long love. A partner, work collaborator, and wife of 56 years."

TMZ Sports has obtained police dispatch audio connected to Marshawn Kneeland's death ... which reveals the Dallas Cowboys player told his family goodbye in an apparent mental health episode.

The clip is from late Wednesday night -- operators in Texas are heard relaying information from Kneeland's girlfriend, who stated she received a concerning message from the 24-year-old and was trying to contact the defensive end's agent.

The girlfriend said Kneeland was armed and had a history of mental issues ... and she was quoted saying he would "end it all."