Celebrity Death

Influencer Jeri Wirtz has tragically died at 74 ... following a long battle with breast cancer.

The news was confirmed on the joint IG account she shared with her husband, Mike -- "Jeri & Mike" -- where it was revealed she passed away on Dec. 6, peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family.

Jeri had been fighting stage 4 breast cancer for nine years ... the post says her health took a major downturn recently. After a hospital stay didn’t help, she entered in-home hospice care last week.

9:24 AM PT -- TMZ has obtained 911 audio that reveals Chad Spodick hanged himself in a backyard. During the call, a dispatcher says Chad's mother found his body and contacted police.

Chad Spodick -- the former "Finding Prince Charming" contestant who died last week -- passed away from suicide, police tell TMZ.

Boca Raton PD in Florida confirmed the manner of death, but declined to give further details.

News of the reality star's death shook friends and family, who set up a GoFundMe to help pay for his funeral and expenses related to his five pets.

Erika Kirk got understandably emotional opening up about how much she feels the absence of her late husband, Charlie Kirk, around the house.

Speaking on "Fox & Friends" Tuesday while promoting Charlie’s new book, "Stop, in the Name of God," Erika said while the world knew him as "Charlie Kirk," to her he was the love of her life ... and to their kids, he was just Daddy walking through the door.

Erika fought tears as she explained she always tried to make coming home special for Charlie -- and she urged spouses watching not to sweat the small stuff or get mad at their partners, 'cause TBH ... you never know what could happen.

The Mavericks frontman and cofounder Raul Malo has died ... the band announced Tuesday morning.

In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram ... the country-rock band said Malo died Monday ... no cause was given, but in June 2024, he announced he had been diagnosed with colon cancer.

The band said in part ... "Anyone with the pleasure of being in Raul’s orbit knew that he was a force of human nature, with an infectious energy. Over a career of more than three decades entertaining millions around the globe, his towering creative contributions and unrivaled, generational talent created the kind of multicultural American music reaching far beyond America itself."

Sad news in the wrestling world ... Steve Regal -- better known as "Mr. Electricity" -- passed away in July. He was 73.

The news broke on Monday and was confirmed by the National Wrestling Alliance ... which expressed its sadness over the death of its former champion.

"Defeating Denny Brown for the title, this flashy and charismatic grappler reigned atop pro wrestling’s junior heavyweight in 1986, paving a path for generations to come," NWA said.

Rapper POORSTACY took his own life in a Florida motel room in front of his baby mama and toddler last month ... and TMZ has now obtained new photos of the eerie scene.

The pics were taken by a source who was staying in a room adjacent to POORSTACY at the Boca By the Sea Hotel on the day the rapper killed himself.

In the photos, you can see the outside of the building cordoned off with yellow tape. Children's plush toys lie strewn on the lawn outside the door as an officer stands nearby, appearing to take notes.

Former NASCAR driver Michael Annett has reportedly died.

Annett's death was announced by his former team, JR Motorsports, on Friday. He drove for them between 2017 and 2021, when he retired. NASCAR.com also confirmed the sad news.

It is not clear how he died, but his fellow former NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski said on X he's "glad he is no longer suffering."

TMZ Sports has obtained the 911 call made regarding Elden Campbell's death ... with a man telling the operator he spotted something washed up on the shore that "looks like a human body."

In the audio, the caller sounded confused about what he initially saw on the beach on December 1 ... but after zooming in on his camera, he told the operator, "It looks like a dead person on the floor."

When police arrived, we were told they found Campbell's body alongside a jet ski on the beach around 8 PM ... and he was pronounced dead at 8:03 PM.

Chad Spodick -- a contestant on "Finding Prince Charming" who progressed pretty far during the show's one and only season -- has died.

A close friend to Chad tells TMZ ... the reality star died Wednesday. The cause of death was not shared.

Chad's family friend Kate Werbowski set up a GoFundMe to help out Chad's mother with funeral expenses and expenses related to his five pets ... and, on the page, she calls his death "sudden and heartbreaking" in the post.

Frank O. Gehry, the legendary architect behind countless iconic landmarks, has reportedly died.

According to the New York Times, Gehry passed away at his Santa Monica, California, home Friday after a brief respiratory illness.

As perhaps the most recognizable name in architecture since Frank Lloyd Wright, he was responsible for the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Fondation Louis Vuitton and Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, among other notable structures.

12/5 10:52 AM PT -- Officials in Florida tell us they received a report of an unresponsive adult male on the beach at around 8 PM on December 1. When they arrived, they found Campbell next to a jet ski on the beach, later pronouncing him dead.

"At this time, there is no foul play suspected, and the death investigation is ongoing."

NBA champion Elden Campbell's cause of death has been revealed ... with officials telling TMZ Sports the former Laker died due to an accidental drowning.

The medical examiner in Florida says Campbell -- who was 57 years old -- was pronounced deceased at 8:03 PM on December 1.

The news of his tragic death was first announced by his former teammates and professional and college organizations.

Pyari Maryam -- an influencer with more than 150K followers on Instagram -- has died after giving birth ... according to a post from her husband.

Ahsan Al broke the sad news Thursday, posing a statement that, translated to English,  reportedly reads ... "Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. Dear Maryam has passed away. Everyone is requested to pray that may Allah, the Lord of Honor, forgive her and elevate her ranks."

While he didn't reveal Pyari's cause of death, it appears linked to child birth, because he also revealed she successfully gave birth to twin boys shortly before she passed -- “Alhamudlillah, both little babies are completely safe. Please avoid spreading false rumors, and pray for our dear Maryam.”

The Texas A&M student who was found dead after the school's football game against the University of Texas died by suicide ... according to the Austin Police Department.

Remember ... Brianna Aguilera -- a 19-year-old student at the university -- was found outside a campus apartment complex around 1 AM Saturday, hours after A&M's 27-17 Friday night loss against rival Texas.

Detective Robert Marshall of APD says she was found with trauma from an apparent fall from a high floor. Cameras showed Brianna arriving at the apartment building around 11 PM Friday before heading up to a 17th-floor apartment.

Brazilian influencer Bárbara Jankavski's cause of death has been released -- also known as the "Human Barbie" -- has been released ... but her family isn't buying the official line.

Authorities in São Paulo reportedly determined she died accidentally from cocaine use, according to Brazilian news site g1.

But, the local outlet reports, Jankavski's family and the Public Prosecutor's Office believe she was murdered. They reportedly want the case to go before a jury.

A doctor who pled guilty in connection to Matthew Perry's death found out his fate Wednesday ... the judge sentenced him to 30 months -- about 2.5 years -- in prison.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia -- who pled guilty to 4 counts of distributing ketamine back in July -- received the sentence in an L.A. federal courthouse, the L.A. Times reports. He was taken directly into custody.

In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped five other charges ... 3 other ketamine distribution charges and 2 counts of falsifying records.

As you know ... Plasencia prescribed ketamine to Perry weeks before the actor fell unconscious and drowned in his hot tub back in 2023.

"So You Think You Can Dance" star Donyelle Jones has died after a long battle with breast cancer.

The tragic news was shared on her Instagram Tuesday, with the heartbreaking announcement reading ... "Today at 8:34am, Donyelle Denise Wilson, transitioned. A wife. A daughter. A sister. A friend. And a warrior who kicked cancer’s a** every single day she was here."

Jones was diagnosed with stage 3C breast cancer nearly a decade ago, and despite treatments, it progressed to stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.