Celebrity Death

Alex Ligertwood's daughter, Merci, tells TMZ ... "My dad loved many things. At the forefront were his family & friends, music, and Scotland. He continued doing shows up until the very end, just the way he wanted."

She adds ... "Though he is no longer with us, it’s a comfort to know his music and talent will live on. The outpouring of love is overwhelming and greatly appreciated by myself, my sister Kali, and brother Brandon. We miss you, Pops."

Alex Ligertwood -- who contributed lead vocals to iconic Latin rock band Santana over the years -- has died, TMZ has learned.

His daughter, Merci, announced the news Saturday, and the Brogan Agency confirmed the news Sunday, saying he "passed peacefully in his sleep with his doggy Bobo by his side" ... just 2 weeks after his final concert. He was living at his longtime home in Santa Monica when he died.

Brandon Paul, a guitarist who toured with Alex for the last several years as part of "Icons of Classic Rock," called Alex "a world-class professional" in a statement to TMZ. He went on ... "His voice was a force of nature -- soulful, from the heart, and legendary every single night. Beyond the music, he was an amazing human being and a dear friend."

Brandon added ... "Having a vocalist who worked with icons like Carlos Santana and Jeff Beck compliment my guitar playing is something I will carry with me forever." Clips of the pair sharing the stage together can be seen below.

Beau Starr -- a beloved actor best known for his role in multiple 'Halloween' movies and so much more -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Mike Starr -- Beau's younger brother who is also an actor -- tells TMZ ... Beau passed away on Friday, April 24 in Vancouver, Canada. He says Beau passed peacefully of natural causes.

Mike says his brother was loved by many who knew him ... calling him a "very unique and special." He adds Beau and his other brothers helped raise him alongside his parents, and he was such a tremendous influence on his life.

After several years on the New York Jets practice squad in the late 1960s and two seasons in the Canadian Football League, Beau got his start in the entertainment industry on the show "Bizarre" -- a half-hour sketch comedy show which starred Bob Einstein and featured comedians like Howie Mandel.

Italian racing star Alex Zanardi, who later became a Paralympic gold medalist after surviving devastating injuries, has died at 59.

His family confirmed the news Saturday morning, revealing he passed away Friday night and saying in a statement, “Alex died peacefully, surrounded by the affection of those closest to him." No cause of death was disclosed at the time.

In 2020, Zanardi suffered severe head and facial injuries when his handbike collided with a truck during a relay event in Tuscany ... leaving him in a medically induced coma.

Catherine O'Hara may be gone ... but she lives on, thanks to her famous friend Martin Short.

On Friday, Netflix dropped the trailer for their upcoming doc about the "Only Murders in the Building" star ... which includes some shots of the late legend.

The teaser is full of Martin's A-list acquaintances singing his praises ... and even shows him singing Catherine's, too.

Dylan Carter -- a singer from South Carolina who once competed on "The Voice" -- was killed in a car crash last Saturday ... and he'll be laid to rest this weekend.

According to his official obituary ... a visitation is scheduled today in St. George, about an hour northwest of Charleston -- and Dylan's funeral will take place tomorrow at the Indian Field Campground in his home state.

TMZ broke the news ... the 24-year-old died of blunt force trauma after his 2026 Tesla veered off the road, striking a pole and a fence, before rolling. Authorities have yet to determine why he veered off the road.

Erik Fleming is asking a judge for mercy -- admitting he helped supply ketamine in the lead-up to Matthew Perry's death … and saying he'll spend the rest of his life trying to make up for it.

In new court documents, obtained by TMZ, Fleming is requesting just 3 months in prison, a 9-month residential drug treatment program, and 3 years of supervised release.

In a letter to the judge, he doesn't sugarcoat his role, writing … "I knew it was illegal and wrong ... I should never have agreed to acquire ketamine for Matt."

Sick twist to an already horrible story ... authorities in North Carolina are investigating the burglary of Greg Biffle's home, following his tragic death, as a potential inside job.

Authorities in Iredell County say the suspicious activity started just hours after the December 18 crash in Statesville, NC, which took the life of Biffle, his wife Cristina, his two kids, and three others, with a disturbing email that read, "I heard you're dead, rest in hell," being sent to the deceased driver's inbox, according to WSOC.

Around the same time, investigators say Biffle's banking passwords were changed ... and there was also alleged fraudulent activity on Cristina's Venmo account.

David Allan Coe might be gone ... but, fans will get to hear some of the last songs he ever recorded in just a few short months, TMZ has learned.

Ken Madson -- Coe's manager near the end of his career -- tells TMZ ... he owns the controversial country singer's final album and plans to release it on September 6, 2026, which would've been the star's 87th birthday.

Coe last recorded for the album back in 2017, Madson says ... and, it will feature some previously released songs as well as new material. One song on it is called "A Million Reasons" -- which Coe apparently referenced on his social media last year. A title for the album hasn't been finalized yet.

Country singer David Allan Coe -- known for his songs "You Never Even Called Me by My Name" and "The Ride" -- has died, TMZ can confirm.

Coe reportedly died Wednesday, with his wife, Kimberly, telling Rolling Stone ... "My husband, my friend, my confidant and my life for many years. I’ll never forget him and I don’t want anyone else to ever forget him either." She also celebrated him as "one of the best singers, songwriters, and performers of our time."

A cause of death has not yet been revealed.

The country singer was known for being an example of a modern outlaw -- unapologetically himself and not worried about being politically correct. He boasted about his convict past and used slurs and racial stereotypes in his songs, though he claimed they were parodies and he wasn't racist. He was also criticized for using the Confederate flag.

Patrick Muldoon's sudden death is being linked to more than just a heart attack ... newly released records show multiple serious medical conditions all collided at once.

The "Melrose Place" actor's death certificate, obtained by Us Weekly, lists his official cause of death as a heart attack, but it also reveals he was suffering from a hereditary coagulopathy disorder ... a genetic issue that disrupts the blood’s ability to clot ... as well as a pulmonary embolism ... a dangerous clot that can block blood flow to the lungs.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, he was cremated on April 28.

Nick Reiner allegedly butchered his parents back in December ... but when he appeared again in court Wednesday, prosecutors revealed the autopsies for Rob and Michele Reiner are not ready yet ... four and a half months after their murders.

The hearing was delayed and when Nick was finally brought into the courtroom, he looked thin in his yellow and blue jail jumpsuit.

Nick's public defender told the judge they were still waiting on discovery ... and the next hearing in the case was set for Sept. 15.

Tupac Shakur's family is taking Keefe D to court to hold him responsible for the rapper's tragic murder ... filing a wrongful death lawsuit against him.

Maurice "Mopreme" Shakur -- Pac's stepbrother -- filed the lawsuit on behalf of his late brother's estate Tuesday ... noting Keefe D is the only person who has ever been arrested in connection to Tupac's murder.

The estate is also suing a number of "John Does" ... claiming the conspiracy to kill Tupac goes far beyond Keefe D, even though law enforcement has not yet identified anyone else who played a role in his death.

Josh Mauro, a college football star turned 8-year NFL vet, died last week at the age of 35, his family announced on Tuesday.

The cause of death is not currently clear.

"With many tears and broken hearts, yet anchored in the unshakable certainty that our precious Josh Mauro is now healed and made new—living in the presence of the Lord—we humbly covet your prayers as our family walks through the devastating loss of our amazing son, brother, uncle, grandson and friend," Josh's dad, Greg, wrote on social media.

Roger Sweet -- the toy designer who created the He-Man character in the "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" 1980s animated kids' show -- has died at age 91 after battling dementia.

His wife, Marlene, tells TMZ Roger passed away peacefully at his care facility Tuesday morning … just months after she revealed his devastating health decline and launched a GoFundMe to help cover his staggering memory care costs.

As we previously reported ... Marlene said Roger suffered a frightening fall while out walking alone and couldn't remember what happened. Doctors later discovered two brain bleeds ... and he was hospitalized in the ICU before being moved into a memory care facility that cost more than $10,000 a month.

Dylan Carter's life came to a tragic end when he rolled his Tesla Saturday ... and, TMZ has obtained photos of the wrecked vehicle.

The pictures show the busted, burned-out husk of Carter's Tesla ... the wheels of the car are gone -- and it's hard to tell exactly which piece is what when looking at the wreck.

Emergency crews are on the scene ... though it appears Carter has already been taken away to receive medical attention. As we told you, Carter passed away from his injuries at the hospital.

Digital Underground member Cleetis Mack has died, TMZ has learned.

A rep for the alternative hip-hop group known for kicking off Tupac Shakur's career tells us Mack passed suddenly ... adding his death "leaves a void in our Digital Underground family and in our hearts that can never truly be filled." A cause of death has not been revealed ... his age at the time of his death is unclear.

Mack -- who was known as "Clee" -- joined the group in 1993, six years after it was founded in Oakland, California by Shock G (Gregory Jacobs), Chopmaster J (Jimi Dright), and Kenny-K (Kenneth Waters). His first single with Digital Underground was "Wussup Wit the Luv" ... featuring Tupac.