Crime

Cops are clarifying some things after Carlee Russell was recovered following a 48-hour period of her having gone missing ... and it sounds like they, too, have more questions.

Hoover PD issued a new statement with a handful of details they say they can elaborate on as the investigation continues -- the most important of which, it seems, is the fact that even now ... they say they haven't gotten any further reports about a wandering child.

Remember, this was at the crux of the case from the beginning -- Carlee called 911 on the night she disappeared ... telling dispatchers she saw a toddler walking by itself along a local highway at night, and reiterated that to family members as well before pulling over.

After that, she vanished ... only to turn up 3 days later, with not very many answers as to what happened to her -- other than her loved ones claiming she was kidnapped, that is.

There's more info HPD is relaying in their new remarks ... including the fact that they say there's residential surveillance footage that apparently shows Carlee walking down the sidewalk in her neighborhood alone -- this before she showed up to her parents' front door.

The police are also clarifying reports -- citing dispatch chatter that went over the airwaves -- of Carlee having been transported to a hospital in an unconscious state. They say that's not true ... all that happened is that somebody called 911 reporting she was unresponsive -- but they say she was, in fact, awake and speaking when paramedics actually arrived.

One last important detail ... HPD says it's waiting for Carlee to be made available for a follow-up interview, claiming they've only been able to obtain a preliminary statement from her.

On its face, it sounds like they're somewhat suspicious themselves about this whole thing -- which echoes the growing public sentiment at this point ... people are raising an eyebrow.

Thus far, her family members have stuck to the same story ... namely, that she escaped her abductors, and that she fought for her life. They've also scoffed at the notion that anybody would question what happened to her ... and yet, folks still have their doubts regardless.

There's apparently some new life in the investigation into who killed legendary rapper Tupac Shakur ... as Las Vegas cops descended on a home in connection to the murder.

Detectives from the Las Vegas Metro PD served a search warrant Tuesday at a home in Henderson, Nevada ... about 20 miles away from the LV city limits. Cops were brief in the details surrounding the search, only adding it was, "part of the ongoing Tupac Shakur homicide investigation."

Law enforcement sources confirm to us the home was in the area of Interstate 11 and Wagon Wheel Drive but, as of now, no arrests have been made.

Pac died on September 13, 1996, after being shot multiple times just off the Las Vegas Strip.

The "All Eyez On Me" rapper's afterlife spawned one of the biggest-selling music careers, not to mention one of the biggest fandoms ... but his family just wants closure.

Carlee Russell's boyfriend is explicitly stating what most everyone has assumed about her disappearance -- declaring definitively that she was, indeed, kidnapped.

Thomar Simmons made the claim in a Facebook post Sunday, in which he both thanked supporters for their ongoing prayers and offered more insight into what he says happened to his significant other since she vanished Thursday in Hoover, Alabama ... this after pulling over on the I-459 highway on the heels of her reporting seeing a lone child walking at night.

He writes, "All I asked from everyone right now is to be respectful of Carlee’s situation. She was literally fighting for her life for 48 hours, so until she’s physically & mentally stable again she is not able to give any updates or whereabouts on her kidnapper at this very moment."

Simmons adds, "I also want to thank the people on social media who has been understanding & respectful about what she’s been through in these past few days. Once again I can’t thank you guys enough for helping us bring Carlee home! God bless you all."

Carlee's mother echoed similar sentiments, saying they were overjoyed to have Carlee back -- and that they would provide more details to the media in due time. Interestingly, Carlee's mom also had this to say ... "Just as we made a commitment to not entertain negative thoughts during the time our daughter was missing, we surely will not entertain negative thoughts/statements, unvalidated opinions, or sheer ignorance at such a joyous time."

What she may be referring to is the fact that people are already jumping to conclusions and floating conspiracy theories about this case ... as some feel like info doesn't line up.

For example, the police's statement about how exactly Carlee came to be found -- in which they said they got a call that she had shown up to her residence on foot -- fails to mention the fact that dispatchers in the Hoover-Vestavia Hills area were talking about Carlee possibly being at a nearby motel well beforehand ... a convo captured around 6:53 PM CT.

As you can hear ... the dispatchers describe a caller saying Carlee's family had reached out to say they had gotten a call from Carlee herself -- who apparently told them she was at the Red Roof Inn along the Montgomery Highway ... only about 5 miles north from where she disappeared. The wording's a little confusing, but it seems the caller was a Red Roof worker.

The first responders also say the front desk staff said they had no one checked in under Carlee's name. It also sounds like Carlee's family was itching to get to the Red Roof Inn to see if she was actually there. It's unclear if they did or not, but cops certainly responded ... as heard in the audio, where somebody gets on the radio to say units have arrived.

Bottom line ... there are still a number of unanswered questions, but it's clear her family/loved ones are leaning toward the notion that she was abducted by a still-to-be-discovered culprit.

Morgan Wallen heard one of the Idaho murder victims was a huge fan of his, so he took it upon himself to seek out the late college student's family ... with none other than an invite.

The country singer touched base with Ethan Chapin's mourning loved ones ... this according to Ethan's mother, Stacy, who recounted the sweet move on social media. Sounds like she and the rest of the Chapin household got the VIP treatment for MW's SoCal show Friday.

She says Ethan once sent her one of Morgan's songs, telling her he loved the dude -- a story Stacy's publicly shared since his death. Welp, Morgan heard about it and did something.

Stacy writes, "Last night, we met Morgan Wallen! He kindly gifted our family and friends tickets to his show in San Diego. Morgan's mom, Lesli, even flew in! It was an incredibly bittersweet full-circle moment."

She continues with this ... "Truthfully, the show would have been enough. We were all over the moon, and then Morgan handed us a donation check to the Ethan’s Smile Foundation. It was one of the kindest gestures in my life. I still cannot believe it happened, and it isn’t easy to recognize it all came at a massive cost to our family." Stacy ends by thanking Morgan.

Obviously, the family posed with Morgan for a handful of photos ... and just like she says, they all looked overjoyed to be there. Of course, it also must've been somewhat painful.

Ethan was one of 4 University of Idaho students who were killed last year ... the others included his girlfriend Xana Kernodle, and her roommates, -- Madison Mogen and Kaylee Gonclaves. All of them had been brutally stabbed to death at a house they were renting.

Prosecutors say they have the alleged killer ... Bryan Kohberger, whom they claim carried out the grisly murders and who'll now stand trial -- with the death penalty on the table.

New video taken the night that Russell disappeared in Alabama appears to show the moment she pulled over on a highway to help a child ... this before mysteriously vanishing.

According to AL.com, the surveillance footage -- which was just published Saturday -- was recorded by an online company that captures and archives live traffic footage ... and it looks like they caught the exact moment that the 25-year-old came to a stop on the shoulder of I-459 in Hoover, Alabama Thursday night ... when she was first reported missing by her family.

It's a disturbing story ... cops say Russell called 911 that night to report seeing a lone child walking along the interstate, and she came to a screeching halt herself to get out and help.

Russell is said to have also been on the phone with her brother's GF, who says she heard Carlee calling out to the child ... asking if they were okay. Then, she claims to have heard Carlee scream before the phone dropped, with only the sound of traffic being heard after.

When police arrived to the scene ... they found her car and belongings -- including her phone, but Russell was nowhere to be found. Ditto for the kid she reported seeing.

Now, in the wake of this new footage -- which police say they have and are examining -- people are picking it apart ... and some even claim to see something that could give a clue as to what happened. In many people's eyes ... this looks to be an abduction via luring.

The reason people believe that -- aside from the eerie details of the case -- has to do with a bright yellow light that can be seen in this footage ... which darts south in the video at a rapid speed, but then goes dark. Unclear what the light may be -- but it seems suspicious.

Her family has been sounding the alarm since, asking the public to help bring her back ... and there's even been a huge reward offered for her return, now increased to $50,000.

Cops released a new photo of Carlee -- seen above, where she's got short hair -- and say this is a more accurate depiction/what she may have looked like the night she went missing.

French President Emmanuel Macron was reportedly given the finger this week, but not in the way you'd think  ... this one was severed from a human being and sent to him in the mail.

Macron was the recipient of the gory delivery Monday, according to news outlet London Evening Standard ... which says the digit showed up at the  Élysée Palace in Paris without a note. We don't know if Macron ever personally saw what was inside.

A source claims police immediately put the finger in their communal fridge, where snacks are usually kept, to keep it preserved ahead of testing -- which came back to show it was from a living human being.

The outlet says the person missing the finger was located and given medical support ... although they weren't identified. It's unclear if any arrests have been made.

France has been dealing with a lot of unrest lately -- waves of riots erupted after cops in Paris fatally shot 17-year-old French Algerian Nahel Merzouk last week. He was allegedly trying to drive away from the officers during a traffic stop.

Kevin Spacey testified Thursday at his London sex assault trial calling one of his accusers a backstabber -- and described their intimate moments as purely consensual while claiming he’s just a "big flirt."

The Oscar-winning actor took the stand in Southwark Crown Court and went down memory lane, laying out his relationship with one of the 4 men he’s accused of sexually assaulting.

Spacey described the man as funny, charming and flirtatious -- and their relationship as "romantic" and "somewhat sexual." Kevin also testified, "I liked him greatly. We had a good time together. We laughed a lot."

Kevin continued, "I never thought that (the man) I knew would … 20 years later stab me in the back," which Spacey says "crushed" him emotionally.

Spacey then testified he was the dominant partner in their relationship, adding, "I'm a flirt, I'm a big flirt." He categorically denied molesting the man, saying it was all consensual.

"It didn’t happen in a violent, aggressive, painful way," Spacey told the jury, explaining, "It was gentle and it was touching and it was, in my mind, romantic."

Kevin also testified they never actually had sex because the man made it clear he didn’t want to take it to that level. "And I respected that," Spacey testified, while dismissing the other allegations against him because, in his view, they made "no logical sense."

Spacey further testified his accusers were simply retaliating against him after they regretted getting intimate with him.

Spacey has pleaded not guilty to 12 criminal charges, including indecent assault and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

Zayn Malik is finally opening up about his infamous confrontation with Yolanda Hadid a couple of years ago ... and firmly believes he handled the aftermath nearly perfectly.

The singer chatted with Alex Cooper on Wednesday's episode of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast -- saying he usually keeps quiet when folks online go after him, and he'd decided to take the same approach when he was charged with harassment for the 2021 altercation.

He admits the last thing he wanted was to have an explosive back-and-forth publicly between Yolanda and him, because he wouldn't want his 2-year-old daughter, Khai -- whom he shares with Yolanda's daughter, Gigi -- to see that later in life.

Zayn said he recognizes every family has issues, but believes it should stay within the family ... of course, being a celeb almost always throws that possibility out the window.

TMZ broke the story, sources told us Zayn struck Yolanda in the Pennsylvania home he shared back then with Gigi, and he was charged with 4 criminal offenses of harassment. He eventually pled no contest.

During the altercation, Zayn allegedly called Yolanda a "f***ing Dutch slut," told her to "stay away from [my] f***ing daughter" ... and shoved her into a dresser. He denies it got physical.

A man claiming to have a gun is barricaded in a hotel room at Caesars Palace, holding a woman against her will, and chucking large items through a window ... and now, SWAT's on the scene.

Cops say this started Tuesday morning with a call for possible domestic violence at the famed casino resort. When officers arrived, they say the man bolted into a room as they were trying to make contact -- he told them he wasn't coming out. Not just that, but he said he was armed.

BTW, Metro PD says he's not in there by himself ... the guy yanked a woman into the room with him before things went south -- and now, he's shattered windows as he throws items out of his room ... which is on a high floor. One reported object that's come down is a chair.

The authorities are telling people to clear the area or to take cover ... and there are videos and photos circulating online showing guests and passersby doing just that, hiding in fear.

Considering the man might have a weapon on him, and could start firing out the windows ... the police have called in SWAT officers who are getting into position throughout the area. A crisis negotiating team is also on site.

Police say no shots have been fired yet.

Of course, what comes to mind here is the 2017 Las Vegas massacre ... where Stephen Paddock opened fire from a hotel room in the Mandalay Bay Hotel during a music festival, killing dozens of people and injuring hundreds of others.

Lady Gaga just won a legal case over her huge dog reward offer that a woman was trying to claim -- 'cause a judge just told her ... ya can't have your stolen cake and eat it too.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a judge tossed Jennifer McBride's lawsuit against the singer ... in which she was attempting to get a court to force Gaga to fork over a $500k reward that she promised to anyone who helped recover her stolen pets in 2021.

The judge said one major problem with McBride's lawsuit -- she was actually convicted in connection to that crime ... namely, pleading no contest to knowingly receiving stolen property.

Hizzoner makes it clear in the ruling -- saying allowing McBride to pursue the claims "would allow her to benefit from her admitted wrongdoing."  Lady Gaga has called it ridiculous ... now, a court agrees. AKA, uh ... duh!  The judge did say McBride would have 20 days to try to amend the complaint, but it's not clear how she could find a way around the ruling.

You'll recall ... Gaga's 2 Frenchies were jacked in plain sight out in Hollywood -- being taken at gunpoint, no less, and with some injury sustained by LG's dog walker, Ryan Fischer. He was shot at the time and hospitalized, but eventually (and thankfully) made a full recovery.

"Snowfall" star Damson Idris' home was subject to a burglary earlier this month ... but we're told the damage the thieves caused in the home outweighed what they got away with in goods.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... the alleged thieves broke into Damson's L.A.-area house July 3, smashing a glass door to get inside.

We're told they eventually left with Damson's small safe, but the joke's on them -- because our sources say it only held about $500 worth of stuff ... though it's not totally clear what was inside.

What's more, we're told the suspects did more damage breaking in and stealing the safe than what they took home -- telling us it's about a $2K bill to fix what was busted.

LAPD is investigating the incident -- we're told cops will be reviewing the security cameras in the house and will be checking out neighbors' videos too. So far, no arrests have been made.

Shocking new video shows a gunman sticking up an Arizona toy store while kids are frozen in fear with their hands up.

The surveillance footage, recently obtained by AZFamily news, captures the masked thief brandishing his pistol as he barges into Teddy Bears El Paraiso in Mesa, AZ, on April 16.

He first points the gun at two customers and orders them to stand against a wall along with three children -- one of whom was playing on the floor.

The intruder then goes to the counter and demands money from the register as the scared customers raise their arms above their heads.

A shop manager starts handing over bills to the robber, who suddenly gets impatient, reaching over the counter and grabbing the cash drawer.

Meanwhile, another shopper unwittingly walks into the store and he, too, ends up against the wall with his hands up.

Beyoncé's mom, Tina Knowles, is having more trouble at home ... cops say her place was hit by burglars, who made off with seven figures worth of cash and jewels.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... there was a recent break-in at Tina's Los Angeles-area estate and cops were told a safe with over $1 million in cash and jewelry was missing -- the entire safe!

We're told the break-in was discovered Wednesday morning, when someone from Tina's camp stopped by the home and discovered the missing vault.

Our sources say Tina was out of town when the incident happened, and it's unclear how the alleged thieves got inside and removed the safe.

Cops are on the case ... they're looking for video and talking to some of Tina's neighbors. So far, we're told no hot leads.

TMZ broke the story ... cops arrested a man outside Tina's home back in April after they say he caused minor damage to her mailbox by throwing rocks.

A man was spotted on camera allegedly trying to hold up an ATL nail salon, but ultimately failed -- all thanks to the staff and customers who couldn't care less about his demands.

The attempted robbery gone wrong went down this week at Nail First, and in the security footage, the man holds up what you'd assume is a weapon inside his bag ... shouting at everyone in the spot to hand over the cash.

Shockingly, his brute request fell on deaf ears -- he even goes up to the man behind the counter, who seems too busy for his BS ... taking a phone call and walking away.

The guy does snatch the phone from one woman, who ends up walking out of the building -- but everyone else remains chill ... and after some painfully-awkward silence, the guy just takes off without stealing any dough.

Crime Stoppers is working on finding the wannabe crook, according to Fox5 Atlanta ... and customer Lesa Barrow told the outlet the owner was scared at first but kept his cool to keep everyone else calm.

New York Yankees relief pitcher Jimmy Cordero will not take the mound again this season ... the MLB has suspended him for the rest of the year for violating its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.

In making the announcement, league officials said Cordero has accepted the punishment ... and the ban will begin immediately.

As part of the policy, the 31-year-old will now also have to "participate in a confidential and comprehensive evaluation and treatment program," the league added.

The MLB and the Yankees did not reveal the specific allegations against Cordero that led to the suspension ... though New York officials said in a statement they "are fully supportive" of the decision.

"There is no justification for domestic violence," the Yankees said, "and we stand with the objectives, standards, and enforcement of MLB's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy."

Cordero had pitched in 31 games for the Pinstripes this season ... earning a 3-2 record and a 3.86 ERA. He had just thrown for the team on Sunday.

Punk rock legend Johnny Rotten says he has an obsessed stalker in his midst who's been hitting him up on his phone and even coming to his house.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... the Sex Pistols singer told L.A. County Sheriff's deputies a fan started harassing him last month by dropping letters in Johnny's mailbox -- and he says she picked up the pace, FAST.

Johnny said the woman took it to the next level by trespassing onto his Los Angeles-area property and strolling around his backyard. He says he even came face-to-face with her, and told her to scram.

That's when Johnny claims he started getting phone calls from her -- and that's when he decided to file a stalking report with the sheriff's department, which is now investigating.