Crime

The Netflix docuseries on L.A.'s mysterious Cecil Hotel is triggering a flood of new, and bizarre, theories on who was behind Elisa Lam's death -- some so strange they'd require time travel.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... ever since "Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel" started streaming, LAPD's 24/7 hotline's been ringing off the hook with tips. We're told most are connecting the hotel's haunted past to the unsolved mystery of how Lam ended up dead in a rooftop water tank.

If you've seen the series you know a former GM at the Cecil said she saw about 80 deaths at the hotel over 10 years.

Our sources say the strangest tip cops have gotten involved Richard Ramirez, AKA The Night Stalker. Now, he is mentioned in the series, because he lived on the 14th floor at the hotel while he terrorized California in the '80s.

That tip clearly didn't come from Sherlock Holmes since Ramirez had been locked up for nearly 30 years when Lam was found dead in 2013.

Good news for Von Miller ... the NFL superstar is officially off the hook after a secret investigation into alleged criminal behavior.

The Douglas County District Attorney's Office in Colorado announced Friday it will NOT pursue criminal charges against the Denver Broncos star -- but officials are still quiet on why he was being investigated in the first place.

As we previously reported ... back in January, the Parker Police Dept. announced an investigation into Miller and later presented its finding to the Douglas County D.A.'s office.

Again, no one ever discussed what the nature of the investigation was ... or the specific allegations against Miller.

But, prosecutors ultimately decided the case against Miller wasn't strong enough to get a conviction -- so he's off the hook.

"Based on our review of information that is currently available, we cannot meet that standard [to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt] and must decline to file charges in this case," a spokesperson for the D.A.'s office said in a statement.

"It would be inappropriate to comment about details of an investigation in which there was never a citation, arrest or filing. The complainant, suspect and witnesses have a legitimate privacy interest and we will respect that."

In other words, whatever was being investigated will remain under wraps ... for good.

PETA demonstrators are putting the heat on a North Carolina police department where a cop hanged and choked a K-9 by its leash, and they're demanding justice for the dog.

The demonstration went down Friday outside Salisbury PD HQ -- masked up PETA protesters held signs condemning cops not only for the horrific treatment of the K-9, named Zuul, but also for an apparent attempt to cover up the alleged abuse.

As we reported ... disturbing footage surfaced this week showing an unnamed cop manhandling the hell out of Zuul, who he was supposed to be training.

Video shows the cop screaming at the K-9 before putting a leash on him, hanging him by it, slamming him into the side of an SUV, throwing Zuul into the back seat and hitting him. You can also hear an officer say, "We're good. No witnesses" ... as Zuul was getting choked.

Friday's protest comes on the heels of PETA firing off a letter to Salisbury Police Chief Jerry Stokes, urging the officer to be criminally prosecuted for animal abuse.

Rep. Eric Swalwell squarely blames Donald Trump and the former president's cohorts for the violent mob that stormed the Capitol, saying he texted his wife what he believed might be his final words before he was killed.

Swalwell is suing Trump, along with Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Mo Brooks for encouraging the crowd to take care of business at the same time the Congress was certifying the Presidential election.

Swalwell says as he watched in horror as the rioters breached the Capitol, he texted his wife, "I love you very much. And our babies."

He says he listened to the House Chaplain pray for the members inside the House Chamber.

Swalwell's lawsuit is the real deal because he has legal standing to sue for his personal emotional distress, although the lawsuit also suggests he has standing as a member of Congress to sue for the disruption of the electoral process.

Swalwell alleges the emotional distress inflicted by the rioters was intentional on the part of Trump and company, and he outlines the various, well-chronicled examples where Trump, Trump Jr., Giuliani and Brooks ginned up the crowd both in advance and on the day of January 6.

Swalwell also alleges the defendants committed "bias-related crimes," noting federal law prohibits attacks based on the political affiliation of a victim. He alleges all of the defendants are guilty of incitement to riot.

In addition to suing for compensatory and punitive damages, he's asking for an order requiring all the defendants to notify Swalwell no less than 7 days before any future large rally is planned in Washington D.C., to give the Congressman time to go to court to prevent more violence.

Celebs might be extra vigilant the next time they go out to eat in Bev Hills ... a woman was shot in the leg outside a super popular eatery in a brazen, daylight armed robbery.

The shooting went down Thursday afternoon outside Il Pastaio restaurant. We're told the shooter and 2 accomplices were after a $500,000 Richard Mille watch a man was wearing, and a woman was struck in the leg by gunfire.

An eyewitness told us the shooter fired off 3 or 4 rounds. The woman who was hit was having lunch near the man who was wearing the watch. The shooter made off with the timepiece -- and diners scrambled for safety -- as evidenced in the photos we obtained.

As far as we can tell no one else was shot, although diners were frantically checking themselves for bullet wounds.

Rapper DaniLeigh, who has been dating DaBaby, had just parked in front of the restaurant when the gunfire erupted.

As you can see ... the celeb hot spot is crawling with cops, and there's a ton of police tape wrapped around the restaurant's outdoor seating area, where a huge crowd of curious onlookers is gathering.

Celebrity photographer Tyler Shields was on the scene when gunfire erupted ... he said he herded a large group of people into a nearby parking garage when the shots rang out. Thankfully, he says everyone around him was OK ... and shared a message of love.

The Italian restaurant is extremely popular among famous folks ... we've seen lots of celebs dining there over the years, and it's where we get a bunch of them on camera.

Terrence Green, best known as Rigo on the 'Step Up' TV series, really stepped in it -- production sources say he mimicked pointing a gun at a cop, and now the network's dropping the hammer.

Sources close to production of the Starz show tell TMZ ... they were filming at the Atlanta courthouse this week when Terrence approached a police officer and used his fingers to gesture like he was pointing a gun at the cop's head.

We're told it seemed Green meant it as a joke -- albeit a tasteless one -- but everyone was appalled by it, including the officer.

A spokesperson for Starz and Lionsgate, which produces 'Step Up,' tells TMZ ... a thorough investigation of the incident's been done, and Terrence "will receive strong disciplinary action."

The rep adds ... "We do not condone any on set behavior, even a gesture, that suggests or simulates violence toward another individual."

An elderly man who was confronted about dragging his dog down the highway with his truck didn't appreciate it much ... so he went after his accuser with a broom.

The incident was shared on TikTok last month, but the story's full of twists and turns since then ... and thankfully the poor pup is okay. According to the accuser ... the old man, Malcolm Taylor, dragged his dog down the highway at 50 mph, but he denies even going down the highway.

When he's told he almost killed the dog, the old man acknowledges it ... but suggests it was an accident. He says the dog was in the back of his pickup and he didn't know it jumped off. The dog's collar does look like it was nearly yanked off its head.

The old guy gets a bit heated as he's being scolded, and when the accuser says he's going to report him ... the old man pulls a broom out of his truck and chases him away.

Here's where it gets really weird -- the accuser, Brett Young, is now claiming he's the one in a legal mess over this. He says the old man is pretty high up in the community -- with connections to the mayor of Hackleburg, AL -- and got him fired and evicted for reporting his alleged animal abuse.

However, the mayor, Darryl Colburn, tells us he only knows Malcolm Taylor through acquaintances ... and to say he has any pull in the city is incorrect. Colburn also tells us he's spoken to Young and asked him to retract his claims about being evicted/fired because of Taylor's ties to the mayor ... telling us that scenario is totally false.

Kimora Lee Simmons is pissed about getting pulled over and ticketed in Bev Hills -- but thanks to a slightly impatient fan, she still managed to bat .500 on the day.

We got Kimora Wednesday afternoon as a BHPD officer was writing her up. She told us the cop wasn't being nice -- though we saw no evidence of that -- and made it clear she was upset about getting dinged for no plates on her Rolls Royce.

Watch the clip ... she had an excuse, one the cop clearly wasn't buying. She even tried playing the sympathy card -- mentioning she's recovering from a broken leg -- but no dice.

However, in a true Hollywood moment, a fan happened to walk by and refused to let the selfie opportunity go. We'll say this ... Kimora handled it like a pro.

In the end, she was still annoyed, but admitted getting the ticket was better than ... well, watch.

Machine Gun Kelly's drummer got attacked, robbed and hit by a car ... according to law enforcement sources, but he says he's going to bounce back.

We're told JP Cappelletty -- better known as Rook, MGK's drummer -- was walking down a street in the Hollywood Hills Tuesday night around 8 PM, when 2 guys jumped out of a vehicle to rob him.

Our law enforcement sources say there was a physical altercation, and Rook had thousands of dollars worth of property stolen from him. We're told at some point, he was also hit by a car, which injured his foot and arm.

Rook posted a pic from his hospital bed Wednesday showing his right arm and hand in a cast, and another with MGK visiting him. Rook says, "Don't Worry I'll Bounce Back."

Our sources say the suspects got away, and while it's unclear if they were armed ... they certainly used force to rob the drummer.

Paris Hilton's feeling proud and thankful about the passing of a Utah bill she testified to support, calling it a huge step in the right direction for survivors like herself.

As you'll recall ... Paris testified last month about the alleged abuse she suffered while attending Provo Canyon School as a teen in the '90s, and she says Utah's Senate Bill 127 passing makes much of what she went through back then illegal.

SB127 prohibits Utah's youth treatment centers from certain punishments of children, such as denying food or water, spanking, hitting, or other treatments "intended to frighten or humiliate."

Paris says this includes strip-searches, seclusion, use of chemical restraint and peer restraint and gender-based discrimination ... and adds that the bill does so much more to ensure the well-being of thousands of kids in these Utah facilities.

She says back when she was at Provo she dreamed of making a difference like this, adding ... "The teenage version of me would be so incredibly proud to know I accomplished my goal of protecting youth who are experiencing abuse in the name of treatment. Survivors, this is a BIG step towards systemic change!"

Paris also thanked Utah lawmakers for "listening to us survivors, prioritizing this issue, and taking the necessary steps to protect our future generations."

Kellen Winslow Jr. is now slated to spend the next decade-plus behind bars ... a judge sentenced the ex-NFL star to 14 years in prison Wednesday, and blasted him in the process.

The former Cleveland Browns Pro Bowler appeared in a San Diego-area courtroom via video conference for a sentencing hearing in his rape case ... but did not comment.

The judge in the case did, however ... saying Winslow can be described with "two words and that is sexual predator."

The judge continued by saying the 37-year-old ex-tight end preyed on his victims because of their ages and their living situations ... and that Winslow thought he "would get away with it."

As we previously reported, Winslow was accused of sexual misconduct -- including multiple allegations of rape -- by 5 different women.

He was initially hit with 12 charges over the allegations ... and faced up to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

But, a jury in 2019 found him guilty of several charges, and Winslow cut a plea deal on the remaining charges to avoid further prosecution and help secure a lighter sentence.

Cops are on the hunt for a Buccaneers fan who they say robbed and shot a man during a "night of terror" shortly after a Super Bowl party in Tampa last month.

Officials at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office just released video of the suspect ... accusing the man in a Devin White jersey of turning "a night of celebrating into a night of terror."

"We want to find this individual immediately," Sheriff Chad Chronister said Tuesday. "& we are asking anyone who may have seen him the night of the big game to reach out to our detectives."

Cops say at around 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 8 -- just hours after Tampa's win over the Chiefs -- the Bucs fan and one other person offered a man a ride to a nearby Hard Rock Casino after a Super Bowl party.

The problem ... according to cops, the two men stopped the car on the way to the casino, ordered him out of the ride at gunpoint, and demanded he give them his jewelry.

Cops say the suspect in the White jersey then shot the man after he handed over the valuables. Officials claim the two men then fled the scene.

Fortunately, cops say the alleged victim is recovering ... but they're now releasing video hoping it leads to the arrest of one of the suspects.

In the footage, the man wanted by cops -- clearly sporting a jersey of the Bucs' best linebacker -- has a long beard and a black hat with light blue/grey jeans.

Joe Exotic is getting the best revenge he can against Carole Baskin -- hiring the attorney who recently repped the family of her missing husband ... who's now working to free him.

John M. Phillips of the Phillips & Hunt firm broke the news Tuesday, saying he'd been retained by the 'Tiger King' himself in a bid to get a new trial arranged so Joe can plead his case in front of a new set of 12 jurors.

Phillips writes, "Work has already begun on @joe_exotic's New Trial Motion. We are proud to be leading his team. I was sworn into the Western District of Oklahoma this morning. This isn't about tigers, television or tomfoolery, it's about justice and evidence. More soon."

He also posted a video ... which took some shots at Joe's former legal team, who Phillips characterized as engaging in "buffoonery" in their bid to get JE pardoned by Prez Trump.

Doesn't sound like Joe disagrees -- at least that's how Phillips makes it sound. He says shortly after the failed attempt, the man himself reached out and asked about his services. One thing led to another, and now Phillips is on the case -- and he ain't looking to Joe Biden for a bail-out either.

Remember, Phillips was also brought on by Don Lewis' surviving family members -- who seem to believe Carole knows more about his mysterious vanishing than she's let on. They even bought air time during her debut appearance on 'DWTS' which aired mid-broadcast.

Chris D'Elia had sex with a 17-year-old high school student and she says when she told him her age, he said it was "hot" ... this according to a new lawsuit and Chris denies the allegations.

The comedian is being sued by a Jane Doe for allegedly violating federal child sexual exploitation and child pornography laws. She is not suing because the two allegedly had sex when they met in Connecticut. The age of consent in CT is 16.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Chris' alleged victim claims she started communicating with him over social media in 2014 when she was just 17 and he quickly started demanding nudes. She says two months later he invited her to his hotel room before one of his shows, where they had sex.

The woman claims Chris D'Elia demanded eye contact when they had sex and says when she told him she was 17 and still in high school, Chris responded by saying it was "hot."

As you know ... Chris recently got emotional addressing allegations he was grooming underage girls online and allegedly exposing himself to several women, saying sex controlled his life.

A spokesperson for Chris, in addressing the new lawsuit, tells us, "Chris denies these allegations and will vigorously defend himself against them in court."

According to the docs, the girl says she was a virgin before having sex with Chris, who also asked her to send him pornographic videos of her having sex with other boys her age. She also claims he asked her to meet and have sex with his friends.

Years after the alleged hotel encounter, the woman claims she was disturbed to see Chris' character in the Netflix series, "You," as he plays a comic who preys on underaged girls.

The little girl injured in the Britt Reid car wreck likely has permanent brain damage and will be confined to a wheelchair for the foreseeable future, her family lawyer says.

The attorney for the family of 5-year-old Ariel Young appeared on "Good Morning America" with an update on her health ... and it's not great.

Attorney Tom Porto explained she's awake from her coma but has suffered very serious injuries that will affect her for the rest of her life.

"She’s awake, which is a huge development,” Porto said ... "She likely has permanent brain damage that she will endure for the rest of her life. She’s not walking -- it’s a sad, sad, sad story."

Porto also released images of the crash scene to ABC News showing Reid's white truck completely smashed in on the front side of the ride. It appears the truck was moving at a high speed when the collision occurred.

Reid -- an assistant coach for the KC Chiefs at the time -- allegedly slammed his truck into two cars that were parked on the side of the road on Feb. 4, badly injuring Ariel Young.

Young's family had driven to the scene to help another family member who was stranded on the side of the road after running out of gas.

All three of the cars involved in the wreck suffered severe damage -- and it's a miracle no one was killed.

As for Ariel Young, Porto says she had a long road ahead of her when it comes to her recovery.

Porto told ABC News the family wants Reid -- son of KC Chiefs head coach Andy Reid -- prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Porto cites a police report in which Reid allegedly admitted to consuming 2 to 3 alcoholic beverages -- and taking the prescription medication Adderall -- before getting behind the wheel that fateful day.

Porto said the family is hoping prosecutors hit Reid with felony DWI charges.

Bay Area rapper Laney Keyz's home got riddled with bullets and it wasn't a drive-by ... it was a walk-up, and it was all captured on some wild video.

TMZ has obtained surveillance footage that shows three men walk up to what we're told was Laney's L.A. home in the wee hours of Feb. 18 ... and you see them fire off several rounds at the property before they turn around and make a run for it.

One of the guys seems to linger to shoot a bit more ... and eventually scrams with his cohorts. It doesn't appear anyone returned fire -- even though they react like that happened.

Anyway, law enforcement sources tell us LAPD officers located a number of shell casings on the ground where the shooting was reported, but they’ve come up empty thus far on possible suspects. Fortunately, we're told no one was injured in the gunfire ... an investigation's underway.

As for Laney ... sources familiar with the situation tell us he WAS inside during the shooting, but walked away unscathed. Our sources say no one can think of a motive as to why anyone shot at him, so the whole thing remains a mystery.