Crime

The guy who led cops on a wild chase that landed on Rick Ross' front door has died while in custody.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation tells TMZ ... 40-year-old Chaka Stewart was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday at the Clayton County Jail in Georgia. We're told a guard and a medic who were making the evening rounds noticed Stewart lying there, and they attempted life-saving measures when they realized something was seriously wrong.

We're told he was pronounced dead at the jail. Our law enforcement sources say Stewart was alone in his cell, and no foul play is suspected. An autopsy is underway to figure out what happened.

Stewart's mother, Jacqueline Gordon, confirmed her son is the man who was arrested outside Rick's Georgia estate last week -- where cops say he crashed his truck and was carrying a firearm ... only to finally be apprehended at gunpoint following what was described as a crazy pursuit through the streets.

She says she last spoke to her son Friday, and claims he told her he was being mistreated behind bars. Gordon alleges Stewart said he was being beaten -- unclear if he was blaming officials or other folks behind bars -- wasn't allowed to shower and was confined to his cell for 23 hours a day.

Gordon also claims one of the deputies told Stewart he'd never be getting out of there ... while also asserting Georgia authorities have been ducking her and her inquiries.

A man full of hate tried his best to destroy the George Floyd memorial in Minneapolis, but he got scared away ... and left his ax behind.

The video tells the story ... the man drives up to the memorial site -- a block from where Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd -- at around 2 AM Sunday. As you can see ... he pulls up in his pickup truck, gets out and begins vandalizing the area by removing barricades and ripping down Black Lives Matter signs.

He continues his rampage as he moves to the square's shed, and that's when he decides to go back to his truck and retrieve an ax. Yeah, it's pretty shocking.

After taking several whacks at the structure, the man puts his ax down and some people in the area begin yelling at him to scram. He does ... but he forgets his ax.

George Floyd Square's Instagram account has posted a reaction to the man's tirade, sharing a photo of the shed facade fully intact with the simple caption, "We fine."

Another Bob Baffert bombshell ... the legendary trainer has been temporarily suspended from horseracing in the state of New York pending a full investigation into doping allegations.

... which means Baffert will likely be blocked from entering a horse in the prestigious Belmont Stakes on June 5, which is HUGE.

The New York Racing Association made the announcement on Monday -- saying Baffert is currently suspended from "entering horses in races and occupying stall space at Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct Racetrack."

"During the temporary suspension, NYRA will not accept entries or provide stall space to any individual employed by Bob Baffert Racing Stables."

NYRA says the suspension stems from Baffert's horse, Medina Spirit, testing positive for a banned substance following his victory at the 2021 Kentucky Derby ALONG with the fact several other Baffert horses have flunked drug tests over the years.

Baffert has reportedly had 5 horses test positive for banned substances since May 2020 ... and the NYRA clearly believes something fishy might be going down behind the scenes.

"In addition to the ongoing investigation into Medina Spirit’s victory in the Kentucky Derby, NYRA has taken into account the fact that other horses trained by Mr. Baffert have failed drug tests in the recent past, resulting in the assessment of penalties against him by thoroughbred racing regulators in Kentucky, California, and Arkansas."

As for the length of Baffert's suspension, the NYRA says they will wait to see the results of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's probe into Medina Spirit before making a final decision. No word on how long that could take ... maybe days, maybe weeks.

For his part, Bob has denied intentional wrongdoing -- saying he believes Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone after taking a medication prescribed by a veterinarian.

NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke issues a statement on the matter -- saying, "In order to maintain a successful thoroughbred racing industry in New York, NYRA must protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public and racing participants."

"That responsibility demands the action taken today in the best interests of thoroughbred racing."

"Storage Wars" stars Jarrod Schulz and his ex, Brandi Passante, might be cordial on the show after their break-up, but behind the scenes, he's now facing criminal charges for allegedly roughing her up.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Brandi was hanging with friends at a bar in Orange County on April 30 when Jarrod showed up. We're told the exes got into a heated exchange and Brandi told Jarrod to bounce.

Our sources say Jarrod didn't, and that's when things took a turn for the worse. We're told at some point, Jarrod allegedly pushed Brandi twice ... while yelling at her and her group.

Cops were called to the bar, but we're told Jarrod had left by the time they showed up. A police report was taken ... and a few days later Jarrod talked to cops, and denied ever putting hands on Brandi.

Well, the Orange County D.A.s Office isn't buying his version of events, because it's now charged him with 1 count of misdemeanor domestic violence battery.

Jarrod and Brandi have appeared in all 13 seasons of the hit A&E show. They're dubbed "The Young Guns" because they're the youngest auction bidders in the main cast.

But, during the season 13 premiere last month, Brandi confirmed on-camera for the first time she and Jarrod split up 2 years ago. They have 2 kids together.

Lil Reese has reportedly taken another bullet in his hometown of Chicago -- this less than two years after he almost died from being shot not too far from the Windy City.

The rapper was among three people shot Saturday morning in a parking garage in the River North neighborhood, where a shootout appears to have gone down among a group of men ... with all of them supposedly shooting at each other, according to local outlet CWBChicago.

When cops arrived, per CWB, they found three guys who'd suffered gunshot wounds -- plus a stolen Dodge Durango found littered with bullet and crashed at the site. Chicago PD tells TMZ two of the men were transported to one hospital, and another was hospitalized elsewhere. Two are reported as being in critical condition, and the third in serious condition.

It's unclear what Reese's status is at this point ... we're still working to confirm he was involved and how he's holding up.

CWB reposted a video that purportedly captures the aftermath, showing up and apparently detaining someone. CPD tells us there are two possible offenders in custody right now.

Unclear what might've sparked the violence -- but in any case, it's not great news for Reese ... who had just gone through something similar in late 2019, when he was shot in the neck and miraculously survived. The situation then was reported as eerily similar to this one.

Reese is perhaps most famous for his work with Chief Keef -- notably, being featured on the latter's hit 2012 single, "I Don't Like" and his own single, "Traffic."

BTW, Reese is only 28.

A former prosecutor and super lawyer who reps celebs like Jay-Z and Mick Jagger now has a new client -- the family of Carole Baskin's first husband who wants him to crack the case.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Alex Spiro has been retained by the family of Don Lewis to investigate his disappearance back in 1997.

Our sources say Spiro's goal is to get to the bottom of the Lewis mystery before "Tiger King 2" drops.

Spiro has the chops to figure out what happened to Lewis. As a prosecutor, he was involved in the case of serial killer Rodney Alcala. He's also investigated the cold case of Robert Durst's first wife. His client list is long and impressive. Aside from Jay-Z and Mick, Spiro's clients include DeMarcus Cousins, Charles Oakley, Thabo Sefolosha and Julian Edelman.

We're told he's in the gathering evidence phase and has already interviewed a key witness who turned over information our sources call "key."

The Sheriff in the area where Don was last seen is convinced he was killed and has been investigating, but so far, no results.

Our sources say Lewis' family wants Spiro to identify a possible murderer and turn the information over to prosecutors.

As you know by now, a lot of people think Carole Baskin was involved in Don's disappearance ... something she has strongly and consistently denied. Don's assistant told TMZ the day he disappeared he told her he was filing for divorce and moving out of the country.

Jake Paul is under investigation ... this time by officials in Puerto Rico for riding a motorized vehicle on a protected beach.

To use a bullfighting metaphor ... Jake waived the proverbial red flag in front of a bull by posting a video of him and some friends tooling around a beach in golf carts, smack in the middle of turtle-nesting season. That's illegal.

It looks like the driver is his brother, Logan, although we haven't been able to confirm.

Jake deleted the vid, but it's too late because the investigation has been launched by the territory's Dept. of Natural and Environmental Resources.

Logan said back in February he was moving some of his businesses, including Maverick Clothing, to Dorado, Puerto Rico ... which is near San Juan. Logan said on his podcast back then, “I thought it was more third-world than I suspected, so I went out there to scout it and I just fell in love with it.” Jake and Logan snagged a $10 million beachfront mansion.

They fell in love with Puerto Rico, but it doesn't sound like everyone there feels the same.

Kash Doll's gotta be beating herself up, telling cops a burglar made off with $500k of her jewels that she'd still have ... if only she had locked her doors.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the "Rich Hoochie" rapper suffered the massive loss after someone looted her car in the San Fernando Valley while she was filming a music video.

We're told the theft went down between 11 PM and 5 AM. It's bad enough having to deal with the loss, but talk about a migraine trigger ... cops say the burglar gained entry thanks to an unlocked door.

What we don't know ... will insurance cover the loss and if not, what were her policy limits?

Our sources say the burglar swiped tons of expensive jewelry and even a $50k Louis Vuitton box. So far, no arrests have been made.

It's one thing if burglars break windows to get into expensive cars -- sorry, Lil Pump 😡 -- but, to lose the stuff this way -- Ouch!

Amazon's desperately trying to get to the bottom of how a bunch of nooses mysteriously appeared at one of its warehouses under construction in Connecticut.

The e-commerce giant kicked in another $25k to double the $25k initially put up by developer RC Anderson LLC ... for any information about the menacing discovery on the construction site. It's now been weeks since police were first called to the Windsor, Conn. location to investigate a noose left at what will eventually be an Amazon fulfillment center.

Cops say a supervisor at the construction site spotted the "hangman's noose" dangling from a steel beam on the second floor back on April 27. Employees were informed about the incident and the company immediately held an anti-discrimination training class.

Just a couple of days later police were called back to the site when 5 more ropes "that could be interpreted as nooses" were found scattered across the facility.

Cops took the ropes and they're currently at a crime lab. The FBI is also reportedly aware of the incident but it hasn't joined the investigation yet. So far, there are no suspects and cops can't determine whether anyone at the site was specifically targeted.

Tamika Mallory is urging activists and allies in the fight for social justice to keep their eyes on the prize in the wake of Derek Chauvin's conviction for murdering George Floyd.

The Until Freedom founder, who's led and organized countless protests in the last year, joined us Friday on "TMZ Live," and admitted she's worried protestors will take a collective breather after the Chauvin trial ... as some might feel the movement's crossed the finish line.

Tamika tells us that's exactly why she keeps reminding folks now is NOT the time to let up.

The way Tamika sees it ... the Chauvin trial was one small form of accountability for law enforcement, but adds folks can't fall into the trap of believing it guarantees justice in all the police-involved killings we've seen since Floyd.

The one-year anniversary of Floyd's death is fast approaching in 11 days ... and Tamika says the one thing activists and demonstrators cannot do is become complacent. That's one of the messages in her new book, "State of Emergency: How We Win in the Country We Built."

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro says he's stepping away from 'Jersey Shore' in the wake of his domestic violence arrest ... he says he's seeking treatment for mental health issues.

Ronnie says he talked with honchos at MTV and they all agreed ... Ron needs a break to seek treatment for issues he says he's ignored for too long. He says he's finally ready to face his struggles head-on ... and he says his top priority is to be healthy so he can be the best man and best father he can be for his daughter.

TMZ broke the story ... Ronnie won't be charged in his recent domestic violence case, but his arrest for the alleged incident with his girlfriend could trigger legal problems because he's on probation.

You'll recall ... Ronnie's GF, Saffire Matos, called the cops following an argument that allegedly turned physical, but after his arrest she went on social media to downplay the allegations.

Ronnie also has a long history of domestic violence issues with the mother of his child, Jenn Harley.

Ronnie filmed scenes for the upcoming "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation" reality show, but it appears he was not included in the trailer. It's unclear if his scenes will be cut, and the series is set to premiere June 3.

Ronnie Magro-Ortiz will NOT be charged in his domestic violence case ... but his arrest for the alleged incident with his girlfriend, Saffire Matos, is triggering a different legal problem for him.

A rep for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office tells TMZ ... they will not charge Ronnie with a misdemeanor, but instead will move to violate his probation and will hold a hearing on the matter next month.

As we reported ... Ronnie didn't get charged with a felony in the case because the L.A. County District Attorney's Office determined it didn't have sufficient evidence to convict him. That's how his case ended up in the City Attorney's Office.

Now, the one issue remaining -- his potential probation violation. Remember, Ronnie's on probation for a domestic violence case involving his ex, Jenn Harley. He could find out his fate during next month's hearing, and, yes ... jail time is a real possibility.

As we first reported ... Saffire called the police following an argument that allegedly turned physical. Following Ronnie's arrest, Saffire took to social media to downplay the allegations.

Ronnie's attorney, Scott Leemon, tells TMZ ... "“We are very happy that after further investigation both the LA County District Attorney’s office and the LA City Attorney’s office determined that criminal charges were not warranted against Ronnie related to the incident that occurred in April."

Officials have agreed to drop the DUI case against Johnny Damon stemming from a wild arrest back in February ... despite cops claiming the MLB star's blood alcohol content was nearly 4 TIMES the legal limit.

You remember the incident ... Damon and his wife, Michelle, were pulled over in Windermere, Florida around 1:23 AM on Feb. 19 and appeared to be super-duper hammered.

Police video shows Damon admitting to drinking before getting behind the wheel -- and cops say both Damon and his wife got physical with officers during the stop.

The police report, obtained by TMZ Sports, notes Damon's B.A.C. was .30 -- which is WAYYY above the .08 legal limit.

During the stop, Johnny -- who bombed field sobriety tests -- brought up his support for Donald Trump ... saying, "I know people are trying to target me because I'm a Trump supporter."

47-year-old Johnny was ultimately charged with misdemeanor DUI -- and was facing up to 9 months in jail if convicted.

But, despite what appeared to be overwhelming evidence, prosecutors are not trying to throw the book at Damon ... instead, offering him a pretty sweet deal that involves cutting a check and doing some community service.

We spoke with Damon's attorney, Stuart Hyman, who tells us Johnny agreed to enter into a pre-trial diversion program -- which involves making a donation to charity and completing a certain amount of hours of community service. He did not mention the number of hours Damon agreed to.

If Damon successfully completes the terms of the deal, Hyman says prosecutors have agreed to drop the case.

As for Damon's wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon -- her case is much more complicated.

She was charged with 2 felonies for allegedly battering officers on the scene -- and could face years in prison if convicted.

The bizarre case of the tiger on the loose in Houston has gotten even stranger, as the man police arrested for the incident denies being the owner ... and nobody seems to know where the tiger is.

Cops arrested Victor Hugo Cuevas Monday for evading police after officers say he was the guy seen on video Sunday wrangling the tiger that got loose in a Houston suburb and nearly shot by a neighbor.

Police say Cuevas loaded the big cat into a white SUV and drove off as officers arrived, but his attorney Michael Elliott addressed reporters after his client bonded out and says Cuevas is being accused of doing things he didn't do.

The lawyer suggests Houston PD's made some false assumptions, and most significantly -- he says the tiger does not belong to Cuevas and denies knowing the animal's whereabouts.

The tiger is a 9-month-old male named India, and Cuevas' lawyer says ... "We are both very anxious and looking forward to doing everything we can do to find India. We want to find India."

BTW -- Cuevas bonded out for his most recent arrest after previously being out on $50,000 bond in neighboring Fort Bend County on a murder charge ... so there's that.

As we reported ... 'Tiger King' star Carole Baskin put Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn on blast earlier this week for allowing such a situation to unfold in the state in the first place.

Jack Harlow is finally speaking out about the fatal Louisville nightclub shooting for which his DJ's been indicted for murder -- and his first words are ones of sorrow and regret for the victim.

The rapper shared his thoughts Wednesday about the chaos he was smack in the middle of 2 weeks ago on the eve of the Kentucky Derby ... violence that led to a grand jury indicting his DJ, Ronnie Luciano.

Jack says, "My heart is broken by the events that occurred over Derby weekend. My heart breaks for Kasmira, her children, and everyone else touched by this tragic death."

He goes on to explain that he's been in touch with Kasmira's family, who've apparently been pretty receptive to talking. Jack adds, "Nothing can reverse what happened. Too many lives have been changed forever. My life will remain committed to making Louisville a better place."

As we reported, Ronnie turned himself in Tuesday after the grand jury indictment for his alleged role in the shooting.

It appears that Kasmira -- the 37-year-old woman who was killed -- was the one shown in our video ... which captured the moment a gunshot went off and sent everyone scrambling, including Jack, who was close to the action.

The home that sits on the lot where John Wayne Gacy murdered 33 boys and young men back in '70s has sold ... after quite a slash in the original asking price.

As we told you ... the property hit the market in late 2019 for $459,000, but there were no takers for more than a year ... alas, it finally has a new owner.

According to property records, obtained by TMZ ... the buyer purchased the home for $395,000.

Now, to be clear, the actual house that sits on the lot is NOT Gacy's former residence. In 1979, a year after police made the grisly discovery of 29 rotting bodies at Gacy's home, it was demolished.

Seven years later, a new house was built on the lot ... and that's the one that just sold.

Still, the macabre history of the property -- a 3-bed, 2-bath "beautiful brick home" with an updated kitchen overlooking a huge backyard -- might be too creepy for most people ... but apparently not the new homeowner.