Crime

Laken Snelling -- the former University of Kentucky cheerleader who was charged in connection with her newborn's death -- entered a not guilty plea when she appeared before a judge Friday morning.

Her attorney told the judge ... "We are entering a not guilty plea." As you know, she has been charged with abusing a corpse, tampering with evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant.

We've told you all about the case ... Snelling's college roommates allegedly found a deceased infant in Snelling's closet wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag ... while Snelling was on a trip to McDonald's after giving birth on August 27, 2025.

The TikToker who was ordered to pay $10 million to the college professor for falsely accusing her of playing a role in the University of Idaho murders is fighting back in court ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ, social media personality Ashley Guillard -- who goes by Ashley Solves Mysteries on TikTok -- compared the judgment entered against her to the “Salem Witch trials.”

Ashley claims she conducted a tarot card reading after the murders to get “information on who killed the students and why.”

She said her cards revealed to her that one of the slain students had a relationship with University of Idaho professor Rebecca Scofield and that Scofield "ordered the murders of the four students."

Brian Hooker -- the man arrested in the disappearance of his wife Lynette Hooker -- says he got separated from her due to heavy winds after she fell overboard Saturday night, according to a new report.

Two days after Lynette vanished at sea in the Bahamas, Brian was contacted via text by a buddy, Daniel Danforth, who checked in with him Monday after seeing all the headlines, CBS News reports.

Daniel cited a report about Lynette falling off the boat -- prompting Brian to reply, "The wind blew me away from her and she swam towards the sailboat and we lost sight of each other pretty quickly as it was just about sundown."

A friend of Columbus Short has filed for a temporary restraining order against the actor's estranged wife Aida, alleging Aida has stalked and threatened her to the point where she now fears for her life ... and the safety of her kids.

In the filing, obtained by TMZ, Chantel Heath says Aida has harassed her on at least 3 occasions. In one alleged incident, Chantel claims Aida found her at a friend's house and attacked her with wine bottles and plates while calling her a bitch.

Chantel says Aida seems to think she's romantically involved with Columbus, but Chantel says that's not true. According to Chantel, Columbus has been like a brother to her and has never so much as flirted.

Michael Avenatti -- the lawyer busted for ripping off clients like Stormy Daniels and others -- is out of the slammer and back in the spotlight ... and we got the pics.

The disgraced attorney was snapped wearing athleisure on a sunny day outside the Hollywood halfway house he'll likely be calling home until his projected release date of September 2028.

As you know ... Avenatti was convicted of various crimes -- including a $20 million extortion scheme against Nike and stealing $300,000 from Stormy -- and sentenced to 11 years and 3 months. He served about 4 years before his release Tuesday.

From Manhattan to Paris, Woody Allen appears to have been nearly inseparable from late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein back in the day ... we have newly unearthed shots of the director and his wife Soon-Yi Previn going for a stroll with Epstein.

In the pics, the trio is bundled up and huddled together on the chilly streets of Saint-Germain Des Prés on March 29, 2013. The laughed it up as they took in sights and chatted about God-knows-what in the historic neighborhood.

The couple's friendship with Epstein continued long after their Paris rendezvous -- as we reported, Soon-Yi also had an email exchange with Epstein three years later, in which she attacked the 15-year-old victim in the Anthony Weiner scandal.

9:22 AM PT -- Arguments have officially ended in Diddy's appeal, and the judges will now begin their decision-making process. During the hearing, Diddy's lawyers mentioned Cassie Ventura's alleged drug use, which they were not allowed to present during the federal trial.

They also mentioned a "hotel night" -- another term for the freak-offs Diddy enjoyed -- with "Jane," which wasn't connected to any threat. The lawyers shared their hope for an expedited ruling on the part of the judges ... though it's unclear how long it will take them to decide.

Sean Diddy Combs could be a free man today, after his lawyers appear before a federal appeals court and argue his freak-offs were not a violation of any law ... rather, it was kinky porn that is protected by the U.S. Constitution.

Fact is ... it's a solid argument. Diddy was convicted of the Mann Act -- which prohibits the transportation of prostitutes across state lines to engage in sex acts.

Diddy's lawyers claim the Mann Act doesn't apply ... "Freak-offs and hotel nights were highly choreographed sexual performances involving the use of costumes, role play, and staged lighting which were filmed so Combs and his girlfriends could watch this amateur pornography later. Pornography production and viewing of this sort is protected by the First Amendment and thus cannot constitutionally be prosecuted."

A raging inferno tore through a massive California warehouse early Tuesday -- and a shocking video shows a suspect purposely lighting up the devastating blaze while blaming the company for not paying their employees enough.

Check out the wild video circulating on social media -- the suspect lights up some paper products at consumer goods company Kimberly-Clark ... and sends a pointed message while in the act. The man can be heard telling the company all they had to do was pay their employees enough to live ... implying that's the reason he torched the building.

The Ontario, California Fire Department rushed to the 1.2-million-square-foot building just after 12:30 AM Tuesday ... and by 3:30 AM, it was a 6-alarm fire, they said in separate public statements.

The man arrested in the disappearance of his wife, Lynette Hooker, may have been tricked into talking with police before his arrest in The Bahamas, TMZ has learned.

Brian Hooker, 59, was taken into custody Wednesday by the Royal Bahamas Police Force in connection with Lynette going missing over the weekend. On Saturday, Brian reported that Lynette, 55, fell overboard off a dinghy into choppy waters during a rough ride from Hope Town to Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands of The Bahamas.

Brian's attorney, Terrel A. Butler, tells TMZ ... Brian was arrested and questioned by police last night for more than 3 hours.

Dayton James Webber -- the quadruple amputee accused of fatally shooting another man in his car last month -- apparently got pretty wild with friends when he wasn't training for his next professional cornhole tournament.

Jaw-dropping video obtained by TMZ shows Webber doing a headstand against a wall and seemingly snorting something off a dollar bill held by another person off-camera ... and then eagerly moves over to an open window, lifts a semiautomatic rifle and fires into the night. It's all in the clip -- check it out for yourself.

The wild video was recorded in July last year in La Plata, Maryland ... where he's from.

Police are one step closer to solving the disappearance of a Michigan woman in the Bahamas after arresting her husband in connection with the case, TMZ has confirmed.

Brian Hooker, 59, was taken into custody Wednesday by the Royal Bahamas Police Force after his 55-year-old wife, Lynette Hooker, went overboard on an 8-foot dinghy while traveling to Elbow Cay last weekend, according to his lawyer.

Police said Brian is being questioned by investigators, who are still searching for Lynette, calling the effort a "recovery operation." In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard launched a criminal investigation into the matter, but no charges have been filed yet.

The "Ketamine Queen" will have to abdicate her throne for a long time ... because a federal judge just sentenced her to 15 years in prison over Matthew Perry's death.

Jasveen Sangha -- who rose to prominence by wheeling and dealing in the drug on the streets of North Hollywood -- was sentenced in a Los Angeles courthouse Wednesday morning, KABC-TV reports.

Remember ... last year, Sangha pled guilty to 5 criminal charges -- 3 counts of ketamine distribution, one count of distributing ketamine resulting in death, and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises.

Tiger Woods has officially been charged with DUI in connection to the rollover crash that happened last month in Florida, TMZ has learned.

The legendary golfer was charged Tuesday with driving under the influence and refusing to take a chemical or physical test of his breath or urine. Both charges are misdemeanors.

As you know ... on March 27, Tiger Woods was arrested after cops claimed he sped down a street, clipped a car, and rolled his Range Rover.

The house always wins ... except against this pickup truck!

Local outlet KVVU-TV reports the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to an accident this afternoon after a pickup truck crashed into a casino downtown.

Check out the video ... you can see the vehicle perched on a pile of rubble just inside the Main Street Station Casino Brewery Hotel front doors as cops investigate the scene.

Here's the first look at Offset since being shot outside a Florida casino ... he's in a wheelchair having a smoke outside a hospital ... and he's wearing his hospital gown.

Check out these photos of Offset being wheeled outside for a smoke break ... he's got non-slip hospital socks, hospital wristbands, a bandage on his arm, and some wires coming off his fingertip.

There's an ICU tag attached to his chair on wheels ... but we've been told by Offset's camp that he's "stable and being closely monitored."

TMZ broke the story ... the former Migos rapper was shot Monday near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL.

Law enforcement told us the shooting happened in the valet area and that Offset suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Lil Tjay allegedly started a fight that led to his associate shooting Offset ... this according to police.

According to the probable cause affidavit ... cops claim at around 7:22 PM ET Monday, Lil Tjay "directed members of his party to start a fight with another group of males" at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Police say during the altercation one of Lil Tjay's associates pulled a gun and fired ... injuring Offset.