Current Events

Utah beauty queen Brynn Carnesecca died by suicide just weeks before she was due at her next pageant ... and it's a shock to those who knew her, because we're told she was seemingly doing well in therapy.

A close friend of Brynn tells TMZ ... she had recently been enjoying her therapy and even felt she was "doing a lot better," making her suicide even more surprising. The friend tells us they knew about her struggles ... but never realized they were that bad.

The companion saw Brynn just a few weeks ago, where they shared laughs and watched the sunset together. The friend describes the journalist and pageant queen as "a light that was so bright" who brought good energy to those around her.

Nolan Wells' mom made it clear Friday that the family will never stop fighting for justice for the late teen ... saying, "Your life matters to us."

Christine Wells-Wonsley posted on Instagram, remarking on how blessed the family was to love the 18-year-old ... a heartbreaking message in the midst of so many unanswered questions about his mysterious death.

Christine says ... "Your father and I will always fight for you. Your life matters to us. There’s not a moment that goes by that we aren’t thinking of you. We are truly blessed to have you as a son. We all love you so much 🩵. #JusticeForNolanWells #Forever18"

The United Cajun Navy has been working on Nolan Wells' case since his disappearance ... and now, they're sharing all the information they've gathered with his family and Mississippi authorities ... TMZ has learned.

Brian Trascher, United Cajun Navy VP, tells TMZ … the organization is sending a full report of its findings to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the D.A. and Nolan's family.

Brian tell us ... "Since we have been involved in the initial search, we have been getting hundreds of tips, which we have sifted through and compiled a report of our findings. The findings do not implicate anyone or anything and is solely meant as an investigative tool and not meant to draw a conclusion."

We're told the UCN report includes a timeline plus timestamped photos from tips, which came through their website, direct messages, emails, and more.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's court battle over their French estate has always had some heat to it ... but it's never been nearly as intense as the real-life flames burning near their winery!

The wildfires in France are burning near Brad and Angelina's famed Chateau Miraval ... and firefighters have so far been successful in keeping the flames from reaching the insanely expensive estate.

Firefighters are using helicopters and trucks to fight the flames ... using water from the property's private lake.

Photos show thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky, just past the vineyards and fields -- way too close for comfort for Brad and Angelina, who are still fighting over the winery.

Nolan Wells' state autopsy report is now officially completed, but the results are still under wraps, TMZ has confirmed.

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office conducted the autopsy on July 7 and has now come to its conclusions, but the agency has not shared them publicly -- not even with Nolan's family or their attorney, Ben Crump.

The revelation comes on the heels of an independent autopsy commissioned by Nolan's family, who tapped Dr. Roger J. Mitchell to examine the 18-year-old's body to determine how he died.

Nolan Wells' father says one of the young men calling himself Nolan's "best friend" is no friend at all ... 'cause he doesn't even recognize the kid.

Elmore Wonsley appeared on NewsNation's "Cuomo" Wednesday night, where Chris Cuomo asked whether he knew Tracestin Shepherd, who appeared on "The Officer Tatum Show" and was presented as one of Nolan's best friends.

Elmore says Tracestin wasn't a friend of Nolan's as far as he's concerned, summing it up like this ... "Just because you parked your vehicle in someone's yard doesn't mean that they have to know you."

Ben Crump says his team has hired some of the nation's top audio engineers to review the full Sea Tow call from the day Nolan Wells disappeared ... as the family's fight for answers continues.

Crump provided an update on Nolan's case Thursday at the National Urban League Conference ... announcing his team obtained the audio from officials and will have experts comb through the entire recording. He said they are also consulting oceanic engineering experts to determine whether the tides line up with Nolan's body being found near the same location where he was reportedly left.

Nolan's mother, Christine Wonsley, became emotional while describing the pain of going 27 days without talking to or hugging her son ... begging anyone with information to come forward so the family can finally rest.

Drake Von -- an award-winning gay porn star -- can't seem to stay out of the clink, because he was busted for possessing a toxic substance in Los Angeles ... continuing a string of arrests.

Von, whose real name is Dawson Bacon, was busted Tuesday and booked in the LAPD Van Nuys jail for misdemeanor possession of a substance similar to toluene — a colorless liquid that is highly toxic when inhaled and causes dizziness. Records show Von was released Wednesday on his own recognizance.

The LAPD tells TMZ ... cops received a call for two males using narcotics on the street on Tuesday night and when officers arrived on scene, they took Von into custody, but did not arrest the second person.

George and Amal Clooney were forced to flee their home in France ... due to raging wildfires spreading across Europe.

The couple and their children left their Brignoles property earlier this week ... as fires ravage the nearby landscape.

George wrote a letter to Brignoles mayor Didier Brémond, saying ... "At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment".

Lil Wayne and Lil Yachty are officially winners at the racetrack ... their horse scored a massive victory and punched its ticket to the Breeders' Cup.

Listenupshance, owned by celebrity-backed Run Fast Racing, won the $400K Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes Saturday at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

The 4-year-old gelding, ridden by Emisael Jaramillo and trained by Doug O'Neill, stayed near the front before taking the lead and holding off Maximum Bourbon by a nose.

A missing mom was caught on camera jumping into the water and swimming around in the Caribbean water before she vanished on vacation, new video shows.

Surveillance footage picked up Elizabeth "Liz" Waddell swimming off Grand Anse Beach near her Airbnb in Grenada on July 22, while on a trip with her friend.

The clip -- which has the time and date in the bottom corner -- appears to show Liz walking along the shore toward the jetty around 11:45 a.m.

Three cars were completely totaled when a truck collided with a tractor-trailer ... and the insane accident was caught on video.

Another semi was waiting to turn at the intersection of W Avenue and Highway 3 in Iowa on Monday, and you can see the tractor-trailer coming down the road on the dashcam.

As it approaches the intersection, a Dodge Ram comes into frame from the road on the right, barreling towards the stop sign and blowing right through it.

Nolan Wells’ mother, Christine Wells-Wonsley, is making moves in court to get her hands on her late son’s social media accounts, TMZ has learned. 

TMZ obtained court docs filed by Christine on Tuesday, revealing she fired off subpoenas to the companies behind Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Life360, Snapchat and TikTok. During the search, Christine used Life360 to track Nolan's phone and compared the location history between Snapchat and the tracking app, but found that the data didn't match.

The subpoenas request the social media companies turn over all materials and information related to Nolan's account.

More bombshell allegations against JPMorgan Chase executive Lorna Hajdini ... and this time an alleged threesome is involved.

The same banker suing Hajdini for allegedly making him perform "non-consensual" and "humiliating" sex acts filed another lawsuit Monday, claiming his boss once propositioned a threesome with him and another person while "completely naked" and "visibly drunk."

According to the filing, obtained by TMZ, Hajdini assaulted him in September 2024 ... after allegedly threatening to tank his promotion if he didn't have sex with her.

A 16-year-old California lifeguard is being invited to the White House ... President Trump plans to honor the teen who saved a young swimmer from pounding waves in a daring ocean rescue captured on video.

Ryder Williams was on duty at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz County over the weekend when a 10-year-old boy was struggling in some high surf ... he rushed in to help bring the boy back to safety, and it caught Trump's attention.

POTUS said Tuesday he'll invite the lifeguard and his family to D.C. to present him with a "High Civilian Honor."

Trump also said he might even invite the boy who was rescued.

The announcement came after Eric Trump shared the rescue video on X and urged his dad to recognize the teen for being "truly the best of America."

Nolan Wells was drinking while partying with friends on Mississippi's Horn Island before his death, according to a new report.

Citing preliminary information in a document from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, ABC News says witnesses told investigators the 18-year-old was drinking heavily with his buddies on the island on the Fourth of July before going missing.  

The document contains an email giving a physical description of Nolan as Marine patrols scoured the waters to try to locate the teen. On July 6, Nolan's body was found washed up on the northwest shoreline of Horn Island ... near where he was last seen alive.