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Hi-Five singer Russell Neal's wife was killed after being stabbed multiple times and he's now been charged with murder.

Cops say Catherine Martinez died from blunt force trauma and stab wounds.

The victim was a hot, 24-year-old fitness model. She was also an aspiring boxer who went by the name Brasilia.

The 40-year-old singer went to the police station Wednesday and told cops his wife was dead in their apartment and he needed a lawyer.

The couple has 2 kids. Law enforcement sources say there were no witnesses to the murder so it appears the children were not in the apartment when their mom was killed.

Neal is currently in custody on $100K bond.

TMZ has learned ... '90s singer Russell Neal from Hi-Five is in police custody ... after he told cops his wife was dead inside their apartment ... and he needed a lawyer.

Neal went to the local jail and apparently told Houston cops he and his wife had gotten into an argument Wednesday ... the singer reportedly asked for a lawyer and then clammed up.

Hi-Five's song "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" went to number one in 1991 ... and a year later they scored another hit with, "She's Playing Hard to Get."

The group's lead singer Tony Thompson famously died in 2007 after inhaling Freon.

Neal is currently being detained ... no charges have been filed.

The lawyer for Hi-Five, Chris Brown, tells TMZ, "We are aware of the situation and are presently evaluating it."

Kendall Jones -- the teenage hunter whose animal kills have so enraged people -- is not the cold-blooded killer she's been made out to be ... so says her father.

Cody Jones tells TMZ ... some of his daughter's killings were humane. The pic of the dead lion, for example, was a mercy killing, he says, because the animal was old and unable to keep up with its pack. Kendall's dad says the lion's fate was sealed ... a younger lion would surely have killed it.

And he says his daughter has taken heat over the pic of her posing with a rhino. He says the rhino is NOT dead -- it was injured by a lion and later tranquilized and taken to a vet.

As for the animals Kendall did kill ... her dad says the leopards, elephants and lions are not on the endangered species list.

4:54 PM PT -- Reps for the bands tell us ... no one lost any equipment or personal belongings in the fire ... the bands are on a three day break and everyone had taken most of their things off the buses.

Two tour buses for a Styx and Foreigner concert turned into vehicular torches early Wednesday afternoon in Philly ... TMZ has learned.

It's unclear how the fire started, but we're told one bus went up in flames ... and the fire spread to the second vehicle.

The buses were parked and NOT occupied when they caught fire. We're told the buses are "crew buses" and not "band buses."

The bands are scheduled to perform together Thursday in New Jersey.

In case you don't remember Styx -- you should be ashamed of yourself -- they had a bunch of hits including "Babe," "Renegade," "Mr. Roboto" and "Come Sail Away."

As for the concert, the show presumably will go on.

All of Robin Thicke's on-stage begging and pleading hasn't worked ... because he says he hasn't seen his estranged wife Paula Patton in FOUR MONTHS!!!

Thicke -- who's made very public apologies at the Billboard Music Awards and the BET Awards -- was on "EBRO in the Morning" Tuesday on HOT 97 ... when he said he's been persona non grata with Paula for months now.

But sources connected to the ex-couple tell us that's not entirely true -- he and Paula have literally seen each other several times ... particularly when they hand off their son for visits.

So, maybe Robin's just looking for more sympathy -- but at the same time he admits Paula hasn't even heard most of his new album (which bears her name).

Sounds like it's time for a new approach.

Disney channel star Zendaya Coleman has officially dropped out of Lifetime's planned biopic about Aaliyah ... on the heels of the deceased singer's family speaking out against the flick.

Zendaya's rep says she's no longer involved with the project ... and sources close to the production say a whole bunch of factors played a part including the negative reaction from Aaliyah's family.

For now, Lifetime says production has been put on hold.

As we previously reported, Aaliyah's uncle/former manager told us no one from the network contacted them before announcing the movie. They believe Aaliyah deserves big screen treatment.

"Designing Women" star Meshach Taylor died Saturday night ... after a long battle with cancer.

Taylor's family says he passed away at his home in California while surrounded by loved ones.

Meshach is best known for the role of Anthony Bouvier on the popular late 80's show ... and he was nominated for an Emmy in 1989.

Taylor also famously portrayed Hollywood Montrose in the '87 cult classic flick "Mannequin" -- and had a TON of roles on hit T.V. shows ... like "Hannah Montana", "The Drew Carey Show" and "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide."

R.I.P.

French Montana has only been with Khloe Kardashian for a few months ... and he dropped nearly $100,000 on her birthday presents.

French got Khloe a Jeep Wrangler Sahara, which we're told cost around $50K.

But wait. There's more. He also gave her a $25,000,18k gold ring with natural green Colombian emeralds and natural yellow canary diamonds from Rafaello & Co.

And still more. French gifted her 2 grills (one with diamonds and one without) at a cost of $10K. Khloe wore one to her birthday bash.

Love ... it don't come cheap.

Kourtney Kardashian flew back to L.A. for North West's Kidchella birthday bash ... and we're told she left Scott Disick behind to teach him a lesson ... but it didn't work.

Disick didn't stew over the snub -- he had a belated birthday party at 1Oak in the Hamptons where he sprayed champagne on fellow partygoers.

We're told Kourtney believed Scott would feel the burn ... especially since North's party was thrown in Scott and Kourtney's backyard. The tension revolves around Scott's propensity for partying and leaving the family in the dust.

Kourtney gave Scott's plane ticket to a nanny ... again, a not-so-subtle insult that seemed lost on Scott.

It's good to be daughter of the President of the United States -- TMZ has confirmed Sasha Obama got to visit the set of "Pretty Little Liars" ... and she didn't even have to fetch coffee!

According to our sources, 13-year-old Sasha (and one lucky friend) hit up the "PLL" set on Thursday ... and hobnobbed with the entire cast.

As we reported, Malia Obama got a week-long gig as a production assistant on Halle Berry's new CBS show "Extant."

So, Malia worked for one week -- while Sasha got to be a fan girl ... without manual labor.

Three people were arrested Sunday outside Taylor Swift's Rhode Island palace after they allegedly threw beer bottles and screamed, "f*** you" to her security guards ... and shocker -- alcohol was involved.

Swift was not home at the time of the incident.

Two guys and a woman -- all in their 20s -- were charged with disorderly conduct after they hurled beer bottles onto Swift's property, gave guards the middle finger and then cussed them out.

We spoke with Tristan Kading -- one of the 3 people arrested. He says they harbored no ill will toward Swift. They were just drinking and it got out of hand.

Kading also tells us ... they were not flipping off anyone ... they were simply throwing up the peace sign like Taylor does in her "22" music video.

The Fulton County District Attorney’s office is NOT getting a rose from "Bachelorette" Andi Dorfman ... because TMZ has learned she has decided not to go back to the job.

As TMZ first reported, Fulton County D.A. Paul Howard Jr. allowed Dorfman to take an unpaid leave to do the show ... as long as she was back by May 31.

The Fulton County D.A.'s office tells TMZ ... Andi did not want to ask for an extension on her leave, so she decided to resign instead. The D.A.'s office had nothing but good things to say about her ... even going as far as saying they would be open to re-hiring her if the opportunity arises.

Legendary DJ Casey Kasem will live out his final days this week surrounded by his children ... who have made the decision to withhold medication, food and fluids.

The judge in Casey's conservatorship case just reversed a ruling which required doctors to keep him alive with nourishment and meds.

The 82-year-old is currently in a Washington hospice facility.

Casey's kids tell TMZ ... their dad's health directive document states, "If the extension of my life would result in mere biological existence, devoid of cognitive function, with no reasonable hope for normal functioning, then I do not desire any form of life-sustaining procedures, including nutrition and hydration."

Casey's wife Jean was in court and furious over the judge's decision, storming out and screaming that the kids will have Casey's blood on their hands.

President Obama was so heavily guarded by an elite Secret Service team as he left a Virginia burger joint ... even his doggie bag got protection.

Check out our video of POTUS and Education Secretary Arne Duncan and others as they surprised diners Tuesday afternoon at FireFlies in Alexandria, VA.

The Prez ordered the American Way Burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato and mustard ... and fries and a side salad. Total bill -- $73 ... Obama left a $50 tip.

The guy who played "Drop Dead Fred" in the 90s cult classic film passed away at home in England this morning ... and, so far, the cause of death is a mystery to his family.

Rik Mayall -- a huge comedic star in the U.K. -- was at home with family members when he died this morning ... but his rep says they're all puzzled about why it happened.

We're told the actor -- who was only 56 -- was not ill ... but his rep added they don't suspect foul play.

"Drop Dead Fred" was bashed by critics, but still became a financial success. Mayall was never able to score a second hit in the U.S. -- even though he's a big deal across the pond. He starred in several successful sitcoms there.

Mayall was married with 3 children.

Columbus Short is going back in front of the camera -- instead of appearing in front of a judge -- starring in a new romantic comedy ... and TMZ has a photo from the set.

Short is shooting the movie, "Mr. Right" in Atlanta and took this pic with a couple of his co-stars. The film also stars Erica Tazel from "Justified" (awesome show).