Family

The FBI and Indiana State Police just put out a statement saying the Fox News report is inaccurate, "Contrary to reports, the December 15th traffic stops conducted on the vehicle being driven by Bryan Kohberger in Indiana were not requested or directed by the FBI."

It's no coincidence Indiana cops pulled over Bryan Kohberger, the alleged murderer of 4 University of Idaho students, twice in one day -- the stops reportedly happened at the FBI's behest, as they built a case against him.

As we've reported, Kohberger and his father were pulled over on December 15 in Indiana as they were driving cross-country. Police body cameras captured audio and video of Kohberger, who was stopped for driving too close to a truck ... but oddly wasn't ticketed either time.

According to Fox News, that's because the FBI had been tracking the duo's trip from Washington State University to Pennsylvania, and needed more evidence. Specifically, the feds reportedly wanted the local cops to get images of Bryan's hands.

During the first traffic stop, a Hancock County Sheriff's Deputy had what seemed a strangely extensive convo with Kohberger and his father about their trip -- they even discussed a shooting that had occurred that day on the WSU campus.

However, all the while, the cop's body camera was capturing images of Kohberger. Pretty slick surveillance move by the FBI and the officer.

Quavo has honored his late nephew and Migos co-captain Takeoff on his new track … and it’s incredibly moving material.

For the new single "Without You," Quavo created a lyric visualizer featuring him sitting solemnly in the studio … as a giant blunt burned in his hand.

The lyrics are just as somber … Quavo laments over the good times he and Takeoff shared while also shedding light on the fact that the family took the loss hard this past Christmas.

The video concludes with Quavo’s lyrics being folded into a paper rocket ship and blasting off into space, a clear tribute to Takeoff’s rocket mantra.

The timing of the track's release doesn't appear to be a coincidence, either.

Prince Harry is making bombshell allegations against other members of the royal family in his new book ... claiming his own brother attacked him after taking shots at Meghan Markle.

The Duke of Sussex claims things got physical between him and Prince William back in 2019 ... with William launching the attack.

In his new memoir, "Spare," Prince Harry claims William grabbed him by the collar, ripped his necklace and knocked him to the ground during a fight in London.

As for what sparked the alleged fight ... Harry says things got heated after William called his wife Meghan "difficult," "rude" and "abrasive."

Prince Harry says William was already worked up when he came over to Nottingham Cottage, where Harry was living at the time, with William starting to complain about Meghan.

Harry says he told his brother he was just regurgitating media narratives and he expected better from William ... and then they got into a shouting match before things ultimately got physical.

Prince Harry says he accused William of acting like an heir and being unable to understand him ... and they exchanged insults, then went into the kitchen, where the alleged attack happened.

Harry goes on to say the alleged fight left him with visible injuries because he fell and landed on a dog bowl, which cracked under his back ... according to excerpts of the book obtained by The Guardian.

What's more, Harry claims William urged him to hit him back, bringing up fights they had when they were younger ... but Harry says he refused to strike his brother. William then bounced, but came back "looking regretful" and apologized.

Prince Harry also says Meghan noticed the bruises and scrapes he suffered in the alleged fight and that's when he told her what happened. He says MM wasn't surprised nor angry.

Prince Harry's memoir is due out next week ... and you can imagine the royal family won't be too happy about some of the contents.

The timing is interesting ... Harry is hoping to mend a deep rift within the royal family, recently telling the UK's ITV he wants his father and brother back in his life.

President Joe Biden says he spoke "at length" with the mom and dad of Damar Hamlin ... after their son went into cardiac arrest on the field during Monday Night Football.

POTUS briefly spoke to the media in Kentucky before hopping aboard Air Force One ... when he revealed he had a conversation with the Hamlin fam.

46 was also asked whether football was just too dangerous ... in the wake of the terrifying medical emergency.

“Look, the idea that you're gonna have, look you've got guys that are 6'8", 340 pounds running a 4.8 40 ... If you hit somebody with that kinda ... now that's not what happened here ... but I just think it’s, I don't know how you avoid it,” Biden said.

Biden's comments come a day after White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters ... “We hope his condition and his health improves quickly, and like the rest of the nation our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and his teammates.”

Of course, everyone from LeBron James to Tom Brady have sent well wishes to the 24-year-old second-year pro ... in addition to millions of fans across the world.

In the wake of the incident, hundreds of thousands of people even dipped into their own wallets, donating an astounding $6 million to Damar's charity toy drive.

Hamlin is still fighting for his life in a Cincy hospital, though the team provided a positive update on Wednesday.

"Damar remains in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement noted yesterday and overnight."

"He is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues to monitor and treat him."

Jeremy Renner was in really bad shape -- with serious injuries to his chest and torso -- according to the 911 call placed just minutes after he was crushed by a Snowcat.

We've obtained the 911 emergency log which includes notes from the call placed from the scene of Renner's accident over the weekend. The log states Renner could be heard moaning in the background of the call -- and that he was experiencing heavy bleeding from his head and other unknown injuries.

The log also details the accident itself -- stating Renner was "completely crushed" by the Snowcat -- and he was having "extreme difficulty" breathing.

Perhaps the scariest piece provided by the log is the fact it states the right side of Renner's chest collapsed and his upper torso was crushed. He was airlifted to a local hospital from the scene of the accident.

As we reported, local officials say Renner was helping a family member get their car out from heavy snow Sunday with the Snowcat. The actor stepped out of the vehicle to chat with the family member, and the vehicle started to roll. Officials say Renner attempted to get back into the driver's seat when he was crushed.

James "Buster" Corley, one of the co-founders of the Dave & Buster's chain, suffered a traumatic brain injury months before his apparent suicide according to his daughter.

Kate Corley tells TMZ ... her father suffered a stroke 4 months ago that affected his communication skills, and the part of his brain associated with personality.

As we reported ... Buster died Monday, on his 72nd birthday, from what cops are calling an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police in Dallas say he was shot in his home before being taken to a local hospital where he died.

Buster's daughter is remembering her dad as "someone who cared about people, full of life, charismatic" ... and she wants people to focus on his legacy as a D&B co-founder and not his death.

She adds, "Having him as a dad was epic. I got to see personally how many people he helped and an industry he created. He treated everyone the same, everyone mattered to him no matter who it was. The first thing he did when he retired was thank his wife and always said he could not have done it without her. He is a legend and the coolest person on Earth.”

James opened the first Dave & Buster's in Dallas way back in 1982, along with his business partner David Corriveau and went on to open more than 140 locations across the country.

James was 72.

RIP

Stephen "tWitch" Boss is getting an emotional goodbye from those closest to him this week ... with a larger gathering planned for the future to properly honor him en masse.

Sources within tWitch's inner circle tell TMZ ... the late media personality is being laid to rest Wednesday afternoon in Los Angeles, in what we're told is going to be a small and intimate funeral attended by close family.

We're told there is going to be a larger celebration of life ceremony in the near future, which will be held for close friends and the people who Stephen considered his family.

Presumably, the larger celebration would include Ellen DeGeneres and staff members from her show -- on which tWitch served as the DJ for years. The folks from "So You Think You Can Dance" would also likely be on the extended list for the memorial down the road.

TMZ broke the story ... tWitch took his own life last month, leaving behind a suicide note alluding to past struggles. Despite issues he was obviously dealing with, there didn't seem to be any sign, outwardly, that something was wrong ... as his death took everyone by surprise.

There has been an outpouring of tributes made in his honor from the entertainment industry and beyond -- including heartfelt condolences sent by Ellen herself.

He was 40.

RIP

Damar Hamlin wasn’t only brought back to life on the field during Monday Night Football, but also as he arrived at the hospital ... this according to his uncle, who says the Bills safety's heart stopped for a second time.

Thankfully, medical personnel was again able to restart his heart.

Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn, spoke to CNN outside the Cincinnati hospital on Tuesday ... where he provided an update on his 24-year-old nephew.

"He's still sedated right now," Glenn said. "They just want him to have a better chance of recovering better. So, they felt if he was sedated, his body can recover a lot faster than if he was awoke and possibly cause other complications."

Glenn said Hamlin is using 50% of a ventilator now ... a big improvement from earlier in his hospitalization.

Hamlin's uncle added the former Pittsburgh Panther suffered lung damage ... but remained optimistic he would be able to breathe on his own.

Glenn also talked about the sheer terror the family felt as they watched their loved one collapse before CPR was performed for about 10 minutes on the field in Cincy.

"We were all in tears," Glenn added. "I'm not a crier, but I've never cried so hard in my life. Just to know, like, my nephew basically died on the field and they brought him back to life, that's just heartbreaking. To see all those grown men crying and all the emotion, it really was a gut punch, man."

"I would have been crying no matter who it was, but for it to be my nephew, it just had that much more impact on me, man," he said. "I'm just glad he's still alive and able to fight and try and get better and recover."

Dorrian also stated doctors have positioned Damar on his stomach in an effort to relieve pressure on his lungs.

"I just want to show my gratitude for the medical staff that were on hand," Glenn added, "because if not for them, my nephew probably wouldn't even be here."

Young Thug's name has been floating all over social media in wake of the YSL plea deals but 2 of his biggest supporters -- his sister Dolly White and his protégé Lil Gotit -- say just about everything people see is cap!!!

We caught Gotit and Dolly out in LAX earlier this week and they doubled down on the notion that no one has spoken to Young Thug ... especially about how Thug feels about Gunna's Alford plea deal.

Gunna has been catching a lot of flak in the hip hop community and judging from Gotit and Dolly's reactions when we brought the "Drip Too Hard" rapper's name up ... there's definitely some lingering tension in the camp!!! 👀

On Tuesday, a man who claimed to talk to Thug through rapper YNW BSlime said Thug disapproved of the onslaught of pretrial pleas, but Gotit and Dolly say they're the only credible source.

They both recently spoke to their big brother Jeff and say he's in good spirits. Dolly also called out Akademiks for posting information she says is big 🧢!!!

To date, rappers Slimelife Shawty, Lil Duke, Thug's brother Unfoonk and YSL co-founder Walter "DK" Murphy have all taken plea deals leading up to the case.

The daughter of rally star Ken Block is speaking for the first time since her dad's fatal snowmobile crash on Monday, penning an emotional post about her dad, calling him her "best friend."

Lia, 16, shared a photo on Instagram Tuesday evening showing her and her famous dad walking side by side in their racing gear.

"Yesterday I didn't just lose my father, I lost my best friend," Lia wrote, "He was truly my whole world and the only person I ever looked up to."

"No matter what I did he was always there to support me. I can't believe how fast he was taken from all of us."

Lia continued, saying her dad -- who was also the co-founder of DC Shoes -- was an amazing person who accomplished so much in his 55 years of life.

"He always did what he loved no matter what, right up to the last second, and always was there for me and my siblings and my mom whenever we did what we loved," Lia said.

"He was one of the most amazing people in the world, not to mention the best dad I could have ever asked for. I will strive every single day to make you proud. I love you to the moon and back kenny boi. ❤️ #kb43ver"

Lia is one of Block and his wife Lucy's three children ... and she was following in her dad's footsteps in racing.

In fact, on the day of Block's death, he posted an IG photo of Lia and her new '85 Audi Ur Quattro.

"Will her newly-refinished vintage Audi finally do a donut?" Block said in the caption hours before his death.

According to the post, he was supposed to go Live on YouTube with Lia to show off her new whip Tuesday, but never got the chance.

Bryan Kohberger had an emotional moment at his extradition hearing Tuesday in Pennsylvania ... telling his family he loved them right before he was hauled back to jail.

The suspected killer of four college students had just agreed to waive extradition in Monroe County, PA, and be sent back to Idaho to face murder and burglary charges stemming from the brutal November knife attack.

As police escorted him in handcuffs out of the courtroom, Kohberger reportedly turned to his family seated in the gallery and mouthed the words, "I love you." Throughout the proceeding, his parents and two sisters appeared upset, crying at times. There was also a moment where Kohberger locked eyes with his father, nodding at him in acknowledgment.

CNN said Kohberger looked back at his dad again and peered over at his family another time, cracking a faint smile. After the judge informed Kohberger of the homicide charges, his mom broke down and wept in her daughter's shoulder, prompting a court officer to bring over a Kleenex.

Following the hearing, Pennsylvania State Police Major Christopher Paris told reporters ... Kohberger will be shipped back to Latah County, ID, within 10 days after officials iron out the logistics for transporting the accused murderer. Paris could not pinpoint an exact date for the extradition ... but, in the meantime, Kohberger will be cooling his heels inside the Monroe County Correctional Facility.

As we reported, Kohberger was arrested last Friday at his parent's home in Effort, PA, and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. He's accused of breaking into an off-campus house in Moscow, ID, and fatally stabbing Kaylee Goncalves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. All four victims attended the University of Idaho. Police have not established a motive in the case.

Jeremy Renner was working to get a family member's vehicle out of heavy snow when a freak accident caused him to be run over by his own plow ... according to cops investigating the incident.

The Washoe County Sheriff's Office held a press conference Tuesday about Sunday morning's incident when Renner was airlifted to a hospital.

Reps say Renner was working to free a family member's vehicle that got stuck in the snow near the actor's home in Tahoe. At some point, Renner got out of his Snowcat to talk to the family member and the vehicle started to roll ... Renner tried to get back in the driver's seat, but was run over.

Investigators say there's no evidence Renner was impaired at the time of the accident, and they're looking into the possibility of a mechanical failure.

A banged-up Renner shared a photo of himself in a hospital bed just as the press conference began, revealing facial injuries. We know JR's injuries also included a mangled leg and blunt chest trauma, which resulted in a lot of blood loss.

His rep tells us, "Jeremy is making positive progress and is awake, talking and in good spirits. He remains in ICU in critical but stable condition. He is overwhelmed by the showing of love and support. The family asks for your continued thoughts while he heals with his close loved ones."

TMZ got the first videos of Renner being rushed to a waiting helicopter that day, which took off quickly to get him help. We also obtained a clip of his Snowcat being towed away, and as you can see -- it's quite massive ... giving you a sense of just how serious this was.

Fred White, the drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire, is dead.

Fred died Sunday, according to his brother and bandmate, Verdine. The cause of death is unclear.

The fourth of the White brothers to perform in Earth, Wind & Fire, Fred was one of the famous band's early members ... joining EWF way back in 1974 when he was just 19 years old.

Fred played drums on 8 different Earth, Wind & Fire albums ... plus some of their biggest hit songs like "September," "Boogie Wonderland," "Saturday Night" and "Shining Star" ... and he's one of the 9 band members inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Verdine is remembering his late brother as an "amazing and talented family member" and a "child protégé." He added ... Fred's now with their other brother, and EWF founder, Maurice White in heaven.

Off stage, Verdine says Fred was "the wonderful bro that was always entertaining and delightfully mischievous! And we could always count on him to make a seemingly bad situation more light hearted!"

Fred was 67.

Prince Harry is hoping to mend the deep rift with his family ... and now says he's pleading for harmony with them, even as he and Meghan Markle very publicly air their grievances with the royals.

Harry is opening up about the ongoing feud while promoting his upcoming memoir, "Spare" ... telling the UK's ITV he wants his father and brother back in his life, and saying he doesn't believe things had to go down the way they did.

Harry claims his family's been to blame for the big issues -- saying they continue to paint Meghan and him as the villains. He also claims King Charles and Prince William have given him zero sign they want to reconcile.

The Duke of Sussex also chatted with Anderson Cooper on "60 Minutes," saying he's tried to deal with internal issues privately -- but claims it would end up leaking regardless, making him look like the bad guy.

He's repeating his allegations Buckingham Palace fed info to media outlets behind the scenes, then played the "no comment" card publicly.

Brody Jenner is about to venture into fatherhood -- announcing that he's got a bundle of joy on the way with his pro surfer girlfriend, Tia Blanco.

The couple shared the news together Sunday, taking to IG with a joint post that shows off an ultrasound being conducted on Tia ... which reveals there's a little baby growing in her belly. You can hear both Brody and Tia, with BJ noting there's a heart that's forming.

The clip then jumps to the actual sounds of the heartbeat, and it's going pretty strong. It appears the procedure was done earlier in December -- on the 9th -- so it sounds like Tia's been pregnant for a little bit now.

Brody and Tia's caption reads, "To start off this new year, we’d like to take this opportunity to wish all of our friends, family and followers health, happiness & an abundance of love. We truly appreciate & love you all. We are excited to share with you the blessing of a new life in the new year…Our little angel is on their way 💙 Happy new year!"

It's major news, as this would be both Brody and Tia's first child together ... and first child for either of them, period. Plus, they're a relatively new pair in general -- Brody and Tia went public this past June, this after rumblings that they were dating surfaced in April.

Less than a year later ... and they're expecting. No word on whether the kid's a boy or a girl, but it seems like things are moving along nicely for the parents-to-be. Also, this means a new Jenner is being welcomed to the family -- which is always welcome.

Worth noting ... Brody has broached the topic of kids in his past relationships -- including with Kaitlynn Carter -- but never seemed to be able to land on the same page with anyone.

The Idaho murder suspect's family is urging the public to refrain from judgment, and to presume he's innocent -- this as more info about his background starts to surface, including the notion he was a black sheep in his field of study ... understanding the criminal mind.

A statement by the Kohberger family was just released -- and obtained by TMZ -- which both addresses the charges against Bryan Kohberger and the murders that happened in Idaho.

It reads, "First and foremost, we care deeply for the four families who have lost their precious children. There are no words that can adequately express the sadness we feel, and we pray each day for them. We will continue to let the legal process unfold and as a family we will love and support our son and brother."

The Kohberger family adds, "We have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions. We respect privacy in this matter as our family and the families suffering loss can move forward through the legal process."

In other words, they're standing by Bryan for now ... and, like everyone else, want to see what exactly prosecutors have against him that makes them believe he's the killer. The timing of this comes on the heels of a troubling profile that's emerging ... one of an outsider who was obsessive over dissecting the mind of a murderer, to a T.

The New York Times spoke to a handful of Bryan Kohberger's former classmates and colleagues while he attended DeSales University and Washington State University, pursuing degrees in criminology. By most accounts, he was deeply entrenched in his major, but to a point that it was off-putting and combative ... which reportedly led to conflict in his life.

There are two specific anecdotes that paint a picture of the type of person Kohberger was in academia -- both of which happened at WSU. In one instance, a former classmate of his tells the Times that Kohberger once got into a heated discussion with another fellow Ph.D. student about a criminology concept ... and was accused of mansplaining to the woman. She got so upset over the conversation that she left the class, leaving behind personal items.

Kohberger was also a T.A. at WSU, but a student who was in one the classes he helped teach says he avoided eye contact with them all ... and was supposedly a harsh grader, leaving extensive notes on their papers. It got so bad, the students complained en masse.

This same student also claims that later in the fall -- around the time of the Idaho killings -- Kohberger loosened up on grading, and stopped leaving notes on their papers altogether.

There are other accounts of Bryan being highly engaged in discussions about criminology -- and the NYT piece also notes he was under the tutelage of professors who focused on serial killers and gruesome crimes. The story points out that many at DeSales and WSU viewed him as quiet, awkward and on his own ... while also overly intrigued with the curriculum.

We've already heard other stories about Bryan that make him out to be aggressive and quick to anger -- but clearly, his loved ones want everyone not to jump to conclusions based on any of that.