Glee

Lea Michele knows NOTHING sweetens up your cup of coffee like a massive diamond ring on the hand that's holding it.

The "Glee" grad was strolling around NYC Tuesday with her new treasure -- as in her fiance, Zandy Reich ... the guy who gave her the OTHER treasure.

We know you're wondering, so ... it's a 4-carat elongated radiant cut diamond. Lea and Zandy announced their engagement last weekend. They've been dating since last summer, when Zandy managed to bust out of the friendzone ... they were pals before the hookup.

The groom-to-be is president of the clothing company AYR -- and his bride-to-be is obviously very proud ... of his taste in jewelry.

Mark Salling had alcohol in his system when he hanged himself, and apparently took steps to evade authorities just prior to the suicide ... TMZ has learned.

According to the results of Salling's autopsy ... he had at least a 0.08% BAC -- which means he was just at the point of legal intoxication. The toxicology report also shows he was not on any other drugs.

The report describes the death scene -- Salling was hanging by a nylon rope which was tied to a branch a little over 6 feet above the ground. The coroner says it was wrapped around his neck five times.

The autopsy also notes Salling had attempted to kill himself months prior by cutting his wrists. His wrist incisions were about 2.5 centimeters and 6.5 centimeters on each hand, according to the coroner.

The last time the former "Glee" star was seen alive was with his father watching television at their family home at around 11:30 PM. His mother discovered he was missing right after midnight. Salling had ditched his ankle monitor and left it down the street from his house.

He was scheduled to meet with the probation officer in his child porn case the day he died.

Mark Salling's death certificate confirms all the details we know about his suicide.

The Coroner's Office just released the certificate, filed in L.A. County ... and it lists cause of death as asphyxia by hanging. It also says he was found dead in a riverbed in Sunland, CA.

TMZ broke the story ... Salling was found hanging from a tree ... not far from where he lived. The Coroner had already determined it was death by suicide, as we reported.

We still do not have toxicology results from Salling's autopsy ... which will show if he had been drinking or boozing prior to hanging himself.

Prior to killing himself, the "Glee" star has pled guilty to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors and was awaiting sentencing.

Mark Salling's child pornography case will come to an abrupt halt after his suicide, because prosecutors just filed legal docs asking the judge to dismiss the case.

The documents are short and to the point ... they are asking the federal judge who was hearing the case to dismiss the indictment.

TMZ broke the story ... Salling hanged himself last week as he faced the prospect of years in prison. He had struck a plea deal with prosecutors, but it hadn't been ratified by the judge.

One interesting point ... prosecutors want the indictment dismissed "without prejudice" ... meaning they could theoretically refile. That, however, will not happen. Once a defendant dies, the case is over.

Mark Salling died from asphyxia by hanging and it was death by suicide ... this according to the L.A. County Coroner.

The Coroner just determined the cause of death, which is what TMZ reported early Wednesday morning.

TMZ broke the story, the former "Glee" star was found by law enforcement hanging from a tree near his home in Sunland in the L.A. area.

Mark Salling tried to kill himself multiple times before he finally took his own life ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

Sources involved in the investigation tell us their interviews with witnesses paint a dark picture of the actor, who was facing years in prison after pleading guilty to child porn charges.

There were "several suicide attempts," according to our sources.

TMZ broke the story .. Salling cut his wrists back in August. We got this pic 2 months after the attempt and he was wearing long sleeves in the middle of a heat wave ... presumably to hide the scars.

Mark Salling did not leave a suicide note and cops have already combed his home, his car and the area where he hanged himself and nothing has turned up ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

The question we've been asking for hours ... how did police find Salling's body in a remote area by a riverbed? We thought cops may have tracked the body through his cellphone or GPS on his car, but that wasn't the case.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... LAPD officers were in the area on an unrelated matter when they spotted Salling's car. As we first reported, a missing persons report had already been filed, so cops ran the plates, determined it was Salling's car, searched the area and found the body hanging from a tree.

TMZ broke the story, Salling committed suicide by hanging ... he had been suicidal for months awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to child porn offenses.

Jane Lynch is clearly struggling with Mark Salling's apparent suicide ... for several complicated reasons.

Jane was out in L.A. just a few hours after TMZ broke the story her former "Glee" co-star was found dead. Police believe he hanged himself. Jane said the news was "sad and very tragic."

As for how she'll remember Salling? Watch the video, and you can tell Jane was reaching for the right words -- especially in light of the fact Salling had entered a guilty plea to child pornography charges.

Ultimately, she took the high road and shared a story about his early days on the "Glee" set.

11:05 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell us Salling's body was found hanging from a tree.

10:45 AM PT -- We're told police received a call to do a "welfare check" on Salling and somehow that led them to the baseball field where his body was found. We're told Salling had been dead for some time.

Our sources say a family member came to the LAPD station at 3 AM Tuesday to report Salling as a missing person.

We're told homicide detectives are on scene to rule out foul play, but they say all signs point to suicide by hanging.

Mark Salling committed suicide by hanging, according to law enforcement ... TMZ has learned.

We're told his body was found near a riverbed in Sunland ... the area where he lived. Law enforcement tells us Salling was hanging from a tree.

We've learned the address where Salling was found dead near a little league field adjacent to a creek.

The former "Glee" star was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors.

Prosecutors say he had 50,000 images of underage children.

Sentencing in the case was set for March. He was expected to get 4 to 7 years in prison as part of a plea deal.

TMZ broke the story ... Salling had cut his wrists back in August and it appeared to be a suicide attempt, although his lawyer denied it.

Salling was 35.

Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner are officially divorced ... TMZ has learned.

The actors ended their 4-year marriage in the most private of ways. They reached a property settlement agreement that they did not file with the court, but told the judge the issues are resolved and they are both square with who gets what.

The "Supergirl" actress filed for divorce almost a year ago to the day, citing irreconcilable differences. They don't have kids so there's no issue of child custody or support.

Melissa, who's repped by attorney Melanie Mandles, now has her maiden name restored so she's now Melissa Benoist.

Time to move on.

Mark Salling made good on his plea deal by marching into court Monday and pleading guilty to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor.

Salling was in the L.A. courthouse and, as we expected since he struck the deal in October, pled guilty. Prosecutors say more than 50,000 images of child porn and child erotica were found in the ex-"Glee" star's possession. The victims were ages 3 to 5.

Prosecutors recommended he get 4 to 7 years in prison under the plea deal -- as opposed to the 20 years he was facing under a max sentence. The judge will sentence him in March.

Mark Salling hurt himself in a suicide attempt a month and a half before striking a plea deal in his child porn case ... TMZ has learned.

We're told the "Glee" star was in the bedroom of his L.A. area home on August 22 when he cut both of his wrists. We're told Mark "freaked out" and screamed for his roommate, who discovered him bleeding and called 911.

Paramedics rushed to the home where they treated Mark, put him in an ambulance and took him to the hospital.

We're told Mark was taken for psychiatric evaluation, and days later, was taken to a rehab facility for psychological issues.

Mark's arms are scarred, which is apparently why he's been wearing long sleeves in the Los Angeles heat.

As we reported, Salling copped a plea in his child porn case earlier this month ... a case that was filed after cops found more than 50,000 images of child porn and child erotica on his personal computer.

The prosecution recommended 4 to 7 years in prison under the plea deal. The judge has yet to impose a sentence.

David Spade's addressing those hot pics of him and Naya Rivera with his take on the old saying ... don't believe your lying eyes.

David was leaving Craig's Tuesday night, and the question everyone was asking him -- "Where's Naya?" Makes sense ... after the world saw him getting really cozy last week with Naya in their hotel pool in Hawaii.

He tried his best to blow it off, but we know Spade's Casanova history ... so, nice try, Dave.

We ain't buyin' it.

Mark Salling pled not guilty to 2 child porn charges, and was released on bail ... but ordered to keep away from places where children congregate.

The judge's order says the former "Glee" star has to stay at least 100 feet away from schools, parks, arcades and many other places of that sort. He was set free after posting $150,000 bail -- $100k of which he put up himself.

Mark Salling arrived in court with his lawyer Friday and surrendered to federal authorities one week after his indictment on child porn charges.

The former "Glee" star reported to a downtown L.A. courtroom where he'll be arraigned this afternoon on two child porn charges. According to a report, prosecutors recommend Salling remain in custody because they consider him a flight risk and worry whether he'll appear for more hearings if he's granted bail.

Mark Salling has been indicted for possessing child pornography.

A federal grand jury indicted the "Glee" star on 2 counts of child porn. Salling's laptop was seized last year, and allegedly contained thousands of images and videos of child porn. One count involves a flash drive which allegedly contained images involving a prepubescent minor and a minor under 12.

U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker says, "Young victims are harmed every time an image is generated, every time it is distributed and every time it is viewed."

If convicted of receiving child porn, Salling faces a minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. On the charge of possessing child porn, he could receive 20 years.

Crime Watch Daily first reported the indictment was being prepared.