Influencer Deaths

Jill Smokler -- the founder of Scary Mommy, a content company she built from a personal blog -- is dead.

According to the popular parenting site, Jill died Monday ... after a more than two-year fight with glioblastoma.

Her family said in part ... “Jill spent her life telling the truth about motherhood — that it could be wonderful and impossible in the very same breath — and in doing so, she gave millions of women permission to stop pretending and feel a little less alone."

The person killed in the tragic Texas plane crash has been identified ... and he's even being honored by folks at the highest reaches of government.

Joshua Baer -- a prominent tech and finance mogul who has been called the godfather of Austin, Texas' startup scene -- died in Tuesday night's crash, according to multiple reports.

Joshua was the founder of Capital Factory ... a startup accelerator and investment group, which injected life into Texas' economy by bringing in and nurturing multiple businesses over the last two decades.

Popular Australian food influencer Stacey Hatfield allegedly refused medical aid multiple times during a home birth that had deadly consequences.

A coroner's court inquest revealed the 30-year-old wellness content creator twice refused an ambulance as she bled out after delivering a baby without a nurse or midwife present ... at least according to a new report.

The court was told Stacey was adamant about no medical intervention before, during, or after the birth ... and her wishes were honored by her husband, Nathan Warnecke, and a birth support worker when she gave birth to her son, Axel.

A woman in Brazil who was supposed to be thrown off the same bridge where Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas's plummeted to death backed out at the last second ... moments before Maria took her fatal plunge.

One of the bungee instructors -- identified only as Gustavo -- who was apparently working on the day Maria fell to her death, spoke to the local Brazilian outlet TV Record ... and he said he was putting jumping equipment on a different woman who became panicked.

Gustavo says this woman backed out, choosing not to jump, and so he turned and put the equipment on Maria instead.

The young woman who plummeted to her death during a bungee-jumping excursion in Brazil was still alive after hitting the ground 130-feet below ... at least according to an off-duty nursed who tried to save her.

Nurse Rayza Dias told local news ... Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was alive for a short time when she landed after being thrown off an abandoned bridge without a bungee cord.

As TMZ reported ... video circulating online appears to show bungee jump operators escorting Freitas to the edge of the structure -- known locally as Skeleton Bridge -- before throwing her over the side.

Moments later, people at the scene reportedly realized something was terribly wrong ... as the 21-year-old plummeted roughly 130 feet without the rope being attached.

Dias says Maria was still conscious when she got to her ... and she talked to the young girl, trying to tell her she was going to be OK.

"Love Island USA" production member James Barker died suddenly last week while the reality dating series was filming in Fiji ... leaving his partner completely devastated.

Adam Roth tells TMZ ... "James was the absolute light and love of my life. He brought joy and brilliance to everything he touched."

James' partner adds ... "His loss is unimaginable. While it was not enough, I am so thankful for the time we had and the memories we made together."

The young woman who plummeted to her death during a bungee-jumping excursion in Brazil posted on social media before the fatal jump ... and her comment is pretty creepy.

According to screenshots from the now-shuttered IG account ... Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas posted, "Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge???" The IG Story included a picture of the bridge in Limeira, a city in São Paulo state.

As TMZ reported ... video circulating online appears to show staff members escorting Freitas to the edge of the structure -- known locally as Skeleton Bridge -- before she was sent over the side. Moments later, people at the scene reportedly realized something was terribly wrong ... as the 20-year-old plummeted roughly 131 feet without the bungee cord being attached.

Here's the first look at the crash site where Oliver Tree died ... and you see a mangled helicopter on the ground ... and it's flipped upside down.

New video shows the aftermath of Sunday's fatal helicopter collision in Brazil ... first responders are crowded around the downed chopper, peering inside.

As we reported, Oliver died when two helicopters collided above an electric vehicle yard ... and in the footage, you see several burned-out cars that look like they burst into flames when the chopper crashed.

Argentinian YouTuber Gaspi -- whose real name was Gaspar Prim -- is among the six people who lost their lives in a devastating helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to reports from CNN Brazil.

The 23-year-old social media personality was reportedly aboard one of two helicopters involved in a midair collision Sunday morning. That aircraft was also carrying American singer Oliver Tree, along with passengers Lucas Brito Chaves, and Lucas Vignale, and was being piloted by Alexandre Souza, CNN Brazil reported.

The second helicopter carried only its pilot, Charles Marsillac, who also died in the crash. According to CNN Brazil, Marsillac was described by someone close to him as an experienced and highly respected pilot known for taking his profession seriously.

Ashlee Jenae's fiancé is turning his pain into purpose ... Joe McCann tells us he's begun the process of setting up a foundation in Ashlee's honor.

According to Joe, the foundation will be a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to preventing self-harm and helping people who have thoughts of self-harm.

Joe says he felt inspired to help others after Ashlee -- whose real name is Ashly Robinson -- tragically took her own life during their April getaway to Zanzibar.

5:37 PM -- Joe posted his full statement online, which can be read here.

Ashlee Jenae's fiancé, Joe McCann, says she "quickly spiraled" and had threatened suicide in the weeks leading up to her tragic death, when she took her own life during a birthday trip to Tanzania.

Joe tells TMZ ... it all started with a March chat with her doctor, who he says told her there was a chance she may not be able to carry a child. He said she was "devastated" by the news.

The investment firm CEO says things took a turn weeks before they went to Zanzibar in April ... telling us Ashlee -- whose real name is Ashly Robinson -- was "completely unrecognizable" on a March snowboarding trip in Oregon.

John Davis -- the beloved host of "Coffee Time with John and Momma" -- is dead after suffering a medical episode during a livestream with his mother ... TMZ has learned.

Police in Jellico, Tennesee tell TMZ authorities were called to a residence just before 5:30 PM Wednesday ... and John was pronounced dead at the scene.

An official cause of death has not been released.

We've reached out to his family ... so far, no word back.

Gaming content creator Alex Cimo is dead ... more than a year after going public with his battle with stage 4 colon cancer.

Alex's wife, Bryttni, announced his death in a social media post, revealing he died suddenly on June 2 ... and admitting she's still "very raw" as she processes the loss.

Bryttni also made it clear there was family friction over how Alex's death was announced ... this after his mother, Mary-Frances Alonzo, shared the news earlier this week in a LinkedIn post that was later deleted.

Greg James -- the legendary tattoo artist whose work appeared on Ozzy Osbourne, members of Mötley Crüe and countless other rock stars -- has died, TMZ has learned.

The Sunset Strip Tattoo founder's family tells TMZ he passed away Thursday in North Carolina. His cause of death is unknown at this time.

Over the years, Greg became one of the most recognizable names in the tattoo world, earning the trust of some of rock's biggest icons, including Joan Jett, Buckcherry members, and more.

Police in Tanzania say Ashlee Jenae was depressed and asked ChatGPT questions related to ending one's life, leading up to her April suicide.

Check out the translated clip -- Zanzibar Deputy Director of Criminal Investigation Zuberi Chembera says their investigation led them to ChatGPT searches by Ashley ahead of her death, including one in March that read ... "How much Valium would kill me?"

Chembera also said text messages sent by Ashlee to family and friends proved she was experiencing depression and distress about her life, and some messages seemed like farewell texts.

The mystery surrounding influencer Ashlee Jenae's death has officially come to a close ... because authorities in Tanzania have ruled the 31-year-old died by suicide days after getting engaged.

Police say the investigation is now complete after Ashlee -- whose real name was Ashly Robinson -- was found unconscious inside her villa at a luxury resort in April during what was supposed to be a birthday getaway with fiancé Joe McCann.

The Tanzania Police Force says a hotel employee entered Ashlee's villa during a routine evening check after getting no response at the door and found her hanging inside a wardrobe. Investigators say she was suspended from the closet's clothing rail using a robe belt the hotel provides for guests.

Initial documents from April listed her immediate cause of death as cerebral hypoxia caused by strangulation and suffocation.