The armed man shot and killed by Secret Service agents outside President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property Sunday had grown increasingly obsessed with the Epstein files and was also a vocal supporter of Trump … TMZ has learned.

Austin Tucker Martin sent a text message, obtained by TMZ, to a co-worker on February 15, 2026, that read, "I don't know if you read up on the Epstein Files, but evil is real and unmistakable." He continued, "The best people like you and I can do is use what little influence we have. Tell other people about what you hear about the Epstein files and what the government is doing about it. Raise awareness."

Sources who worked with Austin at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in North Carolina tell TMZ ... he became fixated on Epstein following the latest release of information tied to the files. Co-workers tell us he was deeply disturbed by what he believed was a government cover-up and often talked about powerful people "getting away with it."

The notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel reportedly began a ruthless attack on Puerto Vallarta, Mexico over the weekend following the killing of the crime organization's leader.

Drug kingpin Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes was reportedly slain by army forces Sunday which unleashed a retaliatory strike, obliterating part of the popular resort town of Puerto Vallarta with assaults also being launched at Guadalajara International Airport and the state of Veracruz, according to local outlets.

Devastating images shared online showed buses, churches, and entire blocks engulfed in flames. The US State Department even advised American tourists to shelter in place, according to The Post.

9:22 AM PT -- Authorities have identified the Mar-a-Lago man who was shot and killed by Secret Service as 21-year-old North Carolina resident Austin Tucker Martin.

A man in his early 20s was shot and killed by U.S. Secret Service agents after breaching the secure perimeter at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property early Sunday morning.

The U.S. Secret Service says the incident unfolded around 1:30 AM near the north gate of the Palm Beach estate.

According to officials, the man was observed near the property carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can. Secret Service agents, along with a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, confronted him and shots were fired during the encounter.

The President was not at Mar-a-Lago when the incident occurred. He's currently in Washington, D.C.

The hits just keep coming for former Prince Andrew … In his latest public shaming, the British government is reportedly considering erasing him from the line of succession to the monarchy after his much-publicized arrest last week.

The BBC reports members of Parliament are now mulling bringing forth legislation that -- if passed -- would prevent Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from ever becoming King ... a position currently held by his older brother, Charles.

Luke Pollard -- the British Defense Minister -- spoke with the BBC, saying the legislation would be the "right thing to do" no matter what the outcome is of the police investigation into Andrew.

4:19 PM PT -- Fox News reporter Matt Finn received further clarification from the Sheriff's office about this incident ... chalking this up to a "lost in translation" moment.

Pima County officials say they told the volunteers they need PERMISSION to go on private property -- not a PERMIT to look for Nancy.

1:40 PM PT -- The Pima County Sheriff's Dept posted a response to volunteer groups wishing to assist in the search for Nancy on her property. They shared a 3-part statement on X, saying ... "Private Search Parties: Volunteer search groups have inquired about being in the area. Per the Sheriff, they were asked to please give investigators the space they need to do their work."

They continue ... "We appreciate their concern, and we all want to find Nancy, but this work is best left to professionals. PCSD has volunteer opportunities if they wish to get involved with the department. Private property laws apply and it is up to each individual property owner to grant permission for someone to search their property."

The Madres Buscadoras de Sonora -- the Mexican activist group that wants to help find Nancy Guthrie -- won't be allowed to search for her, they say ... not without getting the proper permits first.

Two members of the organization -- wearing shirts and holding flyers featuring Nancy's face -- spoke to reporters outside Guthrie's home in new video circulating online. They say they came all the way from Mexico to aid in the search ... but were turned away.

Nancy left in an Uber at 5:32 PM to have dinner at her daughter Annie's house in Tucson, Arizona.

At 9:48 PM, Nancy's son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, dropped her back off at her home. Tommaso, Annie's husband, reportedly waited 2 minutes for Nancy to get safely inside and then drove away.

A doorbell camera at Nancy's home was mysteriously disconnected at 1:47 AM. Even more distressing, Nancy's pacemaker app is disconnected from her phone by 2:28 AM.

Ghislaine Maxwell's brother is publicly backing former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor ... claiming his actions may have been "sleazy" -- but, prosecutors clearly can't find any sexual misconduct dirt on him.

Ian Maxwell -- Ghislaine's older brother -- spoke with the UK publication The Telegraph on Thursday ... which just so happened to be the day Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The former prince had a known association with Ghislaine and her late partner Jeffrey Epstein ... so naturally, the arrest came up.

Maxwell says Mountbatten-Windsor is going through an even more difficult time than his sister -- because while he and other family members stand behind her, he thinks the royals have abandoned Andrew.

The "American Idol" alum charged with murdering his wife allegedly shot her inside their Ohio home while their two children slept in another room, according to a new report.

Caleb Flynn was arrested Thursday on charges of murder, assault and tampering with evidence in connection with the fatal shooting of his wife Ashley in their Tipp City home, just north of Dayton, police said. 

The Dayton Daily News obtained a police affidavit, stating the couple's two daughters were home at the time of the shooting, but did not wake up and were still in their bedroom when police arrived on scene. The family's two Goldendoodles were also in the house during the shooting, according to the affidavit.

Police say Caleb shot Ashley in the head but tried to cover up the murder by trying to make it look like a fatal home invasion burglary. Cops found Ashley in bed with at least one gunshot wound to the head and two spent shells on the floor nearby, the docs say.

Tragedy has struck Brazil’s influencer world ... Bianca Dias has died at just 27, just days after undergoing plastic surgery.

The glamorous social media star is believed to have suffered a pulmonary embolism -- a known risk tied to major cosmetic procedures -- after she began experiencing shortness of breath while recovering at her family’s beach house in Guarujá, near São Paulo.

She was rushed to the hospital, but doctors were unable to save her. Her death came just 18 days after the initial surgery.

"American Idol" alum Caleb Flynn is under arrest for allegedly murdering his wife ... but it looks like he's the one who called 911 and claimed someone broke into their Ohio home and shot his wife, Ashley.

Listen to Flynn's 911 call, obtained by TMZ ... he's emotional and borderline hysterical as he tells the dispatcher there's blood everywhere and gunshots to his wife's head.

Flynn says the door to the garage is wide open and their kids are in the house asleep. He tells the dispatcher his wife's face is "white as a ghost."

He's still on the call when cops arrive ... and you hear him talking to officers.

Donald Trump just made an out-of-this-world announcement -- he's directing the federal government to release information about extraterrestrial aliens!

The prez announced the news on Truth Social Thursday evening, telling followers he's directing all relevant agencies to "begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs)" and more.

The announcement comes after former President Barack Obama told podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen "aliens are real" ... though he's never seen one.

President Trump says Barack Obama would be wise to keep his mouth shut about aliens ... 'cause he says Obama gave out top secret information on a podcast where Obama said extraterrestrials were real.

Check out this exchange between Trump and FOX News' Peter Doocy Thursday aboard Air Force One.

Peter asks POTUS if he's "seen any evidence of non-human visitors to Earth" given that Obama recently came out and said aliens were real.

Trump shoots back ... "Well, he gave classified information, he's not supposed to be doing that."

The search to locate Nancy Guthrie's kidnapper is being looked at through a new lens ... it's not about tips or what we've seen of the abductor on camera ... it's about finding someone who fits that description -- who has been missing for 3 weeks.

Law enforcement sources connected to the investigation tell TMZ ... they want people -- especially in the Tucson area -- to think about who has gone MIA for the last 3 weeks, and there's now a fair amount of information that could help ID the kidnapper.

The man is somewhere between 5'9" and 5'10" with an average build and facial hair -- a mustache or a goatee/beard. If the ransom letters TMZ received are authentic, he's smart and very tech-savvy. Authorities believe he lives in the Tucson area.

The kidnapper has an Ozark Trail Hiker backpack, a coat we believe is an Athletic Works Fusion Knit jacket, a polyester holster, and a semi-automatic handgun.

Celebrity divorce attorney Laura Wasser is doubling down on the message behind Reformation’s divorce collection ... making it clear to us she’s on a mission to strip the stigma from splitting up.

Laura joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and admitted the whole thing is deliciously ironic -- she literally makes a living "settling" divorces, while fronting a campaign telling women to never settle. Yes, she sees the pun ... and she’s fully here for it!

Laura told us she was stunned when the campaign first came together ... especially after years of random calls from people assuming she represented her famous clients in everything and called her to get to them. But this time, the spotlight was actually on her.

2/20/2026 5:57 AM PT -- Sources close to Philip tell TMZ that Baron is a dog and Caro is Philip's wife.

Ghislaine Maxwell apparently has a jealous streak just now coming to light, and it relates to a special act -- a urine fetish -- and, it was recently uncovered in Jeffrey Epstein file emails.

Here's the deal ... we've just found a 2002 email exchange in the massive trove of Epstein documents released earlier this year, between Maxwell and a man named Philip Levine, in which Maxwell asks Levine how he could send her pictures of "Baron" being "unfaithful" to her with another woman.

She explains ... "I am devastated. Tell me he did not pee on her too. At least if he did not do that I know that he does not feel threatened so I still hold pride of place." It's unclear if Ghislaine's joking in her email or totally serious.

President Trump says former Prince Andrew's arrest in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein Files is bad for the British royal family.

Trump was asked about Andrew's Thursday arrest during a scrum with reporters on Air Force One and said he thinks "it's a shame."

POTUS went on to say the whole situation was "very sad" and "so bad" for the Royals.