RIP

Mandy Blank -- one of the most famous female fitness competitors ever -- died this week at the age of 42, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... the former IFBB World Champion was discovered by a housekeeper in the bathtub of her L.A. home on October 29.

The housekeeper called 911 and paramedics raced to the scene -- where she was pronounced dead.

Our sources say no drugs or alcohol were found at the scene and there's nothing criminally suspicious about her death. We're told the plan was to conduct an autopsy and toxicology to determine an exact cause of death.

Blank was a legend in the bodybuilding and fitness world -- winning the IFBB World Championships in 1999, the youngest competitor to ever do it at the time.

She also placed 5th in the 1998 World Arnold Classic and was later honored by Bodybuilding and Fitness magazine as having the "Greatest Glutes of All Time," according to her website.

Mandy went on to become a major celebrity fitness trainer and listed clients from Marcus Allen to Mickey Rourke, Alex Rodriguez, Pauly Shore, Rohan Marley and Natasha Lyonne.

USC student and model Alasdair Russell killed himself after suffering head injuries while pledging a fraternity, and now his mother wants the frat to pay up ... TMZ has learned.

Alasdair attended an October 2016 party at the Phi Kappa Psi frat house, where he was trying to become a member. According to a lawsuit, frat members forced him to drink in excess "to the point of passing out" -- and that's exactly what happened when he fell off a platform, smashed his head and lost consciousness.

In the suit, Alasdair's mother says after he passed out, frat brothers discouraged him from getting medical attention out of fear it would "expose PKP Local's conduct, including but not limited to supplying alcohol to minors and engaging in hazing activities."

The next day, Alasdair complained of concussion-like symptoms -- head pain, vomiting, blurry vision and wooziness. His mother claims PKP bros gave him Adderall and cocaine to keep him in the game ... as far as pledge duties and partying.

According to the suit -- obtained by TMZ -- over the next few months, his personality changed, he dropped out of school in January 2017, and he ended being involuntarily committed ... presumably to a psychiatric facility. Then, on April 1, he took his own life on a beach in Florida ... while wearing a tuxedo.

Ben Roethlisberger and his wife -- along with several Steelers players -- attended funeral services for two brothers killed in the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting on Tuesday ... in support of a close friend and former team staffer.

Cecil and David Rosenthal -- brothers to ex-Steelers community relations manager Michele Rosenthal -- were murdered when an anti-Semitic shooter opened fire inside the Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday.

Among the guests who attended the services at Rodef Shalom Congregation -- head coach Mike Tomlin, linebacker Ryan Shazier and Steelers legend Troy Polamalu attended the funeral.

The entire city seems to be rallying around the victims and their families. As we previously reported, the Pittsburgh Penguins will honor the victims with a special patch on their uniforms tonight.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will honor the victims and families of those affected by this weekend's Synagogue shooting by wearing a special "Stronger Than Hate" patch on their jerseys Tuesday night.

The team says it will also donate $50,000 to help victims -- and will give all proceeds from the evening's 50/50 raffle to the cause.

There's more ... each player -- from Sidney Crosby to Evgeni Malkin -- will sign their jerseys after the game against the New York Islanders and donate them to be auctioned off with proceeds helping the victims.

As we previously reported ... 11 people were murdered after an anti-Semitic shooter opened fire inside the Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday.

HOF'er Mark Henry says if he was John Cena, he'd absolutely wrestle in WWE's 'Crown Jewel' in Saudi Arabia -- despite journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder -- 'cause it's his job to perform.

TMZ Sports talked to the WWE legend about the fallout from the company's decision to NOT cancel the event ... and Cena's reported refusal to participate.

"I wouldn't ever say that person is making the wrong decision. I'd say, that's not the decision that I'd make. I would stand by my guns and I would do what's good for business."

Bottom line, Henry -- host of Busted Open Radio -- says Cena and the other superstars committed to wrestle ... so they shouldn't let fans and the company down.

"I'm a firm believer in not leaving people out to dry," ... Henry says, "Our fans, they wanna see you. Give our fans what they want."

As far as not postponing or canceling "Crown Jewel" ... Mark says Vince McMahon is being unfairly criticized.

"The WWE is just 1 business. There's hundreds of thousands of businesses doing business internationally. Why pick on one?"

Henry says he's not currently scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia ... but if WWE asks, he's ready to hop on a plane.

Nickelodeon is being sued over the death of a child at a resort it promoted on the network.

The boy was swimming underwater back in May in the pool at the Nickelodeon Hotel in the Dominican Republic. The boy was swimming in the pool when his head became lodged between the legs of a Dora the Explorer statue.

The lifeguard on duty was standing near the area but did not see the boy in distress. The boy's stepdad noticed the child was missing and frantically asked the lifeguard for help. The stepdad and the lifeguard dislodged him and pulled him out of the water. They attempted to resuscitate him but couldn't.

The boy died ... the result of drowning.

It's time to turn the page on the house where Mac Miller died ... it's now up for rent.

We're told the 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom San Fernando Valley house hit the market earlier this week and can be yours for $9,595 a month.

The 3,156 sq. foot house is modest but still loaded with coveted features -- panoramic city and canyon views, private courtyard and a built-in brick BBQ.

But, there may be an obstacle. As we first reported ... the rapper died in the house back in September from an overdose. And, there's a law in California (Civil Code 1710.2) that requires realtors to disclose to anyone buying or renting a house that someone died there within 3 years of a transaction.

Superstitious renters need not apply.

XXXTentacion's brutal murder should carry more weight than his confession to hitting an ex-GF, and everyone needs to forgive and forget his numerous mistakes ... so says Mally Mall.

We got Mally Friday in L.A. and asked him about promoting XXXTentacion's music after prosecutors released audio this week of X apparently talking about stabbing multiple people and hitting his then-girlfriend.

It's a personal issue for Mally, who produced the newly released collab between XXXTentacion and Lil Pump, "Arms Around You." He says people should respect the fact the slain rapper can't defend himself from the grave. Not to mention respecting his mourning mother, Cleo.

As we reported ... XXXTentacion was secretly recorded years ago apparently confessing to stabbing 9 people and beating his ex so badly she was scared to death. The Miami-Dade County state attorney's office released the audio, which they were planning to use in his pending domestic violence trial.

3:35 PM PT -- The Anti-Defamation League says the shooting is believed to be the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history.

2:40 PM PT -- U.S. Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, issued a statement, saying in part: "Hatred and violence on the basis of religion can have no place in our society. These alleged crimes are reprehensible and utterly repugnant to the values of this nation. Accordingly, the Department of Justice will file hate crimes and other criminal charges against the defendant, including charges that could lead to the death penalty."

2:20 PM PT -- Officials say 3 handguns and an assault rifle were found at the scene, and the suspect, Robert Bowers, is in fair condition with multiple gunshot wounds.

1:10 PM PT -- Press conference with the Allegheny Director of Public Safety ... 11 fatalities and 6 injuries, 4 of the injuries were officers shot. There weren't any children injured or killed.

12:30 PM PT -- At least 10 dead, according to officials.

12:05 PM PT -- Pittsburgh public safety director Wendell Hissrich says there are 6 injuries, and 4 of them are officers. He described the crime scene as "horrific" and said the synagogue shooting is being considered a hate crime and will fall under federal investigation.

10:45 AM PT -- The suspected gunman has been identified by law enforcement officials as 46-year-old Robert Bowers.

9:15 AM PT -- We've seen what looks like the shooter's social media page, and it says "Jews are the children of Satan." His last post reads, "I can't sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I'm going in."

The shooter is reportedly a member of Gab, an alternative social media site frequented by white supremacists.

10:00 AM PT -- Donald Trump just said the shooting could have been prevented if someone inside the temple had a gun. He then weirdly talks about the death penalty, as if that might have prevented the shooting.

A gunman opened fire at a Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh during a prayer service, 4 people are confirmed dead, and this was clearly an anti-Semitic attack.

The shooter entered the Tree of Life Congregation and began spraying bullets. According to cops, the shooter came with an AR-15 and said, "All Jews need to die."

When cops arrived, the shooter began firing at them. According to CNN, at least 3 cops have been shot.

Authorities believe as many as 8 people from the synagogue might be dead, and at least 12 have been shot.

Carnegie Mellon University, which is near the temple, is on lockdown.

Authorities have the shooter in custody.

Queen Elizabeth is in mourning after her faithful companion died at Windsor Castle ... people knew it was coming but it's still a heartbreaking loss.

The Queen's beloved Corgi, Whisper, has passed after an interesting 12-year run at life.

Q.E. adopted the pooch from a former staffer back in 2016. The staffer died and the Queen adopted Whisper. It's her second big loss ... her other Corgi, Willow, died earlier this year.

Aretha Franklin is getting dogged in death over legal bills ... TMZ has learned.

The late singer's lawyer, Gregory Reed, apparently had some trouble collecting what Aretha owed him when she was alive ... so he's now hoping her estate will cough up some financial R-E-S-P-E-C-T. It sounds harsh, so soon after Aretha's passing, but Reed's filed docs demanding the estate pony up nearly $54k to cover bills dating back 6 years.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, Reed's firm says it provided a number of services to the Queen of Soul -- who died in August -- including negotiations on her final Atlantic Records contract. The firm says her last payment, for about $10k, was made in August 2012.

Seems Reed doesn't want to be added to anyone's chain-chain-chaaaain ... chain of fools.

Country and blues icon Tony Joe White -- who had the huge '60s hit "Polk Salad Annie" -- has died ... according to his record label.

White died Wednesday in Nashville, according to his label, Yep Roc Music Group -- however, they did not release details about the cause of death.

He performed and wrote tunes in several genres -- including country, rock, blues and R&B -- but scored his biggest hit for himself with 'Polk Salad' in 1969.

The song was covered by the likes of Tom Jones and even Elvis Presley.

He also wrote the hits "Rainy Night in Georgia" for Ray Charles ... "Undercover Agent for the Blues" and also "Steamy Windows" -- which Tina Turner turned into a Top 40 hit when she covered it in 1989.

Over the course of his career ... Tony recorded 20 albums, with the most recent one being "Bad Mouthin'," which released was on September 28 of this year.

He was 75.

"Modern Family" fans wondering who the "significant" character was to be killed off this season finally had their question answered Wednesday night.

SPOILER AHEAD!!!

The ABC sitcom's co-creator Christopher Lloyd revealed one of the series' familiar faces would kick the bucket before the end of season 10. Many speculated it would be Ed O'Neill's Jay Pritchett or Stella, the Pritchett family pooch.

Turns out ... it was neither.

The character to kick the bucket was DeDe Pritchett -- played by Shelley Long -- who was Jay's ex-wife and Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) and Mitchell Pritchett's (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) mom.

To say DeDe was a "significant" character through the show's 10 seasons is a stretch -- she only appeared in a handful of episodes -- but it was a loss none the less.

Lauren McCluskey -- the Utah track star who was brutally murdered on campus this week -- will be honored by the entire Utes football team when they take on UCLA Friday.

The school announced players will wear a black and white sticker featuring a winged foot with Lauren's name on it ... in remembrance of the slain student.

As we previously reported ... 21-year-old McCluskey -- a 2017 honorable mention Pac-12 All-Academic -- was shot to death by her ex-bf on Monday after finding out he was a registered sex offender.

Utah announced in addition to the helmet decals ... they'll hand out a similar sticker at this week's women's volleyball and women's soccer games to remember her legacy.

For their part ... UCLA says it'll hold a moment of silence for McCluskey at the Rose Bowl.

Rae Carruth has informed officials he's planning on moving to Pennsylvania now that he's out of prison -- though it's unclear why he's chosen that state or what he's planning to do there.

TMZ Sports spoke with the Pennsylvania Parole Board and a rep confirmed that Carruth is now under their supervision.

We're told Carruth must still abide by the same release conditions imposed on him by the state of North Carolina, where he served his prison time -- which include routine meetings with a parole officer and staying out of trouble. The usual stuff.

Carruth was released on Monday morning -- nearly 19 years after he participated in the shooting death of his girlfriend, Cherica Adams, who was 8 months pregnant with their child.

Rae and Cherica's son survived the shooting -- though he now has severe disabilities -- and lives with Cherica's mother in North Carolina.

A 21-year-old University of Utah track star was abducted and shot to death on campus late Monday night -- and her parents believe it was all because she discovered a horrible secret about the killer.

Lauren McCluskey -- a 2017 honorable mention Pac-12 All-Academic -- had been dating a man named Melvin Rowland for about a month ... until Oct. 9, when she found out he was a registered sex offender.

Lauren's parents say, while the two were dating, Rowland had lied to her about his name, his age and his criminal history, which included a 2004 conviction for attempted forcible sex abuse and enticing a minor over the internet.

Fast forward to Monday night at 8 PM when Lauren was talking with her mother on the phone while leaving campus ... and she was abducted in a school parking lot.

"Suddenly, I heard her yell, "No, no, no!" Lauren's mother says ... "I thought she might have been in a car accident. That was the last I heard from her. My husband called 911."

Lauren was found shot to death in her car. Witnesses report hearing several gunshots. Cops launched an all-out manhunt for the suspect and tracked him down outside of a church in Salt Lake City.

Cops say Rowland forced his way inside the building early Tuesday morning and shot himself to death.

School president Ruth V. Watkins announced all classes Tuesday have been canceled and an on-campus vigil is being set for Wednesday evening.

"As a campus community, we share grief over this tragic loss of life," Watkins wrote ... "Our deepest sympathy is extended to Lauren’s family and friends."