RIP

Vanessa Bryant just shared an emotional Valentine's Day message to Kobe ... saying to the Mamba, "To my forever Valentine, I love you so much."

"Missing you so much on your favorite holiday," she said in the social media post. "Te amo per sempre."

Along with the emotional message to the Lakers legend ... Vanessa also posted a throwback photo of the two, with Lauryn Hill's famous love song "Tell Him" playing in the background.

"Kisses to you and Gigi in heaven," Vanessa said. "Happy Valentine’s Day, my babies. With all my love, your boo-boo."

Kobe -- who passed away along with his daughter, Gianna, less than 3 weeks ago in a tragic helicopter crash -- would have surely loved the message.

Remember, Bryant is a HUGE Lauryn Hill fan ... even posting a picture with the Grammy winner and Vanessa back in 2018.

"@vanessabryant surprised me with a date night to see my sister Lauryn Hill at The Hollywood Bowl," Bryant wrote at the time. "Loved catching up with her. My wife is winning the battle of best date night ideas.. FOR NOW"

A public memorial for Bryant and his daughter is set to take place at Staples Center on Feb. 24. Vanessa is expected to attend.

A celeb nutritionist who once appeared on "The Dr. Oz Show" and "The View" to hawk a weight loss product shot and killed his ex-wife and her husband ... according to the 911 call.

Robert Lindsey Duncan can be heard on the call -- obtained by TMZ -- telling the dispatcher 2 people tried to shoot him and his wife as they pulled into their driveway in Yellow Springs, Ohio ... but he shot them instead.

Duncan says ... "I shot them. They came up to our window and had a gun pointed at my wife’s head. The other one got out of the car, went over to the car -- they tried to shoot my wife."

He then says he shot both of them and "both are down." Duncan's wife reveals one of the victims is her husband's ex-wife and claims she's been "trying to kill us for years now."

Duncan tells the dispatcher he believes the man he shot is still alive, but the woman is dead.

According to law enforcement, who were heavy on the scene ... the alleged attack by Duncan's ex-wife, Cheryl Sanders, and her husband, Robert R. Sanders, may have been planned because the 2 arrived in separate vehicles and one of them had a counterfeit Ohio temporary tag.

Cops say Duncan and his wife were confronted by Robert with a gun as they arrived at their home and a shootout ensued ... because Duncan has a concealed carry permit and was also armed.

Duncan allegedly fired at Robert in self-defense and hit him, and around the same time ... Cheryl pulled up and pointed a gun at his wife, who was still sitting in the car. Duncan says he then shot and killed his ex.

Another wild note ... the Sheriff's office says Duncan reached out to them about 5 years ago claiming his ex-wife was trying to hire someone to murder him.

Duncan is known for his appearances on both "The Dr. Oz Show" and "The View" years ago to sell a product he claimed resulted in unbelievable weight loss. However, the FTC and Texas attorney general went after him ... claiming he was simply a marketer who couldn't make such medical claims.

Odell Beckham is finally revealing the ink he got to honor Kobe Bryant after the Lakers legend's tragic death ... and it's pretty amazing.

You can see in a picture posted by the Browns superstar Friday ... the art on his rib cage -- done by tattoo artist Joaquin Ganga Lopez -- features a classic photo of Kobe chewing on his Lakers jersey.

Of course, it's an iconic image of the Mamba ... who was known to bite his uni during nearly every game -- and famously passed on the tick to his daughter, Gianna Bryant, before they were both killed in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.

Odell went under the needle just days after the accident ... forever putting art on his body to remind him of how much Kobe meant to him.

"You taught us ALL so many valuable lessons Kobe," Odell said after the tragedy. "Your sacrifice and dedication to this game is somethin that every athlete can admire."

"You showed us that there is no substitute for hard work. You’ve been thru it, yet u always found a way to overcame it all. This one hurt beyond words."

Odell is one of many athletes and celebs who have gotten Kobe tats to honor the legend ... The Game famously got Bryant ink on his forehead this month while LeBron James and Anthony Davis got thigh tats.

Others, like Bryant's longtime friend, Olden Polynice, have turned to drawing to honor Kobe ... telling us art is helping him get through the grieving process.

Vanessa Bryant says Kobe's charity will have a new name -- the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation -- and she says it's all to honor Gianna Bryant.

"Because there is no #24 without #2, we have updated the Mamba Sports Foundation to now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation," Vanessa said Thursday.

It's an amazing tribute ... especially because Vanessa says the foundation's goal of helping young people through sports "remains the same -- and stronger than ever."

If you're unfamiliar ... Kobe's charity has helped more than 10,000 kids as well as hundreds of veterans -- with the org saying they have over 1,000 volunteers lending a hand.

The charity has been flooded with donations since Kobe and Gigi tragically died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 -- and Vanessa says she's overwhelmed by the love.

"Thank you all for the outpouring of support and your kind donations to date as we carry forth Kobe and Gigi’s legacy," Vanessa said. "We hope to empower young athletes in a world they left us all to help shape."

A memorial for Kobe and Gigi has been set for Feb. 24 at Staples Center ... and we're told proceeds from the tickets will be donated to charity.

It's unclear which orgs will get the benefits ... but it seems safe to assume the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation will be one of the organizations to get money.

The memorial for Kobe and Gigi Bryant will be attended by friends, family, NBA officials and players, season ticket holders and local politicians. The remaining seats will be ticketed and go to members of the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

As we reported, the memorial will be held at Staples Center on February 24, where seating capacity stands at around 20,000. Fact is ... hundreds of thousands of people would like to honor Kobe and Gigi, but there's no way all of them can be accommodated.

No word yet on how the public can get tickets, but law enforcement sources tell us ... if people can't get into Staples, they're not going to get close to the venue.

We're told just like the Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle memorials, the streets around Staples will be closed for security and traffic control. The memorial will not be broadcast on the screens outside Staples or L.A. Live.

Several law enforcement sources tell TMZ, they're encouraging people who don't get tickets to stay home and watch the memorial on TV. We're told it will be broadcast on multiple networks.

Three victims in the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash were honored with a special memorial service at Angel Stadium.

John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter, Alyssa, were remembered at a public memorial Monday ... just two weeks after Kobe Bryant's helicopter crashed, killing 8 passengers plus the pilot.

The service included speakers close to the Altobellis. There was also a video tribute.

The Costa Mesa Fire Department rolled out its fire trucks and hung a massive American flag to honor the victims. There's also a sign in front of Angel Stadium that reads "Celebrating the Lives of John, Keri and Alyssa" with the entire family pictured.

Not far from the main entrance is also a huge collage of the Altobellis.

Altobelli, of course, had deep roots in Orange County. He was entering his 28th season as Orange Coast College's baseball coach. The Pirates were coming off an incredibly successful season ... after capturing their fourth state title.

Alyssa and Gianna Bryant were teammates at the Mamba Sports Academy. She was only 14 and Gianna 13, respectively. You'll recall, Gianna had her No. 2 jersey retirement ceremony at her private school last week.

The Altobellis have 2 surviving children -- a 29-year-old son, and a 16-year-old daughter.

Spike Lee's instant-classic Oscars suit paying tribute to Kobe Bryant is going to the Hall of Fame ... the Spike Lee Hall, that is.

The famous director was at LAX Monday -- heading back to his beloved NYC, we're presuming -- when we asked him about the night's most talked-about fashion statement.

Spike tells us his purple and gold homage, complete with #24 embroidered across the lapels and on the back, will be framed and hung up at his NY crib. In fact, he says it was shipped back ahead of him ... it's Gucci, after all.

Not a big shocker Spike decided to honor Kobe at the 92nd Academy Awards. The NBA superfan posted several tributes to hoops superstar following the tragic helicopter crash.

Spike and Kobe go way back -- he directed the 2009 documentary "Kobe Doin' Work" -- but it's clear he's not quite ready to talk about making another film about Bryant.

"My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone."

Vanessa Bryant just opened up about how she's dealing with the tragic losses of her husband and 13-year-old daughter ... and it's emotional.

"I can’t process both at the same time," Vanessa said. "It's like I'm trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me."

"It feels wrong," she added. "Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad. She had so much life to live."

Vanessa says one of the things keeping her going so strong throughout this insanely difficult time is the example she feels she needs to set for her three daughters.

"Mad I'm not with Kobe and Gigi but thankful I'm here with Natalia, Bianka and Capri," Vanessa said. "I know what I'm feeling is normal. It's part of the grieving process. I just wanted to share in case there’s anyone out there that’s experienced a loss like this."

"God I wish they were here and this nightmare would be over. Praying for all of the victims of this horrible tragedy. Please continue to pray for all."

As we previously reported, Kobe and Gianna Bryant -- along with seven others -- passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26.

'Wild Wild West' star Robert Conrad has died.

The 1960s and '70s TV and film actor passed away Saturday due to heart failure at his home in Malibu, according to family spokesperson Jeff Ballard. Ballard, on behalf of the Conrads, tells TMZ ... "He lived a wonderfully long life and while the family is saddened by his passing, he will live forever in their hearts."

Conrad was a major star in his heyday, with lead roles in 'WWW' -- where he played Secret Service agent Jim West opposite Ross Martin as Artemus Gordon -- as well as Major Gregory 'Pappy' Boyington in 'Baa Baa Black Sheep,' later syndicated as 'Black Sheep Squadron.'

He was also featured on 'Hawaiian Eye,' 'Centennial,' 'Assignment: Vienna,' 'The D.A.,' '77 Sunset Strip,' 'Mission: Impossible,' 'High Mountain Rangers,' 'Jesse Hawkes,' 'High Sierra Search And Rescue,' and had brief appearances in other hit shows like 'Mannix,' 'Columbo,' 'The Duke,' 'J.J. Starbuck,' 'Adam-12,' 'The Gallant Men,' 'Sea Hunt' and 'Maverick,' among many, many others.

RC also acted in films and TV movies such as 'Young Dillinger,' 'The Bandits,' 'D.A.: Conspiracy to Kill,' 'Adventures of Nick Carter,' 'The Last Day,' 'Sudden Death,' 'The Lady in Red,' 'Hard Knox,' 'Police Story: Gladiator School,' 'Jingle All the Way,' 'Dead Above Ground' and more.

He's survived by his 8 children, whom he shared with two different ex-wives ... Joan Kenlay, and LaVelda Fann.

Actor and comedian Orson Bean is dead after being struck by a car while crossing the street ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Bean was allegedly jaywalking in Venice Friday night when he was clipped by one vehicle and then struck by another. We're told Bean died at the scene and both vehicles stayed after the incident. Cops are currently investigating whether the collision was criminal or an accident.

Bean's career began in the 1950s... he frequently made guest appearances on "The Tonight Show" with both Jack Paar and Johnny Carson.

Bean was a frequent guest on the game show "To Tell The Truth" and made appearances on versions of the show from the late '50s through 1991. He also made appearances on "Super Password" and "Match Game."

He also made regular appearances on TV ... with a role on two episodes of "7th Heaven" in 2003, "How I Met Your Mother" in 2007 and "Modern Family" in 2016. Bean was in the 2018 film "The Equalizer 2" as an elderly Holocaust survivor.

Orson was 91.

RIP

The Rock shared the moving eulogy he delivered for his father's funeral.

Rocky "Soulman" Johnson died last month, and Rock wanted his fans to know what his dad meant to him.  He said, “Man, I wish I had … I wish I had one more shot. I wish I had one more shot to say goodbye … to say I love you, to say thank you, but I have a feeling he’s watching. He’s listening.”

And, he went on ... “I was on my way to work, the other day on Jan. 15 and I was just pulling into work and we were shooting that day and it was the very first day of production,” he said, going on to tell the story of how his wife Lauren called to tell him that “something’s going on with your dad.”

“Lauren was with our babies, she was with my mom and she said, ‘You know, I really can’t talk… I think you should call Cora though’, so of course I called Cora,”

Soulman passed away from a heart attack on January 15 at age 75. He started the National Wrestling Alliance in the '60s and joined the WWE in the '80s.

Rocky and Tony Atlas became the league's first African-American tag team champions as The Soul Patrol.

It's only a matter of time before someone turns Kobe Bryant's story into a major Hollywood blockbuster ... according to Ron Howard, who says the guy had a life fit for the big screen.

Howard is one of the most powerful people in the movie industry -- he recently worked closely with NBA superstar Dwyane Wade for a new documentary that's about to drop.

So, we had to ask if he'd consider working on a Black Mamba project at some point down the road and Howard says he's definitely intrigued.

"If given the opportunity under the right set of circumstances, sure. Without a doubt," Howard said.

One of the biggest issues surrounding a possible Kobe movie is the timing -- Ron says working with the family would be crucial, but they're still reeling from the tragedy and need to grieve before jumping into a movie.

Ron says whoever ultimately tells Kobe's story needs to be especially sensitive about that.

Besides being one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Howard says Kobe was a great guy, an emerging artist and a promising entrepreneur who was about to do some BIG things before his tragic death.

As we previously reported, Kobe was a part-owner of the UFC, was deeply involved in the tech industry and was making big moves in entertainment after winning an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball."

RIP.

The NTSB says an initial investigation into the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash shows no outward evidence of engine failure.

The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary findings into the Jan. 26 crash saying it appears the engine was working at the time of the crash because there was a cut tree branch at the crash scene.

The NTSB report says the helicopter's instrument panel was completely destroyed in the wreckage.

The main wreckage was 127 feet from the impact site -- and that's where investigators found both engines, the entire fuselage, portions of the cockpit instrument panel and other key pieces of the aircraft.

According to the report, the pilot's final transmission to the Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (SCT) was to let the controller know he was trying to climb to 4,000 feet to get above the thick fog/cloud layer.

However, radar data collected by investigators shows the aircraft only reached 2,300 feet before trying to make a left turn. Eight seconds later the aircraft began descending (while trying to turn) at a VERY high rate of speed, dropping at rate of 4,000 feet per minute before crashing into the mountain.

As we reported ... NTSB officials said Kobe's Sikorsky S-76 chopper was NOT equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), nor was it outfitted with a flight data recorder (FDR) or cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

In the seconds prior to crashing, the pilot, Ara Zoboyan, took the helicopter from 1,200 feet to 2,000 feet within a matter of seconds. It appeared he cleared one hillside, only to strike the next when it crashed at about 1700 feet. Photos taken by a mountain biker on a nearby trail show the intensity of the crash.

In the days following the crash, a team of NTSB investigators combed the crash site ... rummaging through debris. The agency released drone footage showing most of the aircraft in tiny pieces.

All of the parts were shipped to Arizona, where the NTSB reassembled the aircraft.

The NTSB says it will release its final report in 12 to 18 months. That one is expected to include findings, recommendations and probable cause for the crash.

As we told you, the NTSB says back in 2006 it recommended the FAA require all helicopters carrying 6 or more passengers to have TAWS, and for all rotorcraft to have an FDR and CVR. The FAA didn't mandate either.

Michael Douglas is among the many celebs who poured in from afar to bid Kirk Douglas goodbye at his funeral.

Michael, his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Steven Spielberg are among the many who are at the funeral Friday morning at Westwood Memorial in L.A. You can also see Kirk's wife, Anne Buydens, arriving as well.

As we reported ... the legendary actor died Wednesday. Michael announced, "To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard of us all to aspire to."

Kirk, who earned Oscar nominations as an actor and producer, served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the U.S. State Department and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981 by President Jimmy Carter.

Kirk's survived by Anne, his 3 sons and seven grandchildren. He was 103.

The Kobe and Gigi Bryant public memorial has been set for Monday, Feb. 24 at Staples Center -- with organizers expecting a MASSIVE turnout, and Vanessa Bryant just announced it.

The date (2/24) is significant -- #24 was Kobe's jersey number and #2 was the number his daughter, Gigi, wore. Worth noting, Vanessa's IG post announcing the event has 24 butterflies.

We're told the event will take place in the morning -- because the Clippers have a game against the Memphis Grizzlies later in the evening. Our sources say the Clippers had to sign off, because, technically, they have Staples rented for the whole day.

We're told owner Steve Ballmer, and head coach Doc Rivers gladly agreed because there's such solidarity and love for Kobe and his family. Plus, the significance of the 2/24 date was not lost on them.

The other issue will be crowd control around Staples. When Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle's memorials were held there ... all the surrounding streets were shut down to anyone who didn't have a ticket. You simply couldn't get near the arena. They haven't announced yet how it will work for Kobe and Gianna's memorial.

Event organizers had been discussing a venue for days -- going back and forth between Staples and The Coliseum over concerns about the size of the crowd.

Staples -- where Kobe played for most of his 20-year NBA career -- only holds about 20,000 people. The Coliseum in Downtown L.A. holds closer to 80,000.

As for the event itself, we're told several high-profile people will speak about Bryant -- but organizers are still nailing down the official list.

Kobe and Gigi passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan 26 in Calabasas, CA., along with 7 others.

The Lakers held a massive tribute for all of the victims before and during the Lakers' January 31 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Not only was the arena filled with fans -- all wearing Kobe shirts -- but outside, hundreds of people packed the surrounding area to remember the Lakers legend.

Nick Gordon died of a heroin overdose ... according to his autopsy and toxicology report.

The report -- obtained by TMZ -- says Gordon was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. He was hospitalized for 7 hours before he died. There was also Narcan in his system ... a drug used to counteract the effects of an overdose.

As we reported ... Nick had some sort of black fluid foaming out of his mouth the day someone called 911 to say he wasn't breathing. A man claiming to be Nick's brother said Nick died of an apparent OD. The "black stuff" could support that conclusion ... given that black discharge is sometimes related to a foam cone that comes out of the mouth and nostrils after an opioid OD.

The 911 call came in as "cardiac respiratory" on New Year's Day. He had been rushed to the hospital where he died. Nick's brother, Jack Walker Jr., shared the news by writing, "GOD WHY DID I HAVE TO LOSE MY BROTHER ON NEW YEARS," and adding, "All I can do is cry."

As you know by now ... Nick was present when Whitney Houston's daughter and his girlfriend -- Bobbi Kristina -- OD'd in a bathtub in 2015.