RIP

Marc Maron got super emotional remembering his late lover and creative partner, Lynn Shelton ... delivering a gut-wrenching eulogy through a cascade of tears.

The comic broke down crying Monday on his WTF podcast as he paid tribute to the famous writer and director who died suddenly Saturday from a blood disorder at age 54 .... describing Lynn's final days while choking back tears and openly grieving in front of millions of listeners.

Marc remembers Lynn as his partner, girlfriend, best friend and lover ... saying he never felt what he felt with her with anyone else, then looking back on all their good times -- cooking, laughing, playing Crazy Eights, traveling, writing.

MM then delves into her final days on this Earth ... explaining how their roller-coaster week went from fears of COVID-19 to negative tests, from strep throat treatments to blood tests, and then a sudden hallway collapse in the middle of the night leading to a frantic 911 call.

Marc touches on the last time he saw Lynn alive, and describes in great detail what her body endured in the hospital. He also sheds light on his final goodbye to the woman he called amazing and an inspiration to so many.

It's a very powerful and moving moment ... Marc explaining their relationship and why Lynn was beloved by all before rehashing the first time they ever met.

Ken Osmond -- famous for playing the smart-mouthed Eddie Haskell on the classic '50s family TV series "Leave It To Beaver" -- is dead ... TMZ has confirmed.

The actor died Monday at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by loved ones and family. His son, Eric, tells us, "He was an incredibly kind and wonderful father. He had his family gathered around him when he passed. He was loved and will be very missed."

Ken began his acting career when he was only 9 years old, but he got his big break in 1957 when he was cast as Eddie Haskell on 'Beaver' opposite Jerry Mathers, who played the title character.

The Haskell role was supposed to be a simple guest appearance, but Ken knocked it outta the park and his character became a series mainstay over 6 seasons and 234 episodes. As you know, Ken's portrayal of Eddie was iconic.

Osmond grew up in Glendale, CA and his first speaking role was in the movie "So Big." He also guest-starred on a ton of popular TV shows, including "Lassie," "Wagon Train, "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," "The Loretta Young Show" and "Fury."

In 1970, Osmond joined the LAPD and was an officer until he retired in 1988. During one incident, he was shot at 5 times ... 4 of the bullets hit his bulletproof vest and the fifth ricocheted off his belt buckle.

Ken was typecast after 'Beaver,' but his other acting credits include appearances on "The Munsters" and "Petticoat Junction," plus feature films like "With Six You Get Eggroll" and "C'Mon Let's Live a Little."

Ken was 76.

Carl Crawford's home became the site of a double drowning Saturday when a woman and a boy she was watching landed in his pool ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to Carl tell us ... the ex-MLB star and current record label chief was hosting a small gathering of 6 people at his north Houston home. The guests included a woman and a young boy -- no more than 5 years old -- in her care for the day.

We're told, at one point while Carl was inside, the boy wandered off and fell into his swimming pool out back. The woman went in after him, but neither were able to exit the pool safely. Our sources say Carl tried reviving them the best he could on the spot, but was unsuccessful.

Paramedics arrived and tried life-saving measures themselves, but to no avail. We're told both have died.

The woman and boy were both unresponsive when taken by ambulance, per KHOU 11 ... which also captured some on-the-scene footage that appears to show Crawford talking to cops. For the record, gatherings of 10 or less are currently allowed in Houston under the stay-at-home order.

Geno Silva, the "Scarface" actor who performed one of the greatest hits in a hit movie ... has died from complications related to dementia.

His "Scarface" role, where he played The Skull and forever silenced Tony Montana [for the youngins ... Al Pacino played him). It's one of the most memorable scenes in what may be the greatest movie ever made ... agree to disagree.

Geno did it all ... he starred on Broadway, movies and TV. Some of the TV credits -- "Miami Vice," "Star Trek: Enterprise and Alias," and "Key West."

As for his movie credits ... "Scarface" is definitely the most memorable, but there were many others. Geno was a true working actor.

Geno leaves behind a big family, including his wife, Pamela, daughter Lucia and 2 grandchildren. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the story.

The family asks that any donations be made to The Ass'n for Frontotemporal Dementia.

Geno was 72.

Pop Smoke's murder remains unsolved, and the coronavirus pandemic is doing detectives no favors ... severely hindering progress in the investigation.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... response to COVID-19 and related issues has been LAPD's top priority the past 2 months, meaning less time and resources available to focus on the rapper's killer.

When detectives are able to investigate, we're told they still try to go out and safely speak face-to-face with people in an attempt to gather evidence ... but that's been a challenge already in this case.

As we first told you ... cops were running into witness issues in the case, as people were either refusing to talk about Pop's death or providing unreliable info.

On a more positive note ... our sources say investigators are hoping the rapper's upcoming posthumous debut album will renew interest in the case, get people talking, and drum up tips and new leads.

TMZ broke the story ... Pop Smoke was gunned down in February at a house owned by 'RHOBH' star Teddi Mellencamp.

It appears the murder was a targeted hit and not an armed robbery gone awry, but law enforcement's still puzzled over the motive.

Fred Willard has died ... TMZ has learned.

The veteran comedic actor passed away late Friday night. His daughter Hope tells TMZ, "My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old. He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much. We will miss him forever."

Fred had a long career of making people laugh on camera -- whether it be TV or film. He rose to fame in the late '70s with appearances on parody sitcoms like 'Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,' 'Fernwood 2 Night,' 'America 2-Night,' and others like it throughout the '80s.

In the '90s, FW started appearing on a bunch of hit comedy shows on air at the time, like 'Sister, Sister,' 'Roseanne,' 'Access America' and 'The Simpsons,' among others. He later went on to star on 'The Weird Al Show,' 'Maybe It's Me' and a number of mockumentaries -- including 'The History of White People in America,' 'This Is Spinal Tap,' 'Waiting for Guffman,' 'Best in Show,' 'A Mighty Wind,' 'For Your Consideration,' and 'Mascots.'

He's also known for his role as Ron Burgundy's news director in the 'Anchorman' films. Fred often played the straight man in his films, to hilarious effect because of how goody-goody and naive he appeared in whatever ridiculous situation his characters found themselves in.

He's starred in countless cult comedies over the years, such as ... 'American Wedding,' 'How High,' 'Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,' 'Date Movie,' 'Epic Movie,' 'Roxanne,' 'Monster House,' 'WALL-E,' 'The Wedding Planner,' 'Harold,' 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,' 'Idle Hands,' and so on. He was in even more hits on TV.

Fred appeared in shows like 'King of the Hill,' 'Mad About You,' 'Hercules,' 'Family Matters,' 'Married With Children,' 'Modern Family,' 'Ally McBeal,' 'Family Guy,' 'Hey Arnold!' 'A Minute with Stan Hooper,' 'SNL,' 'Everybody Loves Raymond,' 'MADtv,' 'Kim Possible,' 'Back to You,' and so many other great series. Most recently, he was set to appear in Netflix's forthcoming comedy "Space Force," alongside Steve Carell and other comedic geniuses.

He was married to Mary Willard from 1968 to 2018, when she passed away. He's survived by his daughter, Hope.

Frank Bielec, one of the stars of "Trading Spaces" has died ... TMZ has learned.

Frank's wife, Judy, tells TMZ, Frank passed away Friday ... a day after suffering a heart attack. He was taken to a hospital in Katy, Texas, and then transferred to a Houston hospital for specialized treatment. Frank died Friday in the Houston hospital.

Judy says the surgical team dissolved into tears when they couldn't save Frank.

Frank was an accomplished designer and appeared on the TLC show every season until 2008 when the show wrapped. He also appeared on the 2018 reboot.

No funeral service. Frank will be cremated -- ashes put inside a round wooden box and placed on top of a fireplace in their home.

Frank was an elementary school teacher back in the day, teaching classes in art and social studies. He got a masters of fine arts but eventually became disenchanted with the educational system -- he felt it focused too much on tests and not enough on what he called experimental learning.

Frank's next adventure was not television ... it was strictly floral. Frank became a florist, creating spectacular arrangements. It wasn't a passing thing ... Frank did it for 20 years.

He was also an artist ... accomplished enough to have his work displayed in galleries. Then, in 1989, he created a business called "Mosey 'n Me" with Judy, specializing in cross-stitches.

Frank had a soft spot for animals ... he rescued a dozen sugar gliders and any wildlife that happened to mosey onto his property ... well, they had a home.

He applied all that he learned over the years to his designs on "Trading Spaces," peppering every room with artistic touches ... stenciling, cross-stitching, drawing -- things like that.

Frank was 72.

Ahmaud Arbery's murder case is drawing national attention and outrage similar to the slaying of Trayvon Martin in 2012 ... and TMZ's learned the parents of both young men want to meet.

Lee Merritt -- attorney for Ahmaud's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones -- tells us ... the goal is to get both sets of parents together on a phone call soon, but so far, they've not been able to get schedules to line up.

We're told both sides have expressed interest in talking as they have something incredibly tragic in common -- losing children to violence, apparently racially motivated, and targeting unarmed young black men.

Merritt says a meeting of the 2 families will hopefully allow them to encourage each other, learn from each other and advocate for their sons. He's hoping Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton can provide guidance for Ahmaud's parents on handling the case, while also trying to recover from his death.

Of course, it will have to just be via a phone or video call for now due to the pandemic ... but we're told both sides are eager to make it happen.

The parents also have a legal connection -- Ahmaud's father's attorney is Ben Crump, who's worked with Trayvon's family.

As you know ... Ahmaud was killed on a Brunswick, GA road back in February after being confronted by 2 armed white men -- Travis and Gregory McMichael -- who claim they thought he was a suspect in a series of recent burglaries. They weren't arrested until last week when video leaked of the incident, which has since been described as "modern-day lynching."

Gregory McMichael, one of Ahmaud Arbery's alleged murderers, was a point person for cops just months before the killing ... because we've learned police told at least one neighbor if there was a trespass, he should call McMichael and not them.

According to text messages between an officer of the Glynn County Police Department and Larry English, the owner of the home under construction where Ahmaud's alleged killers claim he was trespassing, police told English to call Greg instead of cops whenever Larry needed assistance.

The officer texted Greg's phone number to Larry, informing him McMichael was his neighbor and instructing him to call Greg when his motion-activated camera catches someone at the construction site.

The text from Dec. 20 reads ... "Greg is retired Law Enforcement and also a Retired Investigator from the DA's office. He said please call him day or night when you get action on your camera."

Larry's attorney, Elizabeth Graddy, confirmed the text exchange is real ... and says she received it a couple days ago in a batch of emails.

As you know ... Gregory and his son, Travis McMichael, are charged with felony murder and aggravated assault in Ahmaud's February shooting death.

Gregory retired in 2019 after working as an investigator with Brunswick D.A. ... and he previously worked as a police officer in Glynn County.

Remember ... Ahmaud's alleged murderers also came face to face with a young black man at the construction site less than 2 weeks before the fatal shooting, and another neighbor claims they confronted Arbery.

The text raises incredibly serious questions ... among them, why were police telling a homeowner to call a vigilante?

The L.A. County Coroner has just released the autopsy reports on the victims of the crash that took the lives of Kobe and Gigi Bryant, along with 6 other passengers and the pilot.

The documents reveal the obvious for the most part, so we're not going to go into detail. Suffice it to say, the helicopter slammed into a hillside at 184 MPH.

One thing that does stand out ... the autopsy report of the pilot, Ara Zobayan. Toxicology tests were performed and, according to the report, "Toxicological testing did not detect the presence of alcohol or drugs of abuse. Substances tested for include: benzodiazepines, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, marijuana, opioids, phencyclidine, and amphetamines."

Jorge Santana ... the youngest brother of famed guitarist Carlos Santana, and an accomplished musician on his own, has died ... TMZ has learned.

His rep John Regna tells TMZ ... Jorge died of natural causes. Jorge is the youngest of 3 brothers and the second one, after Carlos, to pick up a guitar. Jorge was 14 when he started playing in San Francisco. He'd ultimately join a band in the '60s with some high school friends dubbed The Malibus.

The band's name later was changed in 1970 to Malo ... with help from the band's frontman's mother who'd scream at them "Todos ustedes son malo!" meaning they're awful.

Malo signed with Warner Bros and its self-titled album included the top 20 hit "Suavecito" ... known as the Chicano national anthem played at carne asada kickbacks all over the country. The track was such a huge hit ... Malo would end up performing on "American Bandstand," in 1972.

Malo would produce 3 more albums before breaking up. Jorge had also been playing in a band called The Fania All-Stars, which ended up playing at the classic Yankee Stadium in 1973 in front of more than 63,000 in attendance.

Five years later, Jorge released 2 solo albums titled "Jorge Santana" and in 1979 he dropped "It's all About Love."

He also worked with his famous brother with his management company as a director of artist relations. Jorge toured with Santana but in the '90s and they got together for the 1994 album "Santana Brothers" that included their cousin, Carlos Hernandez.

Not too long ago, Jorge appeared live occasionally with Malo and performed in front of a crowd that immediately reminisced to their high school days in the '70s thanks to "Suavecito."

Lawyers for Ahmaud Arbery's family aren't closing the book on that mysterious note left at the shooting scene -- they've gone to cops with new information that could tie its author to the case.

Attorney Lee Merritt, tells TMZ ... he and his team of investigators received what they believe is a credible tip claiming the note's author is someone who shares ties to Travis and Gregory McMichael and/or William "Roddie" Bryan.

You'll recall, the note says, "Ahmaud, I am so sorry. I should have stopped them. I am so sorry."

Merritt tells us the tip was anonymous, but it allegedly came from someone in Brunswick, GA -- and the person referenced the note's handwriting, saying it caught their attention.

There was no signature on the cryptic note -- or any other context -- but it certainly seemed to insinuate there's another witness out there.

Merritt says his team has shared the tip with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the D.A.'s Office.

The GBI said on Thursday it had already identified the author and determined he or she was not connected to the murder investigation -- but Merritt's tip could change that.

As you know ... the McMichaels are still in jail after their arrests for murdering Ahmaud. The horrifying confrontation was captured on video by Bryan ... who denies any involvement with the McMichaels or tracking down Ahmaud.

"I love her so much, and I’m going to make her proud."

That's UFC star Walt Harris telling TMZ Sports how he'll honor his stepdaughter, Aniah Blanchard, Saturday when he returns the Octagon ... and it's definitely going to be emotional.

"There will probably be some tears shed, I’ll go ahead and let ya’ll know right now," Harris says.

As we previously reported, Walt's 19-year-old stepdaughter went missing back in October -- and after a high-profile search, her remains were found weeks later.

A suspect was arrested and he is now facing murder charges.

Walt -- the #9 ranked heavyweight -- is now set to fight Alistair Overeem on Saturday night ... and tells us getting back work is part of the grieving process.

"It's proof that you can go through the worst thing you can possibly think of in your life, and bounce back," Harris said.

"I’m so grateful to the UFC, and to the fans, and everybody who’s supported me through all of this. And, that’s kinda been my motivation, that's why I want to go in there and put a show on for them Saturday night and say thank you."

Harris said Aniah was his biggest fan who loved to watch him fight -- and he knows she'll be there in spirit on Saturday.

A strange note was left at the exact spot where Ahmaud Arbery was shot to death -- and it seems to imply there's a witness to his slaying who hasn't come forward yet.

This card was placed at the makeshift memorial for Ahmaud on the same street he was killed in February. Local news station, News4JAX, captured the photo of the card, and what it says is incredibly haunting.

The note reads, "Ahmaud, I am so sorry. I should have stopped them. I am so sorry." No name is signed at the bottom, and no other information or context is provided. It's also unclear when the card was left there.

While the meaning is somewhat ambiguous, the most obvious possible takeaway from this is that there might've been a person witnessing the killing first-hand -- perhaps from a neighboring home nearby -- but only watched from afar instead of stepping in to help.

It could mean any number of things, though ... but it certainly appears somebody is feeling regret after the fact about something that could've been done to potentially save Ahmaud's life.

Now, the McMichaels are facing murder and aggravated assault charges -- and a new prosecutor has been assigned to the case. As we reported ... Ahmaud's mother says she wants an eye for an eye here, demanding the death penalty for her son's killers.

Melissa Etheridge is grieving after announcing her son, Beckett Cypher, has died.

The Oscar and Grammy-winning rock star announced Wednesday her son with filmmaker Julie Cypher died. Melissa's team tweeted, "We’re sad to inform you that Melissa’s son Beckett passed away and there will not be a Concerts From Home show today. -- #TeamME."

Melissa had been performing Facebook Live concerts and offering virtual guitar lessons for just $10 during this pandemic quarantine. It's unclear at this time what led to Beckett's death.

Julie and Melissa had to 2 children via artificial insemination during their partnership. Their daughter, Bailey Jean, was born in February 1997, and Beckett in November 1998. For a while, the couple was reluctant to discuss who fathered the kids but they eventually revealed rock singer David Crosby is the biological father of both children.

Cypher -- who was previously married to Lou Diamond Phillips -- and Etheridge ultimately split in September 2000.

Beckett was 21.

RIP

Ahmaud Arbery's alleged murderers came face-to-face with a young black man in their neighborhood less than 2 weeks prior to the shooting -- and now another neighbor claims it was Ahmaud they confronted.

Travis McMichael called police on February 11 at around 7:30 PM to report an unknown "lighter-skinned black male," wearing a red shirt and white pants, was trespassing on a construction site in Brunswick, GA ... this according to a police report obtained by TMZ.

In the report, cops say McMichael told them he saw the black male cut across one property and enter the construction site. McMichael told cops he returned to the property and "observed the unknown male run back through the open house under construction toward the area of the back yard."

Cops responded and searched the property, but no one was there. They say the property owner, Larry English, told them "it appears the unknown male is only trespassing and plundering around as he has yet to see where anything has been taken." Cops say security footage of the incident circulated Facebook and a neighborhood watch app but nobody could identify the unknown black male.

Another neighbor, Diego Perez, says he was also present for the Feb. 11 incident, along with Travis and his father, Gregory, at the February 11 incident. It should be noted ... the police report never mentions Gregory or Diego.

Diego told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he was there because Larry English -- who was out of town -- sent him the security cam footage, and asked him to go check it out.

But, Perez says he was also on the scene Feb. 23 right after Ahmaud was shot. He claims Ahmaud is the same person the McMichaels confronted 12 days earlier.

As we've reported ... Travis and Gregory were arrested for murder and aggravated assault shortly after the chilling video of Ahmaud's shooting leaked last week.

It's interesting that the younger McMichael described the Feb. 11 trespasser as "lighter-skinned' ... because Ahmaud had a darker complexion.