RIP

Kelly Preston's quiet battle with breast cancer has ended -- the actress died Sunday ... according to a family rep.

The rep said John Travolta's wife of nearly 29 years was diagnosed with cancer about 2 years ago, but chose not to reveal that to the public. The rep told People, "Choosing to keep her fight private, she had been undergoing medical treatment for some time, supported by her closest family and friends."

Kelly is probably best known for her role in "Jerry Maguire" as Jerry's girlfriend, Avery Bishop, who he dumps -- but not before she gave him a few body shots.

She also starred opposite Kevin Costner in "For Love of the Game" and had roles in "The Cat in the Hat," "Battlefield Earth" and "What a Girl Wants."

Kelly and John met in 1987 on the set of the film, "The Experts" and eventually got married in 1991. Her last film was "Gotti" in 2018 ... when John played the mob boss and she played his wife, Victoria Gotti.

John and Kelly had 3 kids together ... Jett, Ella Blue and Benjamin. Jett, who had autism, died in 2009 after suffering a seizure.

The family rep added, "She was a bright, beautiful and loving soul who cared deeply about others and who brought life to everything she touched."

Kelly was 57.

RIP

Authorities will search cabins that line Lake Piru ... not because they believe Naya Rivera is there, but because there has been so much social media activity about the cabins that law enforcement wants to put the theory to bed.

An official from the Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. tells TMZ ... they have been seeing a ton of Twitter users imploring cops to search the cabins in the area ... presumably, because they think Naya may have made her way to one.

The official tells us ... they do NOT believe Naya is in a cabin. They're confident she's still in the water, but nevertheless, a search team will walk the area where the cabins are located.  Deputies will knock on doors and ask if they know anything about Naya's whereabouts.

If a cabin is not occupied, deputies will peer inside for any signs.

That said, the focus of the search is still Lake Piru, where Naya went missing Wednesday while swimming with her 4-year-old son. Because of extremely poor visibility due to debris in the water, searchers will be primarily relying on sonar.

Rapper Lil Marlo was shot to death over the weekend in Atlanta ... law enforcement confirms with TMZ.

Cops tell us, they responded to a call late Saturday night. The call came in as a car accident on Interstate 285 in downtown Atlanta, but when police arrived they found the rapper had been shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An police official tells TMZ, the investigation so far points to Lil Marlo being shot while he was driving.  The official adds, "At this time, investigators believe the victim was the intended target of the gunfire and they are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting."

The Medical Examiner confirmed with us they have the body of Rudolph Johnson ... that's Lil Marlo's government name.

Someone shot video of the aftermath.

Lil Yachty broke the news Sunday morning, saying, "We just did a song a 4 this morning smh rip brother."

Lil Marlo was signed to the Quality Control label and scored big with several songs, including "1st N 3rd," "F****em" and "9 + Z6ne = 1'5."

Marlo was in good company at QC ... other artists include Migos, Lil Yachty, Lil Baby and City Girls.

Marlo joined Quality Control in 2017 ... you hear him on "The Load" with Lil Baby and Gucci Mane.

Lil Marlo leaves behind a daughter and a son. On Father's Day he posted a video of himself and the little girl ... you see her trying to put a shoe on her father's foot. He captioned the post, "Thanks For Making Me Y'all Father I Wouldn't Trade Y'all For Da World."

Lil Marlo was 30.

Naya Rivera's ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, made his way to Lake Piru Saturday, and the emotion was palpable.

Ryan, whose son was on the boating trip when Naya disappeared last Wednesday, ventured out into the water -- just like Naya's dad -- as if to gain a connection to her. He then sat by himself as authorities continued their search for Naya's body.

Naya's father, George, and her brother also went into the water and stood, as if to pray.

As we reported, Naya and her 4-year-old son, Josey, were on a boating outing when they jumped in for a swim and she disappeared ... this according to what he told authorities.

Pop Smoke's murder investigation just led to a slew of arrests ... TMZ has learned.

Our law enforcement sources tell us the LAPD served multiple search warrants around Los Angeles early Thursday morning, and 5 people were arrested on warrants in connection to the rapper's murder.

Sources tell us 3 adults and 2 juveniles were arrested. It's unclear what the suspects are being charged with, but we're told all 5 will be interviewed by police and then booked.

TMZ broke the story ... Pop Smoke was shot and killed by 4 masked gunmen back in February in what appeared to be a home invasion robbery at a rental pad in the Hollywood Hills.

A University of Toleda football player was shot and killed outside of a pizza restaurant in Ohio Tuesday ... and cops are still on the hunt for the killer.

The victim is 22-year-old Jahneil Douglas -- a defensive lineman for the Rockets who was expected to have a big role on the team this upcoming season.

Officials say there was a fight outside of Gino's Pizza in Central Toledo around 11:30 PM -- and during the altercation, gunshots were fired and Douglas was hit.

The football player was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died, according to WTOL.

So far, no arrests have been made -- cops are currently investigating and hoping to track down the shooter ASAP.

Douglas was a standout player at Start HS in Toledo ... earning 1st-team All-Ohio honors during the 2016 season.

Rockets head coach Jason Candle released a statement on Douglas' death ... saying, "The Toledo Football family is heartbroken by the loss of Jahneil."

"He was a hard-working young man who was loved by all his teammates and coaches. Our sincerest condolences go out to Jahneil’s family and friends during these difficult times."

Mary Kay Letourneau -- the former teacher imprisoned after pleading guilty to raping her student, whom she later married -- is dead after battling stage 4 colon cancer ... TMZ has learned.

Mary's now-estranged husband, Vili Fualaau, previously shared her stage 4 cancer diagnosis on Instagram, sharing a photo of himself wearing a medical mask with the caption, "Praying for a miracle."

Her attorney, David H. Gehrke, tells us Mary Kay had been in hospice care for the past month, and Vili had been by her side ... helping take care of her.

Mary and Vili notoriously made headlines in the late '90s, as she was 34, married and had 4 children when she began having sex with him -- her 6th grade student. He was either 12 or 13 at the time.

She pled guilty in 1997 to 2 counts of felony second-degree rape of a child and ended up serving 7 years in prison.

Mary gave birth to 2 of Vili's kids, and they wed in 2005 after she was released from prison. TMZ broke the story ... the couple split in 2017.

Charlie Daniels -- a country and Southern rock legend known for his hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" -- has died after suffering a stroke ... according to his website.

The Country Music Hall of Famer died Monday morning at the Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee. Doctors determined the cause of death was a hemorrhagic stroke.

Daniels' career began in the late 1950s, as a skilled player of the guitar, fiddle and banjo ... he formed a rock band and hit the road.

In the '60s, he co-wrote an Elvis Presley song -- "It Hurts Me" -- and played instruments for the likes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.

Daniels put out his first solo album in 1971 and had his first big hit -- "Uneasy Rider" -- in 1973. He'd go on to play the fiddle for acts like the Marshall Tucker Band and Hank Williams Jr. in the '70s, before his Charlie Daniels Band put out its most famous song in 1979.

"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" reached #3 on the Billboard charts and landed Daniels his only Grammy win of his storied career for Best Country Vocal Performance.

Daniels would be nominated for 5 more Grammys, including Best Country Instrumental Performance for "I'll Fly Away" in 2005.

Charlie was also inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2008.

He's survived by his wife, Hazel, and their son, Charlie Daniels Jr.

Daniels was 83.

Breonna Taylor's shooting death stemmed from a city operation to clear her neighborhood undergoing gentrification ... so claims the family in new legal docs.

The Taylor family attorneys filed docs to amend the wrongful death lawsuit against the 3 cops involved in Breonna's death. According to docs, the family claims Breonna's home was raided by police because there was "a political need to clear out a street for a large real estate development project" ... adding Breonna’s death was the result of “a newly formed, rogue police unit violating all levels of policy, protocol and policing standards.”

In docs, the family says that this year alone, over a 3-week span -- and less than a month before Breonna's death -- 8 homes in her neighborhood were demolished in an effort to speed up a multi-million dollar development plan.

The family wants to make one thing clear ... that while there is no doubt gentrification of the West Louisville neighborhood could be a good thing, "the methods employed to do so have been unlawful and unconscionable."

The family says Breonna's death could have been avoided had cops surveilling her home simply ran the tags on Breonna’s and her boyfriend's cars. They say "it would have been clear that neither of these vehicles belonged" to the suspects cops were looking for that night.

But, by focusing on Breonna's home -- some 10 miles away from the redevelopment site -- cops thought they were targeting some of Louisville's violent crime and drug rings. The reality is, according to docs, the occupants "were not anywhere close to Louisville’s versions of Pablo Escobar or Scarface. And they were not violent criminals. They were simply a setback to a large real estate development deal and thus the issue needed to be cleaned up.”

The family points out in the suit, the first 5 no-knock warrants of the ENTIRE YEAR were executed for this project alone -- including the home of Breonna ... a woman with no criminal history and no drugs in her home.

Ben Crump, one of the family's lawyers, tells TMZ ... "Connecting the dots, it's clear that these officers should never have been at Breonna Taylor's home in the first place, and that they invaded the residence with no probable cause." He goes on to say, "The officers who robbed Breonna of her life -- and Tamika Palmer of her daughter -- exhibited outrageous, reckless, willful, wanton and unlawful conduct."

A spokeswoman for Mayor Greg Fischer told the Louisville Courier-Journal the allegations are "outrageous" and "without foundation or supporting facts." The spokeswoman added, "They are insulting to the neighborhood members of the Vision Russell initiative and all the people involved in the years of work being done to revitalize the neighborhoods of west Louisville."

Law enforcement officers bid a final goodbye to a Missouri State Highway Patrol K-9 officer after the doggo was diagnosed with a terminal illness ... and the video is super emotional.

The solemn sendoff for good boy Cuba happened recently in Springfield, MO ... with officers and friends from across Missouri joining state troopers in patting Cuba's head one last time before the K-9's partner, Trooper Zeller, took him on his final walk.

The crime fighting Cuba was previously diagnosed with terminal cancer, which was discovered during a visit to the University of Missouri for a hernia operation.

The K-9 has since been put down at the Animal Care Clinic in Branson, but remember ... all dogs go to heaven.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says ... "Cuba spent his lifetime in service to Missouri, and he will be missed."

Machine Gun Kelly planned to celebrate big-time Sunday ... but instead, he announced the passing of his father.

The rapper made the announcement Sunday on social media saying he had initially planned to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of his fourth album, "Hotel Diablo," which he released on July 5, 2019. MGK said, "That album was everything I wanted to say and I know it's close to my fans, but my father took his last breath this morning, and I've never felt a pain this deep in my life."

And, with that being said, the rapper said he's putting his phone down to mourn his father's passing.

MGK's friends responded to the news with outpouring support. Blink-182's Travis Barker, with whom MGK recently collaborated, wrote, "Send all the love in the world to you right now brother." Hailee Steinfeld also sent well wishes.

Bonnie Pointer of The Pointer Sisters died after going into cardiac arrest ... TMZ has learned.

The Grammy-winning Motown artist's cause of death is listed as cardiopulmonary arrest ... this according to her death certificate obtained by TMZ. Bonnie -- real name Patricia Eva Pointer -- died on June 8 at 3:37 AM. The doc lists her as divorced, and an entertainer in the music industry for 50 years.

According to the doc ... there were other underlying issues she'd been battling for about a decade, including liver disease.

TMZ broke the story ... Bonnie, one of the OGs of the wildly popular group of sisters in the '70s, died earlier this month. Her sister, Anita, told us, "It is with great sadness that I have to announce to the fans of The Pointer Sisters that my sister, Bonnie died this morning. Our family is devastated, on behalf of my siblings and I and the entire Pointer family, we ask for your prayers at this time.”

Bonnie's best known for her cover of "Heaven Must Have Sent You," which peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard's Hot 100 chart. She earned a Grammy for Best Vocal by a Duo or Group in the country category for their hit, "Fairytale."

Pop Smoke's closest friends are getting iced out before his debut album drops ... with some custom jewelry honoring the slain rapper.

Pop's inner circle reached out to New York City's Benny The Jeweler for some special commemorative bling ... according to our sources, and it was just in time for Friday's posthumous release. Ya gotta see what @bennydajeweler cooked up in Pop's honor.

Check out the 5 "Woo Star" pendants for the guys over at Forever Smoke Entertainment ... the record label founded by Pop's brother, Mike Dee, along with Ace Makaveli, Eazy, Stacks and Hunter.

There's a rose gold pendant and 4 yellow gold pendants ... and they're covered with 20 karats of VS diamonds, retailing at a cool $18,000 each. We're told the bling represents rising above adversity, as well as shooting for the stars, and aiming for the moon -- the title of the album.

Pop's girlfriend, Alyssa Danielle, is also getting some special jewelry from Benny ... an insane custom piece featuring Smoke's face surrounded by diamonds. We're told it's still in the works, and the finished product will be super colorful.

The sad news is Benny was working on a couple pieces for Pop himself before the rapper was fatally shot in February in a home invasion.

Remember, fans demanded a do-over of the cover art Virgil Abloh designed for "Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon," and they're getting their wish.

Sad news in the feline world -- Rubble, believed to be the world's oldest cat, has gone to kitty heaven ... and his owner is heartbroken.

The fluffy orange-and-white Maine Coon was gifted to Michele Heritage of England on her 20th birthday, and he was her beloved pet every day after that ... for 31 long and happy years.

That's approximately the same as 150 in human years!!!

Rubble became the world's oldest cat in May 2019 when he reached his 31st bday, but Michele revealed he died before making it to 32. He had no specific health issues, but according to his owner he became very thin and simply passed from old age.

Michele credits his long life to the fact that she never had children but pampered him like he was her kid.

Rubble beat the oldest living cat record previously held by Scooter, a Siamese cat in Texas, who was named the record breaker at the age of 30 by the Guinness Book of World Records before he died in 2016.

The oldest cat of all time according to the record books is Creme Puff ... who died in 2005 at the whopping age of 38.

Michele says she never went the Guinness Book route with Rubble, though, because it wasn't of interest and she just wanted to spend time with him as he grew older.

RIP, Rubble.

Hugh Downs -- a broadcasting legend with 60 years experience on "Today," "20/20" and 'The Tonight Show' -- has died.

Hugh died Wednesday at his home in Scottsdale, AZ ... according to his family, who released a statement Friday, saying his passing is not related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hugh was one of TV's most familiar faces during his incredibly long and successful run as a broadcaster ... he co-anchored NBC's "Today" show from 1962 to 1971 and is most remembered for his 21 years as Barbara Walters' co-host on ABC's "20/20."

Downs was also known for his signature sign-off during his time at "20/20" ... ending the nightly program with this gem, "We're in touch, so you be in touch."

Hugh was on the tube for so long, at one point he held the record for most hours spent in front of a TV camera with a whopping 15,188 ... a long-standing record eventually topped by Regis Philbin.

While Hugh officially retired from "20/20" way back in 1999, he lent his smooth voice to a number of TV specials and documentary films during the 2000s.

Hugh was born in Akron, Ohio and he got his broadcasting start on radio in Detroit and Chicago before moving to TV in 1949 as an announcer on a classic children's puppet show called, "Kukla, Fran and Ollie."

Downs also served as the announcer for one of the earliest versions of NBC's "Tonight Show," working alongside Jack Paar in the late 1950s and early '60s.

He even launched one of the most popular daytime shows in the 1960s, "Concentration," a memory-matching game he hosted for over a decade.

Downs worked for PBS too, for much of the 1990s he was the host of the network's "Live From Lincoln Center" broadcasts.

Hugh was 99.

RIP

The NBA's most popular video game is honoring Kobe Bryant in a BIG way ... making him a cover athlete for the 2021 edition of the game.

Officials at NBA 2K made the announcement Thursday ... revealing two pieces of art -- one for current-gen consoles and one for next-gen consoles -- for cover options for the 2K21 game.

In a statement released by the company ... they say they wanted to pay tribute to the Lakers legend for the legacy he left after he tragically passed in a helicopter crash back in January.

"Kobe Bryant holds a special place in the heart of every basketball fan," the statement said. "Someone who truly left everything on the court, where his achievements range from legendary to seemingly impossible."

The game with Kobe on the cover has been dubbed the "Mamba Forever Edition" ... and officials say the version will come with special features, including unique Kobe gear for virtual avatars.

"The Mamba Forever Edition celebrates Kobe's lifelong pursuit of victory and legacy and immortalizes him with two unique custom covers honoring the span of his career," officials added.

"For the current generation version of the game, Kobe is shown wearing #8 -- from his days as a bold and brash rookie. In the next-generation cover art, he is shown wearing #24, the number he played his final game in: his iconic 60-point performance."

There are two other cover options for the 2021 version of the game ... one features Trailblazers star Damian Lillard, while the other has Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson.

The game is scheduled to be released in September.