RIP

The mother of Joe McKnight's 8-year-old son tells TMZ Sports ... the man who shot the ex-NFL running back is a cold-blooded killer and is begging the court to keep him locked up for LIFE.

We spoke with Michelle Quick -- who dated Joe back in the day and stayed on close, good terms with him over the years as they co-parented their son, Jaiden.

In fact, Michelle attended Ronald Gasser's trial every day and strongly believes he should have been convicted of 2nd degree murder instead of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Gasser is facing up to 40 years in prison for shooting and killing McKnight in Dec. 2016. The sentencing phase of the case is set for March 15.

"He never needs to walk the streets ever again," Quick tells us ... "I think the proper sentence is life in prison. He never needs to be out in society."

Gasser is 56-years-old -- so the maximum 40-year sentence would essentially serve a life sentence.

McKnight's son Jaiden -- with the permission of his mother -- told us he loves and misses his father tremendously and in our video he explains why his dad was the best ever.

Prince's estate says it's won a legal battle with the producer who's fighting to put out unreleased music ... and they're asking the court to sign off on the victory.

According to docs filed by the estate ... George Boxill never responded to the estate's lawsuit. Boxill says he has unreleased tracks he worked on with Prince between 2006 and 2008. The estate sued to block him from putting out the tunes.

Boxill had until Jan. 23 to respond, but the estate says he's been radio silent.

If the court signs off ... Boxill will have to come up with a good excuse, or the estate will get an injunction blocking him from cashing in on Prince's music.

The Playboy Mansion desperately needs a fix up, and the work just got approved by the folks who will, most likely, designate Hef's old crib a city landmark ... TMZ has learned.

The mansion's new owner, Daren Metropoulos, has been cleared to replace plumbing and to repair dry rot and termite damage. The city of Los Angeles issued permits for the work earlier this week, but Daren had an extra hurdle due to the push to make it an Historic-Cultural Monument.

City officials tell us the Monument application is currently under consideration, which means renovations would normally be on hold. We're told the permits were approved in this case because the mansion's in a bad way, and it was critical for the work to be done ASAP.

As we reported, Playboy sold the mansion to Metropoulos in 2016 for $100 million, and Hugh Hefner was allowed to live in the crib until he died in September 2017.

The cruise on which "Storm Chasers" star Joel Taylor allegedly died of an OD continues to be party central ... with abundant drug use.

A "White Party" was held Thursday night on the cruise ship and passengers tell us drugs were everywhere ... including ketamine and ecstasy.

TMZ broke the story ... law enforcement sources tell us they believe Taylor's death was an OD. Passengers told us Taylor consumed enough GHB Monday night to lapse into unconsciousness on the dance floor. He was taken back to his room where he was later found unresponsive.

Joel Taylor's death is officially off the FBI's plate -- for now at least ... TMZ has learned.

Carlos Osorio -- a spokesman for the FBI's San Juan Division -- tells TMZ the feds have been pulled off the "Storm Chasers" star's case, and it's been passed back to local authorities.

Osorio says FBI members conducted a preliminary investigation on the cruise ship Taylor died on this week, and concluded his death was not the result of a violent crime. That, coupled with other factors he wouldn't elaborate on, made U.S. officials determine the case was no longer in the FBI's jurisdiction.

Here's the catch -- if it's determined Taylor's death is linked to murder ... we're told the feds could reopen the investigation. That doesn't seem likely -- Taylor's death appears to be tied to a drug OD.

As we reported ... Taylor was so out of it after consuming what we're told was GHB that he was rendered unconscious on the dance floor and had to be carried to his room. Passengers told us drug us was rampant on the cruise ship as passengers partied.

No arrests have been made, and local police in San Juan are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Taylor's demise.

The cruise line on which "Storm Chasers" star Joel Taylor died of an apparent OD this week does not allow illegal drugs on the boat ... which raises the question -- how did they ignore a river of drugs on board?

Royal Caribbean International tells TMZ they have a "zero tolerance" policy when it comes to drugs. If the crew finds them, they confiscate them.

So the question ... multiple passengers tell us drug use was out in the open ... flagrant and notorious. The parties were drug-fueled and, as we reported, Taylor was so out of it he fell into unconsciousness on the dance floor and had to be carried to his room after allegedly consuming GHB.

As we reported ... we're told several passengers suspected of drug possession were stopped after drug-sniffing dogs zeroed in on them at the Ft. Lauderdale port where the ship departed.

TMZ broke the story ... the FBI is now investigating Taylor's death and has already spoken to folks at the cruise line to find out what went down on board.

The apparent drug overdose that led to the death of a "Storm Chaser" star on a cruise ship has triggered an FBI investigation ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

TMZ broke the story ... "Storm Chaser" star Joel Taylor had been doing GHB late Monday night going into Tuesday morning, dancing during a wild party, when he lapsed into unconsciousness. Taylor was carried into his cabin and left there. He was pronounced dead later that morning.

We're told there were huge quantities of party drugs on board the ship, including cocaine, Ecstasy and GHB. Our sources say several people were arrested before the ship left the Ft. Lauderdale port.

After Taylor died, the boat docked in Puerto Rico and passengers tell us there was a lot of commotion involving drugs on board the Royal Caribbean ship, Harmony of the Seas.

Passengers tell us, the night Taylor apparently OD'd, drugs were flowing freely among many of the partygoers.

We're told the FBI is investigating the circumstances of Taylor's death, how the drugs got on board and who supplied them.

10:50 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, "It appears the death could be an overdose and Joel Taylor was consuming controlled substances."

A passenger who interacted with Joel tells TMZ, Joel had consumed enough GHB on the dance floor Tuesday that he was rendered unconscious and taken off the dance floor by 2 people and back to his room.

"Storm Chaser" star Joel Taylor died from a suspected overdose on a cruise ship ... this according to passengers on the boat.

Passengers on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Harmony of the Seas tell TMZ ... drugs on the party boat were plentiful, and they say 38-year-old Taylor was partaking.

A rep for the boat tells us Taylor was found unresponsive in his cabin Tuesday and law enforcement was alerted when the boat arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

We're told among the drugs ... Ecstasy and cocaine. Passengers even posted on social media when they were boarding that several people were arrested at the Ft. Lauderdale port -- where the boat departed -- for possession of drugs.

Olivia Newton-John and famous DJ duo Galantis both performed on the boat Tuesday night.

Joel Taylor, who became famous chasing storms on Discovery Channel's "Storm Chasers," has died ... this according to his friends.

Joel was on the show from the beginning in 2008 and was there for the entire 5-season run. Chasing storms was not just a TV thing for him ... he was following storms long before the show aired, having studied meteorology in college.

It's unclear how he died, but it appears it was not storm-related.

His best friend and co-star Reed Timmer said, "I am shocked and absolutely devastated by the loss of my incredible, caring friend."

Joel was 38. RIP.

Charles Manson's still on ice, but the battle's heating up for his body -- and the 3 lucky finalists in line for the corpse all have some issues, which have now fallen in a judge's lap.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ and filed by the Kern County Coroner, 3 men are claiming Manson's bod. The first is Michael Channels, who submitted the first will from Manson -- but it's only partially legible. Plus, Channels is listed as a witness, which casts doubt on the will's validity.

Contestant #2 is Matthew Robert Lentz, who claims to be Manson's son and also filed a will, but his only has 1 witness -- at least 2 are required -- so it's incomplete.

Last up ... Jason Freeman -- who says he's Manson's grandson -- filed legal docs to prove he's Charles Manson Jr.'s son ... seemingly making him the murderer's next of kin. The problem here is, before his death, Manson told prison officials he had no family.

In other words ... it's legal helter skelter. Good luck sorting it out, your honor!

One of the guys who played Tinky Winky -- the allegedly gay Teletubby -- has died.

Simon Shelton died last week, according to his son, who told the BBC his dad passed last Wednesday. Shelton's niece, Emily Atack, said her uncle was "taken so suddenly."

Simon scored the "Teletubbies" role as the purple Teletubby after the original actor was fired in 1997. He stayed in the purple suit through 2001.

Tinky Winky was accused of being gay by deceased televangelist Jerry Falwell, who once wrote ... "He is purple -- the gay pride color, and his antenna is shaped like a triangle -- the gay pride symbol."

Yes, that actually happened.

Shelton was 52. RIP

Dolores O'Riordan's bandmates, family and friends gathered to lay her to rest Tuesday in the band's hometown.

The surviving Cranberries -- Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan and Fergal Lawler -- were in Limerick for her funeral service at St. Ailbe's Church ... the church where she once played and sang in the choir.

Her loved ones, as well as hundreds of fans, have been mourning for several days ... beginning with a memorial service on Sunday.

Doloroes was found dead in a London hotel room last week. As for cause of death ... her reps and police will only say she died suddenly. She was 46.

Irish radio stations simultaneously played the Cranberries '96 hit, "When You're Gone" shortly after noon.

Hollywood's oldest working actress, Connie Sawyer, died at home after an incredibly long and prolific career.

Connie reportedly passed away at her Woodland Hills home. Unclear exactly how, but she was 105 ... so presumably it's related to her age.

The longtime actress got her start in Tinseltown at the age of 18, and has over 140 acting credits to her name -- most of which were TV roles.

Sawyer's been on a number of hit shows over her six-decade career, including "The Jackie Gleason Show," "The Andy Griffith Show," "All in the Family," 'Mary Tyler Moore,' "Starsky & Hutch," "Seinfeld," ... and on and on.

She's also starred in movies like "Dumb and Dumber," "Pineapple Express," "When Harry Met Sally..." and "The Way West."

RIP

The marketing team behind "Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G" found a brilliant spot to promote the series ... right above Biggie's actual murder scene.

B.I.G. was gunned down March 9, 1997 as he left L.A.'s Petersen Automotive Museum -- on the corner of South Fairfax & Wilshire. Now, a huge billboard right above that intersection shows his face with the tagline "20 Years. Still Unsolved."

The true crime scripted series also covers Tupac's murder, which happened 6 months before Biggie's. There is no billboard up at the Vegas intersection where 'Pac was killed. Not yet, anyway.

The show premieres February 27.

#HonkforBiggie.

Dolores O'Riordan was mourned by hundreds this weekend in her native Ireland during an open coffin public reposal -- where bystanders said goodbye to the Cranberries singer.

Dolores' body was on display Sunday at St. Joseph's Church, where mourners flocked to pay their respects to the Irish rock star. The casket remained open, and some fans reportedly said she looked "at peace" ... according to the Irish Times.

Her mother and six siblings were in attendance, and her Cranberries bandmates left a floral tribute beside her coffin which read ... "The song has ended, but the memories linger on."

As we reported ... Dolores died this past week while recording in London. Her rep said she died "suddenly" and cops are treating the death as "unexplained" for now ... no further details have been released. Friends of hers told us she'd been "dreadfully depressed" as of late, and was also suffering from back pain.

Dolores will be laid to rest next to her father Tuesday at Caherelly Cemetery in County Limerick, Ireland.

RIP

Rapper Fredo Santana died Friday night from a seizure ... family members tell TMZ.

The Chicago rapper who is a cousin of Chief Keef was at his L.A. home Friday. We're told his girlfriend came over at around 11:30 PM and found him dead on the floor.

Santana had been hospitalized recently for liver and kidney problems he'd been battling for months.

The rapper had talked openly about his lean addiction ... as we've reported way too many times, lean can trigger seizures.

A number of rappers including Drake have gone on social media the last few hours to pay their respects.

He had an 8-month old son.

Fredo was 27. RIP.