RIP

Cheslie Kryst, who won the Miss USA crown in 2019, is dead after a Sunday morning fall from her high-rise home in New York City ... TMZ has confirmed.

NYPD responded to a 911 call at 7:13 AM to Cheslie's midtown apartment building on 42nd Street. Officers and paramedics responded, but she was pronounced dead on the scene. Police are investigating, but they believe Cheslie -- who lived on the 9th floor -- jumped from high up in the building.

She was last seen on a 29th-floor terrace of the building ... according to the NY Post, which was first to report Cheslie's death.

Just a few hours before she died, Cheslie posted a photo of herself on Instagram with the caption, “May this day bring you rest and peace.”

Kryst took home the top honors at the Miss USA pageant back in 2019 as Miss North Carolina. She was an attorney, and after winning the title, she also worked as a correspondent for Extra.

She used her Miss USA platform to speak out about social and criminal justice reform. She once joined us on "TMZ Live" to discuss that very topic.

She reportedly left a note Sunday morning, stating she was leaving all her belongings to her mother. Her family released a statement saying, "Her great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed and she shined."

The family added, "Most importantly, as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague -- we know her impact will live on."

Cheslie was just 30 years old.

Howard Hesseman, best known as Dr. Johnny Fever on "WKRP in Cincinnati," died Saturday in Los Angeles.

Hesseman’s wife, Caroline Ducrocq, tells TMZ he was at Cedars-Sinai in L.A. for colon surgery last summer … but when it resulted in complications ... that’s when things started to go south.

Caroline says he was hospitalized January 5 due to complications from that surgery. It got worse 5 days later when he had trouble breathing. He began experiencing breathing difficulties and ended up in ICU. Caroline says that was the beginning of the end.

Howard first appeared under a fake name -- Don Sturdy -- on the show “Dragnet” in ‘68, playing a hippie editor of an underground newspaper. He then appeared in shows such as  "The Andy Griffith Show," "Boston Legal," "That '70s Show," and "The Bob Newhart Show." He appeared on the final season of "One Day at a Time," marrying the star character played by Bonnie Franklin.

His movie roles are vast ... "Halloween II," "The Sunshine Boys," "Silent Movie," "The Big Bus," and "The Other Side of Midnight."

Howard's breakout role was the hilarious Dr. Johnny Fever on “WKRP." Hesseman prepared for the role by working as a DJ in San Francisco at KMPX-FM for several months leading up to the production. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy.

To show you how times have changed, he was jailed for 90 days back in 1963 for selling a single ounce of pot. And he was fired from a $100,000-a-year radio gig for using the word "booger."

Caroline was with him by his side, holding his hand when he passed. He was surrounded by other family members.

He was 81.

Rapper BIA is joining Cardi B in raising awareness about the death of Lauren Smith-Fields, and going a few steps further ... meeting with the family lawyer and hoping to sit down soon with the fam.

Smith-Fields' family attorney Darnell Crosland tells TMZ ... BIA is actively helping by using her platform to focus attention on the case.

BIA and her manager have met with Darnell in Connecticut, not long after Lauren's death, to talk about the case and offer support. We're told the case hits home for BIA and she feels celebs have an obligation to speak on social justice issues.

As you know ... 23-year-old Lauren died while on a December date with a man she met on a dating app. The medical examiner announced this week Lauren died from an accidental drug OD, which the family questioned. With public pressure mounting -- from BIA, Cardi B and others -- police finally opened a criminal investigation into her death.

Autopsy results are in for Lance Waldroup, the late reality TV star from Discovery's "Moonshiners", and they show his heart gave out ... TMZ has learned.

Lance's official cause of death is listed as congestive heart failure ... according to the autopsy report TMZ obtained. It also shows cardiomyopathy -- which makes it harder for the heart to pump blood -- and morbid obesity (he was 580 lbs.) as contributing factors.

In the docs, the medical examiner notes the famous bootlegger had a history of high blood pressure, suicidal thoughts and was a recovering opioid addict.

Last February, the 30-year-old "Moonshiners" star went outside to smoke, went back inside his home, played video games and was later found unconscious on the bed, by his mom Lynn.

A couple of Suboxone pills -- prescription meds used to treat opioid addiction -- were found in the room, along with crushed white powder. Narcotics are not listed as contributing factors in his death, but the M.E. did find evidence of drug abuse in his body.

Despite the construction of a temporary Kobe and Gigi Bryant statue this week at the site of their tragic helicopter crash ... TMZ Sports has learned a permanent sculpture will not be installed.

City of Calabasas officials told us this week they have "no plans for any sort of memorial at the crash site."

A spokesperson for the Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority, which oversees the site of the tragic crash, added that there is to be "no permanent memorial on the site."

It does not mean one couldn't ultimately end up being placed there at some point down the road ... but the rep for the MRCA told us definitively there's nothing currently in the works for now or the future.

It's a bummer for those who wanted to see a statue erected ... especially after a 160-pound one was placed on the scene by sculptor Dan Medina on the anniversary of the crash on Wednesday.

Fans loved the mini-monument, which featured a depiction of Kobe and Gigi together, and Medina had told us he'd be willing to donate a life-sized version of it to the city for free.

Ex-NBA player Kwame Brown is livid with Dwyane Wade's daughter's fashion tribute to Kobe Bryant ... saying her #8 jersey dress was "disrespectful" to the Lakers legend.

14-year-old Zaya Wade showed love to the Bryants in an Instagram post on Wednesday ... wearing the outfit and captioning the post, "always remembering and honoring Kobe and Gianna."

Seems harmless, right?? Not in Brown's eyes ... as the 2001 #1 overall pick unleashed on Dwyane during his "Bust Life" YouTube show on Thursday ... saying the ex-Miami Heat star doesn't "level up as a man."

"You are letting your woman control your house," Kwame said ... claiming Kobe's wife, Vanessa, and kids would not honor Kobe the same way Zaya did.

Kwame strongly believes Zaya's tribute does a disservice to everything Kobe stands for ... citing his work ethic, masculinity, and faith.

"I'm not saying there's anything against homosexuals, but [Kobe] is a heterosexual man. Why is he being honored by making his jersey into a dress? Wear his goddamn jersey for the day to honor him without the dress part," Brown added.

"Let's please not show our Black brother in this light. This is no offense to nobody else. This man was a heterosexual man with a wife and a family. There's no reason for this to be tied to Kobe Bryant. None whatsoever."

D-Wade has been nothing but supportive of Zaya ... and has spoken out about how the family has grown in understanding over the years.

Television Actor Morgan Stevens, who appeared in some iconic shows, passed away at his home Wednesday ... TMZ has learned.

A source close to Stevens says he hadn’t been seen or heard from in a few days, which is when a neighbor called authorities to do a wellness check. Police have confirmed with TMZ ... Stevens was found in his kitchen, where he was pronounced dead. They suspect no foul play, and he most likely died of natural causes.

Morgan was best known for his work on the show “Fame”, in which he played teacher David Reardon for two seasons. He was also a recurring character on “Melrose Place” and “A Year in the Life”. He made guest appearances on a variety of shows, including “Murder, She Wrote”, “One Day at a Time”, and “Murder One”, with “Walker, Texas Ranger” being his last appearance on television.

In the ’90s, Stevens was a victim of alleged police brutality when he was arrested for an alleged DUI. He claimed after 90 minutes of waiting in a jail cell, he refused to hand back the shirt that was given, which is when two jailers kicked and beat him over two dozen times.

Stevens left jail with a broken nose, a fractured cheek, a dislocated jaw and nerve damage as a result. He later sued and an out-of-court settlement was reached.

Morgan was 70 years old.

A sculptor in Los Angeles has honored the anniversary of the deaths of Kobe and Gigi Bryant by placing a statue of the two at the site where they tragically passed away in 2020.

The artist, Dan Medina, tells TMZ Sports he created the 160-pound bronze figure and pulled it up to the scene in Calabasas via a wagon on Wednesday.

The sculpture is only a temporary piece -- Medina says he'll haul it back down at sunset -- but the artist tells us he's hoping the city will allow him to put up a larger, more life-sized version permanently at the site.

The artwork, while smaller than what Medina hopes it'll ultimately end up being, is incredible -- it's a depiction of Kobe in a Lakers uniform with his arm around Gigi, who's also in a basketball uniform holding a ball.

At the base of the statue, Medina added the names of all nine of the victims who tragically died in the helicopter crash on the Calabasas hillside on Jan. 26, 2020.

"Heroes come and go," words on the base of the statue read, "but legends are forever."

As we previously reported, Kobe, Gigi and the others were on their way to a girls basketball game, when the chopper suddenly wrecked in the terrain.

Tributes to the Bryants and the other victims of the crash have poured in on the anniversary Wednesday, with athletes and celebs from all over remembering them all on social media.

In fact, Kobe's old Lakers teammate, Lamar Odom, was gifted a diamond pendant on Wednesday to honor and remember the Bryants.

Peter Robbins -- the voice behind Charlie Brown -- has tragically died by taking his own life.

Peter's Agent, Dylan Novak, tells TMZ ... Peter checked himself into a mental hospital in California, shortly after Christmas. Novak says Peter was in a bad headspace, and the last time they spoke in Jan. Peter said ... "I really need your prayers."

We're told the hospital staff encouraged Peter to stay there for a few more weeks, but Peter refused ... instead, he discharged himself on Jan 18, 2022. He was found dead sometime after that.

Peter struggled with bipolar disorder. He spent some time in rehab, battling drug abuse and addiction ... and he also spent some time in prison for making threats to others.

Novak says he was very vocal about his own problems because he wanted to help others in similar circumstances ... it became his mission in life.

Robbins began voicing the Charlie Brown cartoon character, back in 1963 ... he also guest-starred in the 1968 sitcom "Blondie" and many other shows up until the '70s.

He was 65.

Lamar Odom will now have Kobe and Gigi Bryant with him everywhere he goes -- the ex-Lakers star was just gifted an incredible piece honoring the late NBA legend and his daughter on the second anniversary of their tragic helicopter accident.

TMZ Sports has learned ... LO -- who played alongside Kobe from 2004-2011 and remained close friends with the Hall of Famer in retirement -- received the special tribute to the Mamba and Mambacita from his manager, Tonita B.

The finished product is a diamond chain and pendant featuring Kobe kissing Gigi on the head ... which was based off a famous picture of the two sitting courtside at a Laker game in 2019.

We're told the chain -- designed by Scoobie Da Jeweler -- is made of 25 carats of VS diamonds ... and the whole finished product is worth around $17,000.

The back of the piece features a special quote from Kobe ... which reads, "Rest at the end, not in the middle."

We're told this all came to be when Tonita decided to do something unique for Lamar to commemorate their new Savvy Talent Management Group partnership ... and given his admiration for Bryant and his family, she chose a Mamba-related keepsake.

Odom has previously spoken about the impact Kobe left on his life after the fatal accident on Jan. 26, 2020 ... saying he not only helped him on the court, but was by his side during his darkest times.

Odom posted about his new gift on social media minutes ago ... saying, "To understand that Kobe meant the world to me and have this made as a constant reminder for me to keep going has me at loss for words. 💜"

Ozzie, the world's oldest male Gorilla has died ... and because he was among a group of the primates who tested positive for COVID last year, it's possible the disease could be to blame for his eventual demise.

The 61-year-old was found dead at Zoo Atlanta Tuesday, President and CEO Raymond B. King said of Ozzie's loss, "While we knew this time would come someday, that inevitability does nothing to stem the deep sadness we feel at losing a legend."

According to FOX5 in Atlanta, zoo vets noticed Ozzie began to lose his appetite last week -- but continued to offer him care and encourage him to eat and drink.

It was in September of last year when Ozzie was among at least 9 of Zoo Atlanta's gorilla population to test positive for COVID. The animals exhibited symptoms similar to humans -- including runny nose, coughing and sneezing.

Ozzie first arrived in Atlanta in 1988, and was part of a scientific milestone when he became the first gorilla to get a blood pressure reading. He held the title of oldest male gorilla, but Fatou -- a 64-year-old female at Berlin Zoo -- is still the oldest living gorilla.

At Zoo Atlanta, Ozzie is survived by 3 sons, a daughter, a granddaughter, a great-granddaughter and a great-grandson... but his lineage stretches across other zoos in the U.S. and Canada.

A necropsy will be performed to determine his exact cause of death.

Horrible news ... the father of NFL star Carlos Dunlap, Carlos Dunlap Sr., tragically died following a car accident in South Carolina this weekend, family friends announced in a statement Sunday.

According to a spokesperson for the North Charleston Police Department, an adult male was hit by a car at around 10:40 p.m. on Saturday in North Charleston.

The spokesperson said the man was rushed to a local hospital, but tragically, he died there due to injuries suffered in the crash.

David Aylor of David Aylor Law Offices, a close friend of the Dunlaps, confirmed in a statement that Dunlap Sr. was the victim.

"He was a loving father and well-respected community leader," David Aylor Law Offices said in a statement. "We will miss him dearly."

"As a close friend of David and David Aylor Law Offices the family has asked us to let others know to please respect his family at this time of grieving and provide them with privacy."

Cops say "the driver of the involved vehicle was located at the scene." They added that no charges have been filed and an investigation is ongoing.

Dunlap -- one of the best pass rushers in the NFL for the past decade -- was very close with his father ... and had even run out onto the field with him before a Cincinnati Bengals game in 2019.

Kim Kardashian is honoring the later Thierry Mugler ... the designer who's played a big part in her fashion looks over the years.

Kim broke her silence Monday ... finally reacting publicly to Thierry's sudden death over the weekend. She posted a bunch of pics showing a number of different fits that were Mugler designs, and wrote, "Manfred Thierry Mugler 💔 My heart breaks. There’s no one like you! Your vision, your transformations, your magic! I am so honored to have known you, spent time with you and be a muse for you."

She added, "I will never forget our time together around the world and learning from the master himself on what couture really meant!"

And finally, Kim finishes by saying ... "You always said beauty will save the world - and you really believed it was a better place because of the beauty all around! Thank you for the beauty. I love you so much."

As we reported, the 73-year-old French designer died this weekend unexpectedly ... shocking the fashion world and beyond.

Thierry Mugler -- an iconic French fashion designer -- has died ... this according to his team.

An Instagram on Mugler's official page went up Sunday with the tragic news. It was a photo of nothing but a blank square, with the caption ... "#RIP We are devastated to announce the passing of Mr Manfred Thierry Mugler on Sunday January 23rd 2022. May his soul Rest In Peace." The same message was repeated in French as well.

No word on a cause of death, but his passing seems sudden and unexpected -- as he didn't appear to be ill or battling any known ailments.

As you can imagine, the tributes started to pour almost instantly ... especially from folks in the fashion world, who knew Mugler well from his decades-long work and influence in the industry.

It goes without saying ... Mugler has dressed some of the biggest names in the game, including Kim Kardashian -- whom he actually graced with an outfit of his during the 2019 Met Gala, this after he'd officially retired -- plus a plethora of other models and stars.

His extravagant designs have been fan-faves among celebs like Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Jerry Hall, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Rihanna, David Bowie, George Michael, Linda Evangelista, Demi Moore, Megan Fox, Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Cindy Crawford, Tyra Banks, Sharon Stone, Diana Ross, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Robin Wright, Bella Hadid ... and many others.

All of them have donned Mugler-designed getups at one point or another, be it on the red carpet, on the runway ... or on stage. The guy's work touched at least 3 different decades of fashion -- and he was absolutely beloved among Hollywood's finest.

In addition to his clothing contributions, Mugler also left his mark in the fragrance biz ... with a diverse line of perfumes that are still best sellers to this day.

He was 73.

Demonstrators have descended upon Washington D.C. to protest against COVID mandates -- and, ironically, they’re blasting music from someone who just succumbed to the virus.

Thousands of people flooded into the National Mall Sunday and gathered at the base of both the Washington Monument and even more packed in front of the Lincoln Memorial ... and wouldn’t you know it, they were playing a Meat Loaf song to get themselves fired up.

The tune blaring over the speakers was ML’s “I’d Do Anything for Love” -- which we suppose is sorta in theme with what the anti-mandate crowd was there for. Song’s all about how one guy would do a lot for a woman he loves, but has a line he won’t cross ... which, presumably, applies to their attitudes toward federal and local policies?

Of course, Meat Loaf himself was against mandates -- having been outspoken about Australia’s lockdowns through much of the pandemic. Sadly enough, Meat Loaf literally just died last week after contracting coronavirus. It’s unclear if he was vaccinated or not.

The protests in D.C. today are expected to draw tens of thousands ... this not too long after the annual March for Life rally this weekend. So far, they're talking freedom, MLK, the constitution ... and a lot of other things they believe align with their vision of the country.

It appears to be peaceful thus far -- and there aren't many counter-protesters either ... which might mean these folks will have the day and space to themselves to push their message.

Regina King's only son has tragically died.

Ian Alexander Jr. took his own life Wednesday, according to law enforcement, the day he turned 26.

Ian is the son of Ian Alexander Sr., who married Regina in 1997. They were together 10 years before divorcing.

Regina said, "Our family is devastated at the deepest level by the loss of Ian. He is such a bright light who cared so deeply about the happiness of others. Our family asks for respectful consideration during this private time. Thank you."

Regina and her son would sometimes walk the red carpet together for events and it was apparent how proud she was of him.

As for tributes ... they are cascading in ... "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Garcelle Beauvais said, "My heart breaks for you @ReginaKing Ian was sweet & kind."

Marc Lamont Hill echoed that ... "Sending all of my love and condolences to Regina King. I pray that she's surrounded by love and healing energy."

Ian once said of Regina, "She's just a super mom. She doesn't really let bad workdays or anything come back and ruin the time that we have. It's really awesome to have a mother who I can enjoy spending time with."

When Regina turned 50 in 2021, Ian posted this on Instagram ... "Happy birthday to my co, so extremely proud of you and inspired by your love, artistry and gangsta. To be able to watch you take this lifetime by its neck and make it yours is something i will forever be grateful for. But to have you as my mother is the greatest gift I could ask for. To be all that you are while always having the time to be there, love and support me unconditionally is truly remarkable. The whole marvel universe ain't got s*** on you, your the real superhero! Love you mom! This day and everyday YO DAY!!"

And ... just a couple of months before he died, Ian posted a throwback pic of him, his mom and a friend, with the caption ... "My joys 🥰."

Ian was 26.