RIP

Katharine McPhee is saying goodbye to a very special friend ... one she adopted late in life to show her love and happiness in her remaining few years.

We're talking about Wilma ... the rescue dog Katharine took in a few years back. What makes this special is that Wilma was 12, so Katharine knew she would not have the dog for very long, but she wanted her to enjoy her sunset years.

Katharine posted her tribute Monday night ... "Here's a little tribute to my girl Wilma… also known as Willy… ”

She went on ... "Wherever she went her tongue was hanging out without fail." "She traveled the world with me. Was at every rehearsal for my first Broadway show… Thank you Willy for all the great years."

Katharine's gotta be struggling with this, but she clearly gave the best life to Wilma that she possibly could. Great job, Ms. McPhee.

A Navy SEAL candidate is dead and another hospitalized during a testing period called Hell Week.

The test involved underwater demolition, survival and combat tactics ... this according to a Navy spokesperson.

Two commando candidates landed in the hospital ... one sadly died and the other is in stable condition.

The physicality of the exercises is brutal, and it's only the first phase in selecting members of the elite group.

It's the first such death since 2016, when a candidate lost consciousness after his instructor held his head underwater while the cadet struggled as he tried to swim in the training pool. The coroner ruled the cadet's death a homicide, but the Navy did not pursue charges against the instructor.

As for Friday's tragedy, it's unclear what caused the cadet's death.

The family of 'Walking Dead' actor Moses J. Moseley does not think he committed suicide ... they believe he was kidnapped and murdered.

Moses' sister, Teerea Kimbro, tells TMZ ... everyone who was close to Moses knew he loved life and she believes with all her heart he was kidnapped and then killed 3 days later.

We broke the story ... law enforcement sources told us Moses' body was found in Georgia Wednesday and cops were investigating his death as a possible suicide.

But, Moses' sister says he'd booked a taping for the Monday before his body was found but never showed up ... something she says he would never do. She went on to say he loved where his career was heading and they were planning big things in the near future.

Cops say they found Moses' body in his car with the doors locked, a gun in his lap and a facial bullet wound.

His sister says investigators told her the gun in question was one of hers -- she says she and Moses liked to go to the gun range and that he had a license to carry.

The family says cops told them they're looking at possible foul play, and Henry County Police Captain Randy Lee tells TMZ ... "It is being investigated as a possible suicide, however, detectives are following any and all available avenues and not ruling anything out."

The NBA just unveiled the newly-designed Kobe Bryant Trophy, which will be awarded to the All-Star Game MVP later this month, and Vanessa Bryant said she's in love with it.

The league revealed the piece Thursday morning ... announcing the new award has four levels, all designed to pay tribute to the Black Mamba.

The first level has 24 stars -- symbolic of the #24 Kobe donned in the second half of his career. The level measures in at 7 inches tall, which pays homage to Bryant's 2007 All-Star Game MVP honor.

The second level features 10 stars, which represent the number KB wore when he played for Team USA in the Olympics. Its 9-inch height is a hat tip to Bryant's 2009 ASG MVP award.

Of course, Kobe won 5 NBA championships in his career with the Los Angeles Lakers ... so the trophy has five stars on the third level.

On the fourth level, the league said "a single star represents Kobe’s NBA MVP Award in the 2007-08 season." The NBA also noted its 2-inch height is emblematic of his two Finals MVP awards.

The mastermind behind the design, Victor Solomon, said in a statement Thursday he worked "tirelessly" to make the piece ... and in an IG post, Vanessa said she resoundingly approved of it.

"I love everything this trophy represents," Vanessa wrote, "all of my husband’s hard work and dedication ~ Mamba Mentality 👑🐍💪🏽 Thank you @NBA & @victorsolomon."

Former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst was suffering from depression before taking her own life -- this according to her mother ... who's speaking out in the wake of her daughter's death.

April Simpkins says ... "I have never known a pain as deep as this. I am forever changed," adding the family had confirmed Cheslie died by suicide last week in NYC.

She continues, "While it may be hard to believe, it’s true. Cheslie led both a public and a private life. In her private life, she was dealing with high-functioning depression which she hid from everyone -- including me, her closest confidant -- until very shortly before her death."

April goes on to say Cheslie's life, despite being short, was full of beautiful memories ... and, naturally, she'll be missed by her loved ones.

Her mother also said, "Cheslie -- to the world, you were a ball of sunshine wrapped in smiles. We talked, FaceTimed or texted one another all day, every day. You were more than a daughter -- you were my very best friend. Talking with you was one of the best parts of my day. Your smile and laugh were infectious."

She finished with, "I love you baby girl with all my heart. I miss you desperately. I know one day we’ll be together again. Until then, rest easy and in peace."

Rather than ask for flowers, her family is asking for donations to Dress for Success -- an org Cheslie held in high regard. Her mom also posted a number for the National Suicide Hotline ... encouraging anyone with suicidal thoughts to seek help.

Lawyers representing L.A. County are trying their best to keep hardcore Kobe Bryant fans off the jury in their crash photos case against Vanessa Bryant ... new court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, show.

The attorneys submitted a list of questions they want to ask potential jurors ... and it includes several Kobe-related questions presumably designed to weed out any super fans who have immense Kobe/Lakers bias.

Some of the proposed Bryant questions include: "How would you describe your feelings toward Kobe Bryant?" and "How would you describe your feelings toward the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team?"

If the answers showed a juror would be less than likely to objectively look at the evidence in the case ... the lawyers would use it as a basis for striking that person from the jury pool.

Other questions the lawyers are hoping to ask also include ones that help show if a person has a particular bias against law enforcement, such as "Have you ever had had a negative experience with a Los Angeles County Sheriff or the LA County Sheriff's Department?"

As we previously reported, Vanessa is suing the county of Los Angeles, alleging officials took pictures of Kobe's dead body and then showed them off at a bar and an awards banquet.

The county, meanwhile, has argued that officials on the crash site only took pictures as "part of doing their jobs," while contending that none of the photos were publicly disseminated in a way that would be harmful to Vanessa.

"Friday" star Anthony Johnson is getting a fancy tombstone on his grave ... designed by the guy who honored Eazy-E and Nate Dogg with awesome grave markers.

Cemetery Tim, the man behind the cool celeb gravestones, tells TMZ ...  he got in touch with Anthony's family after the actor/comedian died back in September. The goal was to create and install the headstone for what would have been Anthony's 56th birthday.

The gravestone chronicles Anthony's career with images ... showing him as Ezal on "Friday," and another image of Anthony as E.Z.E. in "House Party." The inscription reads, "Don't cry for me, I lived and made your ass laugh ... tell me I'm lying!"

Cemetery Tim says Anthony's widow, Lexis Jones Mason, worked with him on the design ... which also includes the late actor's signature.

TMZ broke the story ... Anthony was found lifeless in an L.A. store and his family was scrambling to pay for his funeral before a bunch of celebs picked up the tab.

Cemetery Tim says all of his work on Anthony's gravestone was done free of charge.

Tragic news ... Paraguayan soccer star Ivan Torres says his wife Cristina Vita Aranda was killed after being shot in the head while the two attended a concert.

She was only 29 years old.

Aranda's death was confirmed by Itaugua Nacional Hospital director Yolanda Gonzalez, in a statement via the Sun.

"She was intubated when she arrived and attempts were made to resuscitate her for at least 25 minutes after she went into cardiac arrest," Gonzalez said. "She died after the lengthy attempts to save her life."

Torres and Aranda were reportedly at a concert at the Jose Asuncion Flores Amphitheatre ... when gunfire erupted, according to the outlet.

The shooting is still under investigation by authorities, but preliminary reports say there were 4 other victims -- between the ages of 23 and 40 -- who were also wounded during the incident.

Torres, however, did not sustain any physical injuries, according to the reports.

Police chief Benicio Ramirez said law enforcement officials do not believe she was the intended target, but rather a "collateral victim" in the incident.

“This is how I will remember you my love, with that beautiful smile and that big heart," Torres wrote on social media.

He continued ... "I promise that I will miss you very much, nothing will be the same without you, just to thank you for these 11 years by my side, for teaching me to recognize my mistakes, to forgive, to believe, to be better, to love unconditionally, that Despite the difficulties we had to be prepared for the next opportunity, you told me that you wanted to reach the heart of each woman and impact them."

“I know that God granted it to you and will continue to do so, and THANK YOU for those three children you gave me, I will honor your name by giving my best so that they look like you. LOVE YOU.”

Aranda posted last December she and Torres were getting a divorce after being married for 10 years ... but the two were reportedly working on reconciling even in the last moments of her life.

Moses J. Moseley, famous for playing one of Michonne's zombies in "The Walking Dead," has died at just 31 years old ... and cops are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

A family member tells us the police found Moses' body Wednesday in the Hudson Bridge area of Stockbridge, GA ... the bridge covers a freeway. We're told there's currently an active investigation into how the young actor's body ended up in the area -- and whether or not foul play was involved.

A family member tells TMZ, they hadn't heard from Moses since Sunday of last week. They called around to hospitals, to no avail. On Wednesday morning, they filed a missing person's report. They then contacted OnStar which tracked the car and that's where his body was discovered.

The family member tells us Moses died of a gunshot wound, but investigators are working to find out who pulled the trigger.

Moses got his big break on "The Walking Dead" from 2012-2015 as one of Michonne's zombies that followed her around. He also made appearances on "Watchmen" on HBO and was in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" in 2013.

Tang Soo Do master Robert Wall, who trained with and acted alongside Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee in some of the greatest martial arts films of all time has died at the age of 82 ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Wall was a 9th degree Tang Soo Do black belt under Norris ... who is credited with bringing the discipline to the West. The men trained together for many years ... and were business partners.

In addition to being a martial arts master, Wall also played important roles on the silver screen.

Robert appeared in 1972s "Way of the Dragon" and 1973s "Enter the Dragon" -- both starring Lee, the most well-renowned martial artist to ever live.

Wall and Lee had a memorable and very real (albeit one-sided) fight in "Enter the Dragon."

In fact, years after they filmed the fight scene, Bob revealed Lee actually broke his ribs.

"Bob, I wanna hit you, and I wanna hit you hard," Wall revealed Lee told him prior to filming.

The reason ... Bruce -- who'd known Wall for 8 years before filming the movie -- wanted the fight to look as authentic as possible, so the two masters went full-speed.

Wall's family sent us the following statement on Robert's passing.

"Bob was the greatest husband and father. Family was Everything to him. He lived a remarkable life & There is a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. His spirit & legacy will live on forever within us. He was our rock."

Rest in peace.

NBA legend Allen Iverson got emotional at a signing event over the weekend ... after a young fan handed him a poster that featured an image of him with the late Kobe Bryant.

The cool moment was all captured on camera while Iverson was out in Texas.

You can see in video, after the kid handed him the picture -- which showed the two basketball players together on the court -- he paused to appreciate the image.

"Damn, whose is this?!" Iverson said of the photo. "This yours?!"

"Man, you going to give me one? You got another one for me? Man, I need one of these!"

Iverson eventually autographed the piece ... and then he gave some advice to the kid about always listening to his parents.

Allen's great relationship with Kobe, meanwhile, has been well documented -- the two were both a part of the 1996 draft class -- and competed against each other for decades.

Bryant -- who spent his entire career with the Lakers -- battled AI's 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals, and although The Answer was able to steal a game from Shaq/Kobe ... Philly ultimately lost the series, 4-1.

Bob Saget's still bringing laughs to one of standup comedy's meccas -- The Comedy Store hosted the late comedian's family and famous friends as they celebrated his life and career.

The iconic West Hollywood club was packed with some huge names Sunday night ... Chris Rock, Jim Carrey, Jackson Browne, John Mayer, John Stamos and Jeff Ross were just a few on the guest list.

Bob's daughters Aubrey and Lara arrived together... and, of course, his widow Kelly Rizzo was there too.

The Comedy Store posted about the memorial days prior, and only a limited number of tickets were available to the public for the show.

Not only did the night celebrate Saget's life, but it also served as a fundraiser for the Scleroderma Research Foundation ... an organization Bob poured his time, effort and money into for decades, after his sister died from the disease in 1994.

Bob served on the board of the foundation ... and became a champion for awareness and research.

Cheslie Kryst's openly worried about aging, and society's treatment of older women -- an essay the late Miss USA winner wrote last year has some loved ones wondering if those feelings contributed to her suicide.

In the March 2021 issue of Allure, Cheslie wrote ... "Each time I say 'I’m turning 30,' I cringe a little. Sometimes I can successfully mask this uncomfortable response with excitement; other times, my enthusiasm feels hollow, like bad acting."

Cheslie, who turned 30 in April 2021, was already concerned about what came along with aging process. She added, "Society has never been kind to those growing old, especially women."

As we reported, Cheslie -- who was Miss USA 2019 -- fell to her death Sunday morning, from her midtown NYC apartment building. She reportedly left a note saying she was leaving everything to her mother ... but the note had no explanation for the suicide.

Her final Instagram post, which she made within hours of her death, included the caption ... "May this day bring you rest and peace.”

In the essay, the accomplished attorney also shared some angst over chasing accomplishments. She wrote, "Why earn more achievements just to collect another win? Why pursue another plaque or medal or line item on my resume if it’s for vanity’s sake, rather than out of passion? Why work so hard to capture the dreams I’ve been taught by society to want when I continue to only find emptiness?"

Of course, hindsight is 20/20 and reading her words in the Allure essay could seem like a cry for help.

At just 30 years old, Cheslie was a practicing attorney, had won the Miss USA title and was an Emmy-nominated correspondent for Extra. She also poured a lot of time and effort into supporting social justice reforms -- but in Allure, it's clear she still wrestled with a feeling of emptiness ... despite her achievements.

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.