RIP

Tragic news ... James Madison University softball star Lauren Bernett -- who was just named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week on Monday -- has died, the school announced.

She was just 20 years old.

In a statement announcing the sad news Tuesday morning, JMU officials did not reveal a cause of death ... but said the tragedy was "devastating."

"Our hearts are aching, hearing the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes," officials said ... "We are a tight family. We are grateful that Lauren has been part of our JMU Athletics community and will always consider her to be a Duke. We will miss her dearly."

Bernett, a sophomore, was a star catcher for the Dukes ... and had just had arguably her best week ever on the diamond for JMU.

In a game against College of Charleston on April 16, she recorded three hits and seven RBIs -- a JMU record. Just days later, in a series against Drexel on April 23, she logged hits in seven of her nine at-bats.

On Monday, the CAA handed her its Player of the Week award for her performances.

Bernett -- who was batting .336 this season with nine home runs -- was also a key contributor to the James Madison squad that made a deep run in the 2021 Women's College World Series.

"We love you, Lauren," the JMU softball team said in a tweet on Tuesday.

The team has canceled its Wednesday doubleheader against Longwood in wake of Bernett's death.

Matthew Stafford's wife just shared some sad news ... their beloved dog, Marley, passed away on Monday -- and the family is completely devastated.

The L.A. Rams quarterback and his wife got Marley right when Stafford was drafted into the NFL ... and Kelly says she "immediately filled Matthew’s side of the bed."

"I woke up this morning without a face in front of me that I’ve been used to waking up to for the past 13 years," Kelly said.

Kelly noted Marley was their "first baby" before the married couple had four daughters together -- in fact, Marley helped announce one of those pregnancies by holding a sign "Mom's pregnant" back in 2016.

"I know it shouldn’t be a surprise, but I still can’t believe she is gone," Kelly said, "I’m devastated and this house just doesn’t feel as full as it once did."

Stafford also shared a 3-minute tribute video of Marley with the song "The Sun Is Rising" by Britt Nicole playing in the background.

"This song is what I feel like what Marley has said every time I was hurting and crying on her," Stafford said.

"I feel like she’s looking over me saying the same. Miss you sweet girl."

The teenager who fell to his death at a ride in Florida should've never been allowed to get onboard -- something his folks are now claiming in a new lawsuit against the park.

Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson -- the parents of late 14-year-old Tyre Sampson -- have filed a wrongful death suit, via attorneys Michael Haggard -- the managing partner of Harrard Law Firm -- and Ben Crump, against ICON Park and its pertinent associates, including the creators and operators of the free-fall ride itself, claiming negligence ... among other counts.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Sampson's parents allege the attraction in question had certain height and weight restrictions that their son was in clear violation of ... and which should've been addressed either via signage or from the staff itself on site.

His parents, however, claim none of that happened that day -- namely, they say there were NO signs to dissuade people from getting on who shouldn't, and nobody working there said anything either ... so Tyre got in thinking there wasn't a problem, when there clearly was.

Not just that, but the parents also claim the ride itself wasn't as safe as it should've been compared to other rides of the same nature ... alleging those other free-fall type drops are often protected against with not just a shoulder harness, but a seatbelt as well -- SOP, they insist.

This IP ride, though, did NOT have a seatbelt, per the lawsuit, and the Sampsons believe that contributed to their son being ejected from his seat and plummeting to the ground.

As you know ... Tyre hit the ground from about a 100-foot height and succumbed to his injuries. In addition to negligence, Tyre's parents are also claiming strict liability against some of the defendants. They're asking for damages and a jury trial before a judge.

Devastating news ... Sarah Shulze, a track star for the University of Wisconsin, has died, officials confirmed to TMZ Sports.

She was only 21.

The director for the Dane County Medical Examiner's office in Wisconsin tells us Sarah's death was ruled a suicide.

The Wisconsin Badgers released a statement ... saying, "The Wisconsin Athletics community is heartbroken by the unexpected passing of Sarah Shulze, a junior with the Badger women's track and field and cross country teams."

"Sarah was a beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend, teammate, and Badger student-athlete. We extend our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to Sarah's family, friends, and Badger teammates during this extraordinarily difficult time."

"Our primary focus is the support of the Shulze family and our student-athletes," they added.

According to NBC, Sarah's family released a statement in the aftermath of her death ... saying, "Sarah took her own life. Balancing athletics, academics and the demands of everyday life overwhelmed her in a single, desperate moment. Like you, we are shocked and grief stricken while holding on tightly to all that Sarah was."

They continued ... "Above all other things, Sarah was a power for good in the world. Her deep compassion was evident in her devotion to her sisters Abbey and Ella, the love her parents felt from her every single day, and the extra care she took in moments shared with her grandparents and cousins."

R.I.P.

Brad Fischetti, the last living member of LFO, isn't going to stop playing one of the band's hits even though its lyrics refer to now-canceled Abercrombie & Fitch, which was roasted in Netflix's latest doc ... and it's all about honoring his late bandmates.

Brad tells us he'll continue to perform the 1999 hit "Summer Girls" at his concerts ... as you'll recall, the chorus to LFO's song goes, "I like girls that wear Abercrombie & Fitch ... I'd take her if I had one wish."

A&F's shady work behind the scenes has recently been exposed by Netflix's docufilm, "White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch" ... which features former employees revealing a toxic workplace that emphasized thin, white beautiful people as their vision of "All-American."

Brad's goal with anything he does with the band is to honor his lifelong friends and band members Devin Lima and Rich Cronin.

TMZ broke both stories ... the other two members of LFO both passed away from battles with leukemia - Rich Cronin in 2010 and Devin Lima in 2018. Brad, the last remaining member, has done his best to keep their memory alive.

Urban Meyer and Ryan Shazier are among the many coaches, players and friends paying their respects to Dwayne Haskins on Friday ... with those close to the late quarterback attending his memorial service in Pittsburgh.

Haskins' wife, Kalabrya, previously announced the Allegheny Center Alliance Church will be holding a "celebration of Dwayne's life" on Friday for family, friends, coaches and teammates.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, Meyer -- who coached Haskins on the Buckeyes from 2016 to 2018 -- and current head football coach, Ryan Day, all made their way to Pennsylvania for the service.

Shazier -- a former Steeler and Buckeye -- was also spotted at Haskins' memorial walking into the church ... as well as defensive tackle Cam Heyward.

Steelers owner, Art Rooney II, and offensive coordinator, Matt Canada, also arrived to pay respects.

Friday's ceremony is one of several that will be held for the Steelers QB -- on Saturday, Haskins' family will have a memorial at the Christ Church in his native New Jersey ... and on Sunday, there will be a service at his former high school in Potomac, Maryland.

As we previously reported, the Steelers QB was tragically killed after being struck by a dump truck on a highway in Fort Lauderdale Florida on April 9.

The crash report indicates the 24-year-old was hit by two cars and succumbed to his injuries on the scene.

RIP

NHL legend Guy Lafleur -- a Hockey Hall of Famer and five-time Stanley Cup winner -- has died at 70 years old, his sister announced.

The former Montreal Canadiens forward passed away on Friday after battling a myriad of health issues, including lung cancer.

"Guy I love you," Lafleur's sister wrote in a heartbreaking post on social media Friday morning. "You are done suffering we will miss you greatly."

Guy is considered one the greatest hockey players ever -- after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1971 draft, Lafleur went on to star for the Canadiens for 14 years.

He made six All-Star teams with Montreal, tallied 518 goals and 728 assists, and helped the Canadiens hoist the Cup five times in the 70s. Lafleur also became the first player ever to score 50 or more goals in six straight seasons in his Canadiens tenure.

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Guy Lafleur," Canadiens president Geoff Molson said. "All members of the Canadiens organization are devastated by his passing. Guy Lafleur had an exceptional career and always remained simple, accessible, and close to the Habs and hockey fans in Quebec, Canada and around the world."

Molson continued, "Throughout his career, he allowed us to experience great moments of collective pride. He was one of the greatest players in our organization while becoming an extraordinary ambassador for our sport."

Lafleur retired following the 1985 season and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame three years later. He eventually came out of retirement to play for the New York Rangers and the Quebec Nordiques following his induction, before leaving the game for good in 1991.

The NFL has lost a member of its family -- Raiders legend Daryle Lamonica died Thursday morning, officials confirmed to TMZ Sports.

He was 80 years old.

"The Raider Nation will forever miss his easy-going nature and warm smile," the Raiders said in a statement after his passing. "Our deepest condolences are with his wife Mary, son Brandon, the rest of the Lamonica family, teammates, and friends."

The Fresno County Sheriff-Coroner's Office tells us the former quarterback passed away at his Fresno home ... and the death "is considered to be one of natural causes."

Lamonica played 12 seasons in the NFL, spending four seasons with the Buffalo Bills and then eight with the Raiders, where he became a legend.

After starting in only 4 games for Buffalo, Lamonica, aka "The Mad Bomber," started 84 games for Oakland ... and went a whopping 62-16-6.

Lamonica, who received his nickname for his ability to throw the deep ball, retired after being selected to 5 Pro Bowls.

In 1967, Lamonica won Player of the Year honors ... after leading the league in touchdowns (30) and guiding the Raiders to a 13-1 record.

Lamonica won the AFL championship that year, clinching the team's first Super Bowl berth. The team went on to fall short against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II, 33-14.

Lamonica -- drafted by the Bills out of Notre Dame in 1963 -- finished his playing career throwing for 19,154 yards and 164 touchdowns.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Georgina Rodríguez and their newborn baby girl are back home with their family ... and the couple is giving thanks for all the support and sympathy they received after the tragic death of their twin son.

"Home sweet home," CR7 said in an Instagram post on Thursday. "Gio and our baby girl are finally together with us."

The Manchester United superstar shared earlier this week that their baby son had tragically passed away.

Fans across the world showed support for the couple immediately after news of the tragedy hit -- including on Tuesday, when fans at the Man U vs. Liverpool game gave a minute-long applause to pay tribute to the soccer superstar and his family.

"We want to thank everyone for all the kind words and gestures," Ronaldo added in his post Thursday. "Your support is very important and we all felt the love and respect that you have for our family."

"Now it’s time to be grateful for the life that we’ve just welcomed into this world. 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻"

Actor Robert Morse, best known for his work on "Mad Men," has died.

Morse's death was confirmed Wednesday, though his cause of death is currently unknown.

The actor's work on "Mad Men," playing Bertram Cooper for 74 episodes, got him 5 Emmy nominations over its 8 years on the air. Bertram, or Bert, was one of the founding partners of the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency, where the show takes place.

Always dressed with a bow tie, Bert reluctantly agreed to a merger with British agency Puttnam, Powell, and Lowe ... he would then go on to be a founding partner of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.

The character would die the night after watching the televised Apollo 11 moon landing ... Bert appeared after his passing in one of Don Draper's visions, played by Jon Hamm.

The Tony and Emmy-award-winning actor left behind a career on both stage and screen, steadily working for 6 decades. He got his start on Broadway in the '60s with a production of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" ... his performance snagged him a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical.

He went on to win another best actor Tony award as Truman Capote in the 1990 play "Tru" ... for which he got an Emmy for Leading Actor in a Limited Series.

After "Mad Men," Morse came back to Broadway, working with Nathan Lane in the 2016 revival of "The Front Page."

Tributes have been pouring, including one from Larry Karaszewski, the VP on the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who called Morse "a huge talent and a beautiful spirit."

Broadway composer David Krane also paid tribute, saying "He had those cool, clear eyes of a seeker of wisdom and truth. Wishing that eternal boy eternal peace in his new forever home. He succeeded without really trying."

Morse is survived by his wife Elizabeth Roberts and his 4 children -- Charlie, Robin, Hilary, and Andrea.

He was 90.

"We Ready" rapper, Archie Eversole, was shot in the jaw while he was asleep, shortly before he died from his wounds ... this according to cops.

According to the police report ... Archie told cops someone had kicked open his bedroom door and he was awakened by a gunshot to his face on March 25, but he couldn't see who shot him.

The docs say police then asked if the shooter was still in the home and he nodded his head yes. Cops say they asked if he knew who it was but Eversole wouldn't answer and then he started to fade in and out of consciousness.

As we reported, Archie was rushed to the hospital and died April 3 ... police say his brother, Alexander Krause, was the shooter.

Cops found fresh blood covering the front door and a trail of blood from the stairs to Eversole's room where the blood-spattered door had been busted through ... there was also blood all over the bed, pillows and the wall.

According to the report, Krause initially told cops he was fine and just checking on his brother, although police did notice he had blood on his socks. He also told police he was limping from a blister on his foot.

As we reported, Krause has now been arrested for murder and is in custody in DeKalb County.

Dwayne Haskins' body was hit by two vehicles in the accident that took his life earlier this month ... a crash report, obtained by TMZ Sports, reveals.

In the Florida Highway Patrol documents, investigators say after Haskins was struck by a dump truck in the middle of a Broward County highway in the early morning hours of April 9 -- a Subaru Outback also "partially" hit Haskins' body.

Officials released a diagram of the crash -- showing what they believe were the two points in which the vehicles struck the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback (labeled as NM01 in the image).

In the docs, investigators say a witness told them a third vehicle may have been involved as well.

Officials say Haskins succumbed to his injuries on the scene and was pronounced dead just minutes after being struck.

Investigators say both drivers came to a stop shortly after hitting the football player. They also noted in the docs neither driver was tested for alcohol nor drugs.

Officials in the documents did not reveal why they believed Haskins was walking along the busy highway before being hit -- a final Traffic Homicide Investigation is still pending.

As we reported, Kalabrya Haskins said in a 911 call that Dwayne had said he was on foot in search of gas after his car had stranded him. She said in the frantic call, "I just want somebody to go in the area and see if his car is there and if he's OK and if anything happened to him."

Tom Parker's wife broke down in tears as she said her final public goodbye to her beloved husband ... telling people at his funeral The Wanted singer fought like a warrior during his 18-month cancer battle.

Tom's bandmates, Jay McGuiness, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran and Nathan Sykes were the pallbearers and carried his coffin into the London church.

Tom's widow, Kelsey, led a cortege with 3 black horses before the service ... as hundreds of mourners lined up in the streets for the procession. Fans paid their respects and watched the funeral on big screens outside the church.

Kelsey gave the eulogy, and told the crowd she would raise their 2 kids with the values that were important to Tom. She broke down in tears after saying although she and Tom were together for 13 years, she felt as if they lived 1,000 years together.

As we reported, Tom died last month after a battle with brain cancer. He was diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma back in October 2020.

Tom's friends and bandmates shared heartfelt memories ... including his bandmate Max George, who said he was like a brother.

New Mexico's criminal authorities may not yet know who to blame for Halyna Hutchins' death -- but one state agency is laying down the hammer ... pointing to the production at large.

The Occupational Health and Safety Bureau -- which deals with this sort of thing throughout New Mexico -- issued a hefty fine of $139,793 this week after finding that Rust Movie Productions (the production company behind Alec Baldwin's flick) majorly screwed the pooch when it came to gun safety on set.

The government entity says RMP failed across the board on maintaining and enforcing industry standard protocols for gun usage in a film -- and as a result, someone died.

They point to two different misfires that had occurred during filming prior to the Hutchins incident, which the bureau says went largely unaddressed by the official safety point person among the crew ... in this case, they say that was assistant director Dave Halls.

The report notes that several crew members expressed concern after these misfires -- among other weapons-related concerns -- but it would appear no one really did anything to correct it or even address it ... via training or discipline, etc.

They also say that for the fatal shooting, Halls again broke protocol by handling the weapon and giving it to Baldwin ... without consulting a specialist during or after the gun was loaded. Speaking of that, they make a damning conclusion about live ammo -- suggesting the production heads had no system in place to make sure real bullets didn't make their way on set ... which they say is a clear violation of basic procedure for this sort of thing.

A Bureau rep says, "Management was provided with multiple opportunities to take corrective actions and chose not to do so. As a result of these failures, director Joel Souza and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins were severely injured. Halyna Hutchins succumbed to her injuries."

Again, OHSB is saying the production company as a whole seems to be responsible here -- but they go out of their way to name Halls in their remarks and findings. Their investigation was thorough ... with 1,500 staff hours dedicated to sorting through all this in the aftermath.

The criminal investigation is still underway, and of course ... lawsuits have been filed against Baldwin, the production company and others. Unclear how this report might affect things.

Dwayne Haskins' panicked wife called cops the morning of the QB's death ... saying she was concerned for her husband after he had been stranded on the highway looking for gas before he stopped responding to her, new 911 audio reveals.

In the call, obtained by TMZ Sports, Kalabrya Haskins says she was calling from Pittsburgh, PA. roughly 10 minutes after she had spoken to Dwayne on the phone in the early hours of April 9.

Kalabrya told the dispatch officer that Dwayne had called her from the side of the road near I-95 in Broward County, FL. ... claiming his car had left him stranded, and he was walking to try to find gas.

In the audio, Kalabyra can be heard saying, "He said he was going to call me back after he finished putting the gas in," but she says he never called back.

"I kept calling and kept calling," Kalabyra told the dispatch officer. "He wasn't answering. Eventually, after 10 minutes of calling the phone, eventually it cut off. It's not working now. I had his location. I just want somebody to go in the area and see if his car is there and if he's OK and if anything happened to him."

A short time later ... the officer told Kalabrya, "I don't want you to panic, but I'm going to be honest with you. We do have an incident on the highway -- but I can't confirm if that's your husband or not."

In a separate 911 call, a witness can be heard telling a dispatch officer, "There was a man hit in front of me. I was travelling on the road and I saw a dump truck hit the man."

As we reported, Dwayne was killed after he was struck by a dump truck while walking on the highway in Florida. Cops have not released further details surrounding the incident, saying an investigation is ongoing.

Jacqueline Avant's murderer has just learned his fate after pleading guilty to the crime -- and he'll be doing some hard time for a good long while.

Aariel Maynor -- who was arrested and subsequently convicted of murdering Mrs. Avant after entering his plea in March -- was sentenced Tuesday in L.A. County ... and the judge threw the book at him, sending him to prison for the rest of his life.

As we reported ... Maynor copped to breaking into Jacqueline and her husband Clarence's Beverly Hills home in December -- and then opened fire with an "assault long barrel pistol" when he came upon Jacqueline, who wasn't with Clarence at the time. Maynor then fled the scene.

Jacqueline was taken to a hospital, but succumbed to her injuries and died.

Photos of the crime surfaced shortly thereafter, and it looks like Maynor broke through a sliding glass door on a side of the property ... leaving behind a ton of shattered glass.

Prosecutors pushed for a lengthy sentence, telling the judge Maynor bragged and joked with his friends about the situation from a jail phone. According to court docs, he also said he expected to serve a max of 25 years because the prosecutors did not file a so-called "special circumstances" murder charge.

Jacqueline was deeply involved in her community, serving as the President of the Neighborhood of Watts, as well as serving on the Board of Directors of UCLA's International Student Center. She was 81.

Clarence, of course, is known as the Godfather of Black music -- having had a hand in a number of classic records and albums throughout the years ... with the likes of Jay-Z, Diddy, L.A. Reid and others singing his praises for his influence in the culture.