RIP

Gabby Petito's mother, Nichole Schmidt, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the estate of her daughter's deceased killer, Brian Laundrie ... seeking around $30k in damages.

Laundrie's family attorney, Steven Bertolino, tells TMZ … the filing of the wrongful death lawsuit by the Petito family was fully expected and most likely will not be defended.

He says, "The Petitos will have gained nothing more than a piece of paper that tells them what everyone already knows - which is that Brian was responsible for Gabby’s death as indicated by the FBI."

According to the lawsuit ... Laundrie killed Gabby and her parents had to cover funeral and burial expenses. They also claim they've suffered a loss of care and comfort from their daughter.

As for why only $30k, when they could have sued for 7-figures for the murder of their daughter, we're guessing it's because the funds just aren't there.

As we reported ... Gabby's parents sued Brian Laundrie's parents, claiming they were aware their son murdered their daughter before Brian's body was found in October.

The man who killed Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, in a hit-and-run has pleaded guilty.

Charles Polevich pled guilty to one count of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and one count of tampering with physical evidence ... both felonies.

He was facing up to 7 years behind bars on the felony count alone, but it looks like he won't get nearly that long of a sentence. Judge Howard Sturim committed to sentencing Polevich to no more than one year in jail, along with community service and suspension of his driver's license.

As we reported ... Robert Maraj died at the age of 64 ... after being struck in a hit-and-run accident back in February 2021.

Nicki later opened up about the tragedy on her website saying ... "I can say it has been the most devastating loss of my life." She added, he was very loved and will be very missed.

Tragic news ... former NFL defensive lineman Du'Vonta Lampkin has died after he was shot on Thursday.

He was just 25 years old.

According to the Dallas Police Department, Lampkin was found "lying on his back with a single gunshot wound" by officers at a rented residence at around 10:10 PM in Dallas.

Cops say they had been called to the scene after a witness said Lampkin had stopped answering phone calls.

Police say medical personnel arrived a short time after officers discovered Lampkin ... but said the ex-football player couldn't be saved and died on the scene.

No further details regarding the shooting were released ... cops say an investigation is underway. They're asking anyone with information on the case to call 214-671-3994.

The Univ. of Oklahoma -- where Lampkin played college football from 2015 to 2017 -- released a statement on the tragedy, saying the school is "deeply saddened" by Lampkin's passing.

"Du'Vonta was full of life and spirit, was a supportive teammate and a joy to be around. Our sincerest thoughts, prayers and sympathies are with his family and loved ones."

Du'Vonta played in 15 games for the Sooners in his three years on campus, logging 27 total tackles and a sack. He left the school early with intentions to play in the NFL, but went unselected in the 2018 draft.

Lampkin would eventually sign with the Tennessee Titans just before the 2018 season, but he was cut prior to their first game. He went on to play indoor football in 2019.

Mike Hagerty, a character actor famous for his work on "Friends" and "Somebody Somewhere," is dead.

Mike died Thursday in Los Angeles, according to his 'Somebody' co-star Bridget Everett. The cause of death is unclear.

Everett's remembering Mike as a beloved character actor and devoted husband, saying she "loved Mike the instant I met him. He was so special. Warm, funny, never met a stranger."

Mike's most known for his recurring role as building superintendent Mr. Treeger on "Friends" ... most notably in the season 4 episode, "The One With the Ballroom Dancing," where Joey reluctantly agrees to be his dance partner after Rachel and Monica are threatened with eviction.

Mike appeared on a ton of TV shows over the years ... including "Boston Legal," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "Cheers," "Community," "CSI," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Entourage," "ER," "Ghost Whisperer," "Glee," "The Goldbergs," "Grey's Anatomy," "Happy Endings," "Medium," "The Mindy Project," "Mob City," "Monk," "Seinfeld," "Shameless," "The Wayans Bros." and "Wonder Years."

He was also a series regular for two seasons of FOX's "The George Carlin Show" and one season of HBO's "Lucky Louie."

Recently, Mike starred in HBO's "Somebody Somewhere" with Everett, playing her character's father, Ed Miller.

Mike, who grew up in Chicago, is survived by his wife, Mary Kathryn. He was 67.

Kevin Samuels, famous for dishing out controversial dating advice on social media, is dead, sources have confirmed to TMZ.

The influencer and self-proclaimed image consultant, lifestyle coach, and dating expert died Thursday in Georgia.

According to a police report obtained by TMZ ... EMS was called to Kevin's home Thursday morning for a "person injured" and found Kevin unresponsive on the floor of his apartment.

The police report states they talked to a woman who said they met Kevin Wednesday night and spent the night with him at his place in Atlanta. The woman -- who is a nurse -- said Kevin started to complain of chest pains on Thursday morning, and she tried to help him. She told cops he fell on top of her, so she called 911 and requested a defibrillator from the front desk of the apartment complex.

According to the report, Kevin was taken to Piedmont Hospital.

Kevin had a huge following on social media, including 1.42 million YouTube subscribers, and often stirred debate with his hot takes on dating and relationships.

Recently, Kevin stoked controversy by saying unmarried women over 35 are "leftovers" ... and the clip's been making the rounds on the internet. He's also been known to publicly embarrass both men and women seeking his dating advice.

Kevin worked with Future earlier this year, asking the rapper dating questions for a trailer for Future's single, "Worst Day." In the clip, Kevin asks Future how much money he spends on women.

Kevin was 57.

Tony Dow, the former child star who starred in the famous sitcom, "Leave It to Beaver," has been diagnosed with cancer.

Tony and his wife, Lauren, shared the health news Thursday ... announcing his diagnosis and saying they are heartbroken.

The couple did not specify the type of cancer Tony is battling, but they are thanking fans in advance for prayers.

It's another big health issue for Tony ... as we first reported, he was hospitalized back in August with pneumonia, which the family told us was not COVID related.

77-year-old Tony is most famous for playing Beaver's older brother, Wally Cleaver, during the sitcom's entire run on TV from 1957 to 1963 ... appearing in all 234 episodes.

He also played Wally in various 'Beaver' revivals and spinoffs in later years ... and starred in shows including "The Greatest Show on Earth" and "Never Too Young."

A court with homages to Kobe and Gianna Bryant could be cropping up at a local park near you ... 'cause Vanessa Bryant just announced plans to renovate courts across the country with Mamba and Mambacita themes.

Vanessa posted the news on her Instagram page on Wednesday ... saying in collaboration with BodyArmor and the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, 10 courts throughout the U.S. will be renovated, and feature nods to Kobe and Gigi.

According to BodyArmor officials ... the courts will appear in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Phoenix and Detroit.

Vanessa and BodyArmor shared a "sneak peek" of what the courts will look like ... and they're set to feature a few nods to Kobe and Gigi, including the Nos. 8 and 2 (jersey digits Kobe and Gigi wore in their basketball careers) just above the keys.

The cool gesture comes just 24 hours after BodyArmor's founder, Mike Repole, donated $24 million to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

"I’m going to make sure this foundation gets bigger than the Ronald McDonald House," Repole told the Boardroom following the generous gift.

"It’s not just about getting them the physical tools or on the courts in the right uniforms. It’s about what it does for kids mentally and confidence-wise."

BodyArmor also announced it's releasing a new "Mamba Forever" drink.

FYI -- Kobe invested $6 million into BodyArmor back in 2014 ... and when Coca-Cola bought out the brand in 2021, Bryant's estate cashed in over $400 million.

"Toddlers and Tiaras" star Kailia Posey tragically took her own life at the age of just 16, her family says, in a gut-wrenching statement.

Posey's family tells TMZ, "Although she was an accomplished teenager with a bright future ahead of her, unfortunately in one impetuous moment, she made the rash decision to end her earthly life."

The family is devastated, listing everything Kailia had ahead of her and her accomplishments during her 16 years, saying, "She won countless crowns & trophies after competing on the pageant circuit her entire life ... Her highly acclaimed talent as a contortionist had already led to professional touring job offers, and she had recently been selected to be a cheerleader at her high school next fall.

Not only that, Kailia's family says she had a love for aviation, and had plans to continue to work in the entertainment industry while pursuing her goal of a commercial pilot's license.

TMZ broke the story, the 16-year-old who first found fame on the popular TLC show -- even becoming a popular GIF as 'Grinning Girl' -- died Monday in Washington. At the time, her mom posted, "I don't have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever".

Her family has set up a fund, at the Whatcom Community Foundation in her name with the goal of providing resources to help students in crisis.

Dwayne Haskins' wife just penned a beautiful tribute to her "soulmate, lover, & best friend" ... on what would've been the late quarterback's 25th birthday.

Kalabrya Haskins shared the emotional message on her IG page on Tuesday -- adding photos and videos of the happy memories they shared before his tragic death on April 9.

"King Wayne, God decided Simba needed a halo, instead of a crown for his mane," Kalabrya wrote in the post. "Life without you here brings so much pain."

"But today we celebrate your 25th reign. Your light was so bright, words can't begin to explain… How proud I am of the man you became."

Kalabyra -- who married the former Pittsburgh Steelers QB in 2021 -- called Dwayne her "twin flame" ... and promised to always honor his name.

"Until we unite after this life again," she said, "Your soulmate, lover, & best friend."

The Haskins Family Foundation -- which was established by Haskins' parents, Tamara and Dwayne Sr., in 2021 -- also paid tribute to the former football player on his birthday by launching a new scholarship in his name.

They're also planning to have a moment of silence Tuesday night, and are asking everyone to join.

"This is a tribute to Dwayne Haskins Kr. born on May 3, 1997, turning 25 today," they said. "Please join us for a moment of silence at 8 PM tonight for one minute and reflect on the memories that he has brought to your life with his affectionate smile."

"Toddlers and Tiaras" star, Kailia Posey, has died at the age of 16.

Her mom shared the tragic news in a FB post ... "I don't have words or any thoughts. A beautiful baby girl is gone. Please give us privacy as we mourn the loss of Kailia. My baby forever".

As of now, it's unclear what lead to her death ... but there are reports, she may have been involved in some sort of incident in Washington.

You might recall Kailia as a young star on TLC's "Toddlers and Tiaras". The show ran from 2009 to 2013 and covered the lives of families as they prepped their children to compete in beauty pageants.

She became popular as an online GIF after her time on the show as the "grinning girl" ... an image that's still used a lot today in online forums.

She was pegged as a natural talent ... winning several competitions. From the looks of her Instagram, she continued to compete over the years.

Kailia was not only a competitor ... she was a sister and a daughter.

Ulta is under fire after emailing out a promotion that collabs with Kate Spade ... one that refers to the fashion designer's tragic death.

People on Ulta's mailing list were shocked Sunday when a message came to their inbox saying "Come hang with Kate Spade" ... as you know, Spade hanged herself in 2018.

The Internet is going after the beauty company full bore ... with many wondering who the hell QC's stuff that goes out.

Not surprisingly ... customers and even some ex-employees are calling for a boycott.

As we reported, Spade was found dead in her NYC apartment in 2018 -- her body was found by her housekeeper. She left a note behind for her daughter, telling the 13-year-old it wasn't her fault.

We reached out to Ulta for comment ... so far, no word back.

If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK.

Naomi Judd's death was top of mind at the Country Music Hall of Fame ceremony -- with her two daughters accepting the honor on her behalf ... and shedding tears while paying homage to her.

Ashley and Wynonna Judd were on hand Sunday at the CMA Theater in Nashville, where the Judds were inducted into the Hall. Of course, Naomi -- who made up half the duo -- had suddenly passed the day prior ... so her kids stepped up.

Their speeches were sorrowful and moving -- both AJ and WJ were weeping ... explaining how much Naomi knew she was beloved by all, which is what they say kept her hanging on for as long as she did.

Ashley also asked folks to come and see their widowed father, Larry Strickland. When Wynonna spoke, she offered up some much-needed humor ... but then said what everyone else was thinking -- that she was broken and at a loss for words.

Wynonna accepted her medallion -- and everyone gave her a huge round of applause. It was incredibly emotional all the way around ... and sorta astonishing that the Judd sisters even made it considering the shock of their mother dying.

As we reported ... Ashley and Wynonna announced Naomi's death Saturday, citing mental illness, but nothing more. Naomi was out publicly alongside Wynonna in recent weeks ... and was fully expected to make the ceremony, with no outward ailments anyone was aware of.

Naomi had been open about her mental health struggles over the years, saying she'd battled depression for a long time. The exact circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear.

The James Madison Univ. softball team will not play another game this season ... the school announced it's canceled all of its remaining contests in the wake of Lauren Bernett's tragic death.

"This was an extremely difficult decision and one that was not made lightly," JMU head coach Loren LaPorte said in a statement Monday morning.

"We are so grateful for the support of our fans all season and for the love from the softball community during the past week. We will use this time to continue healing and to honor Lauren's memory while finishing the academic semester strong."

JMU had four games remaining on its schedule ... one against Virginia on Tuesday and three against Elon slated for this weekend. The school had previously canceled games against Longwood and Delaware after learning of Bernett's death.

"We're thinking about our graduating seniors whose careers have come to an abrupt conclusion," LaPorte said. "We will make sure that they are honored for the commitment and dedication they have made as student-athletes at James Madison University."

As we reported, Bernett -- who had just won Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week honors for her roles in games in mid-April -- died by suicide last week. She was just 20 years old.

The pain Gwyneth Paltrow went through after her dad passed away was so physical, the actress thought she was going to die not long after his funeral.

Gwyneth opened up about Bruce Paltrow's death on the latest episode of Holly Willoughby's "By the Light of The Moon" ... she says the grief she went through felt like it was physically splitting her open.

The physical pain got so intense, she thought she was having a heart attack following his funeral in London. Gwyneth tried calling emergency services but she couldn't -- there was confusion over what number to call overseas.

She was only 30 when Bruce died from throat cancer in 2002, and the years passing makes everything seem odd to her -- things like your final phone call or the last meal spent together get pushed farther away.

Naomi Judd -- the Grammy-winning country star and one half of the mom-and-daughter duo The Judds -- has died ... this according to her kids.

Wynonna and Ashley Judd released a statement Saturday, saying ... "Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness." They add, "We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory." No other details were offered.

NJ's passing comes as a bit of a shock -- while she's been public in recent years about different personal struggles she's grappled with throughout her life, including depression dating back to her childhood, nobody seemed to know the extent of what she was battling.

Naomi had also made clear that her issues had left her and her country duo-daughter, Wynonna, estranged for a time ... but they'd recently reconciled and were actually due to hit the road again this year for an arena tour across the country -- the first in over a decade.

Plus, Wynonna and Naomi were supposed to appear together Sunday as inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame ceremony -- so the timing of this tragedy is stunning.

The Judds first formed in 1983 and had a massively successful career for about a decade thereafter -- during which they cranked out six studio albums, over 20 hit singles (many of which charted in the Top 10 and higher) ... and won 5 Grammys between '85 and '92.

Some notable songs ... "Love Can Build a Bridge," "Girls Night Out," "Grandpa," "Young Love," "Let Me Tell You About Love," "Maybe Your Baby's Got the Blues," "Give a Little Love," "Have Mercy," "Turn It Loose," "I Know Where I'm Going," among countless others.

The group disbanded in the '90s, during which each woman ventured out solo into their respective careers ... and Naomi even dabbled in television with one-off appearances, either as a side character or herself ... and eventually got into movies as well.

She's appeared in hit series like "Frasier," "3rd Rock From the Sun," "Touched by an Angel," "Sisters," "Maybe It's Me," and more. Naomi's also starred in flicks like "An Evergreen Christmas," "Someone Like You...," "A Holiday Romance," "The Family Tree," "Newlyweds," etc.

BTW, Ashley had her mom cameo in at least one of her films ... so they were obviously close. Naomi's survived by her husband, Larry Strickland, and her celebrity daughters.

She was 76.

Post Malone did a good deed -- a very good deed -- for students who were grieving over the death of their principal.

Post recorded a video for students at P.S. 56, The Louis Desario School in Staten Island. Principal, Phil Carollo, died suddenly last month at 49 ... apparently from a heart attack.

Phil's widow Erin tells TMZ ... her husband was a huge Post Malone fan ... the fam would take car rides and all they played was PM as the couple and their kids sang along.

Well, Phil would have celebrated his 50th birthday Friday, so folks at the school wanted to do something special. They held a carnival, and wanted Post to record a vid honoring Phil that could be played to all the students.

One of the teachers, Linda Acevado, started an online petition to get Post to record the video.

Linda was undeterred ... a colleague had a friend who somehow had a way to get to Post, and he recorded the video.

You see Linda in the video break down in tears as an emotional Post offers words of comfort to the students.