RIP

LeBron James is pleading with citizens of Akron, Ohio to help police in a murder case involving his good friend's sister ... saying Wednesday, "My city I need y’all to go to work."

Bron's lifelong pal, Brandon Weems -- who's the Cleveland Cavaliers' director of scouting -- lost his sister earlier this week in what officials have ruled a homicide.

According to News 5 in Cleveland, 37-year-old Ericka Weems was found by family members in Akron on Monday with a gunshot wound to her head.

Cops say they've launched an investigation ... but so far, they've made no arrests and say they've yet to identify any suspects.

LeBron is pleading for help to change that ... begging people of his hometown of Akron to come forward if they have any knowledge of the case.

"AKRON OHIO!!" LeBron wrote Wednesday on Twitter. "My brother’s sister was murdered this past weekend in her home! My brother family need answers to why and by whom."

"My city I need y’all to go to work and find out who did this awful, shameful, disgusting thing to such a caring, loving angel! #Justice4EricaWeems."

LeBron and Brandon's friendship goes back decades ... with MLive reporting the two met at Pee Wee football when they were little kids.

The two went on to become teammates on their St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S. basketball team ... and Bron grew so close to Brandon, he's called him his "brother" repeatedly in interviews over the years.

Akron detectives are urging people to call 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2TIP if they have any information regarding the case.

A reward of up to $5,000, meanwhile, has been offered for information by Summit County Crimestoppers as well.

Eddie Johnson -- a former NBA All-Star turned convicted child sexual predator -- has died, officials confirm.

At the time of his death, the 65-year-old was serving a life sentence in Florida stemming from a 2006 sexual assault of an 8-year-old girl.

Johnson died on Oct. 26 after a battle with an undisclosed illness, but officials didn't confirm his death until this week.

"Fast Eddie" was a solid player for the Atlanta Hawks from 1977 to 1986 -- making two All-Star teams (1980, 1981). He also played for Cleveland and Seattle.

But, Johnson had major issues off the court ... he was reportedly arrested more than 100 TIMES in his life for everything from cocaine possession to burglary and robbery ... even assault on a police officer.

Johnson was banned from the NBA for LIFE in 1987 due to cocaine use ... and things got worse from there.

Johnson was arrested in August 2006 after officials say he broke into an apartment complex and followed an 8-year-old girl to her room, where he forcibly committed sexual assault.

Johnson denied wrongdoing -- but a jury found him guilty of sexual battery and molestation after less than 2 hours of deliberating.

He received a mandatory life sentence -- and spent the rest of his days behind bars.

DaBaby's brother has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound ... according to sources with direct knowledge of the tragedy.

TMZ's learned the rapper's older brother, Glenn Johnson, took his own life Tuesday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Glenn had posted a video of himself earlier in the day in a car with a gun, and he was visibly upset and crying.

In the video, DaBaby's brother claimed he had been wronged a lot in the past. Not long afterward, our sources say he shot himself in the head and died.

We're told Johnson is survived by 3 daughters and a son.

Story developing ...

Ahmaud Arbery's mother had a face-to-face with President Trump over the killing of her son -- but she still isn't voting for him, as she casts her ballot in the same city where her child was killed.

Wanda Cooper tells TMZ ... she's currently en route to Brunswick, GA to vote -- which is about a 3-hour drive for her. Wanda says she's still registered in Glynn County, but she doesn't live there anymore after relocating the fam in the wake of Ahmaud's death.

Brunswick is the city where Ahmaud was gunned down by the McMichaels in February -- and Wanda tells us it's important she votes there to honor him. As for who she's backing ... Wanda says she's voting for Biden-Harris, and adds Ahmaud would've done the same.

It's interesting ... Wanda actually met with Trump earlier this year to discuss Ahmaud and other race-related issues, and she had a pretty glowing review of how it went afterward.

At the time, Wanda said POTUS was compassionate and receptive to her story ... and the conference appeared to have gone well by most accounts.

But, Wanda doesn't believe he's lived up to a commitment of bridging the racial divide in this country. She says Trump's public comments on BLM and other issues pertaining to the Black community make her feel like what she said to him didn't really help after all.

Enter Biden ... whom Wanda says has won her over with his message of unity, and she believes he'll bring about real change. Moreover, she admires his backing of love and respect -- something she says Ahmaud also valued.

One last thing ... Wanda says Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic hasn't done him any favors, in her eyes. She says he hasn't shown remorse for those who've lost their lives -- another reason she's not backing him.

Richard Heckmann -- co-owner of the NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury -- has died, the team confirmed Monday. He was 76.

Heckmann reportedly suffered from a degenerative neurological disorder (similar to Parkinson's) -- and ultimately passed away on Saturday from complications related to multiple system atrophy, according to The Palm Springs Desert Sun.

He is survived by his wife, Wendy, and 7 children.

Heckmann had been involved in the NBA since 2004 -- when he was part of an investment group that purchased the Phoenix Suns for $401 million.

So, how did he get rich? Dude was a legendary businessman.

Heckmann founded the U.S. Filter water company in 1990 (it was bought out 9 years later for $8.2 BILLION!).

He was also a founding shareholder of the Callaway Golf Company and the CEO of the K2 winter sports company.

Oh, and he was also an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam!

There's more ... a lot more. Bottom line, Heckmann was a BEAST in the business world.

He was also well-liked by his NBA associated -- with Suns managing partner Robert Sarver issuing this statement to remember his friend:

"Dick’s philanthropic spirit coupled with his sharp business acumen was what separated him from the pack."

"The legacy he built in the business world is only surpassed by his legacy of improving the community and his charismatic approach to life. I will deeply miss my friend and his kindness and presence."

The man who recorded the video of Ahmaud Arbery's slaying says he should be let out of jail on bond because he's less of a threat than the ones who DID get bond in the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor cases.

William "Roddie" Bryan's lawyer filed legal docs essentially saying it's not fair he's been stuck behind bars since his arrest on May 21. In docs, obtained by TMZ, Bryan argues it's "manifestly unjust that the alleged killers of George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks and Breonna Taylor have all been granted bond while Roddie Bryan, "armed only with a cell phone and located more than 50 feet away from Mr. Arbery at the time of the shooting, languishes in the Glynn County Detention Center."

It should be noted with respect to the Breonna Taylor killing ... 3 anonymous grand jurors have gone public and said the Kentucky Attorney General's Office did NOT present them any attempted murder charges, murder charges or manslaughter charges. Remember, ex-cop Brett Hankison and the 2 other cops involved in Breonna's death were not charged with shooting and killing Breonna. Instead, Hankison was only indicted for firing his weapon into an apartment neighboring Breonna's.

As for George Floyd ... ex-cop Derek Chauvin was recently released on $1 million bond. Chauvin was the last of the 4 accused cops still in custody. As we reported, the other 3 -- Alexander Keung, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao -- were released some time ago.

Garrett Rolfe -- the ex-Atlanta cop who shot and killed Rayshard Brooks during his arrest in a Wendy's parking lot -- is also out on bond and recently sued to get his job back.

Bryan's lawyer argues his client poses no significant risk of fleeing from the jurisdiction of the court and poses no significant threat or danger to any person or the community. The lawyer also claims there's additional witnesses who have come forward willing to testify in support of Bryan's bond request ... including his daughter.

Chrissy Teigen will always have her late son, Jack, on her mind, in her heart ... and now on her wrist too.

Chrissy revealed a new tattoo on her right wrist honoring Jack. The ink is simple ... Jack's name in cursive. It's subtle, but placed in a prominent spot. It's unclear exactly when she got it, but Chrissy revealed the tattoo less than a week after opening up about Jack's death.

Just as she did with her essay about her pregnancy, Chrissy's tatt is inspiring her fans. When she posted a pic of it, one woman wrote, "I’ve been trying to find the best tattoo to represent my stillborn son for 13 years. I love your tattoo for jack." Chrissy replied, "Let’s help you find something you love. Maybe one s shape, a swirl of air around you."

The woman's responded with a picture of her tattoo, similar to what Chrissy had suggested.

Actor Eddie Hassell -- most famous from NBC's "Surface" -- has died after being shot ... TMZ has learned.

Eddie's rep tells us he was killed early Sunday morning somewhere in Texas over what appears to be a carjacking. His team is working on getting more information, but they confirm he has, in fact, died.

While he didn't have too many leading roles in movies or TV shows, he acted in quite a number of them over the years. He's perhaps best known for playing Phil Nance in "Surface" for a bunch of episodes. He also starred as Eddie Suarez in "Devious Maids" for a bit.

Other acting credits include a role in "The Kids Are All Right," "Family Weekend," "'Til Death," and other cameos in a ton of other series and flicks like "2012," "Longmire," "Jobs," "Bones," "Southland," "Warrior Road," "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "Bomb City," and other projects.

Besides being an actor, Eddie was an avid surfer and skater -- he was also a published author, having written, "Someone Should Tell You: Startling Revelations and Truths to Help You Understand and Improve Your Life."

He was 30 years old.

Nikki McKibbin, who placed third on the first season of "American Idol" has died.

Sources connected to Nikki's family tell TMZ, Nikki died of a brain aneurysm. She was in the hospital on life support, and at 3 AM this morning, she was taken to the operating room where her organs were harvested and she was pronounced dead.

Nikki was on 'AI' in 2002, when the show hit like an earthquake, drawing huge audiences. Her best-remembered performance was a cover of Alannah Myles' song, "Black Velvet." She also covered Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette, Melissa Etheridge, and Janis Joplin.

Nikki finished behind Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson, who won the competition.

Turns out, she was not the only member of the family to compete. Her 15-year-old son, Tristan Langley, auditioned for the show in 2014 and made it to Hollywood, but got cut.

Nikki fought some demons during her life ... she had substance abuse issues and appeared in 2008 on Dr. Drew's 'Celebrity Rehab.' She then moved to a sober living house and her time there was chronicled on "Sober House," a spinoff of 'Celebrity Rehab.'

Nikki also appeared on "Fear Factor," and "Battle of the Network Reality Stars."

Nikki was married to Craig Sadler since 2007. She was surrounded by family when she passed.

Nikki was 42.

RIP

Nate Burrell, one of the stars of A&E's docuseries, "60 Days In," has taken his own life.

Nate's sister, Chelsey Walker, tells TMZ, Nate committed suicide Saturday night. She says her brother shot and killed himself out in public in downtown Allegan, Michigan.

Nate posted a long suicide note on Facebook, saying, "This isn't an admission of guilt. I'm just tired, I've been through so much in my life, the pain of my situation now hurts more than I ever imagined. I can't keep going on."

Nate had just turned 33 years old. He had a child on the way with his wife, but it looks like he and his wife split. He wrote, "I can only imagine how bad this would all turn out, all of the legal crap that would ensue after this with custody and everything else. You win! You have promised for weeks, you will ruin my life and I had no idea who I was messing with. You are right, I didn't know who I was messing with."

The show followed Nate and 8 other volunteers who entered jail for 2 months under assumed identities to put a spotlight on the problems behind bars.

Nate's sister said, "Nathan loved his country, loved his family and was a very caring guy. He was just in a bad place. He was very proud of being on '60 Days In,' and he really cherished his time on that show."

Burrell served in the military as a Marine from 2006 to 2010.  He was in the infantry and served 2 tours in Iraq. Nate went on to receive his associate degree in criminal justice and law enforcement in 2014. He was a Fish and Wildlife Officer in Michigan.

Nate was 33.

Vanessa Bryant and her daughters are all smiles this Halloween -- the first without Kobe and Gianna Bryant -- and for good reason too ... their costumes are freakin' amazing.

The Bryant family did a double shot of Halloween fun this year with a photo shoot that featured two sets of matching costumes between Vanessa and her three girls -- the themes being 'Madeline' (the beloved children's book series) and a classic choice ... 'Star Wars!'

For the former set, Mamba Bear dressed up as the boarding school teacher, Miss Clavel, while Natalia and her baby sisters, Bianka and Capri, donned the traditional uniform of Madeline and her classmates ... y'know, from the house in Paris covered in vines.

Needless to say ... they look incredible, almost like they were torn right out of the page. It's crazy, 'cause this is actually more realistic and faithful to the illustrations than the live action movie from the '90s.

On that latter shoot, it was less realism ... and more adorable than anything. Vanessa was a shorter version of Darth Vader, Natalia was a much taller version of BB8 -- and the two little ones were a Storm Trooper and an Ewok, respectively. These outfits were like the family-friendly ones you might find at a Target or something ... which played well for the camera.

The get-together seemed like a pretty joyous event, but of course ... the shadow of Kobe and Gigi still loom large, which makes the shoot pretty heart-breaking at the same time. Like we mentioned, this marks the first Halloween without them around -- and yet, the Bryants carried on with the family tradition of dressing up like champs.

Thankfully, Natalia's got a great shot of her and Gigi goofing around together this time last year. They were rockin' 'Wizard of Oz'-themed costumes -- with Natalia as the Scarecrow and Gianna as the Tin Man.

Sean Connery, the first and widely-regarded best James Bond ever ... has died.

Sean's wife says he died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his family. No cause of death was disclosed.

Connery became an enormous star in 1962 with the release of "Dr. No," but not without difficulty. James Bond creator Ian Fleming felt he was unrefined and wanted someone suave like Cary Grant. Fleming relented and ultimately said it was a great choice.

Sean starred in 7 Bond films between '62 and '83. Among the films -- "From Russia with Love," "Goldfinger," "Thunderball," "You Only Live Twice," "Diamonds are Forever," and "Never Say Never Again."

Connery had a hard time shaking the Bond character, but was ultimately successful .... branching out and ultimately winning an Oscar playing an Irish cop in "The Untouchables." He also won 2 Bafta awards and 3 Golden Globes. He was knighted by the Queen in 2000.

When Sean was shooting "Never Say Never Again," he took martial arts classes and got into it with the instructor who then broke his wrist. Sean didn't get it treated for years ... not knowing it was really broken. The instructor -- Steven Seagal.

Among Sean's other films ... "The Hunt for Red October," "Indiana Jones" "The Last Crusade" and "The Rock."

Most fans give Sean the title of best 007 ever ... at least in the polls. And, speaking of polls, he also holds a Sexiest Man Alive crown. He also once finished third in the Mr. Universe contest back in 1953.

Fun fact ... Sean wore a toupee in "Goldfinger" because his hair had started to thin.

Sean's survived by his second wife, Micheline Roquebrune, and his son, Jason Connery. There will be a private funeral, followed by a memorial once COVID ends.

Jonathan Mattingly -- one of the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor -- is suing her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, for shooting him in the leg during the raid.

The Louisville officer claims Walker's actions were "outrageous, intolerable, and offends all accepted standards of decency and morality." Mattingly says since March 13 -- the night he and 2 other officers busted into Taylor's apartment and killed her -- he has experienced "severe trauma, mental anguish, and emotional distress" due to what Walker did to him.

As we've reported ... Walker claims he fired a shot because the cops didn't ID themselves and he thought they were home intruders. Mattingly says they did announce themselves several times as cops. He says when they broke in, he was shot with a 9mm.

The cops were at Taylor's home as part of a failed narcotics raid. No drugs were found, and Breonna had no criminal history.

Walker was initially arrested for attempted murder, but those charges were later dropped. Walker sued the Louisville Metro PD for misconduct, and also sought immunity based on Kentucky's "Stand Your Ground" law.

Mattingly's now countersuing, which Walker's lawyer calls a "baseless attempt to further victimize and harass Kenny" and insists he was acting in self-defense.

Patriots star James White says his mom is "doing better" weeks after she was involved in a horrific car crash ... but the running back explained it's still "a tough situation."

White's dad was killed and his mom was seriously injured in a horrible wreck in Florida back on Sept. 20 ... and there was some very real concern White's mother wouldn't recover.

But, James told reporters Wednesday she's doing well ... though wrapping her head around her injuries and the loss of her husband has been far from easy.

"She’s progressing physically," White said. "Obviously, a lot going on in her mind and things of that nature, but she’s continued to progress. I’m just trying to be there for her.”

White says even though he can't physically be close to her because of the Patriots' season ... he says he keeps in touch with her often and makes sure he's FaceTiming her as much as possible.

As we previously reported, White missed New England's Week 2 and Week 3 games this season grieving over the car crash ... but he's since returned to be a key player for the Pats.

Leanza Cornett, who was crowned Miss America in 1993, has died after suffering a traumatic brain injury earlier this month.

Cornett died Wednesday, according to a family spokesperson. Though no cause of death was given, Cornett was severely injured during a fall at home on October 12 ... which required her undergoing a decompressive craniectomy to treat swelling and bleeding on her brain.

The Miss America Organization confirmed her passing, saying it's devastated for this sudden loss and deeply sorry for her loved ones. It adds ... "Leanza had a bright and beautiful spirit and her laugh was infectious."

Leanza was a familiar face on TV in the mid and late '90s -- she hosted several shows, including "Entertainment Tonight" in 1994.

The Jacksonville native was first crowned Miss Florida in 1992 before winning her Miss America crown the next year. She also sang in a Christian music group called Area Code and performed as Ariel from "The Little Mermaid" at Walt Disney World MGM Studios.

Once she was Miss America, Leanza used her platform in the '90s to be a leading activist for AIDS awareness ... and was often seen wearing a reds AIDS ribbon to support the cause.

She was 49.

No one's laughing about the rising COVID death toll, which is why this is a total WTF moment -- a senior health official announcing grim numbers ... while rocking a clown costume.

Try not to be distracted by the full clown makeup, red tie, polka dot shirt and yellow pants the official was wearing as she somberly rattled off the tally for COVID cases and deaths in Oregon.

The answer to your question -- who's this clown? She's reportedly Claire Poche from the Oregon Health Authority. We know it's Halloween and all, but Claire never addresses her attire in the video.

Officials are reportedly dismissing it as just a costume, but that doesn't square with the fact the video was recorded Oct. 14, making it 2 weeks old now and pretty early for a Halloween. Plus, the sign language interpreter isn't in a costume ... so, Claire really stands out.