RIP

Billy Dee Williams thinks America is in one of its darkest periods ever ... referencing the latest act of violence against his dear friends.

We got Billy Dee Thursday in WeHo and asked about the murder this week of Jacqueline Avant, wife of music legend Clarence Avant.

Billy Dee is clearly upset, saying, "There's a dark energy that's permeating our lives right now.  I call it Lucifer."

The legendary actor seems to think this is a tipping point, wondering what's going on in America with all the violence and insanity?"

Billy Dee is fatalistic about his own safety in a city -- Los Angeles -- that is becoming treacherous on so many levels.

A suspect has been taken into custody in the shooting death of music legend Clarence Avant's wife, Jacqueline ... TMZ has learned.

Family sources with direct knowledge tell us a man has been arrested in connection to the murder.

TMZ broke the story, 81-year-old Jackie was shot and killed inside the couple's Trousdale Estates home in Beverly Hills Wednesday morning. At the time, we were told at least one suspect made it into the home. A smashed glass door appeared to be the point of entry.

What's more ... a private security guard for the Avant's was on duty, and was shot at, but was not struck and did not return fire. It's not known if the guard was armed.

Clarence was not injured during the attack..

During a press conference Wednesday, Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark Stainbrook shared a message from the family, but wouldn't share details on the investigation or who was involved.

Among tributes to Jacqueline was one from former President Bill Clinton, who said, "Jackie Avant was a wonderful woman, a great partner to Clarence and mother to Alex and Nicole, an active citizen & a dear friend to Hillary and me for 30 years. She inspired admiration, respect & affection in everyone who knew her. We are heartbroken. She will be deeply missed."

Eddie Mekka, who most famously played Carmine, the "Big Ragu," on "Laverne & Shirley" has died ... TMZ has learned.

Eddie's brother, Warren Mekjian, tells TMZ ... Eddie was found dead at his home in Newhall, CA on Saturday. We're told friends and neighbors became concerned when they hadn't heard from him in a few days and called cops to go over and check on him.

Warren tells us Eddie had recently been hospitalized for blood clots and could barely walk ... there's no indication his death was suspicious or that there was any foul play involved.

Eddie played Carmine Ragusa -- Shirley's boyfriend on the show from 1976-1983. Carmine would regularly sing on the show. Eddie also had a role on one of "Laverne & Shirley" producer Garry Marshall's other shows, "Blansky's Beauties" -- and he'd been nominated for a Tony Award for his role in "The Lieutenant" ... prior to his TV career taking off.

Like a lot of 70s and 80s TV stars, Eddie also had guest roles on "Fantasy Island" and "The Love Boat" ... and later he was on the ABC hit, "Family Matters."

Eddie has one daughter, Mia, with Yvonne Marie Grace who he married in 1994.

He was 69.

The lawyer for the assistant director on "Rust" is backing Alec Baldwin's claim he did not pull the trigger on the gun that caused the death of Halyna Hutchins.

Lisa Torraco appeared on "Good Morning America" Thursday and actually went a step further, saying her client told her from day 1 not only did Baldwin not pull the trigger, he didn't even have his finger on the trigger.

Torraco said, “...that the entire time Baldwin had his finger outside the trigger guard, parallel to the barrel, and that he told me since day one he thought it was a misfire. I know, and until Alec said that, it was just really hard to believe, but Dave has told me since the very first day I met him that Alec did not pull that trigger.”

For starters, the word "misfire" is being used improperly. A misfire is when you pull the trigger and nothing happens because there's something wrong with the ammo.

The core issue, however -- can a gun discharge a bullet when someone does not pull the trigger? Weapons expert Steve Wolf tells TMZ, yes, if someone drops a loaded gun the inertia of the trigger hitting the ground could cause enough movement for the gun to discharge.

But, Wolf is clear ... if someone is holding a gun, he says it will not fire without the user pulling the trigger. He says some of these weapons have "very light trigger action" ... meaning a gentle tap could cause a discharge. But, he says there can't be a discharge without some trigger movement.

Jonshel Alexander, the former child actor who co-starred in the Oscar-nominated film “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” is dead after a shooting in her native Louisiana.

Jonshel -- who was 12 when she got the role in the 2012 film -- was sitting in a vehicle with a man last Saturday in New Orleans when someone opened fire on them. Jonshel was pronounced dead on the scene, her friend survived and went to a hospital for treatment.

Police have released a photo of a person of interest -- a Black male wearing a ski mask -- and are asking the public for help identifying and locating him.

Jonshel played Joy Strong in 'Beasts' ... a drama filmed in Louisiana about a struggling bayou community, which also had then-6-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis in the lead role. The movie got 4 Oscar noms, including Best Picture, and won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Director Benh Zeitlin has said he pretty much created the role of Joy specifically for Jonshel. As he put it, “A lot of the lines were written by her, and so much of the character grew out of who Jonshel was. Her character in the film is named Joy Strong, which always seemed like a perfect description of Jonshel. She was a really bright burning light.”

'Beasts' was her only acting role. After graduating high school, Jonshel worked as a hostess in restaurants and had a daughter ... according to the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.

Jonshel was 22.

Neighbors of Clarence and Jacqueline Avant have been alarmed by the crime wave in Beverly Hills and L.A. ... so much so they hired armed guards before Wednesday's fatal home invasion.

Residents in Trousdale Estate tell us just last week a bunch of neighbors got together and hired a private security firm. Law enforcement tells us there has been a spike in home and vehicle burglaries in Trousdale ... and it's got residents scared stiff.

Our source tells us the neighbors pooled cash and hired the security company ... problem is, the guards hadn't started patrols yet.

Some residents are so concerned after Wednesday's home invasion ... they've individually hired armed guards. And, on top of that, sources at the Beverly Hills PD tell us they will be measurably increasing patrols in the area. The PD has also hired a private security company to make sure the area is adequately covered.

Our BHPD sources tell us as far as they can see there is no connection to the smash-and-grab robberies in Beverly Hills and L.A. Louis Vuitton and Saks Fifth Avenue were both hit recently in Bev Hills.

TMZ broke the story, Avant was killed in her home early Wednesday morning. We know at least one suspect made their way into the home where Jackie was shot in the stomach ... she was awake and alert when paramedics arrived, but later died at the hospital.

Virgil Abloh was a game-changer in the fashion world, but not only for his designs -- he was also committed to bringing diversity to the industry ... according to Billy Porter.

BP was at Dulles Int'l Airport Tuesday when we got his thoughts on Virgil's passing ... which rocked the fashion world and beyond. Like mostly everyone else who got the sad and sudden news, Billy was equally shocked.

We asked Billy what Virgil meant to the culture, and he told us there's a big shift right now in the fashion industry toward more diversity and inclusion -- and he's giving Virgil big props for sparking it.

Seeing how Virgil was the first Black man in history tapped to head up Louis Vuitton's menswear line, it goes without saying he did so much in that regard ... and Billy emphasizes that here.

BTW, Billy had just touched down from overseas, where it sounds like he attended a fashion award show -- and it seems folks there were just as somber about Virgil's passing as here in the States.

Clarence Avant, a legendary music exec who was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had a tragedy at home Tuesday night ... a home invasion where his wife of 54 years -- Jacqueline Avant -- was shot and killed ... TMZ has learned.

It happened in the Trousdale Estates ... a high-end area neighboring Beverly Hills. Law enforcement tells TMZ, Beverly Hills PD got a call at 2:30 AM for a home invasion. The caller told the dispatcher someone had been shot. By the time they arrived, Jackie had already been rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

A family source tells us the people who broke into the house fired shots and hit Jackie. Clarence was home at the time. We do not know if he was hurt.

Jackie and Clarence's daughter is Nicole Avant, who is married to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos.

Clarence is known as the Godfather of Black Music. He's been regularly celebrated by the likes of Jay-Z and Diddy, L.A. Reid and Babyface. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame back in October.

Jackie served as the President of the Neighbors of Watts, a support group that focused on child care. She was also on the Board of Directors of UCLA's International Student Center.

Jacqueline was 81.

RIP

Tate Myre -- a star junior for the Oxford Wildcats football team -- died trying to disarm the gunman during the tragic school shooting on Tuesday ... and now, the running back's peers want to honor his legacy by renaming the stadium after him.

A 15-year-old was taken into custody after 3 students were killed and 8 others were injured in the 5-minute attack ... with witnesses claiming the athlete tried to subdue the shooter.

16-year-old Myre was shot in the confrontation and was rushed by a deputy to a local hospital. Unfortunately, Myre succumbed to his injuries in the police car.

Myre's classmates have been posting about their grief ... sharing memorable stories about Tate. One person even launched a Change.org petition, calling on the school to rename Wildcats Stadium in his honor -- it currently has more than 55,000 signatures.

Myre was a standout athlete for the Wildcats -- he was interested in playing for schools like Michigan State, Texas, Notre Dame, USC, Texas A&M and more.

In his recruitment bio, Myre had goals of playing at the next level.

"I have been in love with football since I was young and always dreamed of playing college football," he said in his profile. "If I play college football I will be the hardest worker on the field and no matter the situation in the game I will give all my effort."

Myre appeared to be on his way to making that dream a reality -- he recently visited the University of Toledo on a recruitment trip.

Alec Baldwin says he didn't pull the trigger on the gun that killed Halyna Hutchins, the first time we've heard him make the new claim, and leaving many more questions to be answered.

The actor is speaking out about the 'Rust' tragedy in his first sit-down interview, which will air Thursday on ABC. The network just released a teaser for what is to be discussed, and there's a lot to unpack -- including his claim that he didn't squeeze the trigger.

In a nearly 2 minute clip, you hear anchor George Stephanopoulos peppering Baldwin with questions -- and it sounds like he's asking everything that most everybody has wondered about this story ... and Alec seems to respond to much of it, oftentimes in emotional terms.

One question revolves around the alleged fact that Alec pulling the trigger during the rehearsal that day was not called for in the script ... at least according to people who've sued over this so far.

Immediately in response, Alec is heard saying ... "Well, the trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger." GS seems stunned, but AB insists he'd never point a gun at someone and fire. Of course, this would mean Baldwin is suggesting the gun misfired on its own.

There's not much clarity on what Alec means exactly -- but we suppose everyone will get the answer when this chat hits the airwaves tomorrow.

Dave Draper -- one of the most legendary figures in the history of bodybuilding -- has died ... and Arnold Schwarzenegger says he's torn up over the news.

Draper's wife announced the passing on her Facebook page on Tuesday, saying, "Dave died early this morning."

"I was with him and it was calm and peaceful," Laree Draper added. "It, as his doctor told me a little while ago, was a good death."

Dave was 79 years old.

Schwarzenegger took the news hard ... writing on his social media page Tuesday afternoon that Dave was one of his biggest inspirations.

"In Austria," Schwarzenegger said, "I kept his photo on the wall above my bed for motivation."

In fact, Schwarzenegger said when he eventually moved to the United States, he met Dave and they became pals and training partners.

"He couldn't have been more welcoming, and he always pushed everyone around him in the gym to be better," Schwarzenegger said. "He was an amazing writer and a great family man."

"I will miss the Blond Bomber, but his memory will always be with me. My thoughts are with Laree and the family."

Dave began bodybuilding at a young age -- and famously won the Mr. New Jersey title in 1962, when he was just 21 years old.

Dave went on to win a Mr. Universe crown in 1966 ... and later starred in a bunch of TV and movie roles, including Sharon Tate's famous 1967 flick, "Don't Make Waves."

Travis Scott offered to pay for burial costs for the deceased of Astroworld Fest -- but more families of those who died are giving him the cold shoulder ... turning down his cash.

TMZ has spoken to attorneys repping the families of 14-year-old John Hilgert and 27-year-old Danish Baig -- both of whom perished during the event. In each of their cases ... the families have opted to snub TS, with one family suggesting it's a slap in the face.

Attorney Michael Lyons -- who's representing Baig's family in a civil lawsuit against Travis and others -- tells us ... "We received a written offer from Travis Scott's attorney Dan Petrocelli indicating that he would pay $7,500 in funeral burial costs and my clients are rejecting that."

As for why ... Lyons says the Baig family wants Travis nowhere near their son's burial, adding ... "[Y]ou can infer that when a parent has to bury their child that they're not really interested in people who may have contributed to that being involved."

Ditto for the Mithoff law firm, which is representing Hilgert's family in a similar lawsuit against Travis -- although, they didn't explain why they're rejecting the offer -- only saying they turned it down. No word on whether it was also in the amount of $7,500.

Speaking of these lawsuits, we asked Lyons what he and the family hope to gain going forward (besides damages) -- and he tells us his clients are hopeful for legislative reform so that this can never happen again.

As we reported ... the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount also rejected Travis' offer for burial costs. While it's unclear if any family has taken him up on the offer -- we wouldn't be surprised if all of them forgo his dough.

Virgil Abloh was honored by some of his closest friends -- including Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Kid Cudi -- along with fashion industry titans during a beautiful show in Miami.

The Louis Vuitton runway show titled "Virgil Was Here" just wrapped, featuring all-new looks from the brand directly inspired by the late creative director. Ye, who was one of Virgil's closest friends, had a front-row seat next to North, followed by Kim ... and Kid Cudi, who was also close to Virgil, walked as a model in the show.

The show opened with words from Virgil, talking about how he'd encourage adults to create like they were children ... Quavo, Pharrell, Gunna, Lil Baby, 21 Savage and Joe Jonas were also in attendance.

Kim posted a touching tribute to Abloh Monday, saying, "God doesn’t make mistakes. I know that but I still can’t help but ask why. Why Virgil?! Why him so soon? it’s simply hard to understand why. I have a hard time understanding why so many pure souls were taken away so early."

The show wrapped with the LV design team, some in tears, getting a standing round of ovation from those in attendance followed by Virgil's voice saying, "Life is so short that you can't waste a day subscribing to what someone thinks you can do vs. what you CAN do." and a beautiful firework show with the city of Miami as the backdrop.

"Virgil Was Here" comes less than a week after the 41-year-old's sudden and tragic death.

Tupac Shakur's right-hand man/bodyguard has a treasure trove of Pac-related gems that are seeing the light of day for the first time ... and are expected to fetch a pretty penny.

The late rapper's ex-bodyguard, Frank Alexander -- who has also since died -- once had a computer hard drive in his possession that's said to contain an unspoken amount of content covering all things Tupac ... including unseen photos, unheard music and legal docs giving new insight into his life.

The 83 GB drive -- which is being auctioned off by GottaHaveRockandRoll.com starting Wednesday -- will have an opening bid of $10,000 ... but we're told by people in the know that auction heads think someone will throw down way more for it -- about $600k or beyond.

Why's this thing so dang valuable, you may ask??? It's pretty simple actually ... especially when you get a gander at what's inside.

Among the digital files ... a sea of pics showing Pac and his pals behind the scenes, either hanging out and/or working on music and other projects.

Not just that, but we're told there's also a plethora of legal docs that pertained to Tupac that Frank owned ... such as depositions he gave, lawsuits he was named in, among other paperwork. Bottom line ... it's a very valuable collector's item for any hardcore fan.

Cops at LAX are working a sad and gruesome case -- a dead dog was found there, and someone seems to have dumped the poor pup's lifeless body in a trash can ... TMZ has learned.

The horrific scene unfolded Tuesday afternoon when airport janitorial staff were alerted by a citizen who had discovered the animal's corpse in a bin -- and then the janitors alerted airport police.

We're told the dog -- apparently a French bulldog -- was stuffed inside a duffel-type bag that might have been the animal's carrier. Worth noting there was also a ripped luggage tag nearby.

Cops are trying to figure out what happened to the dog, and who placed it in the trash bin. Luckily, it's LAX and that means there are cameras almost everywhere -- we're told officers are checking all available surveillance footage.

Sadly, we've reported on way too many pets dying on airplanes -- usually in cargo holds, overhead bins or occasionally on the tarmac -- but this is the first time we've seen a dead dog turn up this way at an airport.

The big mystery in the fatal shooting on the set of Alec Baldwin's movie "Rust" remains ... how live rounds ended up in the weapon, and now investigators are taking a closer look at the film's ammo supplier.

According to a new search warrant, obtained by TMZ, detectives in New Mexico have interviewed a guy named Seth Kenney, one of the suppliers of the ammunition head armorer Hannah Reed used on set.

Cops also spoke to Hannah's father, Thell Reed, who himself is an experienced armorer who has worked with Seth. In the docs, cops say Thell told them he and Seth crossed paths on a different production ... a month or 2 before the "Rust" tragedy.

What's interesting about that is ... Thell claims Seth brought live ammo -- a can with about 200 to 300 rounds -- to that set for the purpose of weapons training. When the training was completed, Thell says Seth took back the remaining bullets, and claims that included some live Colt .45 ammo.

The gun Baldwin fired was a long barrel Colt .45. You see where Thell is going with this -- he told cops the leftover ammo from his production might match that which killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

That's his theory, anyway, and cops are willing to check it out -- the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Dept. got the warrant to search Seth's company, PDQ Arm & Prop.

Presumably, they want to see if the fatal round matches those in the can of live ammo from a couple months ago. The judge signed off, giving detectives the greenlight to scoop up the potential evidence.

And, there's this ... according to the docs, cops also spoke to "Rust" prop master, Sarah Zachry, who said she checked the ammo box -- after Halyna was shot -- and found some bullets that rattled, indicating they're dummy rounds, and others that didn't. That led her to believe there were even more live rounds in the ammo box.

Remember, Hannah's attorneys floated a theory that someone, perhaps a disgruntled crew member, intentionally brought live bullets on set to sabotage the production -- but D.A. Mary Carmack-Altwies has said she isn't buying that.