RIP

Rodney Rogers -- a basketball star who shined in college and went on to have a productive NBA career -- has died ... his alma mater, Wake Forest University announced.

WFU's athletic department released a statement from Rodney's wife, Faye, Saturday morning ... stating Rogers passed away peacefully Friday surrounded by loved ones.

Faye mentions Rodney rising above adversity -- he was paralyzed from the shoulders down in a 2008 ATV accident -- keeping upbeat and joyful despite all his challenges. Faye did not reveal a cause of death.

Jellybean Johnson -- best known for being a founding member of Prince's band The Time -- has died.

Jellybean -- real name Garry George Johnson -- died suddenly Friday night, his family tells TMZ. The cause of death is currently unknown.

Aside from being the one and only drummer in The Time -- which later changed its name to Morris Day and the Time and the Original 7ven -- the late musician is known for being a leading innovator in what became known as the Minneapolis Sound -- a funk, rock and soul movement in the 1970s and '80s.

Anna Kepner's ex has come forward with harrowing new details about the final moments of her life ... alleging she was involved in a heated confrontation with her 16-year-old stepbrother before her death.

Joshua Tew -- who described Anna as his first love during a new interview with Inside Edition -- said her 14-year-old brother Connor told him about a nasty fight she was allegedly in with her stepsibling in the cabin they all were sharing aboard Carnival's Horizon ship.

Anna and the unnamed brother were allegedly inside the locked cabin ... and according to Joshua, Connor could hear him "yelling at her in a harmful way." Joshua was told the stepsibling even yelled at her to "shut the hell up." There was also some "banging around" heard in the room ... including what the brother believes were chairs being thrown.

Beloved Italian singer Ornella Vanoni, whose international hits include "Senza Fine" and "L’appuntamento," has died.

Vanoni died from cardiac arrest at her home in Milan, Italy, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her sadness following the news, remembering Vanoni’s "unmistakable voice" and her contribution to Italian arts on X.

Anna Kepner -- the teen who tragically died on the Carnival Horizon earlier this month -- died from asphyxiation caused by a "bar hold" after someone’s arm was placed across her neck, according to a new report.

A source close to the investigation tells ABC News FBI agents found two bruises on the side of Anna’s neck after she was choked by an unidentified person ... The source also said preliminary information indicates there were no signs of sexual assault and no drugs or alcohol in the 18-year-old’s system.

The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner is still working to determine a cause of death.

TikTok star Ben Bader died from complications of cardiovascular disease, TMZ has learned.

According to medical examiner documents obtained by TMZ, the content creator had untreated hardening and narrowing of the arteries ... and his death has been ruled as natural. Florida's Palm County Medical Examiner noted genetic factors "were likely involved in the development" of his cardiovascular impairment.

Ben was believed to be healthy, and only had recent complaints of back and shoulder pain he sought physical therapy to alleviate, the documents further state. The pain reliever codeine was traced in his urine, but not in his blood ... and was not a contributing factor to his unexpected death.

Anna Kepner was mysteriously found dead on a Carnival Cruise ship two weeks ago -- and we're now learning her stepbrother allegedly had a strange infatuation with the teen cheerleader ... even climbing on top of her in bed one time, according to a new report.

"Inside Edition" interviewed Steven Westin -- the father of Kepner's ex-boyfriend -- for an episode that aired Thursday ... and Westin made several shocking claims based on discussions he says he had with his 18-year-old son about Kepner's stepbrother.

As you know, Kepner, also 18, was on the Carnival Cruise with her stepbrother and other family members returning to Miami on November 7 ... when she was tragically found dead on board.

A pilot flying an Indian combat plane tragically died in front of a large crowd at an air show in Dubai ... and the chilling moment was caught on camera.

The jet went down Friday during a demonstration flight ... after the pilot made several passes over the air show grounds.

In the shocking video ... the pilot appears to lose control and the combat plane suddenly takes a nose dive and bursts into flames as it hits the ground.

Chadwick Boseman was honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Thursday, and his widow Simone Boseman spoke to us about his legacy and what this honor does for it.

As you know, Chadwick made history with his portrayal as T'Challa in "Black Panther" ... but Simone tells us its impact reached beyond just that film franchise.

She pointed out he blazed a trail for all future Black superheroes ... "He made space and now there can be more and more and more ... he set it up. He played the role he was meant to play."

The Kessler Twins paid thousands for their assisted suicides ... TMZ has learned.

Wega Wetzel -- a spokesperson for the assisted suicide company DGHS -- tells TMZ ... the going rate for one assisted suicide is 4,000 euros per person, or 6,000 euros for two people together -- that's about $4,600 and $7,000, respectively. This covers the cost of complete care by doctors and lawyers, including expenses.

Alice and Ellen Kessler contacted DGHS -- which, when translated, stands for German Society for Humane Dying -- more than a year ago because they wanted to end their lives with dignity on the same day together, Wetzel says. They ultimately decided to end their lives in their home in Grünwald near Munich this week.

Canadian actor Spencer Lofranco -- best known for his starring roles in "Jamesy Boy" and "Gotti" -- has died.

TMZ has learned his death is being investigated in British Columbia, Canada. The cause has not yet been determined.

His brother, Santino Lofranco, paid tribute to the star on Instagram and revealed he passed on Tuesday. He remembered him as a "legend" who "changed people [sic] lives."

Gary "Mani" Mounfield, who established himself as one of alternative rock's premier bassists through his work with The Stone Roses, has died.

The performer's death was announced by his brother Greg in a Facebook post Thursday ... the bassist's sibling wrote he was sharing the post "with the heaviest of hearts." Mounfield's cause of death wasn't revealed in the post.

Mounfield was mourned on X by The Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown and Liam Gallagher of Oasis, who called the bass player his "hero."

Mounfield joined The Stone Roses in 1987 and played on the band's only two albums, "The Stone Roses" and "Second Coming." The band broke up in 1996, reunited in 2011, and remained together until 2017.

Mounfield joined Primal Scream following The Stone Roses' initial breakup, staying with the band until 2011.

Mounfield also collaborated with numerous other artists over the course of his career ... he was a member of the supergroup Freebass, which included The Smiths' bassist Andy Rourke and Joy Division's Peter Hook.

Mounfield is survived by his twin sons, Gene and George. His wife Imelda died in 2023.

Mounfield was 63 years old.

A pair of influencers formerly in a relationship died just hours apart in the Philippines this week.

Gina Lima was found unresponsive in her condo Monday ... she was brought to a hospital in Quezon City by her ex-boyfriend, Ivan Cezar Ronquillo, where she was pronounced dead on arrival, according to the Manila Standard.

"Tablets and marijuana" were later found in the room where she was discovered by Ronquillo.

The 23-year-old actress and social media star sustained what were described as nonfatal external injuries. Lima's cause of death officially remains undetermined, and toxicology tests were in progress.

The deaths at Walt Disney World in Florida keep piling up ... with authorities confirming a fifth fatality in less than a month.

The Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office tells TMZ ... on November 8, there was a death at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort.

The details surrounding the incident remain unclear.

Anna Kepner's family is remembering the teen cheerleader as a radiant soul who "lived every day with her whole heart," following the tragic discovery of her body on a Carnival cruise ship.

Anna -- nicknamed "Anna Banana" -- was reportedly found by a maid wrapped in a blanket and hidden under a bed on November 8 during a Caribbean cruise with her father, Christopher Kepner, her stepmother Shauntel Hudson, and Hudson's kids.

Despite the tragedy, Anna's family focused their tribute on her joyful, light-filled life. "She loved the sun, the water, boat days, island days, and beach days, anything that let her soak in the light she so easily radiated to others," her obituary reads.

San Diego Padres legend Randy "Junkman" Jones -- the first pitcher from the organization to win the Cy Young Award -- passed away on Tuesday. He was 75.

The Padres announced Jones' death on Wednesday, mourning the left-handed pitcher who was the "cornerstone of our franchise for over five decades."

"Randy was committed to San Diego, the Padres, and his family," the team said. "He was a giant in our lives and our franchise history."