True Crime

The man accused of murdering a Minnesota politician and seriously injuring another left a handwritten letter to FBI director Kash Patel, confessing to the shootings and claiming Minnesota governor Tim Walz approached him about killing 2 U.S. Senators ... at least according to federal prosecutors.

Vance Boelter was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Minnesota on murder and stalking charges in the killing of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman.

Acting United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson said the incident was a "political assassination, the likes of which have never occurred here in the state of Minnesota."

As President Trump's administration faces a whole brouhaha over newly released details in the disputed "Epstein Files" over the last week ... we're getting a peek at Jeffrey Epstein's one-time girlfriend and co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell warming the track at the Florida penitentiary where she's doing time.

Check out these pics and video ... Maxwell's getting some brisk outdoor exercise at FCI Tallahassee, where she's currently serving a 20-year prison sentence, with lots and lots of barbed wire as a backdrop.

Maxwell was accused of soliciting and grooming minors for abuse and sex crimes from 1994 to 2004 ... and was convicted on 5 counts, including sex trafficking of a minor in December 2021. She was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison about 6 months later.

Shawn Ashmore and his wife Dana are speaking out on the horrific 2023 murder of their friend Mei Li Haskell ... finally feeling some sense of closure after the suspect, Sam Haskell IV -- the son of legendary TV agent Sam Haskell -- died by suicide and spared them the agony of a trial.

The "X-Men" star and his wife tell TMZ in a statement ... "Our hearts are heavy, but we feel some small sense of peace knowing there is finally a bit of closure. We are mourning the loss of an extraordinary mother, someone who poured her entire heart into her three boys and never stopped putting them first."

The couple was not allowed to speak out about the case until now ... because they were working alongside authorities as a representative for their close family friend.

D.L. Hughley says President Trump's attempt to downplay the Jeffrey Epstein controversy seems to implicate Trump ... and he's calling for the Epstein files to be released so folks can see who was hanging out with the pedophile.

The comedian joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" and ripped into Trump for even associating with Epstein back in the day ... and he says if Trump has nothing to hide, it should be a no-brainer to release the files.

Trump promised to release the files if he was elected to a second term ... but earlier this month the DOJ and FBI sent out a memo saying there was no "little black book," that Epstein killed himself in jail, and that no one else in the case would be prosecuted.

There's been a huge outcry over the feds' bombshell announcement about the alleged Jeffrey Epstein "files" last week ... and now Kevin Spacey has joined the chorus of the outraged public demanding answers.

The Department of Justice and the FBI announced there's no evidence Epstein kept a “client list,” or was murdered in his jail cell -- a shocking revelation to some who immediately called BS.

Many big names have cried foul -- and even speculated something is being hidden at the top levels of government ... and the two-time Oscar winner joined their fold Tuesday.

Sam Haskell Jr. -- the accused wife-murderer and son of legendary TV agent Sam Haskell -- left a suicide note referencing his children, but there's a twist ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... before taking his own life at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles last Saturday, Haskell left behind a note proclaiming he would miss his 3 best friends -- his children.

What's interesting ... Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told us Haskell had purchased a one-way plane ticket for himself to Japan with his girlfriend before he was arrested, so there's evidence he was going to abandon his kids.

12:00 PM PT -- Nathan Hochman joined us on TMZ Live to discuss the new details in the case.

7:40 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Sam Haskell Jr. died after slitting his wrists at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in L.A.

Sam Haskell Jr., the son of legendary TV agent Sam Haskell, killed himself in jail just 2 days before his preliminary hearing to determine if he should stand trial for allegedly dismembering his wife and killing her parents ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Haskell took his life behind bars Saturday, although the manner of death was not disclosed.

Haskell pled not guilty to murdering Mei Li Haskell and her parents, Gaoshan Li and Yanxiang Wang, back in 2023. He allegedly dismembered the bodies, stuffed them in garbage bags, and then hired 4 day laborers to take the bags to a dump site.

Ethan Chapin’s family is speaking out -- but they’re not joining the outrage. While other victims' families are fuming over Bryan Kohberger dodging the death penalty, the Chapins say they’re at peace with it.

Speaking to NBC News, Ethan’s dad Jim Chapin said he doesn't care what happens to Kohberger, because he’ll get what’s coming. What matters most is that he’s off the streets and can’t hurt any more kids.

Jim’s wife Stacy said their stance has shifted -- at first, it was "eye for an eye" ... but after talking with prosecutors, they felt this deal made more sense for their family.

This is a BIG DEAL ... the judge in the Menendez case says the new evidence unearthed in the murder case -- if true -- makes a compelling case to throw out their convictions ... which would mean they could be released even without a parole board hearing.

According to new court documents, obtained by TMZ, L.A. County Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan, has reviewed the 2 pieces of new evidence -- the first is a letter purporting to be from Erik Menendez to his cousin, Andy Cano, which would corroborate Cano's testimony about Jose Menendez molesting Erik.

The second piece of evidence -- a declaration from Roy Rossello, a former member of Menudo, who claims he was anally raped and orally copulated by Jose in either 1983 or 1984. This declaration, according to Menendez attorney Mark Geragos, shows the prosecution was off base in characterizing Jose as "not the kind of man" who would abuse his children. Also, the judge in the murder trial severely limited testimony about alleged sexual abuse.

A guy who had a quick fling with Casey Anthony is weighing in on her latest romance with a former cop ... saying he feels no ill will toward her despite cutting things off once he found out about her infamous murder trial.

Antony Karagiannis -- who hung out with Casey a couple times back in 2018 -- tells TMZ ... he hasn't kept tabs on Casey's budding relationship with New Hampshire gun store owner Ben Beauchemin ... but he shared a short and sweet message to them -- "Good luck to both of them." Karagiannis says he hopes Casey finds peace and happiness "with whatever she has left in her life."

As for their relationship, Karagiannis makes it clear he and Casey were never an item -- just two people who casually hung out -- and had a one-night stand.

Casey Anthony's been spending time in New Hampshire with a local man who has led an interesting life ... and only TMZ found out who he is.

The bearded mystery man Casey was spotted cozying up to Wednesday night at a sports bar in Manchester, NH, is a man named Ben Beauchemin.

Ben owns a gun shop in Hookset, NH ... Wicked Weaponry ... and he's a war veteran and former Army ranger who enjoys skydiving. He also used to be a police officer.

Casey Anthony looks like she's settling into some new surroundings ... because after being spotted on a date in New Hampshire, she's doing some shopping nearby.

TMZ obtained video of Casey bolting out of the T.J. Maxx in Manchester on Thursday afternoon ... the day after she was spotted out on a date at a sports bar in town.

Casey's rolling solo on this occasion ...  and she's got two plastic shopping bags stuffed to the gills -- so it looks like she's stocking up on clothing and home goods.

A trial date for Karmelo Anthony's murder case has been set.

Court records show the teenager -- who is accused of stabbing and killing Austin Metcalf during a dispute at a high school track meet -- is slated to appear before a judge and jury in Collin County, Texas on June 1, 2026.

A court official tells TMZ Sports that date is tentative -- and it's entirely possible it gets pushed out further. But, the official added it's rare set dates ever get moved up.

Here's Bryan Kohberger's signed confession to the brutal murders of four Idaho college students ... but his admission of guilt doesn't include an explanation behind the slayings.

Kohberger's copping to a heinous killing spree that claimed the lives of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin -- who were found butchered inside an off-campus house in November 2022 -- admitting responsibility to four counts of first-degree murder.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Kohberger admits to murdering his victims with "premeditation and with malice aforethought."

Gary Coleman’s ex-wife, Shannon Price, took a lie-detector test on TV over suspicions she had something to do with the 1980s TV star's death -- and the results? Buckle up.

Catch the clip ahead of Thursday’s two-hour premiere of A&E's "Lie Detector: Truth or Deception" ... where ex-FBI agent and polygraph pro George Olivo tells Shannon she flunked two of his key questions -- with the results indicating some level of deception.

Shannon, for her part, stays cool as a cucumber -- so much so that George repeats his findings, and asks if she has anything to say. Her response? Calmly calling his results "false."

Idaho's Death Row is home to 9 prisoners convicted of murder ... and Bryan Kohberger might have been the 10th -- if he hadn't cut a plea deal with prosecutors in the face of overwhelming evidence against him.

And get this ... Kohberger would have been the worst of the worst in terms of body count compared with the other condemned inmates, but his life's been spared.

As everyone knows, Kohberger's heinous killing spree claimed the lives of 4 University of Idaho students who were found butchered inside an off-campus house in 2022. TMZ did a little digging and uncovered some interesting facts about Idaho's Death Row.