True Crime

Prosecutors in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office have been pissed off at Luigi Mangione's team for trying to sabotage its case by striking a plea bargain with the feds.

The judge in the state case just unsealed docs, one of which was a letter to the court, dated July 2, 2026, in which Assistant D.A. Joel Seidemann wrote that his office had heard rumblings of a plea bargain in the federal case.

As TMZ reported, if Luigi were to plead guilty to stalking in the federal case, the state case would be dismissed based on double jeopardy.

Emotional outburst from Lindsay Clancy ... she broke down sobbing in court while the medical examiner testified in her triple-murder trial.

When Dr. Barbara Olson took the stand on Wednesday, Lindsay started crying so hard that the judge had to call a break and get the jury out of the room.

Dr. Olson was describing 5-year-old Cora's autopsy ... mentioning bruising and discussing the pain and damage associated with dying from strangulation.

Christian Obumseli's attorney is explaining why his family approved Courtney Clenney's plea agreement ... and he says it's the first step towards holding her accountable.

Larry R. Handfield tells TMZ ... Christian's family would have liked to see Courtney receive more prison time for pleading guilty to manslaughter -- she was sentenced to 6 years -- but they recognize no amount of prison time could ever bring Christian back.

He says the guilty plea not only makes Courtney a "convicted felon" ... but also "completely undermines the narrative that has been presented over the last four years, that she acted in self-defense when she took Christian's life."

Huge update in the suspected murder-suicide down in Florida ... TMZ has obtained audio of a concerned friend asking police to do a welfare check ... and she told cops alleged killer Ryan Whiten was suicidal.

Listen to the clip -- a distraught friend of Melanie Hyer called police June 2 after she and Melanie's sister hadn't heard from her for at least a day. She says right from the get-go that Ryan has made it clear in the past he's suicidal ... which is why the friend is so worried about Melanie's well-being.

The woman even says she sent a neighbor over to the house to check in on them ... but received no answer and saw no movement despite both Melanie and Ryan's cars being in the driveway. She also notes the oven is open and a light is on, which she feels is strange.

Courtney Clenney appeared in court Monday in the killing of her boyfriend Christian Obumseli ... accepting a deal that will put her back on the street far sooner than a murder conviction could have.

The former OnlyFans star was sentenced to 6 years in prison for pleading guilty to manslaughter ... but she'll receive credit for the 4 years she's already served -- and with additional credits, she could be released in a little over a year and a half.

After the sentencing was announced, Clenney became teary-eyed as she listened to the Obumseli family deliver a statement. They said the plea may close the legal case, but it does nothing to end their grief -- with Christian's mother declaring, "No sentence, no plea can bring back my son to me."

She urged the public not to remember Christian merely as a name tied to a criminal case ... but as a beloved son, brother and friend whose life and future were ripped away.

The man accused of making chilling threats over Nolan Wells' death had a message for the FBI as he was hauled to jail -- justice for Nolan.

According to a newly filed FBI report, obtained by TMZ, Joseph Alfredo Vasquez Dumarce was arrested July 29 at a West Sacramento, CA library ... and while FBI agents drove him to jail, one agent told him she wouldn't question him about his federal charges -- but Dumarce apparently started talking anyway.

According to the report, Dumarce said he knew "what this was about" and acknowledged his words got him in trouble ... before adding, "I hope they get justice for that boy."

Ian Diaz's best friend Leslie is disgusted by the outcome of "A Toxic Love Story" ... accusing the folks behind the Netflix documentary of pulling a fast one by making her look like a lovesick dope.

Here's the deal ... Leslie became a lightning rod for trolls who say she's blind to Ian's crimes because she's madly in love -- even though he's in the slammer for a cyberstalking plot involving his former wife Angela Connell Diaz and ex-girlfriend Michelle Hadley.

Now, Leslie's slamming filmmakers for making her come off that way ... insisting she never should've trusted them.

Leslie tells TMZ ... "I expected them to do the research on all they heard from all those filmed for this doc. They were given so much information -- and then decided to abort the truth and ignore all the actual evidence."

The leader of a Mexican criminal cartel was swept up by authorities after allegedly ordering the brutal murders of his son's beauty influencer ex-girlfriend and a mayor.

Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala was arrested in late July by military personnel and law enforcement officers during a joint operation ... according to multiple reports.

Mexican officials say Ayala was known as "El R-1" ... he was the main leader of "Los Rs", one of the most violent criminal organizations connected to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel -- a group allegedly involved in murder, extortion and drug trafficking. 

According to authorities, Ayala masterminded and financed the hit on 23-year-old beauty influencer Valeria Marquez -- whose ex-boyfriend is Ayala's son. In May 2025, Marquez was shot and killed by a gunman while livestreaming in her beauty salon in the Mexican city of Zapopan.

Kaylee Goncalves' dad seemingly doesn't mind Bryan Kohberger wanting to change his guilty plea ... because he says he wants to see Kohberger on trial for his daughter's murder.

Steve Goncalves, his wife Kristi, and their youngest daughter, Aubrie appeared on "Today" Tuesday to talk about the case and the new Netflix documentary about the brutal slaying ... "The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare."

Craig Melvin asked Steve if he still wants to see a trial ... especially since Kohberger has filed to take back his guilty plea -- claiming he's innocent and only confessed because of "false promises" and "disinformation."

Ian Diaz's stepfather asked a federal judge to show compassion when it came time to sentence the former law enforcement officer featured in Netflix's "A Toxic Love Story" ... arguing prison would devastate Diaz's wife and young son.

According to documents obtained by TMZ, Diaz's stepfather -- Mark -- submitted a heartfelt letter to the court in June of 2023, describing Diaz as someone he's known since childhood ... saying he never knew him to be violent or "knowingly harmed anyone."

Doughty says the family proudly supported Diaz through the police academy -- later U.S. Marshals training -- and becoming a law enforcement officer had been Diaz's lifelong dream.

He says Diaz's graduation photo still hangs on their wall.

Ian Diaz from "A Toxic Love Story" was slammed by his ex-wife Michelle Hadley's mom … in a letter she wrote to the judge before he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, TMZ has learned.

TMZ obtained the letter written by Michelle’s mom begging the judge to throw the book at Ian for what he did to her daughter. 

She wrote, "I was that mom who walked my daughters right to the door of their elementary school classes and who checked online for sexual predators in our neighborhood. How ironic that the very thing I couldn't protect my daughter from was corrupt law enforcement."

Michelle Hadley -- Ian Diaz's ex from Netflix's "A Toxic Love Story" -- wrote an emotional letter begging for her ex to serve hard time ahead of his sentencing, TMZ has learned. 

TMZ obtained the letter Michelle sent to the judge to consider before determining how many years Ian would be in prison. 

Ian and his then-wife Angela Diaz were accused of conspiring together to ruin Michelle’s life. The then-couple posted ads on Craigslist with Michelle’s address asking for a man to help her with her “rape fantasy” … in hopes she would be sexually assaulted. 

Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner were honored at Sunday's Los Angeles Dodgers game ... and their son, Jake, and daughter, Romy, threw out the ceremonial first pitches.

Jake and Romy walked out to the mound in their custom "Reiner" Dodgers jerseys ... and they hugged after throwing their baseballs.

Rob, a lifelong Dodgers fan, was honored before the game in an emotional tribute.

Jake had previously written in a heartbreaking post that he and and his father shared love of the Dodgers -- and he wouldn't be able to set foot in Dodger Stadium without thinking about him -- so this was definitely a fitting way to honor his memory.

Courtney Clenney has reached a plea deal with prosecutors in the stabbing death of her boyfriend Christian Obumseli ... and his family seems relieved it's over.

The family's attorney, Larry Handfield, confirmed Clenney, prosecutors, and the Obumseli family came to a resolution that will help them avoid a trial. The details will be made public at a sentencing hearing on August 10.

He adds, "Pleading guilty and accepting full responsibility will begin the process of bringing closure to a very tragic life changing event for the Obumseli family."

A delivery driver who claims he was wrongfully detained at gunpoint in the Nancy Guthrie investigation plans to sue over damage law enforcement allegedly caused at his home ... and we've got photos he says back up his claims.

Carlos Palazuelos' legal team provided the images ... which show battered and beaten walls, plus holes in the ceiling.

You can also see scuff marks on doors, what looks to be a fist-shaped hole in the wall, and a cracked door jamb.

Christian Obumseli's family has settled their lawsuit against the Miami apartment complex he and Courtney Clenney were living in when she fatally stabbed him ... TMZ has learned.

Christian's family filed a wrongful death suit against One Paraiso condo … but they ultimately settled before a trial.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ, One Paraiso and FirstService Residential will cover the costs of any outstanding hospital or medical bills, as well as any liens of that nature. In return, Christian's family has dismissed the suit with prejudice.