Famous Death News Feed

People and Entertainment Weekly reported on July 8 that Cristina Sanz, a cast member from A&E's Emmy-winning reality series "Born This Way," had died after a sudden cardiac arrest. Her family said she died on Monday, July 6.

Louisiana outlets reported the death of State Sen. Larry Selders on July 8 after he collapsed the previous evening. He represented Baton Rouge in the state Senate and had previously served in the Louisiana House.

Texas songwriter Brian Burns, remembered for "I've Been Everywhere (In Texas)" and for preserving Texas music history, was reported dead in stories published July 8. Coverage says he died on July 4, 2026.

George E. Johnson Sr., the entrepreneur who built Johnson Products into a Black hair care empire and helped make it the first Black-owned company listed on the American Stock Exchange, was reported dead at 99. AP and WTTW both said he died Monday, July 6, 2026, at his home in downtown Chicago.

Variety and ABC News reported that Lauren Bennett, the singer featured on LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" and a member of G.R.L. and Paradiso Girls, has died at 37. Her former bandmates announced her death on July 6; no cause of death was immediately given in the reports reviewed.

Variety reported that Moritz de Hadeln, the influential festival chief who led Locarno, the Berlinale and Venice, died at 85. The report said he died July 4 at a hospital in Nyon, Switzerland, from complications following a recent medical procedure.

AP reported that Stephen Francis, the Jamaican coach behind generations of Olympic and world sprint champions, died at 64. His MVP Track & Field Club said he died late Saturday after helping prove elite Jamaican athletes could train and dominate at home.

AP reported that Jim Walden, a longtime college football coach who led Washington State to its first bowl trip in decades and later coached Iowa State, died at 88. His death was announced Friday by the two schools after he died Thursday.

AP reported that Lam Wing-kee, the Hong Kong bookseller whose 2015 detention made him a symbol of free-speech resistance, died in Taiwan at 70. Taiwan's president publicly mourned him after his years of exile and activism.

The Washington Post reported that Margaret Thomas, the first female staff photographer at the newspaper, has died at 84. She spent decades documenting Washington and national news, including riots, congressional hearings and presidential politics, while breaking barriers for women in photojournalism.

AP reported that former child actor Daveigh Chase, known for voicing Lilo in Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" and playing Samara in "The Ring," died on June 16 at 35. The July 1 report said the Los Angeles medical examiner listed AIDS as her cause of death, with chronic polysubstance abuse also noted.

ABC News reported that Victor Willis, the Village People lead singer and co-writer of "Y.M.C.A.," died June 30 after what his family described as a short but aggressive illness. His death was announced one day before what would have been his 75th birthday.

AP reported that Abdul Ahad Momand, Afghanistan's first person in space, has died at 67. The former air force pilot spent nine days aboard the Mir space station in 1988 and remained a national symbol of scientific achievement.

AP reported that Artur Dmitriev, the two-time Olympic pairs champion who became the first male figure skater to win Olympic gold with two different partners, has died at 58. He later worked as a coach after a decorated competitive career.

The Guardian reported that Michael Byrne, the British actor known for stage work and screen roles including "The Eagle Has Landed," "A Bridge Too Far" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," has died at 82. He worked across British theater, film and television for more than six decades.

AP reported that Les Mills, the New Zealand Olympian who founded the fitness chain that grew into Les Mills International, has died at 91. He competed at four Olympics and helped build one of the world's best-known group-fitness brands.

David Doty, the U.S. district judge who directed numerous NFL labor matters in his Minneapolis courtroom and made a 1992 ruling that paved the way for modern free agency, has died.

AP reported that Penelope Keith, the British actor best known for the sitcoms "The Good Life" and "To the Manor Born," has died at 86. She was one of the most recognizable faces in British television comedy.

AP reported on June 28 that Khadijah Farrakhan, widely known as the first lady of the Nation of Islam and the longtime wife of Louis Farrakhan, died on Saturday at 90. Born Betsy Ross, she worked alongside her husband for decades and spoke at the Million Woman March in 1997.

Akihiro Miwa, the Japanese singer and actor known for “Yoitomake no Uta” and “Black Lizard,” was reported dead at 91. His management agency said he died June 20 of natural causes.

Tamil actor-director K Bhagyaraj was reported dead at 73 after being taken unconscious to Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. He was widely known as a prolific writer-director and actor in Tamil cinema.

The Los Angeles Times reported on June 27 that Ann Blyth, the Oscar-nominated actress who played Joan Crawford's daughter in 'Mildred Pierce' and later starred in 1950s MGM musicals, died at 98. AP had reported the death on June 26, confirming Blyth as one of the last surviving performers from Hollywood's studio era.

AP and Reuters reported that Sergei Ivanov, the former Russian defense minister and longtime Vladimir Putin ally once seen as a possible successor, died at 73 on June 26. The Kremlin confirmed his death Friday, while reports said no cause was immediately given.

AP reported on June 25 that David Clayton-Thomas, the powerhouse lead singer and principal hitmaker of Blood, Sweat & Tears, died at 84. The same-day Guardian report said he died in a Toronto hospital and highlighted his role behind 'Spinning Wheel' and the band's late-1960s peak.

The Guardian published a June 25 obituary for Jane Yolen, the prolific American author of more than 400 books, including 'Owl Moon' and 'The Devil's Arithmetic'. The obituary says she died on June 11 at 87.

The Guardian published a June 25 obituary for Duane Michals, the pioneering American photographer known for staged, surreal photo-sequences and handwritten text. Frieze had separately reported his death on June 10 and said he died at 94.

The Guardian published a June 24 obituary for Kay Patrick, the longtime television director behind more than 250 episodes of Coronation Street and work across BBC and ITV dramas. The article says she died in June 2026 at 84 after a career spanning Coronation Street, EastEnders, Brookside, Emmerdale and Holby City.

Jill Smokler, the founder of Scary Mommy and a bestselling parenting author, was reported dead at 48 after a battle with glioblastoma. Her candid writing helped turn Scary Mommy into one of the most recognizable parenting media brands and made her a widely known voice on motherhood online.

Oliver Tree, the alt-pop musician and internet personality known for songs including "Alien Boy," "Hurt," and "Life Goes On," was reported dead at 32 after a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro. The widely followed singer blended music, comedy, and viral internet stunts into a highly recognizable public persona.

Ramiro Valdes Menendez, a former Cuban vice president and one of Fidel Castro's closest revolutionary allies, was reported dead at 94. He was one of the last surviving commanders from the Cuban Revolution and later became a central state security and government figure.

Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan died at 100 from complications of Parkinson's disease, according to reporting that cited his wife, journalist Andrea Mitchell. Greenspan led the Fed from 1987 to 2006 and remained one of the most consequential, debated figures in modern U.S. economic policy.

Francisco Guterres, former president of East Timor and a leading independence figure, died at 71 after being in intensive care in Kuala Lumpur. He served as president from 2017 to 2022 and was central to East Timor's resistance, transition to independence, and early parliamentary institutions.