R.I.P.

Don Cornelius, the creator of Soul Train, was found dead this morning inside his Sherman Oaks home. He was 75.

Authorities discovered the body around 4 a.m. local time - his son called 911 - and say Cornelius was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. An investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department is ongoing.

In 1970, Cornelius - who worked as a disc jockey in Chicago - premiered his R&B-themed dance show on station WCIU. It was moved into syndication the following year, eventually relocated its studio to Los Angeles and ran until 2006, although Cornelius dropped out as host in 1993.

The producer underwent a bitter divorce in 2009 and told a Los Angeles judge he was experiencing “significant health issues" at the time.

Our thoughts go out to Cornelius' family and loved ones.

Leslie Carter, the younger sister of Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter and singer Aaron Carter, died Tuesday in upstate New York at the age of 25.

No details were provided on her cause of death.

"Our family is grieving right now and it's a private matter," a family spokesperson said. "We are all deeply saddened for the loss of our beloved sister, daughter, and granddaughter, Leslie Carter. We request the utmost privacy during this difficult time."

Leslie Carter - Like Wow

An aspiring singer herself, Leslie had a song "Like Wow!" that was featured on the Shrek soundtrack in 2001, and she appeared on House of Carters.

Her 1999 debut album was never released.

She is survived by four siblings, husband of three years Mike, and a daughter, Alyssa Jane, 10 months. Our hearts go out to all of them. R.I.P. Leslie.

Nick Santino, a struggling soap opera actor, apparently took his own life last week after he euthanized his dog due to pressure from his condo association.

Nick, who appeared on All My Children and Guiding Light, was found dead in his New York residence just a day after he put down beloved pit bull, Rocco

"Today I betrayed mand put down my best friend," Santino, 47, wrote in a suicide note. "Rocco trusted me and I failed him. He didn't deserve this."

Santino, who was raised in an orphanage and foster homes, adopted Rocco from a shelter several years ago, and wrote fondly of his dog on his Facebook page.

"I did not rescue Rocco, Rocco rescued me," he once wrote.

But in 2010, Santino began to have issues with residents in his building, after a strict dog regulation policy was announced, which included a ban on pit bulls.

The ban didn't affect residents who already had pit bulls in the building, many of Nick Santino's neighbors reportedly weren't fond of Rocco, and complained.

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Robert Hegyes, who played Jewish Puerto Rican wheeler-dealer Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein on the 1970s classic show Welcome Back Kotter, has died.

An apparent heart attack was the cause. He was 60.

Hegyes, a New Jersey native who also co-starred on Cagney and Lacey and taught classes at his alma mater, Rowan University, was best known for his role on Kotter.

Alongside John Travolta, he played one of the remedial students known as the Sweathogs, who reunited in 2011 at the TV Land Awards for the show's 35th anniversary.

Robert Hegyes, top right, starred in Welcome Back Kotter, alongside John Travolta, left, Ron Palillo, second from left, Gabe Kaplan, center, and Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs.

Robert Hegyes wrote that he modeled swaggering, skirt-chasing Epstein after Chico Marx, whom he played in a national touring production of A Night With Groucho.

He was a big fan of the Marx Brothers: "They were immigrant Jews, I was an immigrant Italian. Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Gummo, and Zeppo were intellectuals."

"They all played the piano and took music lessons, and they were all juvenile delinquents; I could definitely relate," said Hegyes, whose health deteriorated of late.

R.I.P.

James Farentino, a veteran TV actor whose career was marred by personal problems later in life, has passed away, according to the L.A. Times. He was 73.

Farentino, who notched nearly 100 TV roles including recurring roles in series such as Police Story, Dynasty and Melrose Place, was married four times.

He played George Clooney's estranged father on ER, and was also known for a turbulent relationship with Frank Sinatra's youngest daughter, Tina Sinatra.

After a five-year, on-and-off relationship with Tina Sinatra, Farentino in 1994 pleaded no contest to stalking her after being charged with 24 misdemeanor counts of stalking.

Sentenced to 36 months' probation plus psychological and alcohol counseling, Farentino believed that some in the industry treated him differently after the incident.

Farentino died Tuesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after a long illness. He is survived by his fourth wife, Stella, whom he married in 1994, and sons David and Saverio.

Former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno - the all-time Division I leader in wins who resigned amid the university's child molestation scandal just a few months ago - has passed away due to complications from lung cancer. He was 85.

On Saturday, as friends and family were being summoned to State College, Pa., hospital, a family spokesman said the coach had taken a turn for the worse.

Then, on Sunday morning around 10 a.m. EST, the family confirmed the legendary coach's passing via the following statement:

It is with great sadness that we announce that Joe Paterno passed away earlier today. His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled. He died as he lived. He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been.

His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community.

Known for his "success with honor" motto, thick glasses, rolled-up pants and black cleats, Paterno left an indelible mark on Penn State and college football in general.

He is survived by his wife Sue, five children and 17 grandchildren.

A Brooklyn native and Brown University graduate, Paterno began coaching the Nittany Lions in 1966 and his tenure stretched to October of this year.

In his 46 years as head coach, Paterno holds the all-time Division I record for football coaching wins with a 409-136-3 record and two national titles.

After a highly celebrated career and iconic status, Paterno's career as coach ended as a result of a scandal involving former assistant Jerry Sandusky.

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Etta James has passed away after a lengthy struggle with leukemia.

The singer, a four-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member whose distinct blues style was an inspiration to countless contemporary artists, was 73.

Her longtime friend and manager, Lupe De Leon, confirmed the news:

"This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world. She was a true original who could sing it all – her music defied category or genre."

"I worked with Etta for over 30 years. She was my friend and I will miss her always."

Because of health concerns, Etta James curtailed her concerts in January 2010 to enter the hospital with a blood infection, among other ailments, including Alzheimer's.

In May 2011, James was again admitted to a hospital in Riverside, Calif., with a urinary tract infection and the blood infection sepsis, her son Sametto James said.

Ultimately, leukemia got the better of her, but her legacy lives on, profoundly.

James was portrayed in the 2008 movie Cadillac Records by Beyonce, who has called her an idol. Christina Aguilera also cited James as a major influence.

Etta, whose library features 28 studio albums, three live albums, six compilations and 58 hit singles was ranked 22nd among Rolling Stone's 100 Best Singers of All Time.

[Photo: WENN.com]

Sarah Burke, a four-time X-Games champion, has passed away from injuries sustained during a training run last week. She was 29.

The Canadian crashed in Park City, Utah on January 10 and, according to reports, fell into cardiac arrest soon after. She was airlifted to a hospital and underwent surgery to repair a tear in a significant artery before being placed in a medically-induced coma on life support.

But it was all too much and Burke lost her battle earlier today due to a lack of oxygen to her brain, doctors said. She was surrounded by family and friends when she died and donated her organs and tissues. Sarah is survived by her husband of two years, skier Rory Bushfield.

"Sarah, in many ways, defines the sport," said Peter Judge, the CEO of Canada's freestyle team, prior to her death. "She's been involved since the very, very early days as one of the first people to bring skis into the pipe. She's also been very dedicated in trying to define her sport but not define herself by winning. For her, it's been about making herself the best she can be rather than comparing herself to other people."

Natalee Holloway was declared legally dead Thursday by a judge in her home state of Alabama. She mysteriously vanished in Aruba more than six years ago.

Probate judge Alan King made the ruling at the request of Holloway's father.

While her body was never found, Dave Holloway met a legal presumption of death for his daughter, according to King, who had set Thursday as the deadline for anyone to come forward and prove she didn't die on the Caribbean island.

With no evidence to the contrary, Natalee Holloway is legally deceased.

The ruling comes just one day after longtime suspect Joran van der Sloot pleaded guilty to the murder of another woman, Stephany Flores, in Peru.

Van der Sloot's lawyer said the 24-year-old killed Flores in 2010 due to "extreme psychological trauma" he experienced in the Holloway investigation.

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Over 1,500 mourners turned out today for a memorial service in honor of Ben Breedlove, an 18-year old from Texas who died from a heart attack on Christmas Day.

Prior to his passing, however, Breedlove posted a few YouTube videos that detailed his brushes with death and his appreciation for life. He showed no fear of whatever lay ahead, as depicted below:

Ben Breedlove Life Story, Part 1

"It's exciting to know that Ben planted a seed in people's mind to begin thinking about things that really do matter in life," Ben's mother, Deanne Breedlove, told ABC News' Austin affiliate KVUE at the memorial. "You know, we all have hope. Everyone has challenges, but we have a real hope and he saw that. He felt the peace of God when he had those glimpses into heaven and heavenly presence."

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