LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Robert Hegyes, Welcome Back Kotter’s Juan Epstein, is dead at age 60. Robert Hegyes’ cause of death is a heart attack, family members confirm to news. Hegyes is pictured above in the upper right.

Robert Hegyes appeared in Cagney and Lacy and NewsRadio. But Hegyes was best know as one of the Sweathogs in the 1970s sitcom. Hegyes played the Jewish Puerto-Rican character Juan Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos Epstein opposite John Travolta and Gabe Kaplan.

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CORAL GABLES (LALATE) – Eva Ekvall is dead at 28. Eva Ekvall has died from breast cancer. Eva Ekvall’s death was confirmed in a news statement by her family Saturday. Eva Ekvall (photos below) captivated the world when she became Miss Venezuela 2000 at age 17. She became third runner up in the Miss Universe 2001. She later authored “Fuera de Foco” (“Out of Focus”).

Eva Ekvall funeral services are set for Venezuela this week. Her family tells news that she will be cremated in Houston today. Her remains will be returned to her native country later this year. Eva is survived by her daughter and husband John Fabio Bermudez

Over the weekend, Eva’s husband posted an image of him holding her hand. He wrote “Siempre juntos…te amo esposa”, “Always together … I love you wife.”

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – A Michael Jackson death photo shocked jurors today in the Conrad Murray trial. The Michael Jackson death picture was shown today, years after publication of another picture of Michael created international controversy. Michael Jackson was showed dead on a gurney today during the opening statement of the Conrad Murray trial. The photo was used by prosecutors in their opening statement.

In the photo, Jackson’s eyes are closed, his mouth is protracted open. Prosecutors showed the grainy image with a caption added as “homicide”. While the jury is not under sequestration, the image was powerful, not just for jurors, but for the public outside the courtroom and spectators inside.

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Michael Jackson Closeup Photo 1
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Murray’s lawyer, Ed Chernoff, on defense said that Jackson gave himself propofol. But jurors undoubtedly left the courtroom today remembering the above image.

Attorney David Walgren put up the picture in his opening statement. “What happened between that time and approximately 12 hours later when Michael Jackson is dead on June 25, 2009?” Walgren told the jury. “What you will learn through the evidence is that what happened during that time frame is that the acts and omissions of Michael Jackson’s personal doctor, Conrad Murray, directly led to his premature death at the age of 50.”

“Conrad Murray, with his eyes on an anticipated $150,000 (per month) lucrative contract, instead agreed to provide Michael massive amounts of propofol on a regular basis in complete disregard of all acceptable standards of medical care,” Walgren added.

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Michael Jackson Los Angeles House Photo 1
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In summer of 2009, OK Magazine was under fire for putting a Michael Jackson death photo on its cover. The person who made the decision was Richard Desmond, owner of the magazine, who paid a reported $500,000 for the photo.

Months later, news reports claimed another Jackson death photo had been stolen as was being shopped to news sites. The report claimed that Jackson autopsy death photo was leaked by a “high ranking police friend” to a Los Angeles leading restaurant owner who kept it stored in his BlackBerry.

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Arch West has died. West created Doritos to become the nation’s first hit tortilla brand. West died of natural causes this weekend. But in remembering their father today, West’s family says that, after his urn is put into the ground, the family will toss Doritos chips on top of it.

The Doritos brand continues to grow internationally. In 2010, Doritos launched for the first time in New Zealand with Nacho Cheese, Cheese Supreme, Salsa, and Salted flavors. Arch Clark West was a former Frito Lay head when he came up with the idea of Doritos.

His family confirms that his funeral service is set for 10:30 a.m. Oct. 1 at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas. For funeral arrangements, the family plans on “tossing Doritos chips in before they put the dirt over the urn.” Jana Hacker tells the Dallas Morning News that the family will honor their father with burying him alongside fresh chips. The flavor of chips has yet to be determined but Nacho Cheese was his biggest success.The first flavor created by West was “Taco Flavor” in 1964. His second flavor became the company’s most popular worldwide, “Nacho Cheese”.

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LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Andy Whitfield is dead from non-Hodgkin lymphoma; Whitfield was 39. Andy Whitfield learned he had non-Hodgkin lymphoma only eighteen months ago, his manager told news Monday. Whitfield was best known for the lead in the hit cable show Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Roughly two years ago, Whitfield taped the first season for Starz network; after delivering hit ratings, Spartacus was set to shoot a second season. But before shooting began, Whitfield learned he had non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The Mayo Clinic says “Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, also called non-Hodgkin lymphoma, is a cancer that originates in your lymphatic system, the disease-fighting network spread throughout your body. In non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, tumors develop from lymphocytes — a type of white blood cell.” There are three types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “The most common non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma subtypes include diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. “

Producers shot around Whitfield’s treatment, halting the second season’s run. Instead they aired a six part miniseries in which Whitfield provided voice-overs.

In a news statement last night, Starz President and CEO Chris Albrecht said “We are deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague, Andy Whitfield. We were fortunate to have worked with Andy in ‘Spartacus’ and came to know that the man who played a champion on-screen was also a champion in his own life.”

In September the network confirmed Whitfield was leaving Spartacus as he battled cancer treatment. Starz President and CEO Chris Albrecht called Whitfield an “incredible actor” who has left an “indelible impression” on fans. In a news statement at the time, Whitfield said “It’s with a deep sense of disappointment that I must step aside from such an exceptional project as Spartacus and all the wonderful people involved. It seems that it is time for myself and my family to embark on another extraordinary journey. Thank you sincerely for the support so far.”

Liam McIntyre will replace Whitfield for upcoming season(s). Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

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