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Dead Pool 12th July 2026

Quite a deadly week, with some shockingly unexpected deaths. But not all were unexpected, Christine correctly guessed that Patricia Greene would finally succumb to score her 55 points! Well done! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Millionaire biohacker Bryan Johnson has hit a major obstacle in his years-long quest to “defeat death.” The 48-year-old tech entrepreneur, who rose to fame for chronicling his extreme health routine curated to reduce his biological age, announced on social media last week that he has been diagnosed with an incurable autoimmune disease. “My stomach is eating itself,” Johnson wrote in post on X. He explained that he has autoimmune gastritis, in which his immune system mistakenly attacks the healthy cells in his stomach lining. He wrote that for years, he had been unaware he was dealing with the disease, but said that it was likely caused by his diet of fast food and sugary beverages in the years before he  started biohacking his health routine, which included changes to his diet and sleep habits. “As a kid, I ate sugar cereal, drank sugary soda, and gobbled down fast food,” Johnson said. “I had a few healthy years in my early 20’s but then became a young father of three and began building a business. Juggling that stress and grind, I let my health slip and gained 40 lbs. Within a few years I’d fallen into a deep, chronic depression. Somewhere in that timeline, my body began developing an autoimmune process affecting my thyroid and then my stomach lining. AIG causes irreversible damage: nutritional deficiency, anaemia, and over a long horizon, elevated cancer risk. When AIG is discovered today, standard medical care concedes defeat, stating that nothing can be done except managing the condition, no matter how awful or lethal the effects.” Despite the irreversible effects, Johnson said he plans to “try and solve” the illness by monitoring several diagnostic tests, including ferritin and iron levels. His team is also planning to conduct repeated biopsies and develop treatments depending on the results. “In the age of AI, multiomics, and custom-built DNA, proteins, and cells, no condition should be presumed incurable simply because no one has yet tried to cure it with today’s stack,” he said. After selling his tech company Braintree Venmo to Paypal for $800 million in 2013, Johnson has gone to extreme financial and physical lengths — including using his teenage son’s blood plasma in hopes of resetting his body’s age to 18 — in his pursuit of eternal youth, spending roughly $2 million a year. Johnson has adopted a holistic approach to stopping the aging process and follows a 1,977-calorie vegan diet. He also takes several supplements and medicines in his journey, some of which he sells on his “blueprint” website.  

A student pilot has spoken of how she was forced to land a plane alone after her instructor ‘jumped to his death from the cockpit’ midway through the flight. The unnamed 22-year-old had been training with her instructor, 42-year-old Leandro Bertazzo, over Toledo, Argentina, on July 4th, when he reportedly opened the window of the Cessna C150 plane and jumped. The student’s account of the incident states that she watched Bertazzo plunge to his death. While she previously thought he had deployed a parachute she soon realised that was not the case. Despite witnessing such a harrowing moment — and having only limited experience in flying — the student raised the alarm before landing the plane safely and unaided at Coronel Olmedo Airport, which is based in Cordoba and commonly used by flight schools for training pilots. Reports said Mr Bertazzo’s body was found in a nearby field 20 minutes later. Eduardo Alvarez, director of flight school where Mr Bertazzo worked as an instructor, revealed details of his conversation with the student after the incident. Speaking to the Flying Monkeys he explained that she told him he had ‘jumped’, adding: ‘She said he took his headphones off, arranged his belongings including his mobile phone, took his seatbelt off, opened the door which is very difficult to open and jumped out. She sent a message informing about the situation and proceeded to return to the runway to land,’ he added, saying the student, who had a pilot’s licence but few flying hours under her belt, had been ‘very clear, decisive, mature and professional’. ‘She was very shaken, but with complete professionalism she flew the plane to the airfield and made a perfect landing,’ he added. It’s also been reported that at one point during the flight Mr Bertazzo told her: ‘You know what to do, keep moving forward.’ Mr Alvarez went on to describe him as someone who was ‘always smiling’, saying that his death had come completely out of the blue. An investigation into the instructor’s death is ongoing with officials saying the circumstances surrounding the accident are so unusual they are unable to explain how it might have happened.  

Veteran radio DJ Paul Gambaccini has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In a statement, the BBC Radio 2 and Greatest Hits Radio presenter said: “As Freddie Mercury once sang, you can’t turn back the clock, you can’t turn back the tide. Ain’t that a shame. There’s no denying it’s a serious condition with an uncertain future, but for now life goes on as normal.” Gambaccini, who was given the diagnosis in 2025, said he would continue to present his programmes on both stations. Radio 2 said it sends “our love and best wishes to Paul”, and added it would continue to support him on his “beautifully crafted weekly music show”. In his statement, Gambaccini, 77, said he would “be as open as I can as things progress”, and that he was grateful for the kindness and support he had already received. For now, I wish to be given the space to keep on broadcasting the music I love to the listeners I love even more. These are the days of our lives,” he said. Greatest Hits Radio content director Andy Ashton praised Gambaccini for “bravely sharing his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.” “We know our audience will wholeheartedly share his own desire to keep on broadcasting the music he loves to the listeners he loves even more.”

On This Day

  • 1543 – King Henry VIII of England marries his sixth and last wife, Catherine Parr, at Hampton Court Palace. 
  • 1961 – Indian city Pune floods due to failure of the Khadakwasla and Panshet dams, killing at least two thousand people.
  • 1963 – Pauline Reade, 16, disappears in Gorton, England, the first victim in the Moors murders.  

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Melissa O’Neil (38), Michelle Rodriguez (48), Tamsin Greig (60), Cheryl Ladd (75), Bill Cosby (89), Stephen Lang (74), Caroline Quentin (66), Craig Charles (62), Chiwetel Ejiofor (49), Fiona Shaw (68), Peter Serafinowicz (54), Wyatt Russell (40), Sofía Vergara (54), John Simm (56), Tom Hanks (70), Pamela Adlon (60), Scott Grimes (55), Courtney Love (62), Richard Wilson (90), Kevin Bacon (68), David Corenswet (33), Maya Hawke (28), Anjelica Huston (75), Pauline Quirke (67), Jack Whitehall (38), Ringo Starr (86), Sylvester Stallone (80), Kevin Hart (47), Eva Green (46), Geoffrey Rush (75), Jennifer Saunders (68), Burt Ward (81), and Phyllida Law (94).

Posted by  |  12th July 2026 | Categories: 2026 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 5th July 2026

We lost a few notable names last week, however nobody managed to score. Maybe the next upcoming heatwave will take its toll.  

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Renowned American actor Danny Glover has been living with Alzheimer’s disease for several years, he revealed. The 79-year-old told the Flying Monkeys in an interview that he received the diagnosis “not long” after an honorary Oscar designation in 2022. While his movements, speech and memories have since slowed, Glover said he is still remains active. “I can live with it in a sense,” Glover said. “I’m sure as it advances, things are going to be different and changing.” A four-time Emmy winner, Glover is best known for his role in the Lethal Weapon series and The Color Purple. Glover and members of his family said they want to help change the stigma around the disease by speaking out about his condition. “I think it’s really important for him to have control of his own narrative, of his own life story,” Glover’s daughter, Mandisa, said. “That’s really important. And the time is now. What better time but now for him to speak for himself?” Glover reflected on his acting career, which he began in his early 20s – racking up more than 170 acting credits. He rose to fame in the 1980’s with his role as Detective Roger Murtaugh alongside Mel Gibson as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon films. Glover was also known for his role in films including Places in the Heart in 1984 and The Color Purple in 1985. With a passion for social justice, the actor launched a production company to develop and fund politically relevant films. “We have challenges in the world,” Glover said in the interview. ” I think art becomes a reframe, a way of looking at that, you know?” 

Lionel Richie’s ex-wife, Brenda Harvey Richie, shared an update on his health. Last week, the 77-year-old singer was forced to stop a show midway through after feeling “dizzy.” “Thanking everyone for their concern! Lionel is OK and will be back on the stage,” Brenda wrote on X. She and Richie were married from 1975 to 1993. Richie was taken to the hospital after falling ill on stage during his show in St. Paul, Minnesota last week. The 77-year-old singer sat down mid-performance before attempting to continue his set. He then left the stage after explaining that he felt “dizzy” and “strange.” He was treated by paramedics, before his saxophonist, Dino Soldo, told the audience that Richie would be unable to complete the show. After he was taken to the hospital, The United Center in Chicago announced that Richie would have to postpone several scheduled shows. “He and Earth, Wind & Fire will return to the stage in Pittsburgh,” their statement read. “Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back performing for his fans. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes fans who have tickets for these two shows. Rescheduled dates will be announced soon.” Back in 2017, Richie spoke about why he prioritises his health on tour and even invested in the on-demand health service Heal. “There’s a number of things that happen on the road that isn’t predictable and the problem you don’t want to risk the idea that there’s no convenient way to see a doctor except maybe through the hotel who’ll send you a doctor.

On This Day

  • 1687 – Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica.
  • 1945 – The United Kingdom holds its first general election in 10 years, which would be won by Clement Attlee’s Labour Party. 
  • 1946 – Micheline Bernardini models the first modern bikini at a swimming pool in Paris.
  • 1948 – National Health Service Acts create the national public health system in the United Kingdom. 
  • 1954 – The BBC broadcasts its first daily television news bulletin. 
  • 1975 – Arthur Ashe becomes the first black man to win the Wimbledon singles title.
  • 1994 – Jeff Bezos founds Amazon.
  • 1996 – Dolly the sheep becomes the first mammal cloned from an adult cell.

Deaths

The most painful ways to die, according to science 

We are all mortal, and there is nothing we can do about it, other than hope to live a long, happy life. Of course, if we pass away in a peaceful, pain-free way, that is very much welcome. But unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone. In fact, there are indeed very painful ways to die. Here we delve into what science has to say about it. 

Electrocution: Many of us have experienced small electric shocks, and they sure can be painful, but dying by electrocution is a whole different ball game. 

When a powerful enough electric charge hits a person, their muscles seize, bones break, the skin swells up, and even eyeballs can pop out of their sockets. The whole process is excruciating. Punishing someone with death by electric chair truly was a barbaric practice.

However, the same fate can be met by anyone who comes in contact with a high-voltage conductor without the proper protective measures.

Radiation: One of the scariest things about radiation is that it is invisible and, in the right doses, fatal. But what actually happens when you suffer acute radiation syndrome (ARS)? To begin with, it damages both tissue and genetic material. 

This then translates into a number of health problems that impact the immune system. These eventually lead to serious complications such as the collapse of the circulatory system and, ultimately, death. This horrific fate is common for those involved in nuclear disasters, such as the Chernobyl accident in 1986. 

Crucifixion: Most of us associate crucifixion with the death of Jesus Christ, but this type of torture goes back to about the 6th century BCE. 

While some artists depict Christ hanging from the cross in a somewhat peaceful manner, this type of death is indeed extremely painful. So much so that the word “excruciating” actually comes from “crucifixion.” 

While most images depict nails through the palms of the hands, these are historically incorrect. The nails would instead go through the wrists, hitting the median nerve, which is incredibly painful. Not to mention all the insects that would irritate the wounds even more.

Burning: If the thought of burning to death makes you cringe, there is a good reason for it: it’s absolutely horrific. Our skin has numerous nerves, so the pain felt when these burn is very intense. 

Not to mention the pain of breathing in smoke and hot air, that will not only make one choke but also burn everything on its way. It is indeed agonising. 

If you’ve ever wondered how lava might kill you, here’s a summary. Your skin would boil and you’d go into instant rigor mortis (stiffening of the body). Not to mention that your brain might also boil, cracking your skull. 

Freezing: Freezing to death is not as still and peaceful as it might sound. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Hypothermia will make a person shiver uncontrollably in the first stages. 

This will then be followed by muscle stiffness and brain malfunction. As your body tries to supply blood to your vital organs, the extremities will become painful.

Frostbite then causes a burning sensation. Overall, freezing is definitely not a pain-free way to die. 

Drowning: While it doesn’t take forever, the process of drowning can be quite painful. To begin with, a person who is drowning is usually panicking, which leads to hyperventilation. But instead of air, the person will breathe in water. 

This will lead to a vocal cord spasm known as laryngospasm. But what causes the most pain is breathing in the water. Even for those who survive, their lungs remain in a state of pain for some time. 

Heart attack: Unlike other causes of death on this list, the excruciating pain some people go through usually occurs before they have a heart attack.

The warning signs just before an attack can be very painful indeed. There is usually pain radiating to the arm, jaw, neck, and back. The worst symptom is the crushing pressure felt on the chest, which is commonly described as if an elephant was sitting on your chest. 

Pancreatic cancer: From nerve pain to bone damage, and treatment side effects, dying of cancer can be very painful, and pancreatic cancer is arguably the worst when it comes to pain. Pancreatic cancer can cause a great deal of pain when it presses against the nerves around the area. This causes agonising abdominal and back pain.

Intestinal blockages can also occur, as well as referred soft-tissue pain in other parts of the body. 

Boomslang: A boomslang is a snake, and a very poisonous one at that. This means, of course, that being bitten by one will cause a very painful death. 

How does the venom kill you? Through haemorrhages. Essentially victims will bleed severely, internally. Then, uncontrollable shaking will set in, as well as nausea and high fever. It is indeed a painful death. 

Lethal injection: This form of execution is supposed to be less painful when compared to other methods, but this isn’t always the case. 

The most common protocol once included three drugs: a barbiturate and anaesthetic, a muscle relaxant, and finally a drug to stop the person’s heart. But this three-drug protocol was abandoned by some justice systems, in favour of single drugs. These, however, can make the pain last for minutes to hours, until the person dies. 

Many of these drugs will make the person relax, but they are not anaesthetics, so the pain is not addressed. For instance, extreme pulmonary oedema has been found in autopsies of executed prisoners. 

Decompression sickness: When divers go to into deep waters, they breathe compressed air that is much richer in oxygen and nitrogen than the one they’d breathe on the surface. 

The problem is that the nitrogen accumulates, and if divers return to the surface too quickly, the nitrogen will expand and form bubbles, which affect the entire body.

Decompression sickness, also known as barotrauma, or the bends, can be very painful and lead to death. 

Chlorine trifluoride (ClF3): Chlorine trifluoride (ClF3) was first discovered in the 1930’s. It’s a very reactive liquid that pretty much burns everything it comes into contact with. If you’re wondering what exposure to ClF3 would look like, scientist Paul Doherty explains: “The chlorine will turn your bones to gelatine — your fingers will turn from rods into little rounded stubs.” Ouch!

Last Week’s Birthdays

Neil Morrissey (64), Post Malone (31), Ronni Ancona (60), Eva Marie Saint (102), Tom Cruise (64), Patrick Wilson (53), Kurtwood Smith (83), Yeardley Smith (62), Bolo Yeung (80), Margot Robbie (36), Lindsay Lohan (40), Jerry Hall (70), Liv Tyler (49), Pamela Anderson (59), Dan Aykroyd (74), Vincent D’Onofrio (67), Mike Tyson (60), Katherine Ryan (43), Cheryl (43), Gary Busey (82), and Amanda Donohoe (64).

Posted by  |  5th July 2026 | Categories: 2026 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 28th June 2026

Let’s congratulate Dave J. for scoring 50 points for the death of Alan Greenspan, which moves him up to fourth place as we hit halfway through the year. You’d have thought that the recent U.K. heatwave would have taken a few out though… 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Former Wimbledon champion Chris Evert says her “relentless” cancer has returned for a third time. The 71-year-old American was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer in December 2021 and says she is hopeful of making a full recovery. Evert, who won Wimbledon three times and a total of 18 Grand Slams, has been a regular television pundit for the BBC and other broadcasters since retiring in 1989. “I have always believed in being open and honest about my health journey,” she wrote on Instagram. “This past weekend, after undergoing CT and PET scans, I learned that my ovarian cancer has returned. I have already undergone surgery as the first step in my treatment and recovery, and will begin chemotherapy in the coming weeks. Because of this, I will not be attending Wimbledon this year, and I will step back from my professional commitments over the next few months to focus on my health. Ovarian cancer is relentless, but I will stay optimistic and determined in continuing to fight this battle. I am deeply grateful to my medical team, my family, friends, and everyone who has reached out with kindness and encouragement. I look forward to seeing everyone again soon.” Long-time rival and friend Martina Navratilova said “My friend Chrissie is a champion of champions and as such she will slay this monster again, we are all pulling for you, and know you will come out on the other side cancer free again.”   

Trevor Nelson has announced he’s taking time away from Radio 2 while he deals with a mystery health issue. The legendary broadcaster, 62, has been off the airwaves this week as he shared a statement on Instagram explaining that he would be extending the break to focus on his health. He wrote: “I wanted to let my followers, radio listeners and all my Soul Nation party-people know that I’m going to be taking a little break from my work commitments. Some of you may already have noticed that I’ve not been on my daily Radio 2 slot this week. After a routine check-up I was advised to have some follow up tests. As a result, I will be taking some further time off. As I’m sure you can appreciate with health issues it’s important to deal with facts and not speculate. So I’m concentrating on getting better, being back to 100% me and to getting back behind the mic and the decks. Radio 2 stablemate Vernon Kay paid tribute to Trevor in his show today and revealed his feeling positive. He said: “Everyone at BBC Radio 2, including the mid-morning show are sending Trevor all the very very best wishes, we absolutely love him to bits. He’s a stalwart broadcaster within the UK. I played golf with him a couple of weeks ago and he was in a buoyant mood. And I know that this challenge is something that Trevor is gonna face head on. So Trevor we are sending you all our love and hopefully see you on the Links very soon my friend.” The BBC will announce who will deputise for Trevor on Monday. Dad-of-two Trevor is a pioneer of British radio, having been on the airwaves since the 80’s.  

A convicted rapist who faked his own death and fled to the United Kingdom in a failed bid to to escape justice has died while serving his sentence. Nicholas Rossi, 38, died in a Utah hospital on Thursday night due to ‘complications of an existing medical condition after choosing to discontinue medical treatment,’ a Utah Department of Corrections spokesperson said. It is unclear what that condition was and if Rossi decided to discontinue his care as a means of dying by suicide. Utah Department of Corrections added that Rossi’s family had been notified of his death. The Rhode Island native was last year sentenced to ten years behind bars for raping two women in northern Utah in 2008. Rossi, whose legal name is Nicholas Alahverdian, was first identified as the women’s attacker in 2018 when a decade-old DNA rape kit was investigated. But in February 2020, just months after he was charged in one of the cases, an obituary was published online claiming he had died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In fact, he had been living in Bristol, in the south-west of England, for some time before then – but the exact date he fled the States for Britain is unclear. He eventually ended up in Scotland, where he lived under the radar until December 2021, when he was arrested at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. While in hospital receiving treatment for Covid, staff had recognised his distinctive tattoos and reported him to authorities. Rossi said the wrong man had been caught, claiming he was an Irish orphan called Arthur Knight who was being framed. But in November 2022, it was concluded he was in fact Nicholas Rossi and after a long court battle, he was eventually extradited to the US in January last year. Rossi became known for his theatrical court appearances, where he would attempt an English accent while denying his true identity.  It eventually emerged he had used more than a dozen aliases over the years to escape detection. 

On This Day

  • 1880 – Australian bushranger Ned Kelly is captured at Glenrowan.
  • 1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie are assassinated in Sarajevo, beginning the July Crisis and providing the casus belli of World War I.
  • 1969 – Stonewall riots begin in New York City, marking the start of the Gay Rights Movement.
  • 1997 – Mike Tyson is disqualified in the third round for biting off a piece Evander Holyfield’s ear.

Deaths

Last Meals

Dusty Ray Spencer was an American prisoner convicted of murdering his wife in Orange County, Florida. On January 18th 1992, Spencer, who was previously arrested in December 1991 for domestic violence, fatally stabbed his wife, 40-year-old Karen. Spencer went on the run before he was arrested days after the murder.  

Born in Pennsylvania in 1952, Dusty Ray Spencer completed his high school education at the Hopewell Area High School and graduated in 1972, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps for three years before being discharged in 1973. After leaving the military, Spencer moved to Florida and married his first wife. Within four years, he was arrested for delivering $1,600 worth of marijuana to an undercover drug agent. While awaiting the outcome of his case, Spencer attended Valencia Community College for nearly two years, earning a 3.5 grade point average. He later pleaded guilty and served approximately 10 months in jail. Following his release, Spencer divorced his first wife and, in 1980, restarted his career as a house painter, living frugally in a converted trailer. 

In 1988, Spencer met his second wife Karen Spencer after she hired him to paint her home. The two began dating, and Spencer admired Karen’s independence, business skills, and determination in raising her three sons alone. They married in 1989, and became both life and business partners, jointly building A-Plus Painting into a successful company that earned more than $200,000 in 1990. The couple’s marriage started off as a happy one, but eventually, the economic recession placed increasing strain on both their business and their marriage, and by late 1990, the financial issues led to frequent disputes between Spencer and Karen, up until early December 1991, when Karen asked for a divorce and told her husband to move out of their Orlando, Florida house, which marked the preceding event that led to her murder in January 1992. 

In December 1991, Dusty and Karen Spencer argued about the latter’s withdrawal of money from the company’s bank account, and the argument escalated into violence, with Spencer choking and hitting Karen and threatening outright that he would kill her. Spencer was arrested and charged with spousal abuse as a result of this incident, and while he was detained in prison, Spencer called his wife and warned her that he would finish what he had started. 

Subsequently, Spencer was released after the judge granted him bail at an amount of $5,000. Although Karen initially asked Spencer to come home for the holiday season, she reiterated that her husband should move out after Christmas, and on the New Year’s Day of 1992, during a drinking session, Spencer reportedly told a friend that he wanted to throw Karen overboard once he took her out on boat, although he told the same friend two days later that his wife would not go on the boat with him. By January 1992, despite Karen filing the injunction to prevent him from coming back to their house, Spencer entered the house and assaulted Karen, and while Spencer’s younger stepson tried to intervene, he was hit with an iron by his stepfather. Spencer fled the house after the assault, and Karen would seek treatment for her injuries, which she told the doctor were caused by an iron. 

On the morning of January 18th 1992, two weeks after the attack, Spencer once again returned to the house to attack Karen, which ultimately turned out to be fatal. Spencer used a brick to hit Karen on the head several times, and the commotion awakened and alerted his 17-year-old stepson, who witnessed the attack and in response, the youth grabbed a rifle from his mother’s bedroom and tried to shoot at his stepfather, but it jammed. The boy then struck Spencer’s head with the gun, but Spencer persisted and slammed Karen’s head onto the concrete wall of the house. Although the boy tried to carry his mother to safety, he was forced to leave his mother behind and escaped the house to seek help after Spencer came after them with a knife and threatened him. Karen was stabbed several times by Spencer, and she died as a result. 

By the time the police and Karen’s son arrived at the house, Spencer had already escaped the residence, leaving behind Karen’s corpse. According to an autopsy report, Karen died due to two stab wounds that penetrated her heart and lung. In total, Karen was stabbed four or five times in the chest, and she had cuts on her face and arms, and severe blunt force trauma to her head. The wounds on her arms were certified to be defensive injuries, suggesting that Karen tried to defend herself when Spencer attacked and stabbed her. 

In the aftermath of Karen Spencer’s murder, there were concerns regarding the systematic flaws that indirectly led to her murder, including the protective measures aimed to safeguard victims of domestic violence, due to Dusty Spencer’s attempts on Karen’s life while put on bail even after he was arrested and charged with spousal abuse. As a result of the case, many judges barred suspects charged with domestic abuse from getting bail, and a no-bail policy was proposed to better protect the victims and prevent potential cases of these suspects retaliating against their victims while on bail. 

Two days after the murder of his wife, Dusty Spencer was arrested after Polk County deputies traced his whereabouts to the house of one of his friends, where he sought refuge while on the run for the killing. After his arrest, Spencer was charged with first-degree murder for the death of Karen, and he was held without bond at the Orange County jail. 

On February 6th 1992, an Orange County grand jury formally indicted Spencer for his wife’s murder and attempted murder of her younger son, as well as aggravated battery and attempted murder for the attack on Karen and her  younger son.  By a majority vote of 7–5, the jury recommended that Spencer should be sentenced to death for murdering his wife. 

On May 26th 2026, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for Dusty Spencer, scheduling him to be executed on June 25th 2026. 

During the final days leading up to his execution, advocates argued for the state to spare Spencer’s life. They raised the fact that Spencer was 74 years old and was in poor health at this point, suffering from cognitive decline, heart problems and cirrhosis and other health issues, and he could no longer pose as a threat to anyone, and it was therefore inappropriate to execute him. Since 1976, only 12 inmates aged 74 and above were executed of all the 1,669 people put to death in the United States. 

On June 25th 2026, 74-year-old Dusty Ray Spencer was put to death by lethal injection at the Florida State Prison. For his last meal, Spencer ordered a pizza, french fries and a milkshake, and in his final statement, Spencer said, “Sorry, sorry to the family. Into thy hands I commit my spirit and my soul. I’m on my way, Lord. I’m on my way. Amen.” Spencer was pronounced dead at 6:10pm, within ten minutes after the drugs were administered for him.

Given his age of 74, Spencer became the oldest person executed in the state since 1924, surpassing both Samuel Lee Smithers and R. Charlie Gifford, who were both executed for murder at age 72 in 2025 and 1951 respectively. Another 74-year-old Florida prisoner, Dennis Sochor, is also scheduled to be executed on July 14th. 

Last Week’s Birthdays

John Cusack (60), Mel Brooks (100), Kathy Bates (78), Felicia Day (47), Alice Krige (72), Elon Musk (55), Tobey Maguire (51), Emma D’Arcy (34), Meera Syal (65), Nick Offerman (56), Ariana Grande (33), Mckenna Grace (20), Ricky Gervais (65), Sheridan Smith (45), Erin Moriarty (32), Peter Weller (79), Nancy Allen (76), Iain Glen (65), Joel Edgerton (52), Frances McDormand (69), Melissa Rauch (46), Selma Blair (54), Meryl Streep (77), Bruce Campbell (68), Tim Russ (70), Cyndi Lauper (73).

Posted by  |  28th June 2026 | Categories: 2026 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 21st June 2026

Quite a deadly week! Points need to be awarded too! Well done to me for correctly guessing that Roy Hattersley would die this year. 57 points!! Not only that, Neil G also guessed that Teddie Beverley would sing her last song; another 51 points!! 

Not sure what would happen if anyone theoretically went with the Major Oak, you’d probably end up with -850 points…. 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

An 81-year-old pétanque player has been arrested after allegedly killing a 68-year-old rival with a metal boule in an apparent turf war. The alleged attack broke out in the usually peaceful resort of Mimizan in south-west France. Witnesses say a row erupted when a group who usually play at a nearby beach turned up at the local boulodrome looking for shade during a heatwave. “According to the evidence … it seems that it is the 81-year-old man who struck the victim, who is deceased, with a pétanque boule,” Alexa Dubourg, the public prosecutor in nearby Mont-de-Marsan, said. She said the incident occurred after “an argument which degenerated into a physical confrontation”. The prosecutor added that the row concerned “the use of the boulodrome habitually frequented by one of the groups”. Investigations are ongoing to “determine precisely the role played by each person”, she said. The victim and alleged attacker have not yet been named. Some reports suggest the man was hit in the face with the metal boule, while others suggest he was struck in the head. The 68-year-old victim suffered a cardiac arrest after being hit and died at the scene. The 81-year-old suspect was detained by the local Gendarmerie as soon as they arrived and put into police custody. He is due to appear before a judge as prosecutors look to bring formal charges. The petanque club in Mimizan has suspended operations and offered psychological support to the witnesses who have reportedly been left traumatised by what they saw.  

A weekend BASE jumping accident in a Utah canyon has killed two people, one of them a daredevil athlete best known for performing onstage with Madonna at the 2012 Super Bowl. The sheriff’s office in Grand County, Utah, confirmed one of the dead was Andy Lewis, an extreme athlete known for feats in dangerous sports. The victims had been conducting a tandem jump in which two people are harnessed together, according to a social media post by Aerial Arts Moab, an acrobatics company that described Lewis as “co-owner and best friend.” The business offered tandem jumps to inexperienced customers who would be harnessed to a guide wearing the parachute. Promotional videos on the company’s website show pairs of people stepping off the edges of towering cliffs and briefly plummeting before their parachutes open. In BASE jumping circles, Lewis had a huge following and a reputation for pushing the envelope — leaping into tighter spaces or deploying his parachute later than his peers would dare, said John McEvoy, a BASE jumping instructor in Twin Falls, Idaho, who has jumped with Lewis. “He had an incredible level of athleticism and skill that was developed over years of practice,” McEvoy said. “But then he would take an incredible amount of risk.” Grand County Sheriff Jamison Wiggins confirmed the other person who was killed was Danny Joe Kregle, a 68-year-old father and grandfather who was described by a family member as an accomplished businessman. Lewis was also a prominent figure in the niche sports of slacklining and tricklining, which combine elements of high-wire walking with aerial acrobatics, sometimes at perilous heights. In 2014, he walked a slackline suspended between two hot air balloons more than 4,000 feet above the Nevada desert. He went from obscure athlete to overnight celebrity when he appeared onstage in Madonna’s 2012 Super Bowl halftime show. Dressed in a Roman toga, Lewis bounced and executed tricks on his inch-wide line like it was a trampoline while Madonna sang behind him.Though there’s no official tally of BASE jumping deaths, a list compiled by the website BASEaddict.com shows 540 total fatalities worldwide since 1981, including 30 people killed last year.  

Would be farmer and television presenter Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The news was announced in an  episode of the latest series of Clarkson’s Farm, released on Wednesday. It is not clear exactly when the footage was filmed, but the series was shot in 2024 and 2025, so it can’t be that bad as the fucker is still alive. Clarkson, 66, is seen telling series regulars Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland of his diagnosis, both of whom were visibly shocked by the news. The former Top Gear presenter did not clarify what stage of cancer he had been diagnosed with, but described it as “aggressive” and that a portion of his prostate had been removed as part of his treatment. “I disappeared off the other week and I had a biopsy, and it is cancer, and it’s aggressive, but it’s really early,” he said. Clarkson added that he had known “since May”. “I promise I’ll be fine,” he told the two men, adding that he would be out of action “for a little while”. Cooper told Clarkson to “look after yourself” while Ireland added: “I wish you a very speedy recovery.” In a separate discussion with Cooper in the following episode, Clarkson confirmed the type of cancer, telling him: “The prostate, 10% of it is dead, the 10% where the cancer is.” Later, Clarkson told co-star Gerald: “I had the op, and just fingers crossed it’s worked, we don’t know yet.” The episode, and series, ended with Clarkson pictured in a hospital bed following treatment. “We started season five with me in a hospital bed, and here we are at the end of season five and I’m back in the hospital bed,” he said. “Some of the treatment’s gone a bit awry, let’s say, so I’m going to be here for a little while. I’m nil by mouth, I don’t know what’s going to happen. But if this is all successful,I’ll see you for season six, and if it isn’t, I wont.” He signed off: “Take care everyone.” 

On This Day

  • 1919 – Admiral Ludwig von Reuter scuttles the German fleet at Scapa Flow, Orkney. The nine sailors killed are the last casualties of World War I.
  • 1982 – John Hinckley is found not guilty by reason of insanity for the attempted assassination of U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
  • 2004 – SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately funded spaceplane to achieve spaceflight.

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Chris Pratt (47), Carrie Preston (59), Juliette Lewis (53), David Morrissey (62), Nicole Kidman (59), John Goodman (74), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (37), Miles O’Keeffe (72), Aidan Turner (43), Zoe Saldaña (48), Kathleen Turner (72), Richard Madden (40), Paul McCartney (84), Carol Kane (74), Will Forte (56), Jodie Whittaker (44), Arnold Vosloo (64), Andy Weir (54), John Cho (54), James Bolam (91), Helen Hunt (63), Courteney Cox (62), Neil Patrick Harris (53), Jim Belushi (72), and Ice Cube 57). 

Posted by  |  21st June 2026 | Categories: 2026 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 14th June 2026

Better late than never! This week we find Tinkerbell has died, along  with Britains most overrated artist. I wonder if Peter Pan will be next… 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

A man has died after reportedly using high-strength adhesive instead of a condom for contraception. Salman Mirza, 25, a drug user, is said to have sealed his cock with an ultra-strong epoxy resin during sex with his partner, with a mystery green liquid found in his abdomen. The couple were inhaling the glue “for a kick” before opting to use it as a contraceptive during a meet up at the Amber Hotel in Ahmedabad, a city in India’s western state of Gujarat. Within a day of checking into the hotel, Salman was discovered unconscious in the “shrubs” outside the hotel by an acquaintance. He was immediately rushed to hospital but sadly passed away shortly afterwards. The Flying Monkeys reported the pair decided to engage in sexual activity after consuming drugs. “Since they didn’t have any protection, they decided to apply the adhesive onto his dick to ensure that she didn’t get pregnant.” Following his death, Salman’s family alleges that it was his partner who applied the adhesive to his meat and two veg. They have lodged a complaint with the police accusing his partner of murder. Police have confirmed samples have been sent for forensic analysis to determine if this was indeed the case, and an autopsy is currently in progress. Police have declared the official cause of the 25-year-old’s death was due to “multiple organ failure”. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains a website listing different possible birth control methods. It divides them into different categories such as intrauterine contraception, hormonal methods, barrier methods, emergency contraception, and permanent methods of birth control. Notably, gluing your snake eye shut is not one of the methods listed.  

A 21-year-old woman died in Limera, Brazil, after a rope jumping crew failed to connect her to the safety rope used in the extreme sport, military police and witness accounts said. About six men were arrested following the woman’s death. Three of them were released following questioning. The other three will be investigated on charges of homicide with implied malice, local media reported. Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, a graduate of physical education and sports management, had gone rope jumping with her fiancé at the Ponte do Esqueleto (Skeleton Bridge). According to military police, people on site reported that the safety equipment was not secured on to the woman before she was launched by two men off the platform. Two videos emerged of the incident. The videos also show that the rope was not secured to the woman before the men carried her to be thrown off the bridge. Right before she was launched off the platform, someone can be heard shouting, “Guys, the rope,” after realising the woman was not connected to the safety rope. The woman fell 40 meters and suffered multiple injuries. Paramedics confirmed her death on site. Before her death, Freitas posted photographs on her Instagram. In one of the captions, she joked, “Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge?” Her profile was taken down after her death. Her social media showed that she was a recent graduate and was a resident of Jandira in Greater São Paulo, where she worked at a gym. The gym posted a message mourning Freitas’s death. The company that runs the rope-jumping business, Entre Cordas, deleted its page with 80,000 followers after the incident. The Limeira City Hall said Saturday that it will sue the Federal Government in court “due to the omission regarding the Ponte do Esqueleto”, after the death of a young woman at the site. In a statement, the City Hall claimed that the responsibility for the inspection, maintenance, and access control of the bridge lay exclusively with the Federal Government. They stated that since 2025, they had already sent official letters to the responsible bodies demanding security measures on the bridge, including a request to block access and place warning sites. Despite this activities continued. The three men who were arrested are 47,32 and 27 years old. One of them is a civilian firefighter, and the other two helped on-site with the jumping. The woman’s fiancé reportedly fell ill after her death and was given medical attention. In rope jumping, the practitioner jumps from an elevated location like bridges, buildings or rock faces while attached to climbing ropes connected to an anchor. The ropes used are less elastic, giving the person a feeling that they are free-falling for a longer time. Adventure sports require rigorous planning and calculations regarding height and equipment. The founder of rope jumping, Dan Osman, died in 1998 when his anchoring system failed during a jump in Yosemite National Park, California.

X-Men star Tyler Mane has revealed a “super rare” breast cancer diagnosis. This week, the 59-year-old, who starred as Sabretooth in X-Men and Deadpool & Wolverine, opened up about the “bad news” regarding his health. “Yep. I have breast cancer. And yep, it’s super rare. Only one per cent of breast cancers are men,” he shared on Instagram. “I’ll be honest, my first reaction was to keep it secret. I mean it’s kind of embarrassing. But then I found out that men are more likely to be diagnosed in advance stages BECAUSE it’s not talked about and not looked for. In fact, my doctors all dismissed it and it was only because my wife pushed me to get the lump removed that I got in early.” Breast cancer in men is rare and accounts for less than one per cent of all cancers in men. Mane, a former professional wrestler, promised to share his treatment journey on social media, hoping to raise awareness. He said breast cancer in men was normally detected later and therefore led to poorer prognoses than in women. In footage from his first chemotherapy session, Mane flipped the bird and quietly said “fuck cancer”. Mane said thankfully, the cancers had not spread to his lymph nodes and he would undergo four rounds of chemotherapy over 12 weeks.

On This Day

  • 1822 – Charles Babbage proposes a difference engine in a paper to the Royal Astronomical Society.
  • 1949 – Albert II, a rhesus monkey, rides a V-2 rocket to an altitude of 134 km (83 mi), thereby becoming the first mammal and first monkey in space.
  • 2017 – The Grenfell Tower fire, a catastrophic fire in a high-rise apartment building in North Kensington, London, UK, leaves 72 people dead and another 74 injured.

Deaths

  • 1928 – Emmeline Pankhurst, English activist and academic (born 1857). 
  • 1946 – John Logie Baird, Scottish-English physicist and engineer (born 1888). 
  • 1949 – Albert II, rhesus macaque, animal astronaut, and first mammal in space. 
  • 1977 – Alan Reed, American actor, original voice of Fred Flintstone (born1907).

Last Week’s Birthdays

Will Patton (72), Donald Trump (80), Alan Carr (50), Stellan Skarsgård (75), Chris Evans (45), Ally Sheedy (64), Malcolm McDowell (83), Tim Allen (73), Richard Thomas (75), Simon Callow (77), Kathy Burke (62), Shia LaBeouf (40), Hugh Laurie (67), Joshua Jackson (48), Peter Dinklage (57), Adrienne Barbeau (81), Jane Goldman (56), Gina Gershon (64), DJ Qualls (48), Elizabeth Hurley (61), Bill Burr (58), Jürgen Prochnow (85), Johnny Depp (63), Natalie Portman (45), Michael J. Fox (65), Eddie Marsan (58), Griffin Dunne (71), and Ye (49).

Posted by  |  14th June 2026 | Categories: 2026 | Leave A Comment »