Opera singer stabbed to death in California home, son to be booked for homicide: Police

Jubilant Sykes sings with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” at Carnegie Hall, October 24, 2008. Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images

(SANTA MONICA, Calif.) — A Grammy-nominated opera singer was stabbed to death inside a California residence, and the 71-year-old’s son has been arrested in connection with the killing, police said.

Jubilant Sykes was killed in a home in Santa Monica on Monday, police said. Officers responded to the residence after a 911 caller reported an assault in progress and found Sykes with “critical injuries consistent with a stabbing,” the Santa Monica Police Department said in a statement on Tuesday.

Sykes’ son, 31-year-old Micah Sykes, was found in the home and taken into custody without incident, police said. He will be booked for homicide, police said.

“The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation,” police said.

Officers responded to the home around 9:20 p.m. on Monday and the 911 caller directed them inside, police said.

First responders with the Santa Monica Fire Department pronounced Sykes dead at the scene, police said.

Police said the weapon was recovered at the scene, though did not provide additional details.

The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

“This appears to be an isolated incident occurring within a private residence, and there is no ongoing threat to the community,” police said.

Sykes performed on the Grammy-nominated 2009 recording of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass,” with the Morgan State University Choir and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.