Jubilant Sykes, LA Opera singer stabbed to death by son, Micah Sykes at Santa Monica home. Son struggled with mental health issues.
A renowned opera and gospel singer and former Grammy nominee, was stabbed to death at his Los Angeles-area home on Monday.
Jubilant Sykes, 71, is alleged to have been murdered by his 31 year old son, Micah Sykes, 31, who was arrested on suspicion of of homicide according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Cops responded to the singer’s Santa Monica home on Delaware Avenue around 9:20 p.m. Monday following a report of an assault in progress from an unidentified person, TMZ reported.
Cops responded to scene following call of ‘assault in progress’
Upon arriving to the scene, officers entered the home and located the older Sykes suffering from ‘critical injuries consistent with a stabbing,’ police said in a Facebook press release Tuesday.
Sykes was pronounced dead at the scene, while the man’s son, who was found inside the residence, was taken into custody without incident.
A weapon recovered at the scene and other evidence are currently being processed by forensic specialists.
Police described the stabbing as a domestic incident and said that it appeared to be isolated with ‘no ongoing threat to the community.’ A weapon was recovered at the scene.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will now review the case, which is still under investigation, to consider formally filing charges against him, the release states.
Authorities have not released any details on a possible motive.
Opera singer son struggled with mental health issues
Micah Sykes remained in custody Tuesday on $2 million bail, according on online jail records. He’s scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
Investigators told Eyewitness News the suspect has a history of mental health struggles and was cooperating with police.
‘We did learn that the son has a history of mental illness. However, at this point, it’s unclear what circumstances led up, if there was any altercation or argument we’re investigating that angle right now,’ said Santa Monica Police Lt. Lewis Gilmour.
Sykes a classically trained baritone according to his bio performed in many of the world’s biggest venues during his heralded career, including Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera and the Apollo Theater in New York City, as well as the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and several international stages.
Jubilant Sykes ‘collaborated with such artists as Julie Andrews, Terence Blanchard, John Beasley, Renée Fleming, Josh Groban, Christopher Parkening, Patrice Rushen, Carlos Santana, Jennifer Warren and Brian Wilson,’ the singer’s biography stated.
In 2010, Sykes was nominated for a Best Classical Album Grammy for Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass.” He played the role of the Celebrant in the 2009 recording.
Celebrated and Grammy nominated Singer destined to fame
A native of Los Angeles, Sykes began singing as a child.
‘Initially, I had no dreams of becoming an opera singer,’ he told CSUF News in 2019. ‘But that changed when I was at Cal State Fullerton. I had teachers who poured their lives into me. I had everything I needed right on campus to prepare me for my career.’
Describing his performance style, he told CSUF that he likes to ‘take a different approach — less swagger and more of a sinister ‘I’ll get him’ kind of attitude. … This doesn’t need to be too big. Take in low breaths. It’s like you’re riding a wave.’
Jubilant Sykes and his wife, Cecilia, had three sons together.
