Jubilant Sykes, a classically trained baritone singer, was stabbed to death and his son was arrested on suspicion of murder, authorities said.
On Monday, Dec. 8, Santa Monica police found a 71-year-old musician “with severe injuries consistent with a stabbing” inside his home while responding to a call of an “assault in progress,” according to a police press release obtained by USA TODAY on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
Santa Monica Fire Department personnel pronounced Sykes dead at the scene.
Police said Sykes’ son, Micah Sykes, 31, was “found inside the residence and taken into custody without incident.” Evidence recovered at the scene, including the alleged murder weapon, is being processed by forensic experts as the incident remains under investigation.
Micah Sykes was booked around 7 a.m. Dec. 9 and is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 11, according to inmate records.
His bail is listed at $2 million, but the case against Sykes has not yet been listed in Los Angeles Superior Court online records. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told USA TODAY that as of Dec. 9, “no cases have been filed by law enforcement.”
Micah Sykes’ attorney could not be reached at the time of publication.
Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact Santa Monica Police Department Detective Peter Zamfilov at 310-458-8451 or the department’s duty chief at 310-458-8427.
Sykes’ jubilant agent talks about his ‘amazing artistry’
In a statement shared with USA TODAY on Dec. 9, ACM 360 Artists Chairman David Thomas acknowledged the “tragic death” of the “Grammy Award-nominated baritone, actor, husband, father, and beloved friend.”
“His masterful artistry of joy touched the hearts of millions, and his voice was rightly described as ‘the highest expression of art.’ Jubilant’s deep Christian perspective was the foundation of everything he did, and he will be sorely missed,” said Thomas.
Jubilant Sykes’ rendition of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” was nominated for the Best Classical Album trophy at the 2010 Grammy Awards. His musical career led to performances at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Metropolitan Opera House, and Hollywood Bowl over the years.
He is also a film and stage actor, making his debut in 2014’s Freedom, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. Her theater career has taken her to venues such as New York City Center, where she appeared in productions of Bloomer Girl in 2001 and 1776 in 2016.
“I love acting, and frankly, I think the only person who really knows that is probably my wife, but I consider myself more of an actor than a singer. But the door of singing opened up for me,” he said in a 2017 interview with Louisville Public Media.
According to his website, he and his wife, Cecilia, have three sons.
