Imani Dear Smith, who starred in Broadway’s “The Lion King,” has been stabbed to death. Her boyfriend was charged with murder.
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Former Broadway actor Imani Dear Smith was stabbed to death in central New Jersey, and her boyfriend has been charged with her murder.
The 26-year-old mother, who starred in the Broadway production of “The Lion King” as a child, was found with multiple stab wounds on Sunday morning, Dec. 21, prosecutors said in a press release. Paramedics took her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The suspect, Jordan Jackson Small, 35, was arrested shortly after. Prosecutors said the two had known each other before Smith’s death and confirmed that “this was not a random act of violence.” According to Smith’s GoFundMe page, Jackson Small was her boyfriend.
He is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. Jackson Small is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending the outcome of a pretrial detention hearing.
Attorney information for Jackson Small was not available.
Family mourns ‘vivacious, loving and fiercely talented person’
Smith’s family is grieving the “unimaginable event” as they raise the 3-year-old son she left behind.
The GoFundMe page has raised more than $61,000 as of Thursday, Dec. 25. Donations will go toward funeral costs, crime scene cleanup, trauma treatment, time off from work, and legal and administrative costs.
“Imani had her whole life ahead of her. She was bubbly, loving, and fiercely talented. A true three-way performer, most notably playing the role of young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, an experience that reflected the joy, creativity, and light she brought to the world,” the description reads.
The page aims to help Smith’s parents grieve and care for their family without the added fear of financial uncertainty.
The Edison Police Department encourages anyone with information regarding Smith’s death to call (732) 718 – 8064 or the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745 – 8083.
