A son of Grammy-nominated opera singer Jubilant Sykes is set to be arraigned Wednesday on a murder charge stemming from the stabbing of his father at the family’s Santa Monica home.
The murder charge against Micah Sykes, 31, includes allegations that he used a deadly weapon, with the criminal complaint specifying a knife, garden shears and a barbell, and that he inflicted great bodily injury on a person 60 or older.
At Sykes’ first court appearance Dec. 11 in a downtown courtroom, Deputy District Attorney Cesar Rodriguez told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Theresa R. McGonigle that the defendant’s mother witnessed the Dec. 8 attack.
Sykes was ordered not to have any contact with his mother under a protective order issued during the hearing in December.
In successfully arguing in December for Sykes to be held without bail, the prosecutor said the defendant had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was supposed to be “medicated,” but was either under-medicated or not following his doctor’s recommendation.
The deputy district attorney noted that other family members were in court that day and wanted him to communicate that they love the defendant.
Police responded after receiving a 911 call about an assault in a home at 18th Street and Delaware Avenue, east of Santa Monica College, according to Lt. Lewis Gilmour of the Santa Monica Police Department.
The person who called — reported to be Sykes’ wife — directed officers into the home, where they found the singer with “significant injuries,” Gilmour said.
Jubilant Sykes was found in the home with injuries “consistent with a stabbing,” according to police.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, with his cause of death listed as multiple stab wounds, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Micah Sykes was found inside the home and taken into custody and booked at the Santa Monica Jail on suspicion of murder, police said.
Jail records show that Micah Sykes was previously arrested Oct. 24, 2024, by officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Division, but was released on his own recognizance the following day. Police records show the 2024 arrest was for felony grand larceny, but there was no record of any criminal charges being filed against him in Los Angeles Superior Court at that time.
The elder Sykes was a renowned baritone who has performed at top venues and with celebrated orchestras in America and abroad.
Neighbors told reporters at the scene that the elder Sykes grew up in the area and would sing at the nearby Calvary Baptist Church.
“I grew up with him,” Pam Forbes Clayton told reporters. “His mother (was) so involved with this Santa Monica community. Jubilant was a singer beyond words. He sang all around the country, opera. He was so beautiful. And he would just walk from here, two blocks over down the hill and say, `Pam, I need space, can I sing in the (church) sanctuary?’
“And I said, `Sure.’ We’d leave him in there. He’d say, `Can I sing over here in the garden?’ We’d leave him there. His wife — beautiful. They’re beautiful Christian people,” Clayton said.
Sykes was nominated for a Grammy for best classical album for his performance as the celebrant in the 2009 recording of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass.”
According to a biography on his website, Sykes has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Arena di Verona in Italy, the Apollo Theater and Hollywood Bowl.
Sykes performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, New York Philharmonic, London Symphony and the Boston Pops, among others. He has also collaborated with artists such as Josh Groban, Julie Andrews, Carlos Santana and Brian Wilson.
He appeared in the 2014 film “Freedom” playing an African slave, and appeared on stage in the play “Breath and Imagination” and in the musicals “Bloomer Girl” and “1776.” He lent his voice to the soundtrack for the 1990 baseball drama film “Pastime.”
According to the biography, he and his wife Cecelia had three sons.