The 31-year-old son of Grammy-nominated opera singer Jubilant Sykes was in custody Tuesday, suspected of fatally stabbing his father inside his Santa Monica home.
Police responded at 9:20 p.m. Monday after receiving a 911 call about an assault 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 directed officers into the home, where they found a man with “significant injuries,” Gilmour said.
According to police, 71-year-old Jubilant Sykes was found in the home with injuries “consistent with a stabbing.” He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.
Sykes was a renowned baritone who has performed at top venues and with celebrated orchestras in America and abroad.
One of Sykes’ sons, 31-year-old Micah Sykes, was found inside the home and taken into custody and was expected to be booked on suspicion of murder, police said. A weapon was recovered at the scene.
“This appears to be an isolated incident occurring within a private residence, and there is no ongoing threat to the community,” police said.
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 Santan 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.