Acclaimed baritone Jubilant Sykes fatally stabbed; son is arrested

Grammy-nominated gospel singer Jubilant Sykes was stabbed to death in his Santa Monica home, and his son was taken into custody at the scene, police said.

- BY GAVIN J. QUINTON AND CHRISTIE D’ZURILLA

The 71-year-old, a prominent singer as well as an actor, was pronounced dead Sunday shortly after police arrived at the residence, according to Santa Monica Police Lt. Lewis Gilmour. They also discovered his son, 31-year-old Micah Sykes, inside the Delaware Avenue home. He was booked on suspicion of homicide.

Over his career, Jubilant Sykes performed in venues around the world and across genres — opera, gospel, spirituals, show tunes, folk and pop — working with figures including Renée Fleming, Terence Blanchard, Carlos Santana, Julie Andrews and Brian Wilson. His resume included the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater and the Metropolitan Opera. In 2010, he earned a Grammy nomination for his recording of Leonard Bernstein's “Mass.”

On Sunday, Sykes’ wife, Cecelia, initially reported the incident as an assault. She told investigators that her son had a history of mental illness, though detectives have not determined whether it played a role in the killing.