Grammy-Nominated Singer Dies From Stabbing at 71

What began as a quiet Monday night in Santa Monica became a scene of unspeakable horror — and now, fans are mourning a musical icon, while a devastated family faces the unthinkable.

The world of classical music has been shaken to its core after the tragic and unthinkable killing of Grammy-nominated baritone Jubilant Sykes — a man whose soaring voice once filled the grandest halls on earth.

That voice was silenced forever in a horrific stabbing inside his Santa Monica home, and authorities say the attacker was someone no one could have imagined: his own son.

A Brilliant Life Cut Short in a Brutal Attack

Jubilant, the internationally acclaimed opera singer whose magnetic performances captivated audiences from the Metropolitan Opera to the Hollywood Bowl, has died at 71.

His longtime friends and collaborators, Keith and Kristyn Getty, broke the devastating news on Tuesday, 10 September.

"We write to you all with broken hearts that our dear friend Jubilant Sykes was taken from us today," they shared. "Jubilant was just a brilliant and beautiful human being. A man who made extraordinary moments out of the ordinary."

But behind those tender words lies the chilling reality of his final moments.

Police Discover the Star With 'Critical Injuries Consistent With a Stabbing'

On Monday, 9 December, at around 9.20 p.m., police raced to a Santa Monica residence after a frantic 911 call reported a violent assault.

Inside, officers found the beloved opera star with catastrophic stab wounds, which they described as "critical injuries consistent with a stabbing," per The Sun.

Paramedics attempted to save him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Waiting inside the home was the alleged attacker: his 31-year-old son, Micah Sykes, who was taken into custody without incident.

Son Arrested on Suspicion of Homicide

Police say a weapon was recovered, and the attack appears to have been an isolated domestic incident, though investigators are still trying to understand the motive.

Micah has since been booked on suspicion of homicide, and the case is being prepared for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Lieutenant Lewis Gilmour of the Santa Monica Police Department confirmed to the Daily Mail that he is being held on a $2 million bail.

In a wrenching detail, police also revealed that it was Jubilant's wife who placed the desperate 911 call that brought officers to the home.

A Troubled Past: Years of Red Flags and Mental Health Struggles

Authorities also disclosed that Micah had a history of mental health struggles, though it is not yet known whether those issues contributed to the fatal attack.

Lieutenant Gilmour explained, "The family reports the suspect had prior mental health issues. However, it is unknown if that contributed to the incident." But troubling signs had emerged long before this week's tragedy.

According to Rolling Stone, a Southern California woman obtained a restraining order against Micah in 2017 after alleging increasingly erratic and threatening behavior.

A petition from that filing reads, "Micah shows signs of mental instability. His behaviour is unpredictable. Micah poses a real threat... and he has been violent with his own family members."

The document details a disturbing confrontation at a church, where Micah allegedly declared his love for the woman and insisted she reciprocated. When a bystander intervened, Micah allegedly asked the man, "Do you have a sharp object in your back pocket?"

He was later arrested after an attempted break-in at the man's father's home and placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold. The restraining order was granted in October 2017.

Fans Reel in Shock as Tributes Pour In

As news of the stabbing spread, heartbroken fans filled social media with grief, disbelief, and anger.

"This incident has troubled me so much this morning and to find out he was attacked by his son has just been devastating. So difficult to come to terms with," one person wrote.

"Very sad and that a family member was involved. You can pray to God but folks take action to make sure the future isnt a repetition of the past that features violent death by family member [sic]," another urged.

Others were left overwhelmed by emotion.

"Oh my gracious God😢 'M' buy your very own son [...] tears are flowing. I can't even cease from crying [...] prayers and condolences to the family," one devastated fan wrote.

Another offered a darker theory, "The son couldn't stand to live in his father's great shadow. Sad, very very sad and very very low."

A Storied Career Ends in Horror

Born in Los Angeles, Jubilant's illustrious career included a 2010 Grammy nomination for Best Classical Album for "Bernstein: Mass."

He graced the world's most renowned stages — the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Apollo Theater, and more — captivating audiences with the depth and beauty of his voice.

His final public performance was with the San Francisco Symphony, alongside jazz pianist David Rodgers and Principal Bassist Scott Pingel.

He leaves behind his wife, Cecelia, and their three sons — a family now shattered by the unbearable loss of a husband, a father, and a legend.