Micah Curtis Sykes, 31, pleaded not guilty Thursday, Aug. 6, to murdering his father, Grammy-nominated opera singer Jubilant Sykes, at the family's Santa Monica home in December 2025.

The younger Sykes was arraigned on one felony count of murder with a special allegation of using a deadly weapon, plus an elder-abuse enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury on a victim 60 or older. He entered his plea after the arraignment had been continued multiple times since the case was filed Dec. 11, 2025.

Prosecutors allege Micah Sykes attacked his 71-year-old father at approximately 9:20 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2025, at the family's home in the 1700 block of Delaware Avenue, using a dagger, garden shears and a 10-pound dumbbell. The Los Angeles County medical examiner's autopsy found Jubilant Sykes suffered 68 stab wounds to the heart, liver and lungs, along with multiple broken bones, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press.

Jubilant Sykes' wife, Cecelia, was home during the attack. According to the autopsy report as detailed by KTLA, she was in the shower when she heard her husband yell for her to call 911, then came out to find their son standing over him. Santa Monica Fire Department personnel responded and pronounced Jubilant Sykes dead at the residence.

Santa Monica police took Micah Sykes into custody without incident inside the home. He has remained held without bail. Detectives from the department's Criminal Investigations Division secured the scene, obtained a search warrant and recovered a weapon. SMPD has said the incident appears isolated, with no ongoing threat to the community.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement Thursday, Aug. 6, that the killing was "a painful reminder of how older adults remain vulnerable to violence, even from those closest to them." The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Cesar Rodriguez and Julia Cohn of the DA's Elder Abuse Section.

Jubilant Sykes, born Sept. 17, 1954, built a career as a baritone with performances at the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and the Hollywood Bowl. A 2008 recording of Leonard Bernstein's "Mass" with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Classical Album at the 2010 ceremony. He also served as artistic advisor for Orchestra Santa Monica.

Neighbor and friend Sammy Murphy told KTLA in December 2025, shortly after the singer's death: "I was born and raised in Santa Monica, so we were really pretty close out here. What a singer… Good spirit, good-hearted person, beautiful family."

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2 in Department 34 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles. If convicted as charged, Micah Sykes faces up to life in state prison.

Residents who suspect elder abuse can contact local law enforcement or the Los Angeles County Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-877-477-3646.