Jubilant Sykes, a 71-year-old Grammy-nominated baritone and longtime member of Grace Community Church, was found stabbed to death Monday night at his home in Santa Monica.

His 31-year-old son, Micah Sykes, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder, authorities said.

Santa Monica police responded around 9:20 p.m. Monday to a 911 call reporting an assault in progress at a residence on the 1700 block of Delaware Avenue. Upon arrival, the caller — later identified as Sykes’ wife Cece — led officers inside. There they discovered the singer suffering from critical injuries consistent with a stabbing. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Inside the home, officers found Micah Sykes and took him into custody without incident. Media reports indicate the younger Sykes had a history of mental illness.

Investigators later obtained a search warrant and recovered a weapon believed to be used in the killing. Detectives said the incident appears to be an isolated domestic matter. The case was referred to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office for possible charges.

News of Sykes’ death has reverberated across both the musical and religious communities. In a declaración posted Wednesday on the Grace Community Church website, church leaders remembered Sykes as “a beloved brother and longtime key member of the Music Ministry.” They praised his “humble, steady faith” and noted that he had first sung at the church as early as 1978.

Grace Community Church, whose longtime pastor John MacArthur fallecido earlier this year, is in Sun Valley, some 25 miles north and west of Santa Monica. The church is noted for a conservative stance on worship music, something MacArthur championed during his tenure.

Several videos featuring Sykes’ Christian singing are online, with this YouTube performance of “Mary Did You Know” having been recorded at the church.

“Though known to many around the world for his remarkable baritone voice,” the church’s tribute said, “those of us who walked with him in fellowship came to treasure something far deeper: a humble, steady faith, and a heart that longed for the beauty of Christ to be seen and heard through everything he did.”

Sykes’ career was distinguished and wide-ranging. A Los Angeles native raised singing in church as a child, he went on to perform at major venues worldwide. He appeared with the Metropolitan Opera in the 1990 production of “Porgy and Bess,” sang at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, and was celebrated for his versatility — spanning opera, gospel, classical, jazz, and pop.

In 2010, he earned a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Classical Album for his role as the celebrant on the recording of Leonard Bernstein’s 1971 composition, “Mass.”

Beyond global stages, Sykes also committed himself to education. In 2019, he returned to his alma-mater of California State University, Fullerton — where he had studied — to share his craft and experiences with aspiring vocalists.

In responding to his death, church leaders emphasized that Sykes’ faith and character were at the core of his identity.

“His life radiated the joy of one who had tasted the mercy of God,” they wrote, calling his passing a “calling home” and encouraging the congregation to grieve with both sorrow and gratitude.

As police continue to investigate the circumstances that led to the fatal stabbing, community members have been asked to contact Santa Monica police if they have additional information.

Sykes is survived by his wife and their two sons.

Mark A. Kellner is a reporter based in Mesquite, Nevada. He most recently covered statewide elections for the Correo de Nueva York and was for three years the Faith & Family Reporter for el tiempo de washington. Mark is a graduate of the University of the Cumberlands and also attended Boston University’s College of Communication.