‘Lion King’ Actor Imani Smith Stabbed to Death at 25, Boyfriend Charged with Murder

Imani Smith, who was best known for portraying Young Nala in the Broadway production of The Lion King, died earlier this week in an alleged homicide, the New Jersey County Prosecutor’s Office said. 

The 26-year-old died after being stabbed on December 21. Edison police, responding to a 911 call, found the actress with multiple stab wounds. She was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was later declared dead.

Who Killed Imani Smith? 

Smith’s alleged boyfriend, Jordan D. Jackson-Small, has been arrested and charged in connection with the case. The prosecutor’s office stated that “Smith and Jackson-Small were known to each other prior to the incident.” 

According to a report by Deadline, Jackson-Small has been charged with first-degree murder, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. Authorities said he was taken into custody without incident. 

In a GoFundMe post, Smith’s aunt, Kira Helper, said Small was Smith’s boyfriend. 

Her aunt wrote, “Imani had her whole life ahead of her. She was a vivacious, loving, and fiercely talented person. A true triple-threat performer, she most notably played the role of Young Nala on Broadway in Disney’s ‘Lion King’– an experience that reflected the joy, creativity, and light she put into the world.”

Who Was Imani Smith?

Imani Smith was a talented performer who showed remarkable promise from a very young age. She gained widespread recognition after being cast as Young Nala in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, a role she portrayed from September 2011 to September 2012. Her mother, Monique Rance-Helper, is a professional hairstylist who has worked on Broadway and in film, with credits including In the Heights and Pose.

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