EDISON, N.J. – A woman who once appeared on Broadway as young Nala in “The Lion King” was fatally stabbed inside her Edison home Sunday morning, and authorities say her boyfriend has been charged with her murder.
According to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan, officers responded to a 911 call around 9:18 a.m. reporting a stabbing at a residence on Grove Avenue. When officers arrived, they found 26-year-old Imani Dia Smith suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators identified the suspect as 35-year-old Jordan D. Jackson-Small of Edison, who was arrested without incident and 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. Officials confirmed that Smith and Jackson-Small knew each other and said the killing was not a random act of violence.
Smith’s family said she was killed by her boyfriend and is survived by her 3-year-old son. A GoFundMe page launched by her aunt described Smith as a loving mother and talented performer who brought joy to everyone she met.
Smith’s theater career began in childhood, when she starred as young Nala in the Broadway production of “The Lion King” from 2011 to 2012, according to Playbill. Her mother, a professional hairstylist, has worked on numerous Broadway and film productions, including “The Lion King” and the film adaptation of “In the Heights.”
Jackson-Small remains in custody at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending a pre-trial detention hearing. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact Detective Kevin Kirsh of the Edison Police Department at 732-718-8064 or Detective Olivia Ankudowicz of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-8083.
Prosecutors say Edison’s Imani Dia Smith, once a Broadway performer in “The Lion King,” was fatally stabbed and her boyfriend has been charged with murder.