Archive · 27 Dec 2025
Lion King Broadway Star Imani Smith Stabbed to Death
Imani Dia Smith was a young actress who played Young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway.
She was sadly killed in a stabbing at her home in New Jersey.
The police caught a man named Jordan D. Jackson-Small, who they say knew Imani before the attack.
Imani was a talented performer and is remembered fondly by her family and friends.
Her family has set up a fundraiser to help with funeral costs and to take care of her young son.
Many people who knew her are very sad and shocked by what happened.
Imani Dia Smith, known for her role as Young Nala in The Lion King, was fatally stabbed at her home in Edison, New Jersey.
Jordan D. Jackson-Small, aged 35, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and other related offenses.
Smith and the suspect knew each other prior to the incident, indicating it was not a random act of violence.
Smith is survived by her three-year-old son, her parents, and two younger siblings.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support funeral costs, legal expenses, and the care of her child, raising tens of thousands of dollars.
- Who
- Imani Dia Smith, a former Broadway performer known for her role as Young Nala in The Lion King, and Jordan D. Jackson-Small, the suspect in her murder.
- What
- Imani Dia Smith was fatally stabbed at her home in Edison, New Jersey.
- When
- The incident occurred on 21 December 2025.
- Where
- The stabbing took place at Smith's home in Edison, New Jersey.
- Why
- The motive behind the stabbing is not explicitly stated, but it is confirmed that Smith and the suspect knew each other prior to the incident.
- Victim
- Imani Dia Smith
- Age
- 25
- Location
- Edison, New Jersey
- Date of Incident
- 21 December 2025
- Suspect
- Jordan D. Jackson-Small
- Charges
- 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
- Survivors
- Three-year-old son, parents Monique Rance-Helper and Rawni Helper, and two younger siblings