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Boyfriend Charged in Killing of Former 'Lion King' Child Actress Imani Dia Smith

Prosecutors say the attack was not random, with the suspect jailed pending pre-trial proceedings.

Overview

  • Authorities say they responded to a 911 call on December 21 in Edison, New Jersey, found Smith, 26, with multiple stab wounds, and she was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
  • Jordan D. Jackson-Small, 35, 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.
  • Prosecutors stated Smith and Jackson-Small knew each other and described the homicide as not a random act of violence, with the investigation ongoing and no motive disclosed.
  • Jackson-Small is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending a pre-trial detention hearing, and no court date has been announced.
  • A family GoFundMe to cover funeral costs, therapy, and support for Smith’s 3-year-old son has raised more than $70,000.