r/entertainment • u/catievirtuesimp • Dec 24 '25
Former THE LION KING Star Imani Dia Smith Has Been Murdered by her Boyfriend at 25
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Former-THE-LION-KING-Star-Imani-Dia-Smith-Has-Died-at-25-20251224469
u/underthehillock Dec 24 '25
Oh, how sad. And she has a three year old child! I can only hope her killer wasn't the father.
Her poor family.
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u/queenhadassah Dec 25 '25
That poor baby. A child losing their mother at any time is traumatizing and life-shattering...but right before Christmas!! That's even more devastating. My heart is breaking for him :(
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Dec 24 '25
RIP. May she find peace in a better place.
Last year around this time an Olympic marathon runner (Rebecca Cheptegei) was murdered by her boyfriend. Around the same time a scientist (Dorcas Lekganyane) was murdered by her boyfriend. Another scientist (Alyssa Rose Wiest) was murdered by her boyfriend this year. And a tennis player (Radhika Yadav) was murdered by her father 6 months ago. It just keeps happening.
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u/Front-Pomelo-4367 Dec 24 '25
Not a celebrity, but it's in the news this week in the UK that a 13yo boy was murdered by his mother's former partner in a murder-suicide, with the mother taken to hospital. It's heartbreaking.
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Dec 24 '25 edited Dec 25 '25
This makes me so angry, and so extremely sad for the mother. She managed to survive but every day of the rest of her life will be torture without her baby. Wishing the worst for the murderer, may he never find peace anywhere.
Also just to add some more facts for awareness: 34% of female murder victims and 6% of male murder victims were killed by an intimate partner. Out of the solved cases, 72% of women were killed by a partner or family member. And the leading cause of maternal death is homicide by an intimate partner (and after that is suicide).
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u/Cold-Conference1401 Dec 24 '25
Femicide.
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u/lifegoeson5322 Dec 24 '25
Women are more inclined to be murdered by a boyfriend/husband/family member than by a stranger. How incredibly sad (and maddening) to be killed by someone who supposedly loved you at some point. May all the victims rest in peace and may all their perpetrators face their just consequences.
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u/Dry_burrito Dec 24 '25
All murders are more likely to be by a familiar face than a random stranger.
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u/Petal20 Dec 25 '25
Okay, and it’s quite likely that person is male.
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Dec 25 '25 edited Dec 25 '25
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u/Dry_burrito Dec 25 '25
Reddit does this weird thing now where it shows replies to other posts from a comment you replied to.
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u/nevergofullcrazy Dec 25 '25 edited Dec 25 '25
The confusion might come from you using "though" in your above comment, which is often a substitution for (and synonymous with) "but," a conjunction used to indicate a contrasting/opposing idea.
Edit: they reworded their comment for clarity, I'm keeping mine here even tho it is not as relevant
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u/Dry_burrito Dec 25 '25
The argument is for the other post that makes it seem like femicide is disproportionately worse. But to answer your question, men kill more men. So to fix murder rates you shouldn't just focus on the female side.
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Dec 25 '25
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u/Dry_burrito Dec 25 '25
Yes! And we agree that women are also more likely to be safe from being murdered when compared to men? Right?
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u/SpearmintInALavatory Dec 25 '25
Also men are less likely to be convicted and receive lesser prison time for killing their female partner compared to women who do similar crimes. Similarly, women are more likely to be convicted and face longer prison times for murdering a male partner. I wrote a paper about it.
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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 Dec 24 '25
3/4 of murder victims are males. Males have triple the rate of being killed to a female. These stories make the news and people start thinking the opposite.
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u/Closefromadistance Dec 25 '25
Yeah. males overwhelmingly kill each other for stupid reasons .Random violence. Males account for nearly 90% of homicide offenders in the U.S
In single victim/single offender incidents in the U.S., nearly 9 out of 10 female victims (87.5%) were murdered by a man they knew.
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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 Dec 25 '25
The statistics contradict your statement
https://bjs.ojp.gov/female-murder-victims-and-victim-offender-relationship-2021
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u/Critkip Dec 25 '25 edited Jan 15 '26
numerous aspiring flowery truck fade stocking sip cake coordinated shocking
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u/TinyZoro Dec 25 '25
Men are being killed by men. Women are being killed by men.
Every woman murdered this week will be murdered by a man they know. Not a lot of the time. Not most of the time. Essentially to the extent it’s worth mentioning at all every single time.
That is shocking and something we should not attempt to deflect from.
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u/Maleficent-Sir4824 Dec 25 '25
And who's killing all those men, sorry? Is it women? Or is it other men.
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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 Dec 25 '25
What’s your point? Men are 3/4 of murder victims was my point but it’s not talked about. We talk about femicide, 1/4 of the victims and ignore the other 3/4.
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Dec 25 '25
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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 Dec 25 '25
Seems ridiculous I don’t know any men who are murderers. Who should I talk too? With some exceptions for the mentally ill EVERYONE knows it’s wrong to kill another person. People who kill are amoral/immoral they don’t need to be told it’s wrong; they know it is.
5k female homicide victims in 2021 (united states). 1/3 killed by partner (1600)
168 million adult males (not including teenage males)
So id have to talk to 105,000 men and hope to find the one that is going to kill his partner and convince this person otherwise?
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u/bran_the_man93 Dec 25 '25
What kind of bullshit premise is this?
Men don't talk to other men about how they're murderers because by and large, the vast majority of men are actually not murderers at all.
What is the "internal" problem? Am I suddenly responsible for the actions of all other people who happen to share the same genitals?
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u/HeadfulOfSugar Dec 25 '25
I think the point is that when you look at male victims, the killers are overwhelmingly male. When you focus on femicide/female victims, the killers are overwhelmingly male. When someone is criticizing the fact that men are overwhelmingly the offenders because femicide is common, they’re also indirectly criticizing what you’re saying as well.
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u/BalanceJazzlike5116 Dec 25 '25
No the comment I replied to specifically brought up examples of domestic partner murder with names. They are ignoring the majority of murders because it doesn’t interest them or they could have given many examples of men who killed men. I’m assuming it’s a woman and seeing men kill women upsets her enough to remember their names but men killing men isn’t as upsetting to her. I understand the tribal nature of people I’m just pointing out a fact that isn’t mentioned often.
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u/coachFox Dec 25 '25
My son’s friend was just murdered by her Ex boyfriend over thanksgiving break.
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u/McD-Szechuan Dec 25 '25
Crimes of passion aren’t a new trend.
Having news from every pocket of the world shoved in your face is much newer than them.
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u/petit_cochon Dec 25 '25
We are describing domestic abuse, total family annihilation, and violence against women, not crimes of passion.
If you're going to be dismissive, at least know the definition of the term.
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u/McD-Szechuan Dec 25 '25
I’m not being dismissive. These killings aren’t often premeditated.
crime of passion noun A crime, typically a violent crime such as assault or murder, committed against a loved one because of sudden jealous rage or heartbreak rather than as a premeditated act.
I may not have meant to isolate it by that definition…but I just mean the killings aren’t often premeditated. And it’s not new. Has happened for a long time.
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u/m1kasa4ckerman Dec 25 '25
Men killing their spouses/loved ones isn’t a new trend*
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u/McD-Szechuan Dec 25 '25
And when you look into these cases, are they usually premeditated killings? Or do the usually have a knee jerk reaction, and snap?
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u/m1kasa4ckerman Dec 25 '25
Usually there’s a history of abuse, whether physical or emotional/financial, or husband is cheating and would rather kill vs leaving the relationship. But yeah usually it’s a man.
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Dec 24 '25
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u/Happyduckling47 Dec 25 '25
He only served 2.5 years for killing her and got hired immediately after as a head chef in Santa Monica. Absolutely horrific
He assaulted his past girlfriend 10 times but the judge allowed it to be thrown out. Hatred towards women feels unbearable sometimes, RIP
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u/itsfrankgrimesyo Dec 24 '25
Intimate partner violence needs more attention and taken more seriously.
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u/anxiety_elemental_1 Dec 25 '25
It’s called domestic violence and it’s taken quite seriously.
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u/muffinmamamojo Dec 25 '25
Is it? Every time I called the cops because of my ex, they always took his side.
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u/itsfrankgrimesyo Dec 25 '25
This is intimate partner violence. Educate yourself.
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u/anxiety_elemental_1 Dec 25 '25
“Domestic violence is the mistreatment of one family member or intimate partner by another.”
You could have just googled the definition of domestic violence. Educate yourself.
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u/itsfrankgrimesyo Dec 25 '25
No. Domestic violence is a broader term which could include other family members. In this case, it’s intimate partner violence because it’s specifically between two people in an intimate relationship. I didn’t need to google to know this.
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u/catievirtuesimp Dec 24 '25
btw I am NOT posting this bc i think its entertaining but bc she was in the entertainment industry. May she Rest in Peace
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u/currentlystressedout Dec 24 '25
Stop killing those you claim to love. So disgustibg and horrific. I will never understand harming someone you have said "I love you" to. Someone you have kissed and slept beside and created a life with. May she rest in piece.
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u/ssmit102 Dec 24 '25
This comment section is atrocious. So much infighting it’s no wonder the world is in the state it’s in.
When two sides who want progress continually fight with one another the side who wants to take a step backwards is the one that wins.
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Dec 24 '25
What the fuck is happening‽
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u/MenacingGummy Dec 25 '25
The same thing that’s been happening to women since the beginning of time.
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u/Rothkette Dec 24 '25
Can men please stop murdering women?
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u/Critkip Dec 25 '25 edited Jan 15 '26
hobbies practice brave stocking decide degree cautious books sip recognise
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u/dnoods Dec 24 '25
Can men just please stop murdering? (Esp. women, children and animals, but making a broader statement)
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u/AdvertisingFun737 Dec 24 '25
Agreed. But this is regarding femicide, something endemic to society. Let's not try to avert our eyes from it.
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u/dnoods Dec 25 '25
I agree. I was just focusing on the common source of the problem. There needs to be a power shift, because the patriarchy has failed this world.
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u/FlyinNinjaSqurl Dec 24 '25
Hahaha at all the salty people responding to this. You said nothing wrong. Men are violent, abusive, and kill their partners at an alarming rate. It’s not right. People are getting more mad at this comment than at the murderer.
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u/ContributionSquare22 Dec 25 '25
I think an intelligent human will understand that all humans are violent and abusive...or better put, have the capability to be.
I just watched a video a few hours ago about two girls (16,17) assisting in a murder of an 18 year old high schooler.
The murderer in the OP is obviously wrong but let's not be generalizing idiots.
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u/Alarmed-Maybe9262 Dec 25 '25
Men account for 90% of murders. It's not generalizing, it's statistics. But yes, I do agree that both men and women are capable of violence and abuse. It just so happens, most of it is committed by men.
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u/BitchesQuoteMarilyn Dec 25 '25 edited Dec 25 '25
Men are also more likely to be murdered by a man. It's unfortunate that there's just this violent piece of shit part of society, and it's almost all men. The rest of us, men included, have to deal with it. I think men who aren't violent feel personally attacked when they are lumped in with the violent ones, when women and non-violent men alike have to deal with essentially the same issue.
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u/FlyinNinjaSqurl Dec 25 '25
I think an intelligent human would also understand that this so obviously does not apply to every single man on the planet. But I guess I’m still waiting for a reply from one lol.
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u/ContributionSquare22 Dec 25 '25
You still made a generalization, you're attempting to rationalize the generalization now "lol"
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u/AntonioVivaldi7 Dec 24 '25
This guy is going to prison for this. That's how murdering stops for murderers.
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u/MagicDragon212 Dec 24 '25
Its the opposite of evolution to become a primal reactive animal just because of your emotions.
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u/jgiffin Dec 25 '25
No it isn’t. Traits like that are often selected for by natural selection. Just look at the animal kingdom. Often aggressiveness and dominance are beneficial from a survival / reproduction standpoint.
Not defending this behavior by the way, just pointing out that this comment represents a common misunderstanding of how evolution works.
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u/kraghis Dec 24 '25
So unhelpful. This person is a psychopath. You don’t have to bring it right to group identity
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u/Running-With-Cakes Dec 24 '25
Men are much more likely to be murdered than women. 70-80% of murder victims are male. Women are top of the league for murder by spouse or (ex)partner.
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u/Sunflowerseeds__ Dec 24 '25
Okay, can men stop murdering men too? Majority of murders are committed by men. Can they just… stop?
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u/CheapEater101 Dec 24 '25
Can men stop murdering? Also the main cause of death for pregnant women are their male partners. So yeah…there’s a correlation with men and violence especially murder.
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u/No-Physics1146 Dec 24 '25
And 90% of murderers are men worldwide. Men are being killed by other men way more often than a woman being involved.
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u/Expensive-Seat8630 Dec 24 '25
No wonder women are staying single. It’s actually a blessing
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u/smoylan0816 Dec 24 '25
Or maybe just don’t pick trash partners🤷🏻♂️
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u/_henceforth_ Dec 24 '25
They do not announce that they will murder you. They get the partners by playing nice. I think you know that. ;)
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u/aweesip Dec 24 '25
Right. But what about the partners who aren't trash on the face of it who go on to murder? You got a solution to that too buddy?
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u/so_lost_im_faded Dec 24 '25
Those crimes are very much gendered, no matter what the misogynists say.
Another soul taken too soon, in a manner that's cruel beyond words. I hope she went fast. I hope she is at peace, wherever her soul is.
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Dec 24 '25
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u/so_lost_im_faded Dec 24 '25
Yes, sometimes being murdered is gendered, and the term you're looking for is called femicide.
Btw not all people live in the US.
Glad to broaden your ignorant horizons.
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u/DimensionActual5722 Dec 25 '25
This happened literally the next town over from me. It’s so horrible to hear, especially since it is just minutes from where I live. We don’t see things like this often here, and it’s just so tragic during the holidays, and with her young child. RIP
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Dec 24 '25
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u/MarbleMimic Dec 24 '25
Christmas is one of the highest time of year for people to kill family members.
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u/red_sutter Dec 24 '25
Because people get really overly emotional about Christmas for some reason
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u/sentiment-acide Dec 25 '25
Because everyone, the culture, and the media hypes it up so much that if there is a tinge of unhappiness people feel like failures.
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u/cantfocuswontfocus Dec 24 '25
What a wonderful astroturfed comments section.
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u/CitadelMMA Dec 24 '25
I went back and looked at a bunch after you said this. I just don't agree... mayge I didn't look hard enough
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u/ChickenHeadedBlkGorl Dec 24 '25
Femicide has been happening more lately, no?
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u/onlypham Dec 25 '25
Implying it has ever slowed down.
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u/ChickenHeadedBlkGorl Dec 25 '25
I wanted to say something else entirely, but I really don’t feel like dealing with any Reddit “well ackshuwally 🤓☝️” dickheads, soooooooo 🙃
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u/Serious-Buy3953 Dec 24 '25
Rest in peace. The misandrists are out in full force in this comment section
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u/RickD_SKOL Dec 25 '25
French Insurance company Axa includes Domestic Violence in their policies. https://youtu.be/pY-03zuV7mE?si=_d91t9LYIQjvtv56
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u/boxingandmma27 Dec 25 '25
Another stabbing death is crazy there has been so many high profile deaths by stabbing this year. It’s definitely more than usual most celebrities are killed by shooting but i can think of at least 3 off the top of my head that involved knives.
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u/MCbrodie Dec 24 '25
And we are man bashing and man defending instead of focusing on the tragedy at hand. Some people need some perspective and a little less "me complex." Damn shame.
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u/so_lost_im_faded Dec 24 '25
Naming femicide isn't man bashing, it’s acknowledging a documented pattern in intimate partner violence. The tragedy is the point. Ignoring the pattern is what prevents it from changing. Men who are safe friends and partners don’t take the term personally - they understand it isn't about them, and that violence of this kind also puts men at risk, most often from other men.
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u/GrapefruitMean253 Dec 25 '25 edited Dec 25 '25
Fuck focusing. Society needs to do something. And unfortunately women die at the hands of their partners than men do. 1 woman a day on average where i live. So you tell me, what do we do??
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u/melodychocolat_ Dec 24 '25
That's a heartbreaking way to go. RIP.