E'Dena Hines, the granddaughter of actor Morgan Freeman, was found stabbed to death outside her apartment in Manhattan's Washington Heights early Sunday morning. She was taken to Harem Hospital but was pronounced already dead. She was only 33.
According to a report by the Washington Post, the Memphis-based Hines, an up and coming actress, was in New York to film an independent film called "Landing Up" with actress/ screenwriter Stacey Maltin. She wrote a heartwarming blog post about the role on July 7th, describing the experience as "just the beginning." She has previously appeared in Freeman's movie "5 Flights Up" and in television shows such as "A Minority Report" and "What Would You Do?"
The main suspect, her boyfriend Lamar Davenport, was seen in the crime scene standing over Hines' body and was said to be performing an exorcism. The 30-year-old aspiring rapper has been charged with second-degree murder and is expected to be arraigned, according to a report by The Washington Post. He has also been taken to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center for psychological assessment.
Witnesses who have seen the gruesome crime have said that Davenport had been screaming verses from the Bible and had been accusing Hines of having a devil inside of her.
"'I cast you out, in the name of Jesus Christ, I cast you out' -- he was saying that through the whole thing," the witness said, as quoted by NBC New York.
Freeman has released a statement to news outlets saying, "The world will never know her artistry and talent, and how much she had to offer. Her friends and family were fortunate enough to have known what she meant as a person. Her star will continue to shine bright in our hearts, thoughts and prayers and may her soul rest in peace."
In a post on his official page, Freeman also thanked everyone, writing: "I want to acknowledge the tremendous outpouring [of] love and support my family has received regarding the tragic and senseless passing of my granddaughter Edena Hines. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
