Morgan Freeman’s granddaughter stabbed to death; boyfriend arrested

Edena Hines, the granddaughter of Morgan Freeman’s first wife, was stabbed to death on a New York street early Sunday morning, and on Monday, her live-in boyfriend was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Lamar Davenport had reportedly been taken into custody at the scene about 3 a.m. Sunday and was arrested Monday on suspicion of murder, the Associated Press reported. Police sources told the Daily Beast that he’d been held for a day for psychiatric evaluation.

Hines, an actress, was stabbed on the street near their apartment building and later was declared dead at a hospital.

A witness to the attack told the New York Post that Hines’ attacker was yelling things that sounded like he was trying to purge demons from the 33-year-old woman. Law enforcement sources separately told the paper, which painted the attack as very violent, that Davenport, 30, appeared to be in a drug-induced psychosis at the time he was taken into custody.

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Ray Rosario, a friend of Davenport’s who’d been out to dinner with the couple and others on Saturday night, told the Daily Beast that he’d never seen Hines as “ecstatic” as she was that night.

“I’m still trying to come to grips with what happened,” Rosario told the website. “I’m caught between the hate I have for him, my love for him being my brother, and my heart breaking for her.”

According to TMZ, Davenport is wanted in California in connection with a July 2014 cocaine bust after he didn’t show up in court for a February progress report. A law enforcement source told the Post he had six prior arrests for drugs and petty larceny.

“The world will never know her artistry and talent and how much she had to offer,” said Freeman, 78, in a statement obtained by the AP.

He and Hines -- the Oscar winner had adopted Hines’ mom when he was married to her grandmother, Jeanette Bradshaw -- appeared so often together at events that in 2012 Freeman had to issue a statement to shut down rumors that they’d been dating for a decade and planned to marry.

“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,” Freeman said Monday on Facebook. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

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