Playwright Olivia Matthews Killed In Intentional Home Fireplace

[ad_1] by Kandiss Edwards September 20, 2025

Investigators confirmed Matthews additionally sustained extra accidents inconsistent with the hearth.

The Atlanta theater neighborhood is mourning the lack of award-winning playwright Olivia Matthews, who died Sept. 3.

The 32-year-old playwright died in an residence hearth, which investigators say was deliberately set. Investigators additionally confirmed Matthews sustained extra accidents inconsistent with the hearth. Moreover, safety cameras on the property had been eliminated previous to the incident. The case is b eing investigated as a murder. Crime Stoppers Higher Atlanta posted an announcement of Matthews’s demise on Fb. The group is providing a reward of $10,000 for extra data.

Associates remembered her as heat, trendy, and deeply dedicated to her craft.

Daisy Bentley, a detailed good friend, instructed WSB-TV, “Liv was excellent, and I can’t think about why any person would need to hurt her.”

Matthews, initially from Clermont, Florida, had constructed a repute as a daring and inventive voice in theater. Her works included “Absentia” and “The Nativity Story Starring Keisha Taylor.” “Absentia” gained the 2020 Jane Chambers Pupil Playwriting Award. The piece was later named a Wayward Voices Panel Favourite in 2022. “The Nativity Story Starring Keisha Taylor” turned a finalist for the celebrated 2025 Eugene O’Neill Heart Nationwide Playwrights Convention. Her performs have been staged in cities together with Atlanta, New York, Houston, Miami, and Omaha.

In her creative assertion, Matthews described the spirit of her characters as courageous and brave, defying what might look like insurmountable boundaries.

“My characters are working towards folks and conditions seemingly immovable or inescapable however in the end, they discover the energy in themselves to push till one thing, or somebody, breaks. And as a rule, that energy additionally comes from these household and neighborhood members they as soon as felt stifled by. My characters are impartial and daring however are part of a a lot bigger, loving complete.”

Family members additionally shared that Matthews adored the colour purple, carried a singular sense of favor, and hoped her story would encourage others to channel grief into creativity.

Authorities proceed to research and are urging the general public to share any details about suspicious exercise close to the Smyrna residence advanced. For now, colleagues and admirers are left remembering Matthews’ vibrant life and the tales she created, whilst questions stay in regards to the circumstances of her demise.