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Lil
Jon said in a statement posted to his Instagram page that he and
Smith’s mother, Nicole Smith, are “extremely heartbroken for the
tragic loss of our son.”
“Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet,” the
statement reads. “He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite,
passionate, and warmhearted — he loved his family and the
friends in his life to the fullest.”
Nathan Smith, 27, “ran out of his house and has been missing
since,” police said in a missing person poster they circulated
on social media.
He “left on foot and does not possess a phone,” police said. “He
may be disoriented and in need of assistance. Family and friends
are concerned for his safety.”
Milton police immediately began searching for Smith, police
said. After being unable to locate him, police and other
agencies expanded the search include a pond near Smith's
residence. Shortly before noon Friday, Cherokee County Fire
Department divers found a body in the pond.
“The individual is believed to be Nathan Smith, pending official
confirmation by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office,”
police said in a statement. The medical examiner did not
immediately respond to inquiries about the case on Friday.
“Based on the investigation to date, there is no indication of
foul play,” police said. “However, the Milton Police Department
Criminal Investigations Division will continue to treat this as
an open and active investigation."
Police said no further details would be released until the cause
and manner of death are determined by the medical examiner.
Milton is a suburban town about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north
of Atlanta.
Lil Jon, born Jonathan Smith, is an Atlanta rapper and producer
who was a central figure in the crunk subgenre of hip-hop. He's
known for songs including 2002's “Get Low” with his group the
East Side Boyz and 2013's “Turn Down For What” with DJ Snake.
He also has a daughter, Nahara, who was born in 2024.
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