Crime & Justice
Award-winning playwright Olivia Matthews killed in Georgia fire police say was intentionally set
Mary Olivia Matthews, originally from Clearmont, Florida, had recently gained national attention for her award-winning plays,
Georgia authorities are investigating the death of 32-year-old Mary Olivia Matthews, a celebrated playwright, as a homicide.
On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, Smyrna Police and Fire responded to a blaze at 810 Windy Hill Road SE. Inside the apartment, they discovered Matthews’ body. She lived alone.
Although firefighters quickly contained the fire, investigators found injuries on Matthews that were unrelated to the blaze. Police now believe the fire was intentionally set. Surveillance cameras from nearby units were reportedly removed just before the incident.
Olivia Matthews was an award-winning playwright
Matthews, originally from Clearmont, Florida, had recently gained national attention for her award-winning plays, her bio reads. Her work, including Absentia and The Nativity Story Starring Keisha Taylor, earned honors from the Jane Chambers Award and the Eugene O’Neill Center. Her stories often explored resilience, community, and personal transformation.
Investigation
The Smyrna Police Department urges anyone with information to come forward. Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for tips leading to an arrest.
Submit a Tip:
- Call: 404-577-TIPS (8477)
- Text: CSGA to 738477
- Visit: Crime Stoppers Atlanta or use the P3 Tips app
As tributes pour in, the community mourns the loss of a powerful voice in American theater. Matthews’ legacy lives on through her words and the justice her story demands.
Discover more from Unheard Voices Magazine®
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Actor-Comedian Reggie McFadden dies at 57
Nolan Wells’ family, national leaders renew call for federal investigation into teen’s death
Couple marries in hospital after groom seriously injured in head-on crash on his way to the wedding
Atlanta University Center students marched to demand justice for Nolan Wells
Naomi Whitehead, America’s oldest living person, celebrates her 116th birthday
Strangers raise $10,000 in 48 hours for Las Vegas piano tuner after viral video
VP of Detroit funeral home found dead days after family said mother was mistakenly cremated
New York deli owner rewards kids with cash and snacks for good grades
Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley to open 10,000‑square‑foot Times Square restaurant on Oct. 3
Black Public Media opens submissions for 10th PitchBLACK, offering filmmakers up to $150,000 in production funding
Woody Shaw’s Avant‑Garde ‘Song of Songs’ returns to vinyl after 50 years through Jazz Dispensary’s Top Shelf Series
Kansas City’s Copper Boyz Ranch provides youth violence‑prevention through horsemanship
Nolan Wells’ family demands ‘thorough’ investigation: “What we’ve been told does not make sense”
Peabo Bryson, Grammy‑winning voice behind two Disney classics, dies at 75
OWN greenlights first-ever ‘Belle Collective’ spinoff Belle Collective: Birmingham
-
In Memoriam1 week agoVP of Detroit funeral home found dead days after family said mother was mistakenly cremated
-
Crime & Justice2 weeks agoMississippi police make second arrest in death of Black woman found hanging from tree
-
Real Voices2 weeks agoBlack Aerospace Professionals Development Director Haifa Baptiste dies in Costa Rica flash flood
-
Health & Wellness1 week agoCalifornia couple welcomes rare mixed triplets weighing 19 pounds total, nearly breaking world record
-
In Memoriam1 week agoNorth Carolina A&T mourns beloved senior who tragically died after saving sister from drowning
-
Crime & Justice2 weeks agoBeloved Southern Illinois Univ. Professor Kofi Akamani shot and killed; wife charged with murder
-
Real Voices2 weeks agoNolan Wells’ autopsy report and cellphone data raise more questions about his death, says attorneys
-
Social Justice1 week agoWhite Philadelphia teacher and activist admits to lying about being Black and Palestinian