Yolonda E. Lawrence Dead: Writer and Producer on ‘Empire,’ ‘Riverdale’

TV writer and producer Yolonda E. Lawrence, who worked on series including Fox’s Empire and The CW’s Riverdale , has died.

Lawrence died unexpectedly in Los Angeles on Oct. 10. She was 56 years old.

A native of Brooklyn and graduate of Syracuse University, Lawrence moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s to work in the industry. She began as a production assistant and production coordinator on series’ including The Crew , a comedy co-created by Marc Cherry, and the Fox drama 413 Hope St. before becoming an assistant to showrunners Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin ( Chicago Hope, Judging Amy ), who mentored her as a writer.

TV writer and producer Yolonda E. Lawrence, who worked on series including Fox’s Empire and The CW’s Riverdale , has died.

Lawrence died unexpe