Yolonda E. Lawrence Ayana Simon Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment 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.