A quiet Northern California neighborhood was rocked by a brutal and deeply unsettling crime—one that investigators say may have been planned.
David Swank Prince, 35, of Chico, is now behind bars after being charged with murder in the killing of 34-year-old Christopher Jaber, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
The violence unfolded early on the morning of March 21 in Lafayette, when a relative of Jaber called 911 with a terrifying report: someone was in the backyard carrying a hatchet and trying to break into his apartment on Westminster Place.
By the time deputies arrived, it was already too late.
Authorities found Jaber dead on the property.
Moments later, deputies spotted a man walking nearby—later identified as Prince—and quickly detained him. He was arrested that same night.
Officials say the killing appears to have been targeted, and the weapon used was a hatchet.
But what’s making the case even more disturbing is what investigators are now looking into online.
Reports say that on a now-deleted Facebook page believed to belong to Prince, posts surfaced weeks before the killing that mentioned Jaber by name and even listed his address. One message allegedly read, “Can someone please k*ll this man,” while another referenced “chaos” and again pointed to Jaber’s location.
Authorities have not confirmed whether those posts are directly connected to the murder—but the timing is raising serious questions.
As of now, investigators say they are still working to determine a motive and whether Prince and Jaber knew each other.
Prince remains in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility on bail set at just over $1 million. He is expected to appear in court on March 25, where he could enter a plea and face an additional charge tied to the use of a deadly weapon.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Demons among us
This guy looks like an AMERIKAN chick magnet!!🧲