Man arrested in mysterious Lafayette murder after classified documents surface online
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A fatal stabbing in a quiet and affluent Northern California community is raising new concerns about targeted violence after disturbing images surfaced online that appeared to refer to the victim just weeks before she was killed.
Police were dispatched around 11:36 a.m. Saturday to a home on Westminster Place in Lafayette for reports of a “suspicious subject,” according to the County Sheriff’s Office. When police entered the area, they found Christopher Jaber, 34, dead.
Law enforcement sources told KTVU that the killing involved a hatchet.
A man identified as David Prince, 35, of Chico, was arrested nearby after the incident was discovered and was later arrested in connection with the murder. He is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility on a charge of murder and is being held on $1 million bail.
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This booking photo provided by the Butte County Sheriff’s Office shows David Prince following a 2019 arrest; Prince has been charged in connection with a fatal stabbing in Lafayette, California, authorities said. (KTVU)
As investigators work to find a motive, attention has turned to a series of private Facebook posts linked to an account bearing the suspect’s name.
According to KTVU, the February post referred to Jaber by name and included his Lafayette address alongside a message calling for “supernatural chaos.” About a week before the murder, the same account expanded its language, writing: “Can anyone kill this man.”
Authorities have not confirmed whether Prince wrote the posts or if he knew the victim.
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Police closed off a residential street in Lafayette as investigators canvassed the area following a fatal stabbing in a community where homicides are rare. (KTVU)
Still, neighbors told KTVU that the messages, now circulating in the community, have fueled fears that the attack may have been intentional.
“It looks like he was looking for him,” neighbor Christina Coleridge told the station, adding that she saw the suspect in custody. He described him as handcuffed and with plastic wraps on his hands.
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Legal experts say that these posts, if tied to Prince, could play a big role in court. KTVU legal analyst Michael Cardoza said prosecutors could use the interviews to plead guilty, and defense attorneys could point to evidence of mental retardation.
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Social media posts by the alleged suspect identified the victim by name and address in the weeks before he was killed, raising questions about whether the attack was planned, according to KTVU. (KTVU)
Jaber was previously placed under conservatorship, according to court records cited by KTVU. His family declined to comment.
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Detectives and crime lab personnel with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office are reviewing evidence at the Lafayette home where a 34-year-old man was found, as the homicide investigation continues. (KTVU)
The killing has drawn Lafayette, which is part of the Lamorinda area, which includes Moraga and Orinda, a region known for its affluent communities. Home prices in the city typically range from $1.8 million to $2 million, according to data from Zillow.
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Homicides in Lafayette are extremely rare. Police records show that no murders were reported from 2013 to 2024, and none in 2025, underscoring the prevalence of such violence in a community that is often ranked among the safest in the region.
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The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicide and immigration crime. Send news tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
