Man arrested in rare Lafayette homicide after cryptic online posts surfaced

The fatal stabbing in a historically quiet and affluent Northern California community has raised new concerns about targeted violence after disturbing online posts emerged that appeared to refer to weeks before the victim was killed.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, officers were dispatched to a home on Westminster Place in Lafayette around 11:36 a.m. Saturday for a report of a “suspicious subject.” When officers entered the residence, they found 34-year-old Christopher Jaber dead.

law enforcement Sources told KTVU The murder involved an axe.

A man later identified as 35-year-old David Prince of Chico was taken into custody nearby shortly after the discovery and was eventually arrested in connection with the murder. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on murder charges and is being held on $1 million bail.

ALLEGED REPEAT OFFENDER, SENTENCED MORE THAN 20 TIMES, KILLED A 23-YEAR-OLD CHILD IN A HIT-AND-RUN, THEN LEAVED

As investigators tried to determine the motive for the incident, attention turned to a series of cryptic Facebook posts linked to an account bearing the suspect’s name.

According to KTVU, a February post referenced Jaber by name and included a Lafayette address along with a message evoking “supernatural chaos.” About a week before the murder, the same account escalated the language, writing: “Can someone please kill this man?”

Authorities have not confirmed whether Prince wrote the posts or whether he knew the victim.

HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND AND 3 PEOPLE WERE CAUGHT IN AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE CONNECTED WITH THE ALLEGED MURDER FOR HIRE PLAN: POLICE

Police are closing down a residential street in Lafayette as investigators comb the area following a fatal stabbing in a community where homicides are extremely rare. (KTVU)

Still, neighbors told KTVU that messages circulating within the community have raised fears that the attack may have been intentional.

“It looks like he was looking for her,” neighbor Christina Coleridge told the station, adding that she witnessed the suspect being taken into custody. He described him as handcuffed with plastic bags placed over his hands.

GOT A TIP?

Legal experts say if those positions are tied to Prince, he could play an important role in the court. KTVU legal analyst Michael Cardoza said prosecutors can use them to argue for premeditation, while defense attorneys can use them as evidence of diminished mental capacity.

FOLLOW US ON X

According to KTVU, social media posts attributed to the suspect provided information about the victim’s name and address weeks before the murder, raising questions about whether the attack was premeditated. (KTVU)

Jaber had previously been placed in foster care, according to court records cited by KTVU. His family declined to comment.

GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL

As the homicide investigation continues, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office detectives and crime lab personnel are examining evidence at the Lafayette home where a 34-year-old man was found dead. (KTVU)

The murder shook Lafayette, which is part of the Lamorinda district that includes Moraga and Orinda, known for their affluent communities. Home prices in the city generally range between $1.8 million and $2 million. According to data from Zillow.

CLICK FOR MORE NEWS FROM THE USA

Homicides in Lafayette are extremely rare. Police records appear No homicides were reported from 2013 to 2024, and no homicides were reported in 2025; This underscores the rarity of this type of violence in a community where crime is frequently reported It is among the safest in the region.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

The investigation is still ongoing. Authorities ask anyone with information to contact the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.

Stepheny Price covers crimes including missing persons, murders and immigration crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.