Facebook Post by Suspected Killer Cryptically Describes Alleged Victim as ‘The Eye’ Prior to Hatchet Murder

Authorities in California have arrested a man in connection with a shocking homicide that law enforcement officials describe as a “targeted” attack. The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office has charged 35-year-old David Swank Prince with murder following a grim discovery in Lafayette.

The series of events unfolded on March 21 when the Lafayette Police Department received a call for a welfare check on 34-year-old Christopher Jaber. Officers arrived at Jaber’s residence, a unit located behind his parents’ home, only to find him dead. The call had been made by family members concerned for Jaber’s well-being.

Prince was apprehended shortly thereafter, spotted walking around the same neighborhood where Jaber lived. His arrest came swiftly following his identification as a suspect.

According to reports from the District Attorney’s office, a 911 caller reported seeing a “suspicious” individual in their backyard. This person, carrying a hatchet, was attempting to break into the accessory dwelling unit where Jaber resided. This sighting raised alarms and prompted the welfare check that led to the unfortunate discovery.

Local residents, who were familiar with Jaber and his family, expressed their shock and dismay. Speaking to NBC Bay Area, neighbor Christina Coleridge recounted that a surveillance camera captured footage of a man, later identified as Prince, wandering through the Bay Area locality. Coleridge emphasized the stranger’s calm demeanor, stating, “Never seen him before. He was really calm.” She further noted that Jaber’s parents were not present at the time when the alleged crime occurred.

Several media outlets including KNTV and local Fox affiliate KTVU reported on a Facebook post that was written by a user sharing Prince’s name. The post, originally published on Feb. 19, included Jaber’s full name and a call for “the chaos of the supernatural to end.” The user referred to Jaber as “the eye” and included his full address.

A reply to the comment by the same user was posted six days before Jaber was found dead that read, “Can someone please kill this man.” The posts were later deleted. Authorities have not confirmed that Prince was the one who posted the comments or that the Facebook user was him.

Prince, who had a history of arrests and convictions for assault, is charged with murder and is in custody at the Martinez Detention Center. He is being held on $2 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on April 2.