The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office announced on March 24 that a Butte County man has been charged with the murder of a Lafayette resident. David Swank Prince, age 35, is scheduled to be arraigned in court on March 25 for the killing of Christopher Jaber, who was 34 years old.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Prince allegedly killed Jaber with a hatchet. The incident took place on March 21 at around 11:30 am when a relative of Jaber called emergency services to report a suspicious person armed with a hatchet in the backyard area of their property. The caller stated that the individual was breaking into an Accessory Dwelling Unit where Jaber lived.
Lafayette Police officers responded and found Prince near the dwelling unit. He was detained and later arrested at the scene. Authorities said that “the murder appears to be a targeted act.” An investigation is ongoing to determine what motivated the killing and whether there was any prior relationship between Prince and Jaber.
Prince remains in custody at Martinez Detention Facility as he awaits his court appearance at 1:30 pm in Martinez on Wednesday. During this hearing, he could enter a plea related to both the murder charge and an enhancement for use of a deadly weapon.
