Suspect in deadly Lafayette hatchet attack faces murder charge
Suspect in fatal Lafayette hatchet attack appears in court
A man accused in a deadly hatchet attack in Lafayette over the weekend was in court on Wednesday.
LAFAYETTE, Calif. - A man accused in a deadly hatchet attack in Lafayette over the weekend appeared in court Wednesday.
David Swank Prince, 35, is charged with murder in the March 21 killing of Christopher Jaber, 34, in what authorities believe was a targeted attack.
Court proceedings delayed
Prince did not enter a plea, as his legal team requested a delay until next week.
Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Ted Asregadoo said such requests are common.
"The defense asked for a delay so they could review the case. This happens often, not every time, but the defense can ask for more time to advise their client," he said.
Details of the hatchet attack
The backstory:
Prosecutors said Prince faces an enhancement for allegedly using a hatchet in the killing. Detectives said the attack happened in an in-law unit behind a home on Westminster Place.
"It’s horrifying. It’s really, really scary. And it was just a really quiet day," said neighbor Christina Coleridge.
Eerie social media posts
Dig deeper:
Investigators say the attack appeared to be targeted.
Troubling Facebook posts have emerged and appear to have been made weeks before the killing.
In February, a person sharing the suspect’s name referenced the victim and his address in a Facebook post.
"If you need the chaos of the supernatural to end, Chris Jaber 34 aka the eye resides at (house number redacted) westminster pl lafayette ca. Go with God," a post read.
About a week before the killing, the same account responded: "Can someone please kill this man."
Coleridge also believes it was a targeted attack.
"The suspect was looking for his victim. Either he knew him, or he had definitely targeted him based on that Facebook post that we saw," she said.
The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, which polices Lafayette, has not addressed the Facebook posts or discussed any relationship between the two men.
Investigators have not released a motive.
Bail
What's next:
Court records show the victim had previously been under a conservatorship. His family declined to comment.
Prince’s bail was increased to just over $2 million.
"Prince has a prior strike in Butte County in February 2021 for assault with a deadly weapon, and that increased the bail," Asregadoo said.
Protective order issued
The judge also approved a protective order barring Prince from contacting the victim’s family or coming within 100 yards of them if released.
Prince is scheduled to return to court on April 2.
The Source: Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, previous reporting