Les Clark remembers his nephew’s brave spirit and commitment to family.
“He's kind and he's loving, and he helps people. He just didn't deserve that.“
Despite battling leukemia as a child, Jonathan David Clark, known to many as David, joined the Marines and became a father.
“Not a holiday went by, my birthday, that David wouldn't call me," Clark said. "And if I didn't answer, he would leave a message and say, 'Hey, Uncle Les, how you doing? I just wanted to let you know we were thinking about you, and I love you,' and he was just a good kid growing up.”
At about 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 19, 2023, David was shot and killed while reportedly unloading groceries along the 1300 block of L Street in Lompoc.
David was 34-years-old. His murder sent shockwaves through the family.
“The whole family's just completely blown away," Clark said.
The Lompoc Police Department has been investigating the case, but Clark says not hearing of many updates prompted him to start a Facebook group to keep the conversation about his nephew’s death alive and to seek community input.
“The police department are probably ten steps ahead of us, but if they're not, just in case, we want to do what we can do to try to find out what we can find out and get justice for David," Clark said.
He posted this AI-generated video of David, adding a powerful element to his search for answers.
“I think that's why so many people are involved. You can't watch it without feeling for him,” Clark said.
The Facebook group has expanded to over 400 members, igniting discussions among neighbors and families, being featured on investigative YouTube channels, and even catching the attention of the Lompoc Police Department.
"We received some new tips as far as, as a result of the AI or the social media," said Detective Sergeant Vincent Magallon, Lompoc Police Department. "But many of them are leads that we have already been investigating from the beginning.”
Det. Sgt. Magallon says homicide cases like this one can be complex with delays caused by lab results and search warrants. Since 2019, the department still has ten unsolved homicides, including David’s, but Magallon remains hopeful about solving the case.
“I am very hopeful that there will be an arrest in this case at some point," Magallon said.
Meanwhile, Clark is determined to keep pushing for answers, not just for himself but for the entire family.
“Obviously, we'd like to know who killed David. They shot him twice in the face, once in the chest, and they shot him once in the back," Clark said. "David didn't deserve that. His family didn't deserve that. We need to find justice for David.”
Police are still asking anyone with information on the case who has not yet come forward to reach out to their detective bureau.
