On January 13, 2021, 30-year-old Mubarek Saleh Alnajar of Bakersfield, California, was found dead under a car in the 1700 block of Panama Lane. Bakersfield police arrived about 9:50 p.m. and discovered Alnajar with a fatal gunshot wound. Investigators determined a single close-range shot entered his left cheek and exited the right side of his neck, striking an artery.

A week later, on January 20, 2021, 39-year-old Lucifer Darnell Pierce was arrested; officers reported he resisted custody and was in possession of a loaded gun. Authorities charged Pierce with homicide and a parole violation, alleging a financial dispute between Pierce and Alnajar over their business association running an illegal internet casino. Prosecutors say Pierce arranged a meeting with Alnajar that night, was driven there by a girlfriend, approached Alnajar’s parked car and fired the fatal shot.

Pierce’s lengthy criminal history and prior murder trial were prominent in court. The trial concluded with a first-degree murder conviction and related counts, and the jury heard evidence prosecutors described as showing premeditation, including use of a GPS ankle monitor to plan the meeting. Does anyone with knowledge of Alnajar, the 1700 block of Panama Lane, or the alleged business dealings have information to share?