Murder suspect arrested by Danville police

By Bernard Baker

Published: September 30, 2008

A Ringgold man charged Tuesday in the shooting death of 22-year-old Jacob Michael Bunker has been linked by Danville police to several area armed robberies.

Christiaan David Jeter, 22, of Ringgold, was indicted Tuesday by a special grand jury on charges of capital murder, attempted robbery and the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to Lt. Mike Mondul, spokesman for the Danville Police Department.

He also has been charged in connection with three robberies and a recent shooting.

“We would consider him and his recent violent crime spree a very significant arrest,” Mondul said Tuesday. “Bearing in mind his violent progression from shooting into a vehicle to two robberies — one of which he shot someone leading up to the capital murder case described — who knows what he would’ve done next.

“It is good to have him behind bars where he belongs.”

Bunker was shot to death early Friday morning in the 100 block of Cedar Place.

Mondul credits witness cooperation for helping the investigation into the shooting.

“Any time those who witness a crime cooperate with the police, it is a winning situation,” Mondul said. “Witness accounts are important to help reconstruct crimes.”

The police lieutenant said apprehending Jeter was not easy.

Danville police saw a black Toyota Camry that had been reported missing by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office at the Pilot gas station on South Boston Road at about 2 a.m. Monday, according to a news release. The sheriff’s office had reported the car missing as part of an unauthorized use of a motor vehicle complaint.

“When police spotted the vehicle, it was occupied by a male who fit the description of Jeter,” Mondul said.

The Camry left the Pilot station parking lot and headed east on South Boston Road, police said.

Police said the Camry did not stop as officers attempted to pull it over and traveled into Pittsylvania County.

Deputies with the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office placed sharp stop sticks in the path of the car Jeter was driving, Mondul said.

The car ran over the stop sticks, which caused the tires to blow, police said. The car then hit a tree in the 4000 block on Tom Fork Road in Ringgold, according to authorities.

Jeter was taken into custody without incident, but he was armed, Mondul said.

It was possible that Jeter could have gotten away, but Mondul credits the constant communication between the sheriff’s office and the police department for the arrest.

The indictment handed down Tuesday also includes charges of felony eluding arrest and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Jeter also has been charged with shooting in an occupied vehicle and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony from a Sept. 3 incident on Wesley Drive. No one was hurt.

In addition, Jeter is charged with malicious wounding, shooting into an occupied dwelling and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with the Aug. 11 robbery of the Fas Mart convenience store on Piney Forest Road.

A man entered the store shortly after 11 p.m., pulled a gun on the female clerk and demanded money, police said. A customer in the store who tried to prevent the robbery was shot, but suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect ran from the store after taking an undisclosed amount of money, police said.

Jeter is a suspect in another armed robbery on Aug. 8 at Hilltop Exxon.

Clerks told officers that two black males entered the store, pulled out handguns and demanded cash from the register and the Lottery drawer. They took a carton of Newport cigarettes before fleeing, police said.

Contact Bernard Baker at or at (434) 791-7986.