A 19-year-old man is charged with murder after authorities said he repeatedly stabbed his father Wednesday afternoon at the family’s home on Victor Road, where officers found the 67-year-old victim in the front yard shortly after 2 p.m.
Investigators identified the victim as Mark Prince and the suspect as his son, Samuel Prince. Police said the younger Prince remained at the scene and was arrested. Prosecutors told a judge Friday that the killing was deliberate and unfolded in front of the teen’s grandmother. The case is in its early stages; detectives have not released a motive or described the weapon. Records show Prince is being held at the Mobile County Metro Jail and is scheduled to return to court next week as the investigation continues and evidence is processed.
Officers were dispatched to the 6800 block of Victor Road at about 2:08 p.m. Wednesday on reports of a stabbing. When they arrived, they found Mark Prince in the front yard with multiple wounds and pronounced him dead at the scene. Crime scene tape ringed the property as investigators photographed the yard and examined a red pickup truck parked outside, according to neighbors. “He was a dear person to me and my family,” neighbor Lucy Thompson said, recalling the shock as patrol cars and detectives filled the street. “We love him; we’re definitely going to miss him.” Police said Samuel Prince stayed at the house as officers arrived and was detained without incident.
At a bond hearing Friday, prosecutors said the fatal assault occurred inside the residence and that the defendant’s grandmother was present when it happened. They argued the attack showed planning and asked for a high bond, noting the seriousness of the allegation and the family relationship. A judge set bond at $750,000 and ordered electronic monitoring if the defendant is released. Court records list a preliminary appearance set for Jan. 28. Authorities said the investigation is active, with interviews and forensic work underway. Officials have not publicly discussed what prompted the assault, and it remains unclear whether a specific weapon was recovered from the home or the vehicle examined in the driveway. Police have not reported any prior calls to the address this month.
Neighbors described a quiet stretch of West Mobile where longtime residents know each other by name and school buses pass in the afternoon. Several said they first realized something was wrong when they saw officers sprinting toward the yard and a rush of additional units block the street. One neighbor said her husband initially “saw something on the ground” and thought it was clothing before he realized it was a person and more police arrived. Another neighbor remembered father and son as close when the boy was younger but said the teen had seemed more withdrawn in recent years. In the hours after the killing, detectives searched the area and spoke with residents as children walking home were steered away from the scene.
The Mobile Police Department said Samuel Prince faces a single count of murder under Alabama law and is being held at Metro Jail. The Mobile County District Attorney’s Office sought a $1 million bond at Friday’s hearing; the court set it lower, with conditions that include electronic monitoring if released. Prosecutors said they consider the case an intentional killing and that the grandmother’s account will be part of their evidence. The defense did not enter a plea beyond the routine acknowledgment of the charge at this stage. Prince’s next court date is listed for Wednesday, Jan. 28, when the case could be assigned for a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is probable cause to send it to a grand jury.
Police have not said whether they recovered surveillance video from nearby homes or any recordings from doorbell cameras on the street. No additional arrests are expected, according to authorities. Officials have also not released information about prior police calls to the location or whether the family had any documented history with law enforcement. The department asked anyone with information to contact investigators as they work to map the sequence of events from the call for help to the arrest. The victim’s body will undergo a standard autopsy to document injuries and establish the official cause and manner of death.
By late Friday, the home remained quiet with tape still visible on portions of the property. A small group of friends and neighbors paused at the curb to speak softly and trade stories about the 67-year-old they knew as ready to help and quick with a greeting. “I wouldn’t have thought in a million years that this would happen,” Thompson said. Another neighbor, standing with arms folded near a mailbox, said the street felt different: “It was a circus out there,” she said of the emergency response. Residents said they were waiting for word about funeral arrangements as relatives notified family members.
As of Sunday, police had not released a motive in the case. The investigation continues as prosecutors prepare for the Jan. 28 court setting and review witness statements. Any further hearings or filings are expected to clarify the timeline, the evidence collected at the house and the conditions placed on any potential release if bond is posted.
Author note: Last updated January 25, 2026.