Pleasant Hill community startled after 2 homicides in recent weeks
PLEASANT HILL — For the first time in years, police in the community of Pleasant Hill are actively investigating two homicides.
The first homicide happened on February 10th, the second one happened on Tuesday.
"I'm still sick to my stomach about it honestly," Jason Enneking said regarding the second homicide.
Enneking said he knew the victim, 63-year-old Peter Popovich, who lived in the apartment below his.
"We would talk, I would see him pretty frequently. He'd talk to my wife, always said hello, knew our names," Enneking said about his relationship with Popovich.
The city of Pleasant Hill has seen two homicides, involving three deaths, so far in 2024. On average, the city sees between zero and one homicide annually.
"There's really no explanation for why it's happening here," Captain Matt Kristic of the Pleasant Hill Police Department said about the crimes.
Kristic says both these crimes are active investigations.
"They are unrelated," Kristic said. "These are both being investigated as not random, but they're both actively being investigated by our detectives right now."
The first homicide happened on Feb. 10. Police said a janitorial worker at Pleasant Hill Park was stabbed to death.
The second homicide happened on Tuesday. Pleasant Hill police believe Popovich became a target for the robbery when he was sitting in his van. He used it to deliver packaging materials to Bay Area cannabis distributors.
Enneking says he remembers the moment he found out about the shooting.
"I got an email from the property manager saying don't panic, don't be alarmed, there's been a shooting," Enneking said. "Of course I was immediately alarmed."
Popovich and the suspect, Trevon Davis, exchanged gunfire and both died.
Police verified that Popovich had a valid permit to carry and conceal a weapon.
Police say Popovich shot in self-defense, so only Popovich's death is being investigated as a homicide.
Despite what happened, Enneking doesn't blame the area. He moved to Pleasant Hill six months ago from San Ramon and he's not planning on moving again.
"I feel like these things can happen anywhere, especially these days," Enneking said. "Guns are prevalent, idiots are prevalent."
From 2020 to 2023, there were only two homicides in Pleasant Hill. Police said both of those cases have been solved.