Job W. Price

Commander of Navy SEAL Team Four, found dead of a gunshot wound to the head in Afghanistan three days before Christmas 2012. Ruled suicide despite overwhelming forensic evidence of staging: no suicide note, no one heard the gunshot in a concrete structure, the bullet casing was found under his body, blood flow analysis shows his body was moved three times, and forensic experts determined the gun was placed in his hand post-mortem.

Field	Details
Full Name	Job Wilson Price
Born	1970
Died	December 22, 2012
Age at Death	42
Location of Death	Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan (forward operating base, building known as "Green Mile")
Cause of Death	Gunshot wound to the head (right to left trajectory)
Official Ruling	Suicide
Weapon	SIG Sauer P226 9mm (unsuppressed — no threaded barrel)
Alleged Intelligence Connection	U.S. military / Naval Special Warfare command structure; possible CIA connection via missing CERP/ASOT funds and Afghan poppy program; internal cover-up by SEAL leadership and NCIS
Category	Military / Law Enforcement

Assessment: HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS

A decorated 19-year Navy SEAL commander — six months from his pension, on the admiral track, enrolled in a military college for June 2013 — found dead in the exact sleeping position he used every night, with a pistol across his chest and his finger still in the trigger. Four independent forensic experts concluded the scene was staged: the bullet casing was found under his body (impossible if shot while lying down), blood flow analysis shows his body was moved three times after death, and the gun was determined to have been placed in his hand post-mortem. No one heard the unsuppressed 9mm gunshot in a concrete and metal structure. One person smelled sulfur; another heard a sound "like a pallet being dropped" — consistent with a suppressed weapon. His hands were swabbed for gunshot residue but the swabs were never tested, then his body was washed from head to toe against explicit NCIS orders, destroying all remaining trace evidence. Crime scene photographs from the wall behind Job — which would show blood spatter patterns proving trajectory — were on a disk that was conveniently "damaged" with no backup. The crime scene was left unsecured for nine hours.

Circumstances of Death

On the night of December 21-22, 2012, Commander Price was last seen alive at approximately 11:45 PM. He was scheduled for a morning meeting with an Afghan general. When he failed to appear, Command Master Chief Jeff Peeler found his door unlocked and entered.

Price was found lying on his back (supine) in his sleeping bag, nude — which was how he slept every night, according to his sister Bronwyn, his father Harry, and his wife. His pillow was in the crook of his left arm. His ankles were still crossed, consistent with having been rolled from his left side (his normal sleeping position) onto his back. He had a gunshot wound to the head with a right-to-left trajectory, indicating he had been on his left side when shot.

His SIG Sauer P226 9mm was found across his chest, the hammer just below his chin, with his finger still in the trigger. According to investigator Matt Kubler and multiple forensic experts, this position is physically impossible for a self-inflicted wound: the instantaneous death from the bullet would cause immediate loss of all muscle tension, making it impossible to retain grip on the weapon, let alone position it across the chest.

The bullet reportedly exited the left side of his head, went through the pillow and mattress, ricocheted off the bed frame, allegedly hit a desk, and came to rest in a pool of blood under the bed in the upper left corner (standing at the foot of the bed). The bullet appeared to be sitting on top of the blood, as if placed there. The blood pool was in a location inconsistent with Job's head position.

The spent casing was found under Job's body, near his tailbone area, when investigators rolled him over. According to multiple independent forensic experts, the only way the casing could have ended up under his body is if he had been shot while standing up — not lying down as the official story claims.

Blood Flow Evidence

Three distinct directional blood flow patterns were found on Job's head. Because blood flows in the direction of gravity and must bleed for a sufficient time to dry in a directional pattern, three different flow directions prove Job's head was moved at least three times after the initial wound — the original blood flow and two subsequent repositionings.

No Gunshot Heard

Job's P226 was unsuppressed and had no threaded barrel for a suppressor. A 9mm fired inside a concrete and metal structure would produce an extremely loud report. No one reported hearing a gunshot. One person reported hearing what sounded like "a pallet being dropped" — a clapping or slamming sound. Another person, who was awake at the time, reported smelling sulfur. According to Kubler, this is consistent with a suppressed weapon being used, not an unsuppressed 9mm.

Semi-Circle Bruising

A photograph of the entry wound showed semi-circle bruising around the point of entry. When Pete Hegseth (then at Fox News) saw this photograph, he reportedly stated that Job was "definitely killed with a suppressor" — the bruising being consistent with a suppressor pressed against the head.

Crime Scene and Evidence Failures

Nine-Hour Unsecured Crime Scene

According to Kubler's account, NCIS agent Jesse Boggs (who was in the Green Mile building when the body was found) was brought to the scene. Rather than calling by radio or phone for a forensic team, Boggs physically left the building to retrieve one. Before departing, according to Kubler, Boggs gave the key to the room to Command Master Chief Jeff Peeler with a "strong warning" not to let anyone enter. The room was left unsecured for approximately nine hours.

According to Kubler, he has information (though no one will go on record) suggesting the room may have been entered multiple times during this period. Kubler states that multiple sources he interviewed described a broader pattern in which crime scenes in SEAL operations were cleaned to prevent negative publicity.

Destroyed Crime Scene Photographs

When the forensic team finally processed the scene, photographs were taken and transferred to disks. The photographs that would have shown the wall directly behind Job — which would contain critical blood spatter evidence showing the trajectory, angle, and whether there was a void pattern (indicating someone was standing behind him) — were on a disk that was reportedly "damaged" with no second copy. Kubler believes those photos would show a void in the blood spatter behind Job, consistent with a person standing behind him when the shot was fired.

Body Washing — Destruction of Evidence

According to NCIS notes reviewed by Kubler, an NCIS agent instructed Command Master Chief Jeff Peeler that the body was not to be touched — it was still evidence. The NCIS agent's notes reportedly stated: "Based on his body language, I did not believe he was going to follow that order."

According to Kubler's account of the NCIS notes, Peeler requested that Job receive a "proper send-off" and that his body be cleaned, dressed in uniform, and his wound bandaged. He was reportedly again told not to do this.

The body was taken to the medical building by medical corpsmen. According to Kubler, the NCIS agents failed to place the bedding into the body bag as required. When the NCIS agents arrived at the medical building, they reportedly found medical personnel washing Job's body from head to toe. The evidence bags that had been placed on his hands (sealed with evidence tape to preserve trace evidence) had been removed, his hands had been scrubbed clean, and then new bags with new evidence tape were placed on the hands. According to Kubler, this sequence is documented in the NCIS notes.

Gunshot Residue — Never Tested

NCIS forensic investigators swabbed both of Job's hands for gunshot residue (GSR) at the scene, which is why the hands were bagged. However, the testing records show that no GSR testing was ever performed on any swabs from his hands. Instead, GSR testing was performed on bedding and the wood sideboard underneath his mattress — locations that make no investigative sense for determining whether Job fired a weapon. The hand swabs have no record of where they are, and any remaining evidence on his hands was destroyed when the body was washed.

According to Kubler, this means there is no evidence that Job Price ever fired a gun. The Navy cannot prove the fundamental premise of their suicide ruling.

Ballistics — Gun Not Proven to Have Been Fired in Room

Kubler did not obtain the ballistics report until the end of 2024, five years into his investigation. The report confirmed that the gun fired the bullet and casing found in the room. However, critically:

• No brain matter, skin, hair, or bone fragments were found on the gun or in the gun barrel
• No brain matter, skin, hair, or bone fragments were found on the bullet (which would be expected for a contact gunshot wound through a skull)
• No latent fingerprints were found on the expended casing

The ballistics prove the gun fired the bullet — but do not prove the gun was fired in that room or that the bullet passed through Job's head. As Kubler noted: "I can go outside right now, shoot a round into the ground, pull the bullet out, clean it off, take the gun and bullet and go to your house and put it in your bedroom. It doesn't mean that you did anything."

Forensic Expert Conclusions

Multiple independent forensic experts — who did not know of each other and performed their analyses independently — all reached substantially the same conclusions:

• The casing under Job's body proves the scene was staged
• The gun was placed in Job's hand post-mortem (not retained during the shooting)
• The blood flow patterns prove the body was moved three times
• The physical position of the gun on his chest is inconsistent with a self-inflicted wound

All of these experts are reportedly willing to testify in any court of law.

Background

Job Wilson Price was a native of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, born to Harry and Nancy Price. His father Harry was a teacher at the Hill School (a private school in Pottstown), eventually retiring as associate headmaster. Harry taught both Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. during their time at the school and coached Donald Jr. in lacrosse.

Price attended school with Matt Kubler in the Reading, Pennsylvania area, where both were in the same academic track — Kubler headed to the Coast Guard Academy while Price went to the Air Force Academy.

Price graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1993 with a degree in Human Behavior and Leadership, cross-commissioning into the Navy upon graduation. In 1994, he completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) with Class 193. He was one of the few Navy SEAL officers to also graduate from Army Ranger School.

Over 19 years of service, Price's assignments included SEAL Team Four (1994-1997), SEAL Team Two (1997-2001), Naval Special Warfare Unit Ten (2001-2002), U.S. Special Operations Command Central (2002-2004), SEAL Team Four again (2004-2007), U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (2007-2008), and Joint Special Operations Command (2008-2010). He had been in command of SEAL Team Four since June 2011.

His decorations included four Bronze Star Medals, three Defense Meritorious Service Medals, two Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Navy Commendation Medals, the Combat Action Ribbon, and multiple campaign medals from Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

At the time of his death, Price was six months from his pension and on the admiral track. He was enrolled in a military college in Rhode Island for June 2013 as a stepping stone toward admiral status. He was commanding a team in Uruzgan Province training Afghan local police. He left behind his wife, Stephanie, and 9-year-old daughter, Jillian.

Green Team Attempts and Near-Resignation

In 2001, before 9/11, Price attempted to join Green Team — the training squadron that serves as the gateway to SEAL Team Six (DEVGRU). He was blocked by a Master Chief who held a grudge from a previous assignment. Price tried three times total and was blocked by the same Master Chief each time.

So frustrated by the bureaucracy, backstabbing, and institutional games, Price drafted a letter of resignation from the Navy — a letter recently discovered in a box by his father. It is believed that 9/11 was likely what stopped him from submitting it, as he felt a duty to continue serving.

Possible Motives for Murder

The CERP/ASOT Money

Special operations units received pallets of CIA cash known as CERP or ASOT (Advanced Specialized Operational Training) money. This cash was used for condolence payments to families of wrongful killings, purchasing intelligence, paying off local warlords and mullahs, and other operational expenses. The accounting was extremely loose: a request for $40,000 required only a written request with an Afghan name and a supposed receipt with a signature. There was no validation of who actually received the money, no checking of signatures.

According to Kubler, approximately $40,000 went missing from this ASOT money. Kubler states that Job Price discovered the discrepancy and, two days before his death, confronted the person he believed was responsible — reportedly a former SEAL Team Six operator who had been reassigned to Job's SEAL Team Four for this deployment. Two days later, Job was dead.

The Afghan Poppy Connection

During this period, according to Kubler, there were reports that the CIA was allegedly paying Afghan farmers to stop growing standard crops and start planting poppy. Afghanistan was at that time reportedly the number one source of heroin in the world. Kubler theorizes that Job may have uncovered that the missing $40,000 was connected to this dynamic, though he acknowledges he cannot prove this connection. The CIA has not commented on these allegations.

The Torture and Killing of an Afghan Civilian (The "Collage Case")

Before Job took command, SEAL Team Two (under Commander Mike Hayes) had been deployed to the same area. According to Kubler's account, during that deployment, four SEAL Team Two members allegedly abused a local Afghan teenager (approximately 18-19 years old) whom they suspected of involvement in a checkpoint bombing that killed local Afghan police. The alleged abuse included dropping boulders on his chest, firing guns next to his head, and breaking bones. After several hours, they reportedly released him. He died in his village shortly after.

According to Kubler, Commander Hayes initiated an inquiry. Job Price happened to be in Afghanistan in June 2012 doing a pre-deployment reconnaissance and was brought into the investigation. Job's recommendation was court martial for all four SEALs involved. According to Kubler, some were convicted but had their convictions overturned — reportedly because, according to Naval Special Warfare command-level staff, the accusers recanted. However, according to Kubler, a New York Times journalist who interviewed the same accusers reported they said they never recanted.

The local Afghan warlord, upon learning his people had been tortured and killed by SEALs, called for retribution. When Job returned in September 2012 with SEAL Team Four, they moved their forward operating base approximately 60 kilometers away, but still within this warlord's area of operations. In November 2012, four servicemembers under Job's command were killed in two separate incidents — two Army psychological warfare operators killed by an Afghan National Police officer in an insider attack, and two SEALs (Kevin Eberts and Matt Cantor) killed in separate operations approximately three weeks apart. The ambush that killed one of them is believed to be the warlord's retribution for the SEAL Team Two torture incident.

The Sexual Assault

According to Kubler, Job reportedly uncovered that an adolescent (accounts vary between a boy and a girl) had allegedly been sexually assaulted by a member of his SEAL Team Four. This was reportedly among the issues he was addressing.

Stopping Daylight Operations

After the deaths of Eberts and Cantor, Job pushed back hard on orders from Naval Special Warfare to conduct daytime operations (historically, SEALs operate at night using night vision). Job refused to send his men on any more daylight raids, stating it was too dangerous. Many of his SEALs were furious — they wanted to be operational, and being sidelined in a combat zone was deeply unpopular.

The Argument with Tim Somansky

Approximately ten days before Job's death, senior Naval Special Warfare officers visited Afghanistan: Tim Somansky (commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group Two, which oversaw eastern Afghanistan SEAL operations), Captain Bob Smith, and Sean Pivis (possibly a rear admiral at the time). Multiple witnesses reported a very loud argument between Job and Somansky. The specific subject of the argument is unknown, but the context includes all of the above issues.

According to Kubler, he believes Somansky is connected to what Kubler describes as a pattern of narrative management within Naval Special Warfare, spanning from the Robert's Ridge incident (the battle depicted in the book and film "Alone at Dawn," involving Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman) through Somansky's retirement. In Kubler's words, Somansky was "at the center of all of the corrupt actions" within the SEAL community during this period. Somansky has not publicly responded to these allegations.

Summary of Motive

According to Kubler, Job Price was a by-the-book commander who was simultaneously pushing for accountability on multiple fronts — the alleged abuse case, the missing funds, the alleged sexual assault, and the operational safety of his men. In Kubler's assessment: "Job was murdered for being a good guy. He was a white hat. He was going to do things the right way. And it just happened that he was doing it at a time when it was at the peak of corruption within the Navy SEALs."

The Investigation

Matt Kubler's Investigation (2019-Present)

Matt Kubler is a retired law enforcement officer, former federal air marshal, and former Army intelligence analyst who was a high school classmate of Job Price in the Reading/Pottstown, Pennsylvania area. In 2019, Job's sister Bronwyn connected Kubler with their father Harry, who gave him Job's "death book" — approximately 375 pages of reports, photographs, and statements from the NCIS investigation.

Kubler found the death book was missing critical evidence: no ballistics report, no DNA analysis, no gunshot residue testing, no lab analysis of any kind. He describes it as "a 1,000-piece puzzle with a picture on the outside that says 'Job committed suicide,' and inside the box was 250 pieces."

Over six and a half years, Kubler conducted his own investigation: interviewing witnesses, reviewing records, filing FOIA requests, and consulting forensic experts. He did not obtain the ballistics and GSR reports until late 2024. The forensic experts he engaged — who worked independently and did not know of each other — all reached the same conclusion: the scene was staged.

Kubler has stated his assessment that the NCIS investigation was not merely incompetent but "intentionally inept" — in his view, deliberately botched to ensure no one could ever be held liable.

Witness Statements — Coached Language

Kubler, whose background is in human behavior analysis, found that the witness statements taken by NCIS contained an unusual number of similar words and phrases across multiple statements. Statements are supposed to be taken independently. The repeated use of the word "aloof" — not a standard military term — across multiple statements suggested to Kubler that the statements were collectively processed, with discussions happening among the witnesses before or during the statement-taking process.

Pete Hegseth's Involvement

A friend introduced Kubler to Pete Hegseth while Hegseth was still at Fox News. Kubler provided Hegseth with all the evidence he had. Hegseth reviewed the materials and, in text messages that Kubler retains, stated:

• "There's actually no way this was suicide"
• "No one would kill themselves while they're sleeping"
• "This is a very bad look from the Navy"
• Upon seeing the photograph of semi-circle bruising at the entry wound: Job was "definitely killed with a suppressor"

Hegseth's last text to Kubler, in April 2023, stated: "If I'm ever in a position that I can help you down the road, I will."

Hegseth became Secretary of Defense in January 2025. According to Kubler, Hegseth has not returned voicemails, emails, or any communications since.

The Trump Family Connection

Job's father Harry Price taught both Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. at the Hill School in Pottstown. Both had spent time at the Price family home, having dinner with Job and his family during their school years. Harry coached Donald Jr. in lacrosse and maintained a correspondence with him.

In 2015, before Trump was elected president, Harry wrote a letter to Donald Jr. explaining that he believed his son was murdered and asking for help. According to Kubler, Donald Jr. responded positively and indicated he would raise the matter if his father won the presidency. According to Kubler, the family did not receive further correspondence from Donald Jr. after that exchange.

Congressional Inquiry

Senator Mark Wayne Mullin's staff (Mullin is a former Navy SEAL) reviewed the case basics and agreed "there's definitely something not right here," but could not act because no one involved was from Oklahoma. They referred Kubler to Senator McCormick of Pennsylvania. A junior staffer wrote a letter of inquiry to the Navy/NCIS. The response dismissed the case, stated the Navy was satisfied with its investigation, and referred Kubler to a tip line for submitting new evidence.

Harry Price's Death

Harry Price died approximately April 2024. Weeks before his death, Kubler visited him in hospice in Pennsylvania. Harry told him: "You gave me more hope than any person ever gave me... I know now that my son didn't kill himself." He told Kubler: "It's one thing I know — you've been Job's best friend since he died."

Theory of the Crime

Kubler believes one person killed Job and a group covered it up. His theory: someone entered Job's quarters while he was sleeping on his left side, stood behind him, and used a suppressed weapon (not Job's unsuppressed P226) to shoot him in the head. The killer may have used Job's hand as part of holding the gun when pulling the trigger. The blood spatter that should have been on the wall behind Job would instead have been on the person standing behind him — which is why those particular crime scene photographs were on a "damaged" disk with no backup.

The body was then repositioned at least three times (as proved by the blood flow analysis). Job's own P226 was fired separately (explaining the matching ballistics) and placed in his hand post-mortem. The casing was placed under his body. The scene was set to look like suicide.

Kubler can rule out most people and states he has a "very small pool of suspects" for the actual shooter.

Financial Consequences for the Family

Because Job's death was ruled a suicide:

• His wife Stephanie did not receive his military pension (he was six months from the 20-year mark)
• His life insurance policy was voided because the death occurred within the first year of the policy's suicide exclusion period
• The appeal period for the insurance has expired
• The Navy SEAL Foundation provides caregiver support, but the family lost the core financial benefits of his 19 years of service

Kubler has stated that the family's primary goal is not prosecution of the killer but restoration of Job's honor and dignity — changing the ruling from suicide to homicide — which would also restore the pension and benefits.

The Counterargument

• NCIS conducted a formal investigation that included dozens of interviews with close friends, aides, and relatives
• A Navy death review board formally determined the death was suicide
• Price was reportedly under significant stress and exhaustion during the deployment, dealing with combat deaths of men under his command
• Military suicides, tragically, are not uncommon — the military experienced record suicide rates around this period
• The military maintains that the investigation was thorough and the conclusion sound
• Some of the evidence failures (washing the body, unsecured crime scene) could reflect incompetence and cultural practices rather than conspiracy

Key Quotes

"There's actually no way this was suicide. No one would kill themselves while they're sleeping. This is a very bad look from the Navy." — Pete Hegseth, in text messages to Matt Kubler (prior to becoming Secretary of Defense), as described by Kubler on the Redacted podcast

"He was definitely killed with a suppressor." — Pete Hegseth, upon viewing the photograph of semi-circle bruising at the entry wound, according to Kubler

"If I'm ever in a position that I can help you down the road, I will." — Pete Hegseth, last text message to Kubler, April 2023

"You gave me more hope than any person ever gave me... I know now that my son didn't kill himself." — Harry Price, Job's father, to Matt Kubler during a hospice visit weeks before Harry's death in April 2024

"It's one thing I know — you've been Job's best friend since he died." — Harry Price to Matt Kubler

"Job was murdered for being a good guy. He was a white hat. He was the white knight. He was going to do things the right way. And it just happened that he was doing it at a time when it was at the peak of corruption within the Navy SEALs. And he wasn't going to stand for it and it got him killed." — Matt Kubler, investigator, on the Redacted podcast

"I'm not suicidal. No one in my family is suicidal. We get our brakes checked frequently. And I don't have any kiddie porn on our computers." — Matt Kubler, pre-emptive statement on the Redacted podcast

"Based on his body language, I did not believe he was going to follow that order." — NCIS agent's notes, regarding Command Master Chief Jeff Peeler after being told not to touch Job's body

Key Persons

Name	Role	Significance
Jeff Peeler	Command Master Chief, SEAL Team 4	According to Kubler, first to find Job dead. Had key to the room during the unsecured period. According to NCIS notes as described by Kubler, requested body be washed for a send-off.
Jesse Boggs	NCIS Agent	According to Kubler, was in the Green Mile building. Left physically to retrieve forensic team.
Tim Somansky	Commodore, Naval Special Warfare Group Two	According to Kubler, had a loud argument with Job ~10 days before death. Kubler alleges a connection to what he describes as a pattern of narrative management within NSW. Somansky has not publicly responded.
Mike Hayes	Commander, SEAL Team Two	Preceded Job in Afghanistan. An incident involving alleged abuse of an Afghan civilian by his team members was under investigation.
Matt Kubler	Private investigator	Retired law enforcement, former federal air marshal, former Army intelligence analyst. Has investigated the case since 2019.
Harry Price	Job's father	Former associate headmaster of Hill School. Taught Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. Died April 2024.
Bronwyn Price	Job's sister	Connected Kubler with the family and the death book.
Pete Hegseth	Secretary of Defense (as of 2025)	According to Kubler, reviewed evidence and communicated views via text messages. Kubler states Hegseth has not responded to subsequent outreach. Hegseth has not publicly commented on the case.

See Also

• Pat Tillman — NFL star turned Army Ranger, killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan; military covered up the truth for weeks
• Danny Casolaro — Investigative journalist whose death was ruled suicide despite strong evidence of murder
• Philip Haney — DHS whistleblower whose death was ruled suicide; family disputes the ruling
• John Chapman — Air Force Combat Controller left on Takur Ghar mountain during a SEAL Team Six operation; fought alone for 80 minutes; the full circumstances were not publicly known for 15 years until drone footage emerged. According to Kubler, Tim Somansky (who, per Kubler, argued with Job ~10 days before his death) was involved in the handling of the Chapman incident.

Other Shocking Stories

• Pat Tillman: NFL hero shot three times in the forehead by his own unit. Pentagon covered it up for weeks.
• Gary Webb: Exposed CIA-crack cocaine pipeline. Two gunshots to the head — ruled "suicide."
• Frank Olson: CIA scientist dosed with LSD, thrown from hotel window. Government admitted the drugging 22 years later.
• Karen Silkwood: Nuclear whistleblower killed driving to meet a reporter. Her documents vanished from the wreck.

Sources

• SEAL commander's death in Afghanistan an apparent suicide, military says — CNN
• The Strange Death of Job Price — Seth Hettena, Substack
• JOB PRICE — United American Patriots
• Navy SEAL Commander's Death Investigated as Possible Suicide — ABC News
• Pottstown native Navy SEAL commander Job Price dies — The Mercury
• Commander (SEAL) Job Price, United States Navy — Travis Manion Foundation
• SEAL Team 4 commanding officer dies in Afghanistan — NBC News
• Suicide Suspected In Death Of Navy SEAL Cmdr. Job Price — KPBS
• Navy SEAL Commander Murdered By His Own — The Antihero Broadcast (podcast)
• SEAL Team 4 Cmdr Job Price: Silenced, Not Suicidal — Beyond the Dispatch (podcast)
• Matt Kubler interview on Redacted podcast with Clayton Morris (2026) — primary source for forensic details, timeline, and investigation findings

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