Matthias Gafni's profile photo

Matthias Gafni

Moraga, San Francisco

Investigative Reporter at San Francisco Chronicle

SF Chron investigative reporter; Ex-EB Times/Merc; '17 Pulitzer; '19 finalist; '20 Polk; embarrassing dad; 49ers, Dubs, Giants; [email protected]

Featured in: Favicon sfchronicle.com Favicon msn.com Favicon sfgate.com Favicon smh.com.au Favicon stuff.co.nz Favicon thestar.com Favicon seattletimes.com Favicon mercurynews.com Favicon ocregister.com Favicon military.com

Articles

  • 2 weeks ago | ctinsider.com | Matthias Gafni |Cynthia Dizikes |Sophia Bollag |Susie Neilson

    One day before the Trump administration deployed U.S. Marines to confront protesters in Los Angeles, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to direct the military to detain or arrest "lawbreakers," a move one expert called "a grave escalation." A letter sent Sunday from Noem to Hegseth, obtained by the Chronicle, requested that the Pentagon give "Direction to DoD forces to either detain, just as they would at any federal facility guarded by military,...

  • 3 weeks ago | sfchronicle.com | Megan Cassidy |Matthias Gafni |Michael Barba

    The former home of murder victims Richard and Rita Zajko in Chester Heights, Pa., photographed in 2025. Matt Rourke/Associated PressThe fallout from the “Zizians” saga has been extensive. Seven young people with links to the cultlike band of devout vegans and math whizzes — centered around former Bay Area resident Ziz LaSota — are now jailed in California, Maryland and Vermont.

  • 1 month ago | sfchronicle.com | Matthias Gafni |Julie Johnson

    A newly released video that captures the ignition of the Palisades Fire on Jan. 7 provides further evidence the disastrous Los Angeles County blaze was possibly the rekindling of a fire from days earlier, according to four wildfire investigation experts who reviewed the footage.

  • 1 month ago | sfchronicle.com | Michael Barba |Megan Cassidy |Matthias Gafni

    Note: This story contains descriptions of self-harm and mental illness that may be upsetting to readers. For the 24-hour National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call or text 988. While seeking life’s greater purpose on a tropical island off Morocco, amid marathon meditation sessions and experiments with self-optimization, Maia Pasek discovered a new source of enlightenment halfway across the globe. It was “Ziz,” the Bay Area blogger now linked to six violent deaths from Vallejo to Vermont.

  • 2 months ago | sfchronicle.com | Matthias Gafni

    Patrick McMillan, 81, is pushed in his wheelchair outside the courthouse in Fairfield. McMillan testified ahead of the murder trial in the killing of a Vallejo landlord he called his best friend. Sarah McGrew/SF ChronicleA key witness in the murder trial of two Zizian associates testified in graphic detail Tuesday about the 2022 attack on his best friend, Vallejo landlord Curtis Lind, but acknowledged that multiple strokes and heart attacks have ravaged his memory.

Journalists covering the same region

Bill Esparza's journalist profile photo

Bill Esparza

Freelance Writer at Eater

Bill Esparza primarily covers news in Los Angeles, California, United States and surrounding areas including Long Beach and Santa Monica.

Michele Gile's journalist profile photo

Michele Gile

Reporter at KCBS-TV (Los Angeles, CA)

Reporter at KCAL-TV (Los Angeles, CA)

Michele Gile primarily covers news in the Greater Los Angeles area, including cities like Long Beach and surrounding regions in California, United States.

Lesley Marin's journalist profile photo

Lesley Marin

Reporter at CBS News

Reporter at KCAL-TV (Los Angeles, CA)

Lesley Marin primarily covers news in Los Angeles, California, United States and surrounding areas including Long Beach and Compton.

Michele McPhee's journalist profile photo

Michele McPhee

Senior Writer at Los Angeles Magazine

Michele McPhee primarily covers news in Los Angeles, California, United States and surrounding areas.

Richard Chang's journalist profile photo

Richard Chang

Senior Editor at Culture OC

Contributing Writer and Editor at Freelance

Richard Chang primarily covers news in Los Angeles, California, United States and surrounding areas including Long Beach and Compton.

Try JournoFinder For Free

Search and contact over 1M+ journalist profiles, browse 100M+ articles, and unlock powerful PR tools.

Start Your 7-Day Free Trial →

Coverage map

X (formerly Twitter)

Followers
8K
Tweets
25K
DMs Open
Yes
Matthias Gafni
Matthias Gafni @mgafni
10 Jun 25

NEW: We published photos of CA National Guard troops sleeping on floor. Newsom posted them, Right-wing critics called them fake or AI-generated. Today, the Pentagon said they were real. We discuss the vetting process: https://t.co/QJoCchrp7S

Matthias Gafni
Matthias Gafni @mgafni
10 Jun 25

RT @jason_paladino: Wow. In the letter, Noem also asks Hegseth for "drone surveillance support" and "logistical support and the transportat…

Matthias Gafni
Matthias Gafni @mgafni
10 Jun 25

RT @ryangabrielson: One day before the Trump admin deployed U.S. Marines to confront protesters in Los Angeles, DHS Sec. Kristi Noem asked…