DAVIS, California – Carlos Dominguez, the suspect in a series of stabbings that resulted in the deaths of two people and the severe injury of another, has been deemed competent to stand trial by a state hospital, according to prosecutors. The 21-year-old will return to the Yolo County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on January 5th.
Back in June, a court-appointed doctor had determined that Dominguez was mentally unfit to stand trial, diagnosing him with schizophrenia. Dominguez, a former UC Davis student, is accused of three separate stabbings that occurred over five days in the spring of 2023.
Forensic psychologist Dana Anderson explained that an individual can become competent through medication, but being deemed competent does not necessarily mean sanity is fully restored. If medication stops, it could lead to interference with the legal proceedings. Dominguez is currently still at the state hospital and is expected to be transferred to the jail within the next 10 days.
The two victims killed were David Breaux, 50, and UC Davis student Karim Abou Najm, 20, both of whom were killed in city parks. The only survivor, Kimberlee Guillory, 64, was stabbed multiple times through a tent. Breaux was known as the “Compassion Guy” in Davis, and Abou Najm was just weeks away from graduating.
Dominguez’s case will continue as he undergoes the legal process, with potential implications for his mental health and the outcome of the criminal proceedings. It’s a tragic situation that has deeply impacted the Davis community, and the victims and their families continue to be at the forefront of this devastating incident.