Three stabbings occurred in Davis, California, in short succession in late April and early May 2023. On the morning of April 27, 50-year-old David Breaux was found unresponsive on a bench in Central Park by passersby. First responders discovered that he had suffered numerous stab wounds, and police began a homicide investigation.[1]

Two days later, Karim Abou Najm, a 20-year-old UC Davis student, was riding his bicycle when he was attacked and stabbed numerous times along a path at Sycamore Park.[2] An eyewitness heard a commotion and went to the scene, witnessing the assailant pick up Najm's bicycle and speed away.[3]

On the night of May 1, another attack occurred when a 64-year-old woman was stabbed through her tent downtown. The assailant fled and first responders took her to the UC Davis Medical Center for treatment.[4][5]

The three cases were described as a "spree of gruesome knife attacks".[6] A 21-year-old male suspect, Carlos Reales Dominguez, was arrested on May 4 and arraigned on May 5 in Yolo County Superior Court on two murder charges, an attempted murder charge, and several enhancements. Bail was denied.[7] He had previously been a student enrolled at UC Davis, but was dismissed for undisclosed reasons.[8]

Attacks

First attack

The first victim, David Henry Breaux, 50, was found dead on April 27, at 11:20 am. It is unknown when the stabbing occurred. After a welfare check was called in, Davis Police officers found the body of Breaux on a bench in Central Park, located in downtown Davis.[9] He had suffered multiple stab wounds. The victim was homeless and was known to sleep on the bench. Breaux was a fixture on the streets of Davis, where he greeted people and asked for them to share their personal views on compassion.[10]

Second attack

Two days after the attack on Breaux, a second stabbing occurred on April 29, at Sycamore Park in Davis. The crime happened at approximately 9:15 pm. The victim was identified as Karim Abou Najm, 20, a student at UC Davis and a graduate of Davis High School.[11] He was biking home from an undergraduate conference where he had won an award for his outstanding research and development of software designed to help hearing-impaired people. Like Breaux, he also suffered many stab wounds across his body. As the attacker fled, a man who helped Najm at the scene provided a description that matched Reales.[12] Najm died of his wounds.[12]

Third attack

On May 1, shortly before midnight, Kimberlee Guillory, a 64-year-old homeless woman, was stabbed through her tent at an encampment at 2nd and L Street on the outskirts of downtown Davis. She survived the attack and called 911 to report the stabbing. She was hospitalized in critical condition. The suspect was spotted by a group of people at the encampment who provided a description of the attacker, which matched the description given by the eyewitness at the Najm crime scene.[13]

Accused

Carlos Reales Dominguez (suspect)
Born
Carlos Reales Dominguez

El Salvador[14]
Occupationnone

Carlos Reales Dominguez

The suspect, Carlos Reales Dominguez, is accused of two murders and one attempted murder. He had previously attended UC Davis until being academically dismissed on April 25, 2023, 2 days before David Breaux’s body was found.[15]

On May 3, 2023, Dominguez was arrested after being spotted by at least 15 people who called the police tip line and reported that he matched the widely circulated description of the assailant.[16] Dominguez was located by police in the vicinity of Sycamore Park, the location of the Najm murder. He was wearing the same clothes from the night of the attack on Guillory, which helped bystanders identify him. He had a large knife in his possession at the time of the stop, and police said he also had wounds on his hands and wrists.[7]

During a competency hearing on July 27, 2023, a court-appointed psychologist described him as “a textbook example of schizophrenia.”[17] Dominguez was found incompetent to stand trial, and in September he was moved to Atascadero State Hospital.[18] His trial was placed on hold until he is treated and restored to competency.[17][19]

On December 20, 2023, Dominguez was declared competent to stand trial, and is slated to return to court on January 5, 2024, to resume proceedings. [20]

A student directory listed Dominguez as a sophomore studying biological sciences. Prior to that, he graduated from Castlemont High School in Oakland, California.[21]

References

  1. ↑ ""Compassion Guy" David Breaux identified as Davis Central Park homicide victim". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-04-28. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  2. ↑ ""Please capture this individual": Father of slain UC Davis student Karim Abou-Najm calls for justice". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  3. ↑ "Man killed in stabbing at Davis' Sycamore Park". abc10.com. April 30, 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  4. ↑ Hubler, Shawn (4 May 2023). "Recent College Student Arrested in Three Stabbings in California Town". The New York TImes. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  5. ↑ Flores, Hilda (4 May 2023). "Everything we know about the recent deadly stabbings in Davis". KCRA News. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "College Town Serial Killer Was 21-Year-Old Former Student, Cops Say". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Davis suspected serial killer Carlos Dominguez charged with 2 counts of murder, 1 count of attempted murder". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-05-05. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  8. ↑ Stark, Monica (May 4, 2023). "Suspect expelled from UCD before killings began". Davis Enterprise.
  9. ↑ Keene, Lauren (May 4, 2023). "BREAKING: Suspect, 21, arrested in Davis serial stabbings". The Davis Enterprise. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  10. ↑ Acosta, Nicole (May 2, 2023). "Beloved 'Compassion Guy' Killed: California Community Mourns Park Fixture Who Touched Countless Lives". People. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  11. ↑ Garrison, Jessica; Mejia, Brittny (May 4, 2023). "Ex-UC Davis student arrested in serial stabbings that have terrorized city". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  12. 1 2 Tucker, Emma; Romine, Taylor; Prasad, Ritu (May 4, 2023). "21-year-old former UC Davis student arrested in connection with series of stabbings near campus, police say". CNN. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  13. ↑ Hubler, Shawn (May 4, 2023). "Recent College Student Arrested in Three Stabbings in California Town". The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  14. ↑ Miranda, Mathew; Hobbs, Stephen (May 5, 2023). "Who is Carlos Dominguez? Suspected Davis killer grew up in Oakland, football team captain". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  15. ↑ Stark, Monica (2023-05-04). "Suspect expelled from UCD before killings began". DavisEnterprise.com. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  16. ↑ ""A sigh of relief": Davis sleeps soundly after arrest of suspected serial killer - CBS Sacramento". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-05-04. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  17. 1 2 Ayestas, Jonathan (2023-08-18). "Accused Davis serial killer will spend up to 2 years in state hospital". KCRA. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  18. ↑ writer, Lauren Keene, Enterprise staff (2023-09-14). "Dominguez transferred to state mental-health facility". DavisEnterprise.com. Retrieved 2023-12-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ↑ "Judge formally commits Davis stabbings suspect Carlos Dominguez to state hospital - CBS Sacramento". www.cbsnews.com. 2023-08-17. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  20. ↑ "Davis serial stabbing suspect deemed competent by state hospital, will return to face trial". www.sacbee.com. 2024-01-02. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  21. ↑ Larson, Amy (May 5, 2023). "Davis stabbing suspect graduated from Oakland high school". MSN. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
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