Carlos Dominguez, suspect in Davis serial stabbings, deemed competent to stand trial
DAVIS — A state hospital has determined that Carlos Dominguez, the man suspected of killing two people and nearly killing another in a series of stabbings in Davis, is competent to stand trial, prosecutors said Thursday.
Melinda Aiello, the Yolo County assistant chief deputy district attorney, confirmed to CBS Sacramento that Dominguez, 21, will return to the Yolo County Jail and is set to appear back in court at 9 a.m. on January 5.
Back in June, a court-appointed doctor deemed Dominguez mentally unfit to stand trial. The doctor reported that they diagnosed Dominguez with schizophrenia.
Dominguez, a former UC Davis student, is accused of three separate stabbings that occurred over five days during the spring of 2023.
"He's going to return to court and now this means that he can work with his attorney and he understands what happens so now he can proceed with the legal proceedings," forensic psychologist Dana Anderson said.
Anderson said a person can become competent through medication.
"In order to get psychiatric treatment that can include medication and typically for individuals who are not found competent to go to court, they are restored to competency, or they get their competence training or treatment in a state hospital," Anderson said.
However, being deemed competent doesn't mean sanity is restored. If the medication stops, it could lead to interference with the criminal proceedings.
"So an individual who is deemed competent weeks later could unravel and essentially be noncompetitive again," Anderson said.
Dominguez is still at the state hospital. According to officials, he will have a 10-day window transfer to the jail. As of Friday, he had not been transferred.
The two victims killed were David Breaux, 50, and UC Davis student Karim Abou Najm, 20. Kimberlee Guillory, 64, the only survivor, was stabbed multiple times through a tent.
Breaux was a beloved figure in Davis known as the "Compassion Guy." Abou Najm was just weeks away from graduating. Both men were killed in city parks.
