A former UC Davis scholar, Carlos Reales Dominguez, is charged in a collection of seemingly random stabbings that left two males useless and critically injured a homeless girl within the Northern California school city.
The assaults befell over a collection of six nights, and two of them occurred in native parks, casting a pall over a metropolis that celebrates its well-used bike paths, youth sports activities and ample inexperienced area. The city hunkered down in concern, with youth actions canceled, eating places shutting early and school college students sequestered of their dorms.
Murder detectives and FBI brokers streamed into Davis to help within the investigation. Dominguez was detained by police Wednesday afternoon close to a neighborhood park the place the second deadly stabbing befell, after a number of Davis residents referred to as police to say he matched the outline supplied by witnesses in two of the assaults.
Here’s what we find out about Dominguez and the crimes he’s accused of committing.
What do we all know in regards to the suspect?
Dominguez, who was born in El Salvador, entered the nation in April 2009 as an unaccompanied minor, in line with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official. He was transferred to a member of the family, and his immigration case was closed administratively in April 2012.
Dominguez, who was majoring in organic sciences, had been in his third yr at UC Davis till April 25, when he was separated for unspecified tutorial causes, in line with the college. He had no felony document, police stated.
In an interview Thursday, Dominguez’s father expressed bewilderment and shock at his son’s arrest, describing Dominguez as a loving brother and son and an achieved scholar and athlete at Castlemont Excessive College in Oakland, the place he graduated in 2020.
“That is inexplicable to me,” he advised The Occasions, including that he was unaware UC Davis had disqualified his son for educational struggles. “He was so excited to go to Davis. I don’t perceive how this might occur.”
In a weblog dedicated to a healthcare internship for college kids from various backgrounds that Dominguez had participated in throughout highschool, he described his desires of changing into a health care provider to assist individuals like his grandmother.
“I obtained into healthcare to assist my grandmother — she has sort 2 diabetes,” he stated. “It makes me joyful and it makes her joyful, and I simply love seeing her smile.”
Dominguez performed soccer and ran monitor in highschool, and indicated in a short biography on the blogpost that he was dedicated to his two youthful siblings.
What do we all know in regards to the crimes?
The investigation started April 27, after authorities discovered the bloodied physique of 50-year-old David Henry Breaux, a Stanford College graduate who slept in Davis’ Central Park and was recognized round city for his light proselytizing on the necessity for compassion. Breaux had been stabbed to dying on the bench the place he usually slept. No witnesses have come ahead in that assault.
Two days later, Karim Abou Najm, 20, a graduating UC Davis scholar who had not too long ago posted to social media about his pleasure at discovering a job as a software program engineer, was fatally stabbed in Sycamore Park as he biked dwelling from a college occasion Saturday night time. A neighbor who responded to the scene after listening to sounds of misery described the assailant as a younger man with curly hair and a skinny construct who fled on — and later deserted — Najm’s bike.
On Monday night time, a girl in her 60s was attacked as she slept in a homeless encampment at 2nd and L streets close to town’s downtown. She was alone in her tent when an individual slashed the canvas, reached in and stabbed her repeatedly. The assailant ran off when her screams drew the assistance of fellow campers. She was taken to UC Davis Medical Middle and is recovering after surgical procedure.
On Wednesday, Dominguez was noticed strolling by way of a park close to the place Najm had been killed on April 29, wearing darkish clothes — black sweatshirt and black monitor pants with a white stripe — that matched the outline supplied by witnesses of the third assault. With wavy shoulder-length hair and a skinny construct, Dominguez’s bodily look additionally matched witness descriptions.
Police detained Dominguez and stated they discovered a big “hunting-style knife” in his backpack. The weapon was in keeping with one police consider was used within the assault on Breaux. Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel stated investigators spoke with Dominguez for hours earlier than arresting him for all three crimes. Pytel described his method as “reserved” however declined to disclose particulars of the dialog.
What’s subsequent within the case?
Dominguez was arraigned in Yolo Superior Court docket on Friday and pleaded not responsible.
Based mostly on the fees and a special-circumstance allegation, prosecutors may search the dying penalty within the case. Dominguez stays in custody within the Yolo County jail on a no-bail maintain.
