DAVIS, Calif. (CN) — Police on Thursday formally arrested a former student at University of California, Davis, on charges of stabbing three people in a case that has shaken the college community.
Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel announced the arrest of Carlos Dominguez, whom police detained Wednesday after 15 people called in reports of a person who matched the description of the suspect near a downtown park.
Pytel called the stabbings — two fatal — the work of a serial killer.
"At this point, based on the information that we have and the definition of a serial killer, that would apply," he said.
Dominguez is accused of stabbing three, including a second victim who died in the park where he was located in Davis. The city, located about 70 miles northeast of San Francisco that boasts more than 13,000 students living on campus, entered a state of emergency a week ago when police found the body of David Henry Breaux, 50, in downtown’s Central Park, hunched over a bench where he often sat. Breaux was a well-known community member, Stanford University graduate and author, known for creating the city’s “Compassion Bench” in 2013.
The second victim, Karim Abou Najm, was found Saturday night at Sycamore Park with multiple stab wounds. Abou Najm, 20, was a UC Davis senior and graduate of Davis High School.
The third victim, a woman in her 60s named Kimberlee Guillory, was stabbed multiple times while alone in her tent in an encampment Monday. She survived and called 911, but remains in critical condition, Pytel said.
Davis police said they found Dominguez at Pine Lane and Colby Drive and took him to police headquarters in downtown Davis for questioning. They reported finding a large, fixed-blade "hunting style" knife in his possession, and that he was wearing clothing similar to what witnesses said the suspect was wearing during the third stabbing.
“Detectives are currently serving a related search warrant at the Davis residence where Dominguez lives,” the police department said in a statement. “Significant and related evidence has already been discovered.”
Pytel said Dominguez could be arraigned in Yolo County Superior Court as soon as Monday.
UC Davis officials said in a statement that Dominguez was a third-year student majoring in biological sciences until April 25, “when he was separated for academic reasons.”
Dominguez has been booked on suspicion of two counts of murder in the deaths of Breaux and Abou Najm, and one count of attempted murder in the attack of Guillory. Pytel declined to say whether Dominguez had confessed to the stabbings.
He credited the 15 callers for helping provide a description that led investigators to Dominguez, whose place of residence prior to Davis has not been confirmed.
"These crimes were horrific, they're hard to imagine. They struck fear in the community," Pytel said. "We hope that the announcement today provides some level of relief."
In a joint statement, Davis Mayor Will Arnold and UC Davis chancellor Gary May said, “The spirit of Davis is vibrant, connected and robust. We will reclaim our community and campus, our parks and neighborhoods, our safety and peace of mind.
“This is still a wonderful city and university with amazing people who care and triumph over adversity. We will endure and we will emerge stronger."
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