Judge deems Davis stabber legally insane after manslaughter conviction

WOODLAND, Calif. (CN) — The former UC Davis student convicted of manslaughter for a series of fatal stabbings in a California college town was found Wednesday to be legally insane at the time.

That decision by a judge — not a jury — accelerated the court proceedings against Carlos Reales Dominguez, who already has served the maximum sentence for his convictions on two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Court officials now are working toward a commitment order that will place Dominguez in a state hospital instead of a prison. That order is expected at an Aug. 19 hearing.

“The objective here is to send the defendant to a state hospital,” Yolo County Superior Judge Sam McAdam said. “We’re not there yet.”

Dominguez’s public defender said prosecutors would file a petition that, if granted, would permit Dominguez to remain in a state hospital longer than his maximum sentence.

Authorities in May 2023 arrested Dominguez, 23, in connection with the fatal stabbings that spring of David Breaux, 50, and Karim Abou Najm, 20 as well as the stabbing of Kimberlee Guillory, who survived.

Initially facing murder charges, Dominguez first faced a jury last year. It acquitted him on charges of first-degree murder, but reached no verdicts on his other charges.

That led to a second trial that began in May. It ended Tuesday with convictions on involuntary manslaughter and acquittals on charges of second-degree murder and attempted murder — verdicts Dominguez’s public defender requested in his closing argument.

Jurors returned Wednesday to the courtroom. However, Dominguez waived his right to the second phase of his trial. In that phase, jurors would have heard evidence and determined whether Dominguez was legally insane at the time of the offenses, meaning he had a mental disease or defect at the time, couldn’t understand his acts or that they were morally and legally wrong.

Instead, both sides agreed McAdam could make that determination.

“Any additional evidence I need to consider?” the judge asked.

“No,” said Supervising Deputy Public Defender Dan Hutchinson.

McAdam noted three doctors determined Dominguez was legally insane, and jurors opted to convict on involuntary manslaughter — meaning he had no malice.

“It’s not difficult to reach the conclusion that the defendant was legally insane,” McAdam said.

McAdam said court officials have more procedures to work through before a commitment order is ready. Hearings in the case are set for Aug. 5 and 19, with victims’ friends and family expected to read impact statements on the latter date.

The stabbings in April and May 2023 set the college town of Davis on edge. Breaux was discovered dead on April 27, 2023, in Central Park. Najm died April 29, 2023, in Sycamore Park. Guillory suffered multiple stab wounds on May 1, 2023, at a homeless encampment.

Dominguez was arrested two days later after a man, thinking he resembled a suspect description, followed him and contacted police. Officers said they found a knife in a bag Dominguez was carrying.

The question of whether Dominguez was competent to stand trial soon emerged. Prosecutors argued he was, pushing the issue to a trial on that issue alone. However, after a week of testimony, they agreed Dominguez wasn’t competent.

Dominguez spent months in a state hospital to have his competency restored. The criminal proceedings against him resumed in 2024, followed by his first trial the following year.

“Yesterday and today’s verdicts do not lessen the devastating loss suffered by the families and friends of David Breaux and Karim Abou Najm, nor the pain and trauma suffered by Kimberlee Guillory and the Davis community,” Hutchinson said in a statement to Courthouse News.

“The verdicts recognize a difficult but important principle of California law that a person who, because of a severe mental illness, is legally insane at the time of an offense is not criminally responsible in the same way as someone acting with a sound mind,” he added. “This trial was never an attempt to excuse what happened. It was an effort to ensure that the law accurately addressed Mr. Reales Dominguez’s intent and mental state at the time of these tragic events.”

The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office in a statement acknowledged the family and friends of the victims, as well as the Davis community, noting it experienced five terrifying days as an unknown assailant walked the streets.

“Violent cases involving schizophrenia, or other serious mental illnesses, are both complex and challenging. The fields of psychiatry and psychology are not exact sciences,” District Attorney Melinda D. Aiello said, adding: “While this is not the outcome we hoped for, we respect the role of the jury in our justice system and thank each juror for the significant sacrifice they made in serving our community.”