DAVIS, California – The suspected serial stabber in Davis, Carlos Dominguez, has been determined to be competent to stand trial, according to prosecutors. The 21-year-old former UC Davis student is accused of killing two people and critically injuring another during a series of stabbings in the spring of 2023.
Earlier in June, a court-appointed doctor had deemed Dominguez mentally unfit to stand trial, diagnosing him with schizophrenia. However, following treatment at a state hospital, he has now been found competent to proceed with legal proceedings.
Forensic psychologist Dana Anderson explained that medication can restore a person’s competence, but it does not necessarily restore their sanity. If medication is stopped, it could lead to a relapse in competence.
The two victims killed in the stabbings were 50-year-old David Breaux and 20-year-old UC Davis student Karim Abou Najm. A third victim, 64-year-old Kimberlee Guillory, survived being stabbed multiple times. Dominguez is currently still at the state hospital but is expected to be transferred to the jail soon.
This development means that Dominguez will face trial for the alleged crimes. However, it also raises questions about the potential impact of medication on his competency as the legal proceedings unfold.