In a widely followed Davis murder case, Carlos Dominguez has been cleared of first-degree murder charges relating to the 2023 stabbing spree that left two men dead and one woman injured, as reported by ABC10. The verdict was announced Friday after jurors reached a unanimous decision on the charge of first-degree murder but remained deadlocked 10-2 on the counts of second-degree murder, resulting in a mistrial for those charges.
It was revealed that the jury had been stuck for about a week, with the majority asserting Dominguez's innocence on the second-degree murder charges. the jury foreperson shared that the jurors had each independently confirmed they did not think that further deliberations would yield a different result, the information came according to ABC10. Dominguez, who remains in custody without bail, is set to return to court on July 24.
The trial stems from a chain of attacks near UC Davis beginning just days after Dominguez, a former student, was expelled. Victims included David Breaux, also known as "Compassion Guy," and UC Davis student Karim Abou Najm, who were both fatally stabbed in separate incidents, while Kimberlee Guillory survived being stabbed in her tent, which was documented by KCRA.
In the aftermath of the stabbings, Davis took extraordinary safety measures with early business closings, evening classes at UC Davis switching to virtual mode for a time, and the university's student rideshare program expanded its services to tackle the fear gripping the community; this was the scene set forth in a report by KCRA. Dominguez faced multiple charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, attempted murder, involuntary manslaughter, personal use of a deadly weapon, and personal infliction of great bodily injury.
