A violent confrontation at a Hernando construction site has ended with a 25-year prison sentence for a Mexican national who admitted to attacking a coworker with a box knife and stabbing him in the neck.
The DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office announced on April 1, 2026, that the defendant will serve 25 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections for attempted murder, followed by 10 years of post-release supervision. The stabbing happened on March 5, 2025, and left the victim with a stab wound to the neck.
Guilty plea and sentence
According to a post by the DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office, 19-year-old Jiver Alejandro Melo Dominguez pleaded guilty to attempted murder in connection with the Hernando stabbing.
The office said Dominguez received a 25-year sentence in MDOC custody, followed by 10 years of post-release supervision. Assistant District Attorney Ben Weathers prosecuted the case, and District Attorney Matthew Barton publicly praised the Hernando Police Department for what he described as a swift response to the scene.
Attack at the Hernando construction site
Prosecutors said the violence unfolded on March 5, 2025, at a construction project in Hernando where Dominguez and the victim were working. During the incident, Dominguez allegedly used an Orcon box knife to slash a coworker’s neck, leaving the man with a stab wound.
The episode led to a grand-jury indictment the following month. Local outlets reported on the charging decision in May 2025. DeSoto County News was the first to publish details of the indictment, and Darkhorse Press also covered the case.
Investigation and prosecution
The district attorney’s Facebook post identified the victim as Jose Rene Artiga Pais and stated that he suffered a stab wound to the neck in the attack. According to the post, Dominguez was detained at the scene until officers arrived.
The DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office credited the Hernando Police Department with making the arrest and again named Ben Weathers as the lead prosecutor. Prosecutors moved the case from the grand-jury indictment phase to a guilty plea, and the sentence will now be carried out in state custody.
Context and reaction
In its announcement of the plea and sentence, the DA’s office cast the case as part of a broader push to hold violent offenders accountable in DeSoto County, and it highlighted the defendant’s immigration status. Earlier remarks from District Attorney Matthew Barton about the May 2025 indictment, including commentary on that status, were recorded by DeSoto County News.
