A Ventura County jury has convicted a man of beating his girlfriend, breaking her nose, and holding a handgun to her head while threatening to kill her at a homeless encampment near the Santa Clara River. Yanci McClay Dakin fired the gun repeatedly until he ran out of ammunition, then fled the scene before being arrested by Ventura Police later that same evening.
The attack unfolded over three days between October 15 and 17, 2025, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. A witness living in the encampment called police after Dakin ran off, setting off the investigation that would eventually lead to his conviction more than a year later. Dakin, who resides in Ventura, was taken into custody that night.
The jury found Dakin guilty of four felony counts: inflicting corporal injury on a cohabitant, assault with a firearm, criminal threats, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. Jurors also sustained special allegations that Dakin was armed with and used a weapon, that his girlfriend was particularly vulnerable, that he had a prior conviction for corporal injury on a domestic partner, and that the case marked his third strike under California law.
Two More Survivors Step Forward
Deputy District Attorney Darian Cohen said the violence and fear Dakin inflicted on the women in his life were difficult to overstate. Two additional survivors came forward in connection with the case. Cohen credited the victim and those two additional survivors with ensuring Dakin was held accountable for his actions.
Because of his conviction, Dakin faces a sentence of 25 years to life in state prison. Under California Penal Code sections 667 and 1170.12, a defendant with two or more prior serious or violent felony convictions faces a third-strike term for any new felony, according to the Legislative Analyst's Office. California's Three Strikes Law provides enhanced penalties for defendants with prior serious or violent felony convictions. Dakin is being held without bail, and his sentencing is scheduled for November 16 in Courtroom 46 of Ventura County Superior Court.
A Rehabilitation Record That Didn't Hold
At San Quentin State Prison, Dakin took part in the SQ Cooks culinary academy and worked as a teacher's aide. He had expressed plans to pursue a culinary career, according to San Quentin News, which featured him in coverage of the prison's vocational programs. His case now stands in contrast to those plans.
Violence Amid Ventura's Homelessness Crisis
The attack took place at a homeless encampment near the Santa Clara River in Ventura.
The incident took place at a homeless encampment near the Santa Clara River.
Research on domestic violence in the county points to a stark gender disparity among those seeking help. A peer-reviewed study of intake data from the Ventura County Family Justice Center found that 79% of 3,488 client entries were female, according to findings published on PubMed Central. Established in 2019, the center uses a coordinated, centralized wraparound model for abuse survivors.
Dakin's case now heads toward formal sentencing next month, while two additional survivors came forward in connection with the case.
