Mistrial for former UC Davis student Carlos Dominguez in stabbings case. What jury told judge

Darrell Smith, The Sacramento Bee on Jun 27, 2025

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Yolo County judge declared a mistrial Friday in the case against former University of California, Davis student Carlos Reales Dominguez after jurors acquitted him of one murder charge and failed to reach a verdict on a second in connection with a series of stabbings that rocked the community two years ago.

The jury of eight women and four men found Dominguez not guilty of first-degree murder in the April 2023 stabbing death of David Breaux. On the charge of second-degree murder in the killing of UC Davis student Karim Abou Najm, jurors said they were deadlocked 10-2 in favor of acquittal.

The split persisted for “about a week,” the jury foreperson told Judge Samuel T. McAdams said in the Woodland courtroom.

Dominguez, 23, faces charges stemming from a knife rampage that left Breaux and Najm dead and severely wounded a third victim, Kimberlee Guillory.

Outside of court, relatives of the victims and others in attendance were stunned by the turn of events.

Majdi Abou Najm, the father of the UC Davis student slain in Sycamore Park, called Friday “a nightmare.”

“The fact that we have to go through this again is unbelievable,” he told reporters.

A new hearing was set for July 24; Dominguez will remain in custody at the Monroe Detention Center, McAdams ruled.

Dominguez displayed little reaction in court as the judge worked through the forms and polled the jury, consistent with his demeanor throughout the trial. His public defender, Daniel Hutchinson, argued Dominguez was in a psychotic state due to schizophrenia and should be convicted only of involuntary manslaughter.

Dominguez faced two counts of murder and an allegation of attempted murder in the serial stabbings, as well as assault with a weapon causing great bodily injury, and special circumstances including the commission of multiple murders. Jurors could also consider allegations of involuntary manslaughter. Dominguez remains held in Yolo County custody pending the outcome of the second phase of trial to determine whether he was sane when he committed the acts.

Prosecutors said Dominguez was angry and spiraling. They cited a knife purchase months before the killings and said the attacks were deliberate acts of violence.

Breaux, 50, was stabbed 31 times on a Central Park bench on April 27, 2023. Najm, 20, was killed days later on a Sycamore Park bike path. Guillory, 64, was attacked in her tent downtown but survived and testified against Dominguez.

Dominguez’s trial was delayed in 2023 while he was treated at Atascadero State Hospital and later found competent to stand trial.

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