UC Davis stabbings suspect deemed not competent to stand trial, will be transferred to state hospital

The former University of California Davis student accused in a series of stabbings earlier this year is set to be transferred to a state hospital after a court-appointed psychologist deemed him not competent to stand trial.

A jury had been hearing evidence in the case because prosecutors with the Yolo County District Attorney's Office had contested the court-appointed psychologist's opinion on Carlos Dominguez's mental fitness back in June.

Prosecutors dropped their challenge regarding his competency to stand trial last week, prompting the judge to dismiss the jury and suspend the case.

"At this point there is no longer a dispute as to his competency and the court has issued an order that Carlos Dominguez is not competent to stand trial," Judge Samuel McAdam told the jury during a Monday hearing.

"We disagreed with the initial doctor's report and how she reached her conclusions regarding competency," the DA's office said in a statement Thursday. "However, based on the information that came out in trial and the recently initiated involuntary medication proceedings, we are now in agreement that Mr. Dominguez is presently not competent to stand trial."

Authorities have accused Dominguez, who was 21 when he was arrested, of fatally stabbing UC Davis senior Karim Abou Najm and 50-year-old David Breaux in parks near the university campus in late April, and injuring Kimberlee Guillory in a stabbing near campus in early May.

Dominguez had pleaded not guilty to two murder charges and one attempted murder charge through his attorney after his arrest in May. During a subsequent hearing in June, he interrupted a competency hearing to profess his guilt.