A suspected serial killer who was arrested in California earlier this month, and who reportedly carried out a series of stabbings between April and May this year, entered the U.S. illegally as an unaccompanied minor during the Obama administration, ABC10 reported citing an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official.
Carlos Dominguez, now 21, came to the U.S. in April 2009 from El Salvador. A request to detain Dominguez was issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who has identified the alleged serial killer, the official said.
Dominguez was arrested after being accused of stabbing two people to death and attempting to fatally wound another, in three separate incidents between April 27 and and May 1, the Daily Wire reported. Yolo County Sheriff’s Office carried out the arrest. He is currently held in Yolo County jail.
Dominguez attended UC Davis until April 25, majoring in biological sciences. According to a press release by the school, the third-year student was separated for unspecified academic reasons.
In the statement, the school emphasized the importance of not speculating on the matter until all facts are verified.
“We urge the community not to rush to conclusions or speculate until all facts are known. We are grateful for law enforcement’s quick response and resolution during an extremely difficult period for the city and campus,” according to the statement.
According to his former high school football coach James Barnes, Dominguez was a good athlete and student.
“Nice kid. Never had any issues. Very well respected through his peers. He respected adults,” he said. “I wouldn’t see where this would come from,” Barnes told KCRA.
The victims include David Breaux and Karim Abou Najm, both of whom perished in the attack. A third victim, Kimberlee Guillory, remains in hospital.
“I’m grateful that I’m alive and that I wasn’t killed. I was so scared when he started punching me. I thought that’s what he was doing, was punching me. I didn’t realize he was stabbing me until afterwards. Everything just went kind of black from there,” Guillory said, adding that there was no apparent reason for the attack.
“I’m glad that they got him. I was praying for that, that nobody else will have to go through this. Me and the other two victims never did anything to him. There was no reason for him to come after people that that he didn’t even know,” Guillory said.
Dominguez, who was represented by a public defender, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in a Woodland courtroom on May 5. Additional to the counts are also enhancements for premeditated murder, multiple murders, and for using a deadly weapon.