A Lebanese student was stabbed to death in California’s college town of Davis days after a similar attack took place, triggering a police manhunt for the suspect.
The victim, 20-year-old Karim Abou Najm, was killed Saturday evening at Sycamore Park as he was on his way home coming from an awards ceremony at the University of California, Davis, where he was finishing his undergraduate degree.
“The day he left us, he won one of the UC Davis awards, and he was on his way back home,” Abou Najm’s father, Majdi, told local KCRA-TV channel. “He was literally 5 minutes away.”
The death of the computer science student came after another man, 50-year-old David Breaux, was stabbed to death at another park in the same town.
The two incidents were followed by the stabbing of a 64-year-old woman at a homeless encampment on May 1, instigating fear that a serial killer might be on the loose in the area.
“We moved from Lebanon in 2018 when the situation in Lebanon was…starting to go [in the wrong] direction and we came here hoping for safety,” the father said and described him as:
“Someone who was full of ambition, proud of his roots, who just wanted to make this world a better place.”
The Associated Press reported that following the woman’s stabbing, a shelter-in-place was put into effect but was later lifted while calling on the residents to remain vigilant.
The Associated Press also reported that the suspect was “described as a male with long curly hair, a thin build and carrying a brown backpack.”
Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel said during a news conference on Tuesday that the description of the suspect involved in the stabbing of Abou Najm and the woman was “substantially similar.” Police are still looking into a connection between the stabbings, local media said.
“Karim…was just six weeks away from graduating with honors. This was his last quarter. He was so proud and so happy and so thankful,” Majdi told KCRA. “We are so proud of him, and we will miss him.”
“I am simply devastated that the young person killed Saturday night at Sycamore Park in Davis was a UC Davis student, Karim Abou Najm,” chancellor Gary May said in a statement.
“By all accounts, he was an exceptional student, son and friend.”
His father said his son already had two jobs lined up upon graduation.
“For his short journey with us, he accomplished a lot. He took pride in helping others from lessons he learnt through his studies and work. He mentored undergraduate computer science students,” the university said.
Suspect found , enters not-guilty plea; judge denies bail
The former UC Davis student suspected of killing two people and wounding a third in a nearly week-long stabbing spree pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that could bring the death penalty.
Wearing what appeared to be a protective vest, 21-year-old Carlos Reales Dominguez stood with his eyes downcast as Yolo Superior Court Judge Daniel Wolk read the four-page complaint prosecutors filed that morning, charging him with two counts of premeditated murder and one count of premeditated attempted murder, all of which carry enhancements for use of a deadly weapon.
Dominguez also faces the special-circumstance allegation of multiple murders, which if found true makes him eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office said it would decide whether to pursue capital punishment “at a later date.”
Al Arabiya / YL
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