Domestic violence strikes again: Estranged husband accused of fatally stabbing woman at daughter's grad party
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – Wednesday was one of those red-letter dates in a young person's life.
The last day of school: class promotion, graduation, celebration…a family get-together.
It wasn't supposed to go like this…nothing is supposed to go like this.
Taylor Danay Dominguez Estrada held a middle school graduation pizza party for her eldest daughter at her mother's house on Monterey Street Wednesday evening. She invited family members but not her estranged husband Rafael Estrada, the father of her youngest boy.
He found out about it anyway.
Family members declined to go on camera or were unavailable, but they confirmed some of the preliminary details provided by the coroner's office. At about 8:20 p.m., after most of the guests had departed, Rafael Estrada allegedly entered the house, took out a knife, and cut his wife's throat in front of at least one child.
32-year-old Taylor Estrada died right there where she fell.
Rafael Estrada took off but was soon apprehended off Taft Highway.
Lauren Skidmore of the Open Door Network, a domestic violence awareness and assistance agency, said the issue isn't going anywhere.
'Relationships are hard,' she said. 'It's hard for this person that ends up being the aggressor and it's hard for the victim. Before you become an aggressor and you put yourself in a situation that you could either harm somebody that you have a connection with, that you potentially love, and-or family members, that you should take a step back.'
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'I hope if you're finding yourself not able to overcome this aggression, and this constant conflict, that you seek help,' said Skidmore. 'There are organizations out there that can assist you with that…can walk you through relationship guidance. That can help you through healthy relationships. Relationships are hard, so while you may end up being the one who's the aggressor, there could be tense moments between both parties that cause you to finally hit that edge point. Before you get there, seek help and seek conversation.'
Between 960,000 and three million incidents of domestic violence are reported each year, and those are just the reported cases.
It's been estimated that more than 10 million people experience domestic violence in the U.S. each year and about 90% are women.
As long as there is jealousy, erratic behavior, illusions of ownership, and mental illness, the possibility of domestic violence will always exist.
It's how we deal with it that will make the difference.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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