Man guilty of murders on Skyline Boulevard in San Mateo County

“It’s a really horrifying case. We are quite pleased he will never be out on the street again,” Assistant District Attorney Sean Gallagher said.

Dosouqi was found guilty Thursday of first-degree murder in both cases with special circumstances because he waited for his victims and used a knife. The special circumstances mean he will be sentenced to life in prison with no possibility for parole at an April 15 sentencing date. Paul Demeester, who represented Dosouqi, said the significant milestone for the defense was getting the death penalty dropped from consideration over the summer.

“That was probably our biggest accomplishment. Obviously, the evidence was tough for us to overcome,” Demeester said.

Dosouqi lured Nasher, a cab driver, to Skyline Boulevard, where he murdered him with a large knife. A Sheriff’s Office deputy found Nasher’s body at 11:09 p.m. in a dirt area west of Skyline Boulevard and just north of Reids Roost Road. Dosouqi then called for a tow truck to the same location and stabbed Pekipaki. Officers arrested Dosouqi while officers were investigating Nasher’s death. Officers arrested Dosouqi after he fled and nearly ran over officers with his car. A motive for the killing has not been announced. Gallagher said it was clear from the evidence that the crimes were premeditated and that he lured the two men up a dark stretch on Skyline Boulevard.

Court-appointed doctors found Dosouqi incompetent to stand trial in 2019. He spent around six months at Napa State Hospital, after which doctors restored him to competency. Dosouqi was also known to laugh inexplicably during court proceedings and would interject during court that he would soon be getting out of custody. Dosouqi unsuccessfully motioned to fire his previous attorney before Demeester and represent himself during a July 2019 hearing. The defense eventually picked a trial by a judge instead of a jury in 2022. The court trial lasted for seven days after starting March 7.

“It was, as murder cases go, fairly quick. It was in the short to medium range of trials but very efficient in how it was presented,” Demeester said.

Demeester acknowledged the DA’s office did a good job presenting the case and recognized the hardship for the victims’ families.

“I must credit the families of the two men who were killed who sat through the entire trial. It’s always painful for loved ones to see a trial unfold. It was very courageous,” he said.

curtis@smdailyjournal.com

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