Daly City: Man sentenced to 14 years to life for stabbing girlfriend during breakup

REDWOOD CITY – A Bakersfield man was sentenced to 14 years to life in prison for stabbing his girlfriend 15 times in Daly City after she told him she wanted to break up, prosecutors said.

Neil Alexander MacDonald, 27, pleaded no contest in August to attempted murder with premeditation, deliberation and infliction of great bodily injury, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.

San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Kevin Dunleavy imposed the sentence at a hearing Tuesday, where he also issued a 10-year no-contact order for the victim, who survived the attack.

Dunleavy also imposed $5,070 in court fees against MacDonald. Restitution for the victim will be determined at a future hearing.

“’I’m very pleased with the outcome in the case,” San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe said. “He will not be released until a parole board determines that there’s no danger to the community.”

MacDonald was previously convicted of assault causing serious bodily injury in 2020, prosecutors said. Due to his prior conviction, the baseline seven years to life sentence for attempted premeditated murder was doubled.

“Judge Dunleavy had the power to dismiss that strike prior and give him seven to life,” Wagstaffe said. “He made the choice, that that wasn’t the right thing to do – that the one strike was appropriately double the sentence from seven to 14.”

MacDonald’s defense attorney Jonathan McDougall did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Aug. 21, 2021, MacDonald and his 22-year-old girlfriend were staying at an Airbnb in Daly City when an argument broke out and she told him that she wanted to break up, prosecutors said. The couple had been together for two years and lived together.

MacDonald grabbed a knife from the kitchen and threatened to kill himself, cutting at his throat, prosecutors said. The victim called 911 and told MacDonald not to harm himself, authorities said.

When police arrived, MacDonald stabbed the victim in the chest with a long knife, prosecutors said. As she attempted to crawl away, MacDonald stabbed her multiple times in the back, according to court records.

Police then entered the Airbnb and stopped the attack, prosecutors said.

The victim was taken to the hospital with 15 stab wounds, but survived, prosecutors said.