BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A man was convicted of first-degree murder, child abuse, and resisting arrest after fatally stabbing the mother of his two young children nearly 100 times in front of them at their Bakersfield home earlier this year.
The Kern County District Attorney’s Office said Victor Farias Jr. was convicted of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 30-year-old Yolanda Rojo and inflicting mental suffering child abuse upon his daughters who were present when the stabbing happened.
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The Kern County District Attorney’s Office said on October 2, 2026, a Kern County jury found Farias guilty of the first-degree willful, premeditated, and deliberate murder of Yolanda Rojo, the mother of his children. The jury also found true that Farias was armed with a knife at the time of the murder. In addition to first-degree murder, Farias was also found guilty of child abuse and resisting arrest.
According to the DA’s office, on March 25, 2026, just before 10 p.m., Bakersfield Police officers were called to a domestic dispute at the 7000 block of College Avenue in Bakersfield.
When officers arrived, they found Yolanda Rojo on the floor, with a slight pulse, covered in blood, and suffering from multiple stab wounds.
Rojo was rushed to Kern Medical, where she was pronounced dead. The victim suffered 69 sharp force injuries on her head, neck, and back, along with 23 stab wounds and numerous defensive wounds on her hands and arms.
The coroner discovered that such force was used during the attack that three of the stab wounds caused fractures to her skull and neck, according to the DA’s office.
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The DA’s office said Farias and Rojo shared two children together, ages six and four, who witnessed the murder. At the time of the incident, the victim yelled for the six-year-old to come to help her as she was being stabbed by Faris. The DA’s office said the child tried to call for help with her mother’s blood-soaked phone; however, Farias snatched the phone out of her hand.
Rojo while still alive and being stabbed by Farias, then told the girl to run to the neighbor to get help. A doorbell camera caught the victim’s last screams as the six-year-old ran from the apartment to get help.
The DA’s office said Farias was close behind and chased the six-year-old, trying to prevent the child from getting help. Farias ultimately left the area and drove eastbound on Highway 58 towards Tehachapi. While on the run, Farias sideswiped a big rig one mile west of the Tuck Road exit and crashed his car off the road into an embankment.
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When law enforcement arrived at the scene, Farias had disappeared into the Tehachapi Mountains. After an extensive search, Farias was found in Tehachapi on March 26, 2026, where he resisted arrest and gave officers a false name.
BPD investigating homicide on College Avenue (KBAK/KBFX)
Kern County District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented, saying, “Victor Farias took Yolanda’s life believing he could silence her and conceal the truth. However, through the courage of her young children and the evidence recovered at the crime scene, Farias was ultimately found guilty of her premeditated murder, ensuring that Yolanda and her children obtained the justice they deserve.”
Farias’ sentencing is set for November 2, 2026, where he faces up to 25 years to life in prison, plus an additional year.
The DA’s office said this verdict is “especially meaningful” during this time as October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “Every act of domestic violence matters, and tragedies like this remind us of the importance of advocacy, education, and community support,” said in a release.
The Kern County Family Justice Center offers free services, including safety planning, housing assistance, and restraining order assistance. 3
Walk-ins are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit kcfjc.org.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, you can call 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website.