WOODLAND, CA – Carlos Reales Dominguez, on trial for double murder, remained on suicide watch for over 100 days without access to reading materials or timely psychiatric medication, according to testimony heard Friday in Yolo County Superior Court.
Dominguez is currently on trial for two murder charges, one attempted murder charge, three enhancements for use of a deadly weapon, one enhancement for infliction of great bodily injury, special circumstances for multiple murders, and a prior felony conviction.
Earlier in the trial, a UC Davis instructor testified to Dominguez’s “bizarre behavior” in her class, citing “lack of comprehension and an atypically reserved demeanor.”
On Friday, the court heard testimony from Amy Gutierrez, a social worker, and Dr. Patricia Tyler, a psychiatrist. Both worked for Wellpath, a healthcare provider contracted to serve incarcerated individuals, during the period from May to August 2023—when Dominguez was under their care.
Deputy Public Defender (DPD) Daniel Hutchinson began the morning proceedings by calling Gutierrez to the stand. Gutierrez testified about her work providing mental health services in county jails, noting that she had been with Wellpath since 2022.
Gutierrez said she was assigned to assess Dominguez on May 4, 2023, after he was placed on suicide watch. Asked why he was considered high-risk, she cited multiple factors: his first time in custody, a flat affect with little emotional expression, and near-complete verbal withdrawal—answering questions with just one or two words.
She described Dominguez’s physical posture as “rigid” and noted he was wearing a safety smock, a special gown used to prevent self-harm.
In response to questions about Dominguez’s living conditions while on suicide watch, Gutierrez testified his cell contained only a concrete bunk, toilet, and sink—without any reading material or other means of mental stimulation.
Asked how food was delivered to him, Gutierrez said meals were served on styrofoam trays without utensils to prevent self-injury.
She noted that while mental health professionals were scheduled to check on Dominguez every 15 minutes, she disagreed with the prolonged restrictive environment. “It’s better to support an individual’s coping skills,” she said, adding that suicide watch typically lasts only one to two days. By contrast, Dominguez was kept on suicide watch for “at least 100 days” without anything to occupy his time.
Gutierrez testified that Dominguez was on a hunger strike, intermittently refusing meals, and had visibly lost weight. By June 26, 2023, his weight dropped to 108 pounds, according to Exhibit JJ, a flow sheet documenting his vitals.
Gutierrez said she requested reading material be posted on the wall of Dominguez’s cell after learning he loved music, but her request was denied. She noted symptoms potentially consistent with schizophrenia, including “blank expressions, staring at the walls, minimal responses, lack of eye contact, and a decline in personal hygiene.”
Concerned by Dominguez’s worsening condition, Gutierrez said she filed a 5150 request—an involuntary psychiatric hold for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis—because she believed his needs exceeded what she could provide.
She also reported that Dominguez had been taken to the emergency room multiple times—far more frequently than other individuals in custody, in her experience.
Gutierrez stated that on July 13, 2023, Dominguez finally received emergency antipsychotic medication, though there was a significant delay. When asked by DPD Hutchinson why the medication had not been administered earlier, she pointed to court-related issues as the likely reason.
Following the administration of medication, Gutierrez observed noticeable improvements: Dominguez became more emotionally expressive, smiled for the first time, improved his hygiene, ate more consistently, and engaged in spontaneous conversation.
During cross-examination, Deputy District Attorney (DDA) Matthew Paul De Moura clarified that Dominguez had not made any direct statements about wanting to harm himself or others. He noted that both the seriousness of the charges and Dominguez’s first time in custody contributed to his placement on suicide watch.
DDA De Moura also suggested that behavior in custody can differ from behavior outside, which Gutierrez acknowledged.
On redirect, DPD Hutchinson asked whether symptoms like weight loss, flat affect, and minimal eye contact had been present from the beginning. Gutierrez confirmed that those symptoms were observable from her earliest interactions with Dominguez. Her testimony concluded shortly afterward.
DPD Hutchinson next called Dr. Patricia Tyler to the stand. Asked to define schizophrenia, Dr. Tyler described it as “a mental disorder including active symptoms and early symptoms that deteriorate functioning in social, academic, and work settings.”
She recalled meeting Dominguez mostly through Zoom and noted that during those sessions he had long hair covering his eyes and responded to questions with only one or two words.
Citing his repeated refusal to eat or drink—resulting in decreased weight and BMI—Dr. Tyler recommended an emergency antipsychotic medication. She warned that existing conditions could impair organ function, including the brain and heart.
However, the supervising psychiatrist ultimately denied the request based on contradictory information provided by another, unnamed staff member.
During cross-examination, DDA Frits Van Der Hoek asked whether Dominguez’s disinterest in eating could be due to not liking the food. Dr. Tyler acknowledged the quality of prison food but dismissed the idea that food preferences would explain such drastic behavioral and physiological issues.
Van Der Hoek also asked whether someone with fewer charges would be expected to experience less stress. Dr. Tyler disagreed, explaining that Dominguez’s affect—especially his lack of distress despite facing severe charges—was actually more consistent with symptoms of schizophrenia.
On redirect, DPD Hutchinson asked if lacking access to something like oat milk could cause schizophrenia or lead someone to stop eating. Dr. Tyler responded with a firm “no.”
That concluded Dr. Tyler’s testimony and the morning proceedings. The court recessed for lunch and was scheduled to resume at 1:30 p.m.
Afternoon Session: Clinical Testimony and Interrogation Footage Raise Questions about Carlos Dominguez’s Mental State and Police Conduct
The murder trial of Carlos Reales Dominguez resumed Friday afternoon in Yolo County Superior Court, with Deputy Public Defender (DPD) Daniel Hutchinson focusing on Dominguez’s deteriorating mental health and his diminished grasp on reality during the time surrounding the murders.
Brandi Halstead, a licensed clinical social worker at Yolo County Jail, testified to her observations of Dominguez during his incarceration.
Halstead met with Dominguez on May 9 and June 16. She recalled that, during these meetings, Dominguez expressed an interest in attending an academic meeting at UC Davis. At the time, he had already been in custody for a month and a half, facing charges for a double murder. Halstead described his request as concerning, citing it as a sign of Dominguez’s apparent lack of awareness about his legal circumstances.
She also testified that Dominguez had been on suicide watch for over 100 days. He began receiving involuntary medication in early August and was removed from suicide watch on August 15—12 days after the order for medication was issued.
Halstead emphasized that Dominguez was not placed on suicide watch due to violent behavior toward himself or others, but rather because he exhibited behavior consistent with serious mental illness, compounded by the gravity of the charges he faced.
Following Halstead’s testimony, the court viewed hours of interrogation footage that revealed inconsistencies in Dominguez’s statements and highlighted his apparent inability to explain his actions—particularly regarding his whereabouts on the nights of the stabbings. Throughout the interrogation, Dominguez told detectives he had attended classes, returned home, completed schoolwork, and gone on walks—despite having been dismissed from UC Davis prior to the attacks.
When detectives confronted him about the inconsistencies, Dominguez appeared confused and hesitant. He claimed he was unaware of his dismissal from the university, suggesting a possible disconnection from reality.
Dominguez denied any involvement in violence and expressed uncertainty about the events that occurred in the park on the night of the second stabbing. When shown images of the second victim, he stated he had never seen the person before.
Throughout the interrogation, Dominguez remained unsure about key details and stayed silent when asked about a knife linked to the attack. When questioned about how long he had owned the knife found in his backpack, Dominguez responded, “20 years,” despite being only 21—an implausible statement that drew attention in the courtroom.
The footage also highlighted Dominguez’s social isolation. He told detectives he had no close friends or family and described himself as someone who kept to himself, spending time listening to music and doing schoolwork. When asked about his future aspirations, he said he wanted to become a nurse, motivated by a desire to help others and support his mother and siblings. At one point during the exchange, a detective remarked, “It’s not too bad speaking to you, Dominguez.”
The detectives spent a significant portion of the interview discussing Dominguez’s academic challenges, particularly his dismissal from UC Davis. Dominguez acknowledged having difficulty grasping concepts in lectures, which led to him falling behind in school. However, he claimed he had not been aware that he was being dismissed.
They also discussed his financial instability as a result of his dismissal—he was no longer eligible for financial aid and had lost his job. When asked if he was worried about being unhoused, Dominguez replied, “I have to see what I gotta do and stuff to keep up with the payments.”
When asked if he felt like he was disappointing his family, Dominguez quietly responded, “A little bit.”
DPD Hutchinson raised concerns about the detectives’ interrogation tactics, specifically pointing to Detective Steve Ramos’s attempt to prompt Dominguez into describing the knife as “special”—a term Dominguez had never used to refer to the weapon. Hutchinson questioned whether the detectives were trying to manipulate Dominguez into self-incrimination.
“What is he trying to do here—trying to get Dominguez to say the knife is special to him?” Hutchinson asked the court, laying the groundwork for potential suppression motions.
Judge Samuel T. McAdam ordered proceedings to resume Tuesday at 8:00 a.m., when the court is expected to view the remainder of the interrogation footage.
