WOODLAND, CA – Eight witnesses testified Tuesday in the ongoing jury trial of Carlos Dominguez, who is in custody facing two counts of murder, three enhancements for use of a deadly weapon, infliction of great bodily injury, a special circumstance allegation for multiple murders, and a prior felony conviction.
Testimony included a mix of law enforcement personnel, a paramedic, a forensic systems analyst, and a man experiencing homelessness who was friends with one of the victims. Much of the questioning followed similar lines, with the exception of the forensic analyst, whose testimony sparked debate over digital evidence.
Deputy District Attorney Matthew P. De Moura questioned a detective about crime scene photographs, collected evidence, and the condition of one of the victims. Defense attorney Daniel Hutchinson followed with cross-examination on similar topics.
A man who lived near one of the victims at an encampment described the area and his relationship with the victim. Both DDA De Moura and DPD Hutchinson questioned him about the living conditions and the proximity to the crime scene.
The paramedic, a police sergeant, a police service specialist, and a corporal all offered procedural testimony about their involvement in the investigation, including crime scene response and autopsy logistics. None were cross-examined by the defense.
A local doctor, who lived near the scene of one of the stabbings, testified about responding to calls for help. His testimony was cut short due to time constraints, with questioning by DDA De Moura scheduled to continue the next day.
The most contested testimony came from a forensic systems analyst, who detailed how data from the accused’s phone—including location history and images—was retrieved and analyzed. DDA De Moura highlighted photos allegedly found on Dominguez’s phone, including images of memorials and hundreds of knives, which were presented to imply a connection to the crimes.
However, DPD Hutchinson raised questions about the reliability of that evidence, arguing the images could have been cached from websites or downloaded unintentionally during the investigation. The analyst acknowledged that this was possible and that it was unclear which images were intentionally saved by Dominguez.
A final point of contention involved a note found on the accused’s phone: the lyrics of a song containing the word “knife” in the title. DDA De Moura sought to admit the song as evidence, implying relevance to the case. DPD Hutchinson countered that the song was written a year before the stabbings and does not reference violence. Judge Samuel T. McAdam deferred a decision on its admissibility.
The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
