WOODLAND, CA – The trial of Carlos Reales Dominguez resumed this week in Yolo County Superior Court, with testimony from a former college friend, a coworker, and a fraternity brother who described Dominguez’s deteriorating mental health, social withdrawal, and behavioral changes leading up to the alleged stabbing spree.
Dominguez faces two felony counts of murder, one felony count of attempted murder, and multiple enhancements, including use of a deadly weapon, infliction of great bodily injury, multiple murders, and a prior felony conviction.
Deputy Public Defender Dan Hutchinson began the morning by introducing Dominguez’s advising record from UC Davis. The record showed that, prior to the stabbings, Dominguez had missed advising sessions and was subsequently blocked from booking further appointments. Even after being academically dismissed from the university, Dominguez continued attending classes and failed to acknowledge his dismissal.
During cross-examination, Deputy District Attorney Frits Van der Hoek argued that Dominguez had to visit different websites to book advising appointments and appeal his dismissal. Hutchinson countered that both sites were clearly linked through the main UC Davis portal.
DPD Hutchinson then called a close friend of Dominguez’s from their freshman year at UC Davis.
The friend testified that they met during the fall quarter of the 2020–2021 academic year, when the campus was under lockdown. He described Dominguez as a “good kid”—sometimes quiet, sometimes talkative—and someone capable of joking, laughing, and expressing emotion. They later became roommates the following year.
According to the friend, Dominguez began displaying troubling behavior. On one occasion, he heard loud banging from Dominguez’s room and discovered that Dominguez had punched a wooden door repeatedly, leaving it cratered. When asked about it, Dominguez did not respond.
The friend testified that they eventually moved out of the apartment and grew apart due to Dominguez’s increasingly abnormal behavior.
DPD Hutchinson presented photos of Dominguez with the friend, his ex-girlfriend (who had previously testified), and other mutual friends. Hutchinson pointed out that Dominguez appeared healthy, sociable, and physically fit in the photos—contrasting sharply with his appearance at the time of the stabbing and during the trial.
During cross-examination, DDA Van der Hoek asked about Dominguez’s academic performance, suggesting that Dominguez had been under stress from his course load but had never shown violent tendencies prior to the incident.
Next, Hutchinson called a coworker from the Davis Jack in the Box where Dominguez worked as a cashier in fall 2022. She testified that on her first day, she approached the counter for assistance and stood nearly face-to-face with Dominguez, who ignored her. She added that Dominguez never initiated conversation and was often seen staring blankly at a wall.
She recalled one incident where Dominguez, while on drive-through duty, ignored customers for several minutes while continuing to stare at the wall.
During cross-examination, DDA Van der Hoek argued that Dominguez was capable of performing his duties on other occasions and pointed out that the coworker’s total overlapping work time with him amounted to just 10 hours. On redirect, Hutchinson emphasized that in her two years at the restaurant, she had never encountered another employee who behaved like Dominguez.
Finally, Hutchinson called one of Dominguez’s fraternity brothers to the stand.
The fraternity brother testified that Dominguez had seemed quiet but sociable during the Fall 2020 rush period when they first met. They became friends and later roommates during Dominguez’s third year at UC Davis—the year of the alleged stabbings.
The witness testified that Dominguez had mentioned “hearing voices in his head.” When the brother suggested he seek therapy, Dominguez reportedly “shrugged it off.”
Court adjourned before Hutchinson concluded his direct examination of the fraternity brother. Testimony is expected to resume the following morning.
Judge Samuel T. McAdam announced that the trial will reconvene Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in Yolo County Superior Court.
