WOODLAND, Calif. — Jurors in the retrial of Carlos Reales Dominguez on Monday viewed video footage of the Davis Police Department’s interview with Dominguez following his arrest in connection with the 2023 Davis stabbings that left two people dead and a third injured.
Carlos Reales Dominguez, a student attending the University of California, Davis, was accused of felony murder with enhancements in April 2023 after a string of related attacks. His trial proceeds, and the jury was presented with video evidence of the Davis Police Department interviewing Dominguez following his arrest.
Dominguez remains in custody facing charges of two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, with enhancements for use of a deadly weapon and a prior felony conviction. Judge Stephen Mock declared a mistrial after the 10-week case resulted in a hung jury that found Dominguez not guilty of two counts of first-degree murder but remained deadlocked on all remaining charges.
The murder trial resumed June 15 in Yolo County Superior Court. Judge Samuel T. McAdam reviewed the police footage along with the jury, which portrayed Dominguez sitting in an interrogation room.
Davis Police Department investigators asked, “Why did you attack him?” referring to the man who was murdered at Davis Central Park. They also asked if there would be any reason Dominguez would want to harm anyone. Dominguez replied “no” to all questions and did not indicate that he wanted to or had reason to harm anyone.
Investigators revealed that there was DNA evidence at the scene tying Dominguez to the Davis Central Park stabbing. They claimed Dominguez had the victim’s blood in his hair, on his skin and on his bike, and said DNA found at the park was a match during the interview.
The DPD asked whether Dominguez had hurt somebody in the past, and he stated that he did not think so. He was then asked, “Why on Thursday last week? Can you explain that to me, help me understand and maybe it makes you feel better to have someone to talk to about it?”
Dominguez was asked about school, what stressed him and where he acquired the knife. Dominguez did not claim that any particular person gave him the knife, nor did he identify a specific purpose for having the knife found on his person.
Dominguez admitted that he had been “kicked out” of UC Davis for poor academics. He stated that he aspired to be a nurse. The Davis police asked, “Why not a doctor?” and continuously questioned him about becoming a doctor and why he wanted to become a nurse.
The DPD asked him what his plan was after school and what he thought the outcome would be after he committed the crime. Dominguez stated he had to support his family in some way and expressed concern about housing and stability.
He was asked how many times he had stabbed or hurt the man, and he said he did not want to guess. He was asked again for an approximate number. He said he did not know, and police speculated that Dominguez simply did not want to tell them.
Police stated that the murderer had stabbed the victim with a sharp object 29 times. They asked whether it was a knife or something else in the accused’s bag that could have been used to hurt the man.
When asked whether he was by himself, Dominguez claimed that he was.
Dominguez stated that he felt there was right and wrong and that he had done something “not good.” He was asked and agreed that it would be wrong to break into someone’s house, kill someone and cheat on a test.
Dominguez was asked whether he was medicated or whether his family had a history of being diagnosed with any mental illness. He denied any suggestions regarding a history of mental health issues.
He was asked whether there was a reason he was not telling the DPD everything and was questioned about a previous criminal record. Police also asked whether they would find anything incriminating in his house.
Police repeatedly insisted that Dominguez was not being completely honest with them.
Davis police asked whether he had any questions for the officer. Dominguez said he had a test and needed to be at school, or that he had to prepare for a test.
They then asked whether Dominguez knew why he was in custody and being questioned, and whether he had any knowledge about the crimes occurring in Davis. Dominguez denied any prior knowledge of the crimes occurring in Davis and said he did not know why he was being questioned by police.
Police asked about Dominguez’s knowledge of the cameras at Davis Community Church across from the park, and he said no. When asked whether the cameras were an issue, he said he was not sure.
In the footage, Davis police accused Dominguez of killing two people and stabbing a third. Dominguez denied involvement. Investigators pressed further, asking whether the accused had acted out of passion, premeditation or physical agency, all of which Dominguez denied. Investigators then asked the accused to help them make sense of what had happened.
The footage stopped at 10 minutes and 15 seconds.
The case will resume June 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.
