WOODLAND, Calif. — Jurors in the retrial of Carlos Reales Dominguez on Thursday viewed drone footage of the 2023 crime scenes as prosecutors continued presenting evidence from the investigation into the killings of David Breaux and Karim Abou Najm and the attempted murder of Kimberlee Guillory.
Dominguez, as indicated, is being retried for the 2023 murders of Breaux and Abou Najm and the attempted murder of Guillory. He was previously tried and acquitted of first-degree murder last year, but the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision on the second-degree murder and attempted murder charges.
The current trial is centered on Dominguez’s schizophrenia diagnosis, which he received after his arrest in 2023, and his state of mind during the attacks.
On Thursday, one of the lead detectives from the original cases was called to the stand. He was one of the first officers with the Davis Police Department to interview Dominguez. The detective said he and his partner questioned Dominguez for roughly 34 minutes before he was transported to the Davis Police Department.
During the interview, the detective asked Dominguez to show him and his partner his hands, where the detective said it was likely there could be wounds from wielding what investigators believed was the murder weapon: a knife.
Photos of Dominguez’s hands taken at the time of his arrest were shown in court, including a photo of a scratch beneath the webbing between the thumb and index finger on his left hand. Photos of his right hand showed numerous cuts that appeared to be scabbing over, including a cluster of scabs on his middle finger and two scratches near his wrist.
The detective testified that his partner transported Dominguez to the Davis Police Department in a third officer’s vehicle, while he drove his partner’s car to 762 Hawthorne Lane in Davis.
Police had received an anonymous tip that Dominguez was associated with the address, and the detective said he went to secure the location while officers awaited a search warrant.
During cross-examination, Deputy Public Defender Dan Hutchinson asked the detective to verify whether media members were present during his initial interview with Dominguez, and the detective confirmed that they were. Hutchinson also asked whether the detective’s body-worn camera was activated, and the detective said it was not. Although his partner was wearing a body camera, it was turned off and not recording.
The next witness, a corporal with the Davis Police Department, was called to the stand. The officer previously testified about evidence found in the area surrounding Abou Najm’s body.
The corporal is also a member of the Davis Police Department’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems team. Deputy District Attorney Alex Kian asked how the team is used in investigations, and the corporal explained that the unit operates drones, which he is licensed to fly.
Using drones, the corporal flew between five and 100 feet above the ground, depending on the perspective needed, to capture images of the crime scenes and surrounding areas. The images were used to create three-dimensional digital models as well as two-dimensional composite images.
The drone used in the investigation, the corporal testified, was a DJI Mavic Thermal.
Several videos, ranging from just under two minutes to more than 10 minutes in length, were shown in court to depict the locations where the attacks occurred and other relevant areas.
The most recent drone footage was recorded in May 2026 to document changes to Central Park since the killings.
The most significant change was the addition of a splash pad known as Natalie’s Corner at B and Fifth streets.
Although a playground already existed in the area, a water-play feature has been added near the location where the bench, on which Breaux’s body was found, once stood.
The updated footage was presented to provide jurors with perspective on a landscape that has changed since the attacks.
The trial will reconvene June 12, 2026, in Department 14 of Yolo County Superior Court.
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