Prosecutors cut to body cam tape in Davis stabbing trial

WOODLAND, Calif. (CN) — Carlos Dominguez, on trial for the murder of two people and the stabbing of a third, spent his last moments of freedom walking along a tree-lined street in his California college town.

Dominguez, carrying a bag with a knife that police say was used in the slayings, had been spotted on May 3, 2023, by a passerby. The city of Davis was suffering under a cloud of fear at the time. Two fatal stabbings had put the town on edge. People worried about going outside.

Justin Shafer has told jurors that he waved aside those concerns and decided to go for a walk. While at Sycamore Park, where one of the stabbings occurred, he thought he saw a man resembling the suspect’s description. The person, later identified as Dominguez, started to walk away. Shafer followed, contacted police and flagged down officers when they arrived.

On Friday, three weeks into the trial, jurors saw body camera footage from officers at that scene. Jailed since the day Shafer spotted him, Dominguez, 22, has pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of murder and attempted murder.

Doctors have diagnosed Dominguez with schizophrenia. He spent a few months in a state hospital to have his competency restored.

Talking to Dominguez at a street corner, one officer asked if he could look inside his bag. Dominguez declined, saying he needed to get to class. He lifted the bag to his chest a few times, securing it. Giving officers a false name and address, Dominguez told officers he had no identification on him.

“I’ve been under a lot of stress,” Dominguez said when asked about cuts on his hands, calling them self-inflicted. “Personal problems.”

Davis Police Officer Leo Gonzales testified that Dominguez closely matched the stabbing suspect’s description — long, curly hair covering his face, a black hoodie and black track pants with white stripes. Officers also spotted Dominguez only blocks away from the second fatal stabbing.

An officer later put handcuffs on Dominguez and had him sit on the street curb. The bag, on the ground nearby, opened once placed down, and officers could see inside.

Checking records, officers soon discovered no “John Joas” — the name Dominguez provided — existed. Uncuffed and allowed to stand, Dominguez was told he wasn’t under arrest. Uniformed officers had stepped away, and detectives began asking him questions.

Dominguez’s public defender, Dan Hutchinson, honed in on Sergeant Mathew Muscardini’s questioning at the scene. The Davis officer said he wanted to interview Dominguez before giving a Miranda warning. That admonition is given to people when arrested, informing them of their right to an attorney and to remain silent.

Muscardini peppered Dominguez with questions, asking why he appeared nervous and if he knew about the spate of stabbings.

“Did you cut yourself anywhere else?” Muscardini asked, referring to the wounds on Dominguez’s hands. “Do you need medical attention? Why are you so nervous, John?

“I think you know what crime’s been going on,” he added.

“I don’t,” Dominguez answered.

Asking to return home, Dominguez ultimately agreed to ride in a patrol car to the police station. Questioned by Hutchinson, Muscardini said he didn’t have probable cause at the scene to arrest Dominguez. However, he also said that officers wouldn’t have allowed Dominguez to leave.

The prosecution — which, along with Hutchinson, delivered opening statements on May 5 — is expected to rest its case after questioning a final witness on Tuesday. Hutchinson is set to start calling witnesses on Monday. He’s slated to call Dominguez’s father, sister, former girlfriend, roommates and a coworker next week.

Hutchinson said he expects he’ll need two weeks to call all his witnesses.