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Carlos Reales Dominguez, the suspect in the 2023 Davis serial stabbings, testified in court on Tuesday (June 3), discussing his life, trauma, and perspective on the attacks. The former UC Davis student is accused of fatally stabbing two men and seriously wounding a woman during a week-long crime spree that caused the college town to close businesses early and switch evening classes to virtual formats until his arrest.
Dominguez's testimony focused on the positive aspects of his life, his childhood trauma, and his growing hallucinations. His defense attorney, Daniel Hutchinson, aims to prove to the jury that Dominguez was experiencing his first psychotic break due to untreated schizophrenia at the time of the attacks. Dominguez shared details of his past, including being sexually abused as a child, his parents' domestic violence, and his detainment at the border while being smuggled into the U.S. at age six.
Prosecutors Matthew DeMoura and Frits Van Der Hoek argue that Dominguez was coherent and acted with premeditation. They presented evidence of Dominguez's behavior, including his rigid posture and fragmented responses during an interrogation video. Dominguez testified about his declining mental health, describing how he began hearing whispers and seeing shadowy figures as he progressed through college.
The trial, expected to last through July, will determine whether Dominguez was sane during the attacks. The defense has not denied the attacks but argues that Dominguez's untreated schizophrenia led to his mental decline. The jury will decide his guilt or innocence, with prosecutors opting not to pursue the death penalty.