Murder charge filed 3 years after fatal stabbing of Turlock teenager
Nearly three years after 17-year-old Dylan Ray Dooling was fatally stabbed while leaving a house party in Turlock, Stanislaus County prosecutors have filed a murder charge against a suspect who was a juvenile at the time of the killing.
Stanislaus County District Attorney Jeff Laugero announced Friday that a murder charge has been filed and an arrest warrant issued in connection with Dooling’s June 2, 2023, killing. Authorities said the suspect is now an adult but was younger than 18 at the time of the alleged offense, preventing officials from publicly identifying him.
The suspect is in the custody of a law enforcement agency outside Stanislaus County, and authorities are working to return him to the county “expeditiously,” according to the District Attorney’s Office.
“The murder charges come after a comprehensive three-year investigation conducted by the Turlock Police Department, who received instrumental support from the Stanislaus County Probation Department,” Laugero said in a statement.
According to Turlock police, officers responded at around 10:45 p.m. June 2, 2023, to a report of a stabbing in the 2000 block of North Daubenberger Road.
Officers arrived within minutes and found Dooling suffering from a stab wound on the sidewalk. Police began first aid and CPR until personnel from the Turlock Fire Department and American Medical Response arrived. Dooling was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Investigators determined Dooling had attended a house party earlier that evening. As he was leaving, he was confronted by a group of males and a physical altercation broke out. During the fight, Dooling was stabbed before the group fled the area. Friends of the victim called 911, police said.
Dooling had graduated from Pitman High School one day before he was killed. According to his obituary published by Allen Mortuary, he planned to attend Modesto Junior College that fall. His family remembered him as someone who enjoyed playing chess, collecting cologne, playing video games and spending time with friends and family.
Over the next three years, detectives conducted follow-up interviews, reviewed evidence and pursued leads. Investigators eventually developed evidence that allowed them to seek a murder charge.
“This case has remained a priority for our detectives since the night it occurred,” Detective Frank Navarro said in a statement. “Dylan was a young man who had just graduated high school and had his whole life ahead of him. Our goal has always been to pursue the truth and seek accountability for what happened to him.”
Turlock Police Chief Jason Hedden praised the detectives who worked the case. “The loss of Dylan deeply impacted his family, friends, and our entire community,” Hedden said. “While nothing can undo that loss, our department has remained committed to pursuing justice. I want to commend the dedication and persistence of our detectives who continued working this case over the past several years.”
Because the offense occurred when the suspect was a juvenile, California law prohibits authorities from releasing his identity. Deputy District Attorney Patrick Hogan told The Bee that the arrest warrant is sealed within the juvenile court system and cannot be released.
“Our office is grateful for the work of the Turlock Police Department and the Probation Department,” Hogan told The Bee. “They worked together to help solve this.”
No additional information about the suspect or upcoming court proceedings has been released.
