The Murder of Cristian Dominguez-Aguilar
For this case, I watched an episode of See No Evil. It’s season 8 episode 3, titled ‘He’s Dead, That’s How I Feel.’ A hit and run accident turns out not to be an accident after all.
Background
Cristian Dominguez-Aguilar was just 18-years-old when he was killed. He had emigrated from Mexico about 18 months before his death. He was excited to study and better himself in America.
After graduating high school, Cristian got a job working in a warehouse. He also enjoyed working on cars with his older brother Armando, who he had been living with.
Cristian was described as always happy, always smiling, and as very hard-working.
Cristian Dominguez-Aguilar
The 911 Call
On November 22, 2017, Cristian told his brother that he was working late, and was going to be getting a ride home that night.
Later that evening, Cristian had stopped answering his phone. Armando, and his fiancé Jessica, were both very worried. They went to the warehouse where he worked. The parking lot was empty, and the security guard working, said everyone had gone home for the night.
Around 7:17pm, a 911 call came into the Fontana, California police department. The caller said a person had just been hit behind the 7-Eleven, on Foothill Boulevard. The person was still breathing, but bleeding heavily. The caller said she saw the person in the vehicle run away from the scene, but that his car was still in the parking lot.
The Crime Scene
When the police arrived, a large group of people were outside the 7-Eleven. It was described as a very chaotic scene.
A white Chevy truck was indeed behind the 7-Eleven. There was severe damage to the front of the truck. Cristian was lying in front of the truck, and was severely injured. Cristian was identified by his ID.
The truck was examined. The keys had been taken out of the ignition. Luckily, the police were able to run the license plate. It came back as registered to John Nieto, a 20-year-old Hispanic male.
The police had a name, but they weren’t sure if John was the person who drove the car. They weren’t even sure if it was an accident, or if Cristian was targeted.
Cristian was rushed to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The Surveillance Footage
The police asked the 7-Eleven if they could take a look at the surveillance cameras. The camera facing the area where the truck had crashed was looked at first.
A male, eventually identified as Cristian, can be seen running back towards the 7-Eleven. The white truck chases him at a high rated speed, and crashes into him. The truck didn’t attempt to break, proving it was not an accident.
The police found an eyewitness, who had witnesses the crash. She said she had been sitting in her car, when she saw Cristian walking in the crosswalk. She then heard screeching tires, and saw the white truck make a U-turn. He attempted to hit Cristian, but Cristian was able to get away, and hide behind two electrical boxes.
Cristian then started running back to the 7-Eleven, and was pinned between the truck, and brick wall of the building.
The Other Car
The police had the devastating job of notifying Cristian’s family of his death. Most of Cristian’s family was still living in Mexico, but his brother Armando, and his fiancé Jessica, went down to the police station for an interview.
The police asked them if Cristian had been in any kind of trouble, or had drama with anyone at work. They said no, but that he did buy a birthday present for a woman at work. The woman had just turned 21, but Cristian hadn’t given them anymore details about who she was.
The police learned that this woman often dropped Cristian off at the 7-Eleven after work, and then he’d be picked up by his family.
The police turned back to the surveillance footage. A gray car can be seen pulling into the parking lot. Cristian is seen getting out, and walks out of frame. Just seconds later, the white truck comes into view.
The police were able to obtain surveillance footage from a house across the street from the 7-Eleven. They now see when the driver leaves the scene, after striking Cristian. The man leaves, but returns, most likely to take the keys out of the ignition.
A female can be seen walking to the area where Cristian was hit. She looks at him, and walks back to her car. Her gray car then pulls out of the lot, and drives in the direction of the male suspect.
A Jealous Ex
The police dug further into the truck’s owner, John Nieto. They learned that John was in a relationship with a female named Elisabeth Mancilla. Elisabeth was one of three females that Cristian spent time with at work, but only Elisabeth had just turned 21.
The police discovered that the gray car that Elisabeth drove, was also registered to John. It was a gray Infiniti G35. It was identified as the car that had dropped Cristian off, and Elisabeth was identified as the female who had “checked” on Cristian.
The police surveilled Elisabeth’s apartment. John and Elisabeth eventually came out, and John drove away in the Infiniti G35. He was then pulled over during a traffic stop, and taken into custody.
Elisabeth was also brought down to the station. The police weren’t sure what her involvement in Cristian’s death was.
No Remorse
John was calm, and can be seen smirking, as the police sit down to speak to him. John was asked that night. He said his “baby mama (Elisabeth),” had been cheating on him. He said he gave her a warning to stop texting other men, but she didn’t listen.
John said he had looked through her phone, and called Cristian once before, to threaten him. Elisabeth didn’t stop speaking to Cristian, so he made a plan to stalk them.
John said on November 22, he sat across the street at the Circle K, and waited. Once he saw Elisabeth pull out of the lot, he followed in the direction that Cristian walked in.
John attempted to hit Cristian once, made a U-turn, and hit him at a high rated speed. At this moment, John wasn’t aware that Cristian was dead. The police asked him how he’d feel knowing that he injured Cristian. John replied that he had “fucked up his truck.” They then asked how he’d feel if he killed Cristian. John says “well, then he’s dead.”
John is then notified that he killed Cristian. He responded that he didn’t care.
Elisabeth was also interviewed. She said she and John had been together for 6 years, but that they weren’t together at the time of Cristian’s death. Elisabeth said she wished she had stayed to help Cristian, but that she picked John up instead, and brought him to her apartment.
The Convictions
There was no evidence that Elisabeth was anything more than an accessory. She was offered a plea deal, and was given a sentence of 150 days in jail, with weekend work release.
John Nieto was convicted of first degree murder. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
John Nieto
Elisabeth Mancilla
FINAL THOUGHTS
The video of Cristian being hit is terrifying. I can’t even imagine what his last moments were like. I’m sure he didn’t even know who was following him, or why. There was no evidence to prove that Cristian and Elisabeth were romantically involved. John obviously thought that they were, and decided to kill him.
My heart broke for Cristian’s family, especially Armando. He blamed himself, and said Cristian was his responsibility. Armando seemed like an amazing brother, and even father figure to Cristian, and should not blame himself.
Armando and Jessica named their son Cristian, which is beautiful.
Sources
https://cbslocal.com/2017/11/25/family-friends-hold-vigil-for-man-killed-in-jealous-hit-and-run/
https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-fontana-jealous-murder-20171123-story.html
https://abc7.com/fontana-crime-hit-and-run-police/2687764/
