Johnathan Federico Hernandez is in custody at the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Detention Center, charged with the 2023 fatal stabbing of Dylan Dooling.
The 19-year-old Hernandez had been incarcerated at the California Training Facility in Soledad since March 10, 2025. He was serving a three-year sentence for robbing a Modesto gas station in January 2025. At that time, he was on probation for a juvenile offense.
Hernandez was transferred to Stanislaus County on Tuesday evening and booked into county jail. A warrant had been issued for his arrest on July 9 in the high-profile homicide that occurred less than 24 hours after the 17-year-old victim had graduated from Pitman High School.
Hernandez will appear in juvenile court Thursday at 8:30 a.m. A hearing will be necessary to determine whether Hernandez will be tried as an adult; he was 16 at the time of the incident.
On June 2, 2023, Dooling was leaving a party in the 2000 block of North Daubenberger Road at around 10:45 p.m. when he was confronted by a group of males, according to the Turlock Police Department. A fight broke out. The reason for the altercation remains unknown. Dooling was stabbed and the males fled. Friends of the victim called 911.
Officers arrived within minutes and found Dooling on the sidewalk. They immediately began administering first aid and CPR until personnel from Turlock Fire Department and American Medical Response arrived on the scene.
Dooling was transported to a local hospital but died about an hour later.
In March 2025, a bench at Ferreira Ranch Park in northeast Turlock was dedicated in honor of Dooling, who was two months shy of his 18th birthday when he was killed.
“You guys showing up keeps his memory so strong,” Dooling’s father, Joe Dooling, told supporters during the dedication ceremony. “We hope that you can continue to support us, because we will not stop until justice is brought.”
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact TPD Detective Frank Navarro at 209-664-7319.
