CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Sentencing in murder aboard a Metro bus

| Crime | West Seattle news | White Center

Those are photos of Miguel R. Rivera Dominguez, 17 years old when he shot a man dead aboard a Metro bus in White Center in October 2023 without saying a word. We first published the photos when he was charged with premeditated first-degree murder weeks after killing 21-year-old Marcell D. Wagner aboard a West Seattle-bound bus that was stopped at 15th/Roxbury.

(WSB photo, October 3)

Two months ago, Rivera Dominguez pleaded guilty as charged, and this afternoon he was sentenced. According to court documents, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office requested a sentence of 21 years in prison; Superior Court Judge Brian McDonald sentenced him to 23 years and four months, after an hour-long hearing, attended by family members of both the victim and the defendant. Case document indicate the sentence is at the midpoint of the state’s standard sentencing range for someone with no record, 20 years to just under 27 years. He’ll get credit for the nearly two years he’s already been in custody, and he will be on probation for three years when he gets out.

Insertname September 5, 2025 (5:24 pm)

I’m curious as to why the prosecution is only asking for a twenty-one year sentence. This was a cold blooded murder. The victim didn’t even have a chance to react. This creep should get at least 40 to life. I just don’t understand why people aren’t being held accountable; these light sentences are infuriating. I don’t get it.

WSB September 5, 2025 (5:48 pm)

It’s spelled out at length in the sentencing brief. Often we don’t upload court documents because they’re full of witnesses’ names etc., but this one does not appear to have any such names – there are several pages of explanation:
https://westseattleblog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2025/09/23-1-06023-3-KCPAO-pre-sentencing-statement.pdf
- EVGuy September 5, 2025 (6:12 pm)
  
  Spelled out but still doesn’t seem appropriate. This guy committed premeditated murder – he planned ahead, had spare clothes – and killed without any provocation whatsoever. He’ll be let out, after having received 23 years in the school of “how to be a criminal” taught by the best, in his mid-thirties, which means he’ll still be young enough to apply his schooling. He should have got life, which would prevent the possibility of him ever committing a crime again, or at the least, 50 years, so as to hopefully diminish his ability to commit crimes again by being too old.
State sentencing guidelines September 6, 2025 (6:27 am)

As per the text above (I’ve added the bold): Case document indicate the sentence is at the midpoint of the state’s standard sentencing range for someone with no record, 20 years to just under 27 years. He’ll get credit for the nearly two years he’s already been in custody, and he will be on probation for three years when he gets out.

Hopefully he saves the taxpayers money September 5, 2025 (6:39 pm)

This is what happens when people don’t raise kids and let them terrorize the neighborhood with their tantrums.

Jim P. September 5, 2025 (7:21 pm)

Did Junior offer any sort of reason for his little “oopsie” that we should let him back out before the guy he killed comes back to life?

And just where did he obtain a gun?

Someone else bears responsibility here as well since there are no legal means by which he acquired one.

WSzombie September 5, 2025 (7:26 pm)

Why did he sit in jail for two years just to plead guilty. Seems like something that could have been achieved within 6, 12, or even 18 months. Why wait if they know the plea. And if they needed all that time to make a decision, what goes into a timeline like that?

k September 6, 2025 (7:53 am)

Lawyers getting their paperwork ready and court calendar scheduling conflicts. Not the whole two years, but stuff like that adds a stupid amount of time to cases.

I’m wondering when that rich kid that killed the homeless guy who touched his bike will get to trial. If you think 21 years is bad, I’m betting he gets off even lighter, because he can afford private lawyers. Bookmark this is and come back to it when the case is resolved.
Jim P. September 6, 2025 (11:23 am)

A lot of plea bargains happen when a trial is about to start and when the defendant suddenly realizes it’s not a game show or a fun way to get “street cred”.

Fitness Dude September 5, 2025 (7:37 pm)

Should’ve been life in prison. That’s the cruelest murder I’ve ever heard of around here.

1994 September 5, 2025 (10:08 pm)

I agree with life in prison because he gave the victim a death sentence. Or at a minimum lifetime! probation on top of his release in what….20 years? Good that he was convicted as an adult opposed to juvenile status.

Community Member September 6, 2025 (12:00 am)

If you don’t personally know the facts of the case, you shouldn’t pass judgment. People are more than their worst mistake. A young person who is given the chance to be accountable and change and grow will do more for the community than someone just sitting behind bars. The US has longer prison sentences on average than any other democracy and worse rates of recidivism.

anonyme September 6, 2025 (6:52 am)

Was the sentence for first-degree murder or did he plea to a lesser charge? I agree with EVguy; prison is a school of higher education for criminals, so this sociopath will be well trained when he gets out in his thirties.