Rhode Island man guilty of manslaughter in death of 31-year-old Corey Vargas

Attorney General Peter Neronha has announced that a Providence man has been found guilty by a Providence County Superior Court jury of manslaughter after stabbing and killing 31-year-old Corey Vargas in 2020.

On Friday, December 8, 2023, following the conclusion of a five-day jury trial before Superior Court Justice Stephen P. Nugent, the jury found 38-year-old Michael Domenech guilty of one count of manslaughter.

The defendant is currently being held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) pending a sentencing hearing scheduled for January 26, 2024.

“One man is dead, and one will undoubtedly serve a significant prison sentence, all because of a dispute over seven grams of fentanyl,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Unfortunately, drug-related violence is far too common within our community, and the results are always devastating. I want to thank the Providence Police and the prosecutors in my office for their hard work and collaboration in this case and countless others.”

During the trial, the State proved that on September 24, 2020, the defendant killed Corey Vargas by stabbing him 13 times following a drug deal in Providence.

On that day, the victim arranged to buy drugs from the defendant near Swiss Street. The victim arrived at the meetup spot with two friends in a red Jeep Cherokee. When the defendant arrived, he entered the back seat of the Jeep to conduct the transaction. The defendant handed the victim approximately seven grams of fentanyl. The victim told the defendant he needed to retrieve a baggie to transfer the drugs into, exited the vehicle, and took off running.

Minutes later, the victim called his friend, the driver of the Jeep, to pick him up down the street from the original location. The driver drove to the victim’s new location, but unbeknownst to the victim, the defendant was still in the vehicle. The defendant exited the vehicle and stabbed the victim 13 times. The victim got back into the Jeep and his friend drove him to a nearby fire station on Atwells Avenue where rescue personnel attempted lifesaving measures. He was then transported to Rhode Island Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Police identified the defendant through nearby video surveillance footage and witness testimony, ultimately arresting him on October 10, 2020, as he attempted to cross the border into Mexico from California.

“I commend the men and women of the Providence Police Department for their tireless efforts to bring perpetrators of violent crimes to justice,” said Providence Police Colonel Oscar L. Perez, Jr. “Preventing drug-related violence is a key component to ensuring safety within our community. I applaud everyone involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case.”

Assistant Attorney General Daniel Carr Guglielmo and Special Assistant Attorney General Alyse Antone Smyth of the Office of the Attorney General and Detective Steve Sullivan of the Providence Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.