Judge appoints new attorney to represent man convicted of murdering 8-year-old Santa Cruz girl
SANTA CRUZ — Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Denine Guy appointed a new attorney Wednesday to represent Adrian “A.J.” Gonzalez in his juvenile detention release case, though future trial dates remained unclear.
Gonzalez, who admitted in 2021 that at the age of 15, he had kidnapped, sexually assaulted and killed his 8-year-old neighbor Madyson “Maddy” Middleton, is scheduled for release from a locked juvenile facility by his 25th birthday in October. At the petitioning of the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office, however, Guy found probable cause Aug. 8 that Gonzalez’s treatment to date had not been sufficient to ensure he was not a danger to society if released.
Madyson Middleton sometimes played at the beach. (Contributed)
Confessed murderer Adrian “AJ” Gonzalez during his sentencing Tuesday for the 2015 killing of 8-year-old Madyson Middleton (Shmuel Thaler — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Madyson “Maddy” Middleton.
A childhood friend of Madyson “Maddy” Middleton and her team of supporters sit Tuesday outside the Santa Cruz County Superior Courthouse after a hearing involving confessed killer Adrian Gonzalez. (Jessica A. York — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Adrian ‘A.J’ Gonzalez walks with attorney Larry Biggam in a Santa Cruz Superior Courtroom in July 2015 on suspicion of killing 8-year-old Madyson Middleton a few days before this appearance. (Dan Coyro — Santa Cruz Sentinel file)
AJ Gonzalez, accused of killing 8-year-old Madyson Middleton in 2015, looks past District Attorney Jeff Rosell during a preliminary hearing in 2018. (Dan Coyro — Santa Cruz Sentinel file)
Laura Jordan lived with her daughter, Madyson Middleton at the Tannery Arts Center in Santa Cruz. (Contributed)
Madyson Middleton plays with her first dog, Lily. (Contributed)
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Madyson Middleton sometimes played at the beach. (Contributed)
State law allows the now 24-year-old Gonzalez a jury trial to determine if his detention and treatment will be extended an additional two years. In the widely known case, an extensive jury selection process began the week of Aug. 19 before returning juror candidates were excused Aug. 26. Gonzalez’s defense attorney, Athena Reis, declared that she had a conflict of interest and recused herself.
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On Wednesday, private Santa Cruz defense attorney Charlie Stevens accepted an appointment in the case. Stevens, whose website features his experience handling juvenile matters as a specialty, said the Santa Cruz County Counsel’s Office had contacted him for the appointment and that he had not yet received all the relevant case files. He requested a continued trial date-setting hearing for 9 a.m., Sept. 23.
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