A FILIPINO-American teenager who was charged as an adult in the murder of an 8-year-old girl earlier this year in Santa Cruz, California, pleaded not guilty on Monday, Sept. 21.
Adrian Jerry Gonzalez, 15, faces one count of murder with the special circumstance that he allegedly kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and tied up Madyson “Maddy” Middleton before killing her, according to Santa Cruz County District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell. Gonzalez is also accused of lying in wait.
The teen has also been charged with one count of kidnapping and four other sexual assault-related offenses, according to Rosell.
“We have charged this individual as an adult with the crimes for which he is responsible,” he said. “We are going to bring him to justice.”
At Gonzalez’s first court appearance on Thursday, July 30, the 15-year-old did not enter a plea. Later at his arraignment on Monday, Sept. 21, he pleaded not guilty, Inquirer.net reported.
Gonzalez’s lawyer Larry Biggam told reporters, “Our job is to review the evidence, conduct our own investigation, and make sure that the minor—like every citizen accused—receives a fair trial.”
Maddy was last seen around 5:05pm on Sunday, July 26 riding her white Razor scooter in the Tannery Arts Center on River Street, a public-private nonprofit artists colony in Santa Cruz where both she and Gonzalez lived. Her disappearance prompted a frantic overnight search, and FBI investigators went door-to-door looking for clues. The massive search involved volunteers from neighbors, to officials, to relatives and friends.
Around 250 people live in the Tannery Arts Center complex, including about 50 children.
At 7:55pm on Monday, July 27, a little more than 24 hours after she disappeared, a police detective discovered Maddy’s body—4 feet tall, 46 pounds—lying at the bottom of the recycling bin, which had already been searched once by volunteers.
Investigators reportedly saw Gonzalez standing near the bin, causing automatic suspicion. Police believe he was watching them as they searched, and said they have evidence tying him directly to Maddy.
The boy was detained and later arrested on suspicion of homicide, and is being held in a juvenile detention facility.
Gonzalez was described as a well-liked, quiet and polite young man and a “yo-yo expert.” According to a former classmate, Gonzalez’s father was absent and his mother is from Romblon, an island in the Luzon region of the Philippines.
Residents at the eight-acre complex were “stunned” to learn their neighbor was suspected in the killing.
“We’re just devastated. These are two of our kids, and one is dead and one has been taken away. And it’s horrible. It’s just horrible,” said resident Yasmina Porter, whose two children, ages 11 and 13, had regularly played with both the young victim and the suspect.
“From the community’s standpoint, we mostly feel like these are our babies,” Porter said. “This is the most horrible thing you can imagine.”
Santa Cruz police Chief Kevin Vogel said Gonzalez lured Maddy to his family’s upstairs apartment, where they were alone, and killed her. He then reportedly carried her body downstairs to a garage and hid it in the recycling bin. Police officials believe Maddy willingly went to Gonzalez’s apartment because she knew and trusted him.
“She was 8 years old. She had a reasonable amount of trust in him,” Vogel said. “They were “It is my belief that [Maddy] was killed even before we got the phone call Sunday at about 6pm, when she was first reported missing,” he added.
Gonzalez is being tried as an adult on the counts of murder, kidnapping, and rape. In their decision to determine charges, prosecutors looked at the Filipino teen’s age, his criminal record, the nature of the crime and how the offense was committed, Rosell said.
If convicted of the charges, Gonzalez may face life in prison. Because of his age, he is not eligible for the death penalty. He was ordered to re-appear in court on Oct. 29.
An autopsy of Maddy shows that she died of asphyxiation and stab wounds to the neck.
“People do things for lots of different reasons,” Rosell said. “Sometimes we understand them, sometimes we don’t.”
