Murder of Madyson Middleton

Madyson Middleton
Madyson "Maddy" Middleton
Born(2006-10-05)October 5, 2006
Mountain View, California, United States
DiedJuly 26, 2015(2015-07-26) (aged 8)
Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Cause of deathStrangulation
Body discoveredJuly 26, 2015

Madyson Middleton was an 8-year-old girl from Santa Cruz, California whose mother reported her missing from their affordable housing apartment complex on July 25, 2015.[1] Middleton had been lured into another apartment by a 15-year-old neighbor where she was strangled, sexually assaulted, and stabbed before being disposed of in a dumpster.[2][1] The suspect, Adrian Jerry Gonzalez, was charged two days later as an adult after Middleton's body was found.[3]

In 2019 the California Legislature passed, and in 2021 the state Supreme Court upheld SB 1391 which prohibits 14 and 15 year olds from being prosecuted as adults[1] As a result, in April 2021, Gonzalez was sentenced to juvenile detention where he will be incarcerated until he turns 25 in 2024, whereas if he had been prosecuted as an adult he could have faced life in prison.[1]

Suspect

The suspect, identified as Adrian Gonzalez, was 15 years old at the time and lived in the same apartment complex, was charged with Middleton's murder.[4] He confessed to duct-taping her mouth shut and sexually assaulting her before stabbing and strangling her to death. Gonzalez then dumped her body and watched the case closely, even asking random police officers questions about the crime.[5] He also had a unique obsession with yo-yos and writing "suicidal" posts on Instagram.[6]

Trial

Gonzalez was originally charged as an adult and pleaded not guilty as trial began in November 2017 as there were some controversies about prosecuting Gonzalez as an adult because he was only 15 when he committed the murder.[3][7] 2016 California Proposition 57 law was passed in 2016 and it allows a judge to decide if the accused can be prosecuted as an adult.[7] However, in 2019 the legislature passed, and the state Supreme Court in 2021 upheld SB 1391 which prohibits 14 and 15 year olds from being prosecuted as adults.[1] As a result, in April 2021, Gonzalez was sentenced to juvenile prison where he will be incarcerated until he turns 25 in 2024, whereas if he had been prosecuted as an adult he could have faced life in prison.[1][8] [9]

In July 2024, a probable cause hearing was started to determine whether he is still a danger to the community, and can be remain in custody for two more years.[1][10] If a judge agrees, than a jury trial will determine whether his release will be delayed by two years.[1] This two year extension can be redone every two years, for offenders who are not deemed rehabilitated.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Purtill, Corinne (2024-07-24). "In 2015, a rape and murder of an 8-year-old horrified Santa Cruz. Court weighs whether to set killer free". Los Angeles Times. But in 2019, before Gonzalez's case went to trial, California passed Senate Bill 1391, which bars the state from prosecuting 14- and 15-year-old offenders as adults. The state Supreme Court upheld the law in 2021. Weeks later, Gonzalez's case was transferred back to juvenile court, where he pleaded guilty to all charges. He will age out of the juvenile system on his 25th birthday in October.
  2. ^ "Teen allegedly lured 8-year-old Calif. girl into apartment before killing her, dumping body in recycling bin". WXMI. 2015-07-28. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  3. ^ a b Martinez, Michael (29 July 2015). "Adrian Gonzalez charged as adult in death of CA girl, 8". CNN. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  4. ^ "Maddy". Oakland Tribune. July 29, 2015. p. 8.
  5. ^ Farrell, Paul (2015-07-29). "Adrian Gonzalez: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  6. ^ "Adrian Gonzalez: Will he be tried as a child in Madyson Middleton murder?". Santa Cruz Sentinel. 2017-08-16. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  7. ^ a b c Copitch, Josh (2019-05-17). "Adrian Gonzalez could still be prosecuted as an adult, SB 1391 ruled unconstitutional". KSBW. Retrieved 2021-05-21. Prop 57 was passed by voters in 2016, and it allowed judges to decide whether a teen should be tried as an adult or a juvenile. Last year, the state legislature took the next step by passing SB 1391 which keeps 14- and 15-year-olds out of adult court and prison. ..."For those rare few who cannot be rehabilitated, there's a procedure to extend their commitment for two years at a time indefinitely," said Larry Biggam one of Adrian Gonzalez Defense team members.
  8. ^ "AJ Gonzalez sentenced to 3 more years in jail for Maddy Middleton's murder". 27 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Maddy Middleton's killer sentenced, could walk free in 2024". 28 April 2021.
  10. ^ York, Jessica (2024-07-23). "Santa Cruz County prosecutors seek to block release of man convicted of 2015 assault, murder of 8-year-old "Maddy" Middleton". Santa Cruz Sentinel.