SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON) — Adrian “AJ” Gonzalez stated he’s not the identical particular person as he was at age 15 when he sexually assaulted and murdered 8-year-old Madyson “Maddy Middleton” in Santa Cruz. Throughout his years in juvenile custody following the 2015 homicide, Gonzalez obtained intercourse offender remedy and remedy to develop social expertise and enhance his psychological well being, in line with trial testimony.
On Monday, a prosecutor hurled tons of of questions at Gonzalez for cross-examination throughout his fourth day on the stand. Santa Cruz County Assistant District Legal professional Tara George requested about his historical past of mendacity and manipulating folks round him to get what he desires. Gonzalez answered her questions politely in entrance of a jury that may determine if he’s too harmful to be launched from custody.
“Right now, do you think you’re a good liar?” George requested.
Gonzalez answered, “I have the capability of lying. It’s something I actively work on … and address in therapy.”
“Do you think you are still manipulative?” George requested. Gonzalez paused for a very long time earlier than answering, “That’s a really difficult question to answer. I try not to, but it does come up. In working through treatment, I’ve had to work … to not have manipulative behavior.”
Madyson “Maddy” Middleton
The prosecutor requested questions on Gonzalez’s mates, habits, sexual pursuits, and rule breaking throughout his years in custody at Santa Cruz Juvenile Corridor, Sonoma County Juvenile Corridor, and the grownup jail in Santa Cruz.
Gonzalez admitted that he repeatedly known as folks — together with a number of intercourse offenders — whom he was not permitted to speak to. He discovered a loophole across the rule by making three-way telephone calls from Sonoma County Juvenile Corridor.
“How many times did you ever tell anybody you’d been doing three-way calling from Sonoma?” George requested.
“I didn’t tell people,” Gonzalez answered. “You hid it?” George requested. “I would not say ‘hid.’ It was something I didn’t share,” he answered.
Maddy Middleton fought for her life, killer testifies on the stand
A number of ladies have despatched Gonzalez cash or helped him buys issues that he wished in custody, together with one girl named Savannah. She arrange a Money App account for him. He additionally testified that he had “phone sex” with one other girl.
Gonzalez relied on a convicted intercourse offender, “Mr. McGill,” to ship him racey magazines and pictures of ladies posing in lingerie, he admitted throughout cross-examination. The prosecutor held up journal covers to point out the jury salacious photos Gonzalez had requested.
The prosecutor repeatedly referred to McGill as “your sex offender friend.”
Adrian “AJ” Gonzalez (File Photograph By Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle by way of Getty Photos)
Gonzalez stated he turned mates with McGill whereas they obtained intercourse offender remedy in Sonoma County Juvenile Corridor. Gonzalez stated they shared the identical humorousness and had lots in widespread. After McGill was launched from custody and have become an grownup, he was arrested for possessing hundreds of photos of kid pornography, the prosecutor stated.
After McGill was launched from custody once more, he despatched Gonzalez cash, pictures of practically nude ladies, and erotic novels. The 2 males talked by way of frequent video telephone calls, and exchanged textual content messages that included crude jokes about male anatomy.
The prosecutor held up 14 telephone numbers on an inventory that Gonzalez created simply earlier than his trial started in November 2024. He testified that he created an inventory of individuals whom he wished to remain involved with. If jurors sided with the protection in reaching a verdict, and he was launched from custody, Gonzalez wished to make sure that he nonetheless had his mates’ telephone numbers, he testified.
George requested, “This phone list of 14 numbers, half are sex offenders. And these are the people who are going to be your support network when you get out?”
Gonzalez answered, “Yeah. I’d like to continue speaking with them.”
Protesters held indicators studying “Justice for Maddy” exterior the Santa Cruz courthouse on Aug. 6, 2024. (KRON4 Photograph)
“Do you talk to them about having an interest in children? Non-consensual sex? Murder? Kidnapping?” the prosecutor requested. “No,” Gonzalez answered.
Gonzalez testified that his listing accommodates initials, as a substitute of full names, to take care of “privacy” for his mates. George grilled Gonzalez on each set of initials.
“W.L. is Wilson L., someone you met in the sex offender program at DJJ (Department of Juvenile Justice)? Wilson was tried and convicted of gang rape and kidnapping a woman in her 20s?” the prosecutor requested. Gonzalez admitted he made 3-way telephone calls with W.L., together with after Gonzalez’s trial started.
George requested Gonzalez about his interactions with 8-year-old Maddy earlier than he determined to homicide her in the summertime of 2015. They lived in the identical condo advanced on the Tannery Arts Heart.
On this July 29, 2015, picture, neighbors take a look at the rising memorial of flowers, stuffed animals and notes left in reminiscence of Madyson Middleton in Santa Cruz. (AP Photograph)
The prosecutor requested, “You knew Maddy was half your age, you would see Maddy play around the Tannery right? Maddy liked to ride her scooter. Were you the camp counselor when Maddy went to the art camp at the Tannery?”
“Yes,” Gonzalez answered. Gonzalez stated his Instagram accounts have been named “Awkward YoYoer” and “Awkward Adrian” as a result of, as a teen, he had an ungainly persona and he loved performing yo-yo tips. He stated he noticed Maddy across the Tannery tons of of occasions, was considered one of her counselors at artwork camp, and carried out new yo-yo tips for her.
Between the ages of 12-15, Gonzalez stated he considered pornography on-line for hours day by day and he was enthusiastic about intercourse.
Adrian Gonzalez glided by the identify “Awkward YoYoer” on Instagram.
The prosecutor requested, “July 26, do you remember that day? When you woke up, did you know you were going to rape and murder a child? Do you remember posting a video (on Instagram) of you playing the piano?” Gonzalez answered, “No.”
“When is the first moment you knew you were going to rape somebody?” the prosecutor requested.
Gonzalez answered, “I was planning to have sex with someone, that’s what I called it. That speaks to my beliefs at that time at 15 years old. I didn’t have an idea of raping someone.”
“Did you ever try to find a consensual partner for sex? There were lots of teenagers at the Tannery. You never asked any of those teenagers?”
Gonzalez testified that he by no means tried to sexually have interaction with somebody his age.
Trying again on 24 hours Maddy Middleton went lacking
“So you were triggered by seeing an 8 year old girl? You saw Madyson on her scooter, she had tights, and a dress, and flip flops on. Was that the moment you knew?” the prosecutor requested.
“Yes,” Gonzalez answered.
The convicted assassin will return to the witness stand on Tuesday morning as cross-examination continues.
