Adrian Gonzalez’s hearing continues; prosecution expert says teen exhibits severe sexual disorders

Thursday was an especially difficult day for a Santa Cruz girl’s family. It’s Madyson ‘Maddy’ Middleton’s birthday.

Instead of celebrating, her family had to listen to how she was killed and sexually assaulted two years ago. A judge will decide whether to try her accused killer, 17-year-old Adrian Gonzalez, as an adult.

Middleton would have turned 11 Thursday.

“I woke up this morning, I was doing just fine, and then my son called me, and together, we find it very hard,” said Middleton’s grandfather, Dan Middleton. “She found a lizard in the backyard. She built a little cage for the lizard. She called it ‘Trashy’ because she found it amongst the trash … I remember that so vividly.”

It’s been more than two years since Middleton’s body was found in a recycling bin at the Tannery Arts Center in Santa Cruz. In court, prosecutors said Gonzalez should be tried as an adult.

“We have been absolutely thorough, hired experts, gone through all of the evidence because that’s what this community deserves,” District Attorney Jeff Rosell said.

On Thursday, Douglas Tucker, a sex offender treatment expert, took the stand and said Gonzalez exhibits severe sexual disorders, including paraphilia and deriving pleasure from hurting people and trying to have sex with someone who is unconscious.

“These don’t strike me as a disinhibited adolescent-like sexual indiscretion. This strikes me as much more planned and executed sexual homicide.”

The calculation and sophistication didn’t stop after the crime, prosecutors said, indicating that Gonzalez knew good behavior in juvenile hall could earn him a lighter sentence. Gonzalez’s lawyer, Lawrence Biggam, said that’s not true.

“AJ has been behaving well since he was arrested July 2015. That was long before this new law came into effect, so to say that he was acting well preparing for a new law that wasn’t even in the books is absurd,” Biggam said.

With more tough back-and-forth ahead, Middleton’s family is pausing on her special day to send a message to their little angel.

“I love you Maddy,” Middleton said.

The hearing has been going on longer than expected but prosecutors and defense attorneys said they want to be as thorough as possible before the judge makes his decision.