SANTA CRUZ — Jury selection in a trial to decide on the potential release of Madyson “Maddy” Middleton’s killer is set to begin Tuesday.

Adrian ‘A.J.’ Gonzalez

Adrian Gonzalez, who was 15 years old when he kidnapped, raped and killed 8-year-old Maddy in 2015, has remained in the juvenile justice system since his arrest and would otherwise have been released on his 25th birthday earlier this year.

After the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office petitioned Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Denine Guy, she found evidence that Gonzalez may continue to serve as a danger to society and require additional rehabilitation. State law requires a trial that would confirm or deny a two-year extension for Gonzalez.

After the state juvenile jail system shuttered, Gonzalez was returned to the oversight of the Santa Cruz County Probation Department. Sonoma County took over a contract for continued sequestration and rehabilitation for Gonzalez and others from Santa Cruz County. However, the Probation Department has proposed a plan to bring juvenile offenders’ care back into the Santa Cruz County system by early next year.