21 months after the most talked about crime of 2010, 26-year-old Gregory Gonzalez waits to hear whether he'll stand trial for kidnapping and sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl.
Police say it happened in the front yard of a central Fresno home. Children were playing and several witnesses were close by. One officer testified the suspect pulled up in a truck, offering kids candy and other treats.
“[The suspect] told them he would take them to the store and buy toys and coloring books,” said Officer Jesse Navarro of the Fresno Police Department.
When no one responded, the suspect apparently got out and forced the victim into his truck. According to another officer, the victim's mother and a neighbor tried to chase after them.
“[A witness] tried to follow the pickup but lost it due to the high speed that the truck was leaving in,” said Officer Art Rodriguez.
As over 200 officers searched for the victim, a good samaritan saved the terrified girl. He saw the suspect's truck driving down his street.
“I saw the truck and wanted to ask it if was him,” said Victor Perez during an interview on October 5, 2010.
Perez received national recognition for his act of heroism. After the suspect was arrested and the victim was safe, both went to the hospital to be examined for physical evidence of sexual abuse. There, an officer testifies, the victim positively identified Gonzalez as her kidnapper.
“She was visibly shaken, crying, distressed, was hanging on to her mother,” said Officer Armond French.
More witnesses are scheduled to take the stand on Friday. The judge will decide whether there’s enough evidence for Gonzalez to stand trial. The prosecution is seeking punishment of life in prison.
