Camarillo Man Charged With Attacks On Girl And 2 Elderly Women Changes Plea To Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity

Wednesday May 08, 2024

     Update--A Camarillo man facing charges in connection with violent crimes against a little girl and two elderly women has changed his plea from straight Not Guilty to Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity.

     The change in plea by 28-year-old Joel Gonzales came Wednesday in the middle of jury selection for his retrial on charges of the Attempted Murder of a 6-year-old girl, and the Sexual Assaults of two women in their 80's and 90's in an assisted living facility.

     Prosecutors allege that Gonzales tried to strangle the little girl and that the elderly women were allegedly sexually assaulted in an assisted living facility where he had worked as a caretaker.

    Prosecutors allege that the crimes happened within days of each other in mid October of 2020.

     Back in February, a jury had been picked and opening statements and testimony finally gotten underway in the trial of Gonzales.

     Then on March 4th, with the jury not there, the judge suddenly granted the defense request for a mistrial citing scheduling issues.

     Jury selection in the retrial continues.

     Gonzales remains in the Ventura County Jail being held without bail.