FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The juvenile trial of the woman accused in the shooting death of Clovis teenager Caleb Quick is underway.
Action News is now identifying the female suspect, Cassandra Michael. While the case is being heard in juvenile court, Cassandra is now 18 years old, and a judge has allowed unrestricted camera access in the courtroom.
Prosecutors allege Cassandra was driving a white Tesla on the night of Quick's death in April 2025 and helped the suspected gunman, her boyfriend, flee the scene after the shooting.
The trial follows a high-profile transfer hearing in May, when a judge ruled Cassandra would remain in juvenile court rather than be tried as an adult.
With the trial of one of the two suspects accused in the murder of Caleb Quick underway, let's recap how we got to this point.
Quick was shot and killed outside a Clovis McDonald's the night of April 23, 2025. Quick was a high school senior who was about to graduate and planned to join the Air Force, according to his family.
Nine days after the attack, Clovis Police released surveillance video from inside the McDonald's and identified a white Tesla as the suspected getaway car. The vehicle was later seized from a Clovis home, and a teenage girl was removed in handcuffs and identified as the getaway driver.
The shooter, identified as a teenage boy, remained on the loose for more than two weeks. Eventually, both teens were arrested and charged with the murder.
The alleged motive, according to prosecutors, stems from a rape accusation involving Quick and a friend of the girl suspect.
Prosecutors attempted to have both suspects tried as adults, which led to multiple delays lasting until April of this year. That's when a judge ruled there was "overwhelming circumstantial evidence" to see if the teen girl suspect should be tried as an adult.
By May, it was ruled the girl would not be tried as an adult. She could now face a much shorter sentence, with the chance for rehabilitation in the juvenile justice system, if she is convicted at trial.
The alleged gunman's transfer hearing is set to begin on Sept. 1. Proceedings are expected to last about five court days, with prosecutors planning to call close to 15 witnesses.
Prosecutors rested their case Friday in the trial of Cassandra Michael after presenting cellphone location evidence and recalling Detective Malhi. The defense then called two witnesses, including a friend of Cassandra's and the witness identified throughout the case as Jane Doe.
On the fourth day of testimony in the trial of Cassandra Michael, the court heard from the brother and father of the suspected teen shooter in Caleb Quick's murder, as well as a California Department of Justice firearms expert who testified that a spent shell casing recovered during the investigation was fired from a revolver seized from the family home.
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Wednesday, Cassandra Michael's trial continued in the case of Caleb Quick's death, as Judge Brian Alvarez heard testimony from Clovis police detectives, an evidence expert and a California Department of Justice DNA analyst as prosecutors continued presenting evidence in the case.
Testimony from Clovis Police Detective Lovedeep Malhi continued Wednesday, saying that electronic devices belonging to Cassandra and the alleged gunman were seized and booked into evidence, and that data was later extracted from the devices.
Malhi testified that he found messages exchanged between Cassandra and the alleged gunman before the alleged homicide. He said the messages, sent the day before, discussed an alleged sexual assault involving Caleb Quick.
According to log messages shown in court by the prosecution, the alleged gunman sent Cassandra a message at 2:29 p.m. that read, "I'm tweaking bro."
Cassandra replied, "why."
The alleged gunman responded, "Cuz of Caleb bro... who told you this."
Cassandra responded, referencing the alleged victim, identified as Jane Doe.
Cassandra then wrote, "she was black out drunk and he (Caleb) said she would take her home but he f***** her instead."
The alleged gunman replied, "bro."
Cassandra responded, "yeah he took full advantage of her."
The alleged gunman then wrote, "yeah im pissed."
Cassandra replied, "I'm disgusted... it's actually disgusting, i feel so bad for (JANE DOE)."
The alleged gunman responded, "yeah this sh*ts terrible."
Additional messages show a conversation between the two suspects on the night of the shooting.
At 8:25 PM, the alleged gunman begins sharing his location with Cassandra.
The conversation then picks up at 10:31 PM. At this point, Quick has already been shot.
Cassandra says, "I'm home."
The boy replies, "Okay... how you feeling."
Cassandra says, "I'm just in shock honestly... like idk how to feel."
The alleged shooter replies, "me either."
