FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The juvenile trial of a teenage girl accused in the shooting death of Clovis teenager Caleb Quick is underway.
Action News is now identifying the teen girl 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.
The prosecution resumed its examination Tuesday morning with Carlos Navarro, the final witness carried over from the previous day. Jurors also heard testimony from Camryn Shepherd, Abigail Haas, Henry Newman, an unnamed minor witness and Michael Dexter.
A Clovis Police detective testified about surveillance footage used to identify the white Tesla Model 3 involved in the murder of Caleb Quick.
The detective said he did not know Cassandra Michael's identity until later in the investigation but identified her in court as wearing a blue sweater. He also identified Michael as being at McDonald's at the time of the incident.
Investigators later determined a white Tesla Model 3 was connected to the case and worked to identify the driver. The detective testified that he spoke with Michael Dexter and was told Cassandra Michael drove a white Tesla.
A school resource officer also informed the detective that Michael had a parking pass. Investigators ultimately determined the vehicle was a white Tesla Model 3.
The detective testified that investigators used city cameras, particularly in the Shepherd and Clovis area, to track the vehicle's movements.
Michael Dexter, the prosecution's 12th witness, testified Tuesday about his friendships with Cassandra and the alleged gunman and described interactions he recalled on the night of the shooting.
At McDonald's, Dexter said he sat with Cassandra and the alleged gunman but could not remember what they discussed. He later moved to another table to talk with Caleb after seeing him arrive.
Dexter testified he "does not think" the alleged gunman was present when Caleb arrived. He recalled Cassandra and the alleged gunman leaving because Cassandra needed to take the alleged gunman home.
He testified that Cassandra told him she would return after dropping the alleged gunman off.
When she came back, Dexter said he "didn't really think anything of it," though he added that "it did feel a little bit shorter" than he would have expected for a trip to and from the alleged gunman's house.
After Cassandra returned, Dexter said she mentioned Caleb and one of her friends and discussed what Caleb allegedly did to her.
Dexter said Cassandra had been texting with Jane Doe and appeared "not right" and "upset" about what was occurring with her friend.
He said he could not remember how the topic was brought up.
Dexter testified that Cassandra discussed an allegation at the table and said Caleb had allegedly "taken advantage" of the girl. He said Cassandra appeared "very unhappy" and that "She definitely seemed uneasy."
He said he did not respond to Cassandra's claims and instead "took in" the information. He described the allegations as surprising.
During testimony, Dexter said this was not the first time he had heard the allegation.
He testified that the alleged gunman told him about it during a phone call one to two weeks before the shooting.
Henry Newman, a church friend of Cassandra, testified Tuesday that he spent time with her in the days following Caleb's shooting and did not initially notice anything unusual about her behavior.
Newman said he "absolutely" knows Cassandra and identified her in court, saying that he has known her through church for three to four years, dating back to their freshman year, when they attended Wednesday youth group meetings and Sunday services together.
Newman testified he was not at McDonald's on the night of the shooting.
Asked about the day after the shooting, Newman said he attended a grievance gathering the next morning. He testified that "everyone he knew" was there, including Cassandra.
"She was with us the whole day," Newman said. He testified that the group later got Dutch Bros and went swimming. At the time, he said Cassandra appeared to be acting normally, though "looking back now there are a few suspicions."
Newman also testified that Cassandra told him he could "have her Tesla" after he complained about not having a car. He said he laughed it off and did not think she was serious.
That Tesla was later identified as the getaway car and seized by Clovis police.
