Prosecutors want teens accused in Clovis killing of Caleb Quick tried as adults
Prosecutors will file court petitions requesting that the two 16-year-olds arrested for the deadly shooting of Clovis teen Caleb Quick be tried as adults, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.
The 16-year-olds — a boy and a girl — face murder charges after being accused of the April 23 killing of Caleb Quick, an 18-year-old high school student, the office said.
The boy allegedly shot Quick in the head outside of a Clovis McDonald’s as he walked through a parking lot, and the girl acted as the getaway driver, according to police.
Under California law, a teenager must be at least 16 to be tried as an adult and prosecutors must ask a judge to allow the teen to face an adult trial.
The DA’s office said Tuesday they will make that request but had no details about when a judge would make a ruling.
The trial in a juvenile court carries significantly different potential punishments than an adult criminal trial, according to prosecutors.
As adults, the girl would face 26 years to life for participating in the slaying while the boy would potentially be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the enhanced crime of lying in wait, prosecutors said.
As juveniles, they each face up to seven years of confinement or up until they turn 25, prosecutors said.
Both teens were scheduled for a hearing at the Fresno County Juvenile Justice Center on Wednesday.
The killing of Caleb Quick
Officers arrived outside a McDonald’s at Willow and Nees avenues shortly before 9 p.m. April 23, and found Quick with at least one gunshot wound to the side of his head. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
That fast-food location was known to be a popular gathering place for teens, and Quick was there with friends, police said. Once a Buchanan High student, Quick more recently attended Clovis Online School, which is not connected to any specific Clovis school campus.
Clovis police began a manhunt that lasted about two weeks.
Investigators have not given any specific motives behind the killing, but said the teens knew each other. The accused shooter arrived at the McDonald’s, watched Quick and followed the 18-year-old outside before gunning him down, police said.
Police seized a Tesla on May 9 they believed was connected to the shooting, and a few days later arrested two suspects who turned themselves in.
This story was originally published May 13, 2025 at 4:42 PM.
