Text messages between two teenagers accused of murdering a California high school student were presented in court Wednesday, as prosecutors detailed what they described as a revenge plot.
The messages were introduced on the third day of the juvenile murder trial of Cassandra Michael, who, along with her then-boyfriend Byron Rangel, is accused of killing Caleb Quick outside a McDonald’s in Clovis on April 23, 2025. Both defendants were 16 at the time of the incident.
Prosecutors allege that Michael and Rangel targeted Quick over claims he had sexually assaulted another teenager. Detective Lovedeep Malhi of the Clovis Police Department testified that investigators recovered text conversations between Michael and Rangel after seizing their phones under a search warrant. Jurors heard messages exchanged on the day before and the day after the shooting.
According to testimony, Rangel asked Michael who had informed her about the alleged assault. Michael identified the accuser, referred to as Jane Doe, and stated that she had been "blackout drunk" when Quick allegedly took her home and had sex with her. Rangel's response in the texts was, "Yeah, this s terrible."
Following the shooting, Michael allegedly texted Rangel, "Idk how to feel," and later added, "I’m just in shock honestly." Michael’s attorneys have argued that investigators did not find messages demonstrating her intent to harm Quick in retaliation for the alleged assault.
Prosecutors contend that Michael assisted in planning the killing and served as the getaway driver, while Rangel, dressed in black with a hoodie and mask, stalked Quick before shooting him in the back of the head. Surveillance footage shown in court captured the shooting, though the gunman's face was obscured.
Forensic Evidence
Jurors also heard testimony from criminalist Christopher Johnson of the California Department of Justice. Johnson testified that DNA testing found both Michael’s and Rangel’s DNA on a Smith & Wesson revolver recovered from Rangel’s home. Michael’s attorneys have countered that her DNA could have been transferred passively after the gun contacted the seat of a vehicle she occupied. Police also testified that a spent shell casing was recovered from Rangel’s closet. Testimony indicated that markings on the shell casing matched those fired by the .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum revolver found at the residence.
Legal Proceedings
Michael, now 18, continues to be tried in juvenile court after a Fresno County judge denied a prosecution request to transfer her case to adult court. In June, a letter from former President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump offered condolences to the Quick family and expressed support for efforts to combat violent crime. The letter stated, "Melania and I are devastated by the senseless loss of your beloved son, Caleb, and we are heartbroken for your entire family. Please know that my Administration will never stop fighting to clean up our streets and ensure law and order in our Nation."