The latest hearing for the teenager accused of lying in wait to shoot another teen outside a Clovis fast food restaurant came and went quickly Thursday as the victim’s father says he’s trying to be patient.
Byron Rangel appeared in court at the Fresno County Juvenile Justice Center, where his case was continued to April 8. Rangel was 16 when he was charged with murder for allegedly pulling the trigger in the fatal shooting of Caleb Quick, 18, in a McDonald’s parking lot on April 23.
Both Rangel’s attorney, Kathy Bird, and Fresno County Senior District Attorney Kendall Reynolds said they needed more time to solidify experts for the transfer hearing, which will decide whether the teen is tried as an adult or juvenile.
One of the attorneys for the teen has pointed to an alleged sex assault by Quick caught on video as the motive for the slaying.
The teen girl accused of being the getaway driver, Cassie Michael, has her next hearing set for April 13.
Quick’s father, Stephen Quick, said outside the courthouse he’s not interested in the court rushing into any decisions, but the case can weigh on him as it has continued to linger for almost a year.
“I’m really looking forward to the resolution that both of these would get transferred to a criminal case,” the elder Quick said. “It would really be disheartening for the community if either of these two would be retained in the juvenile system when they’re out in four to five years for committing such a heinous crime.”
Stephen Quick spoke to reporters Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, after a hearing for the teenager accused of the Clovis shooting death of Quick’s son, 18-year-old Caleb Quick. THADDEUS MILLER tmiller@fresnobee.com
If the teens are tried as adults, they face significantly greater sentences.
Tried and convicted as juveniles, they each face up to seven years of confinement or up until they turn 25, prosecutors say. As adults, Michael would face 26 years to life for participating in the slaying while Rangel would potentially be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.
At the end of each hearing for either of the teens, a judge has granted them one phone call to a parent within 24 hours of the hearing. Quick said granting those calls is often a reminder to him that he can never again talk to his son.
“I’ve got voicemails that I’ve saved since he’s been gone that I still listen to. I would love a phone call,” he said. “Christmas was very hard, you know. Easter is coming up now. A lot of milestones that he’s no longer going to be a part of. I would love a phone call with my son.”
He said his son planned to join the Air Force and hoped to be stationed in Japan, adding Caleb was interested in Japanese cars called JDM (Japanese domestic market).
The elder Quick said he was concerned that not trying the teens as adults would send the wrong message to potential offenders.
“We’re talking about murder. We’re not talking about shoplifting or going joyriding or stealing a car,” he said.
The juvenile court system has a greater focus on diversion, when the court prescribes treatment or programs to correct a person’s actions rather than only a prison sentence. The rehabilitation is less of a factor for those convicted as adults, experts say.
The perspective in California of how the courts treat young people who commit crimes has changed in recent years. Some science shows a person’s brain does not finish developing until mid- to late 20s, and the Supreme Court made note of that in its decision in Graham vs. Florida in 2010 in which the justices ruled life sentences cannot be given to minors who commit “non-homicide crime.”
California also has parole hearings specific to youthful offenders, which includes offenders younger than 26.
This story was originally published February 26, 2026 at 1:06 PM.
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Reporter Thaddeus Miller has covered cities in the central San Joaquin Valley since 2010, writing about everything from breaking news to government and police accountability. A native of Fresno, he joined The Fresno Bee in 2019 after time in Merced and Los Banos.