A letter from President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump is bringing renewed attention to the case of a California high school senior who was allegedly gunned down execution-style outside a McDonald’s just weeks before graduation.
Caleb Quick’s family recently received a letter from the White House expressing condolences over the teen’s death and voicing support for efforts to combat violent crime, according to FOX26.
“Melania and I are devastated by the senseless loss of of your beloved son, Caleb, and we are heartbroken for your entire family,” the letter states.
“Please know that my Administration will never stop fighting to clean up our streets and ensure law and order in our Nation.”
Quick, 18, was shot in the back of the head outside a McDonald’s in Clovis in April 2025.
Prosecutors allege two 16-year-olds, identified as Cassandra Michael and Byron Rangel, carried out the killing after rumors circulated that Quick had sexually assaulted a girl following a house party.
Testimony during a transfer hearing revealed the allegation stemmed from an incident after a Clovis house party on April 13.
Multiple teenagers reportedly told investigators they heard claims that Quick assaulted an intoxicated girl connected to a friend of the accused.
Authorities said the girl had been drinking heavily and had little memory of what happened after falling asleep.
Quick’s father, Stephen Quick, has rejected any suggestion that the rumors justified his son’s death.
“It’s not a justification for this behavior — premeditated first-degree murder,” he said.
“They acted on it like vengeance. They had 24 hours to make this decision, and whatever allegations they had against him, it was not within their authority to act on. That’s why we have laws.”
Quick died just weeks before he was set to graduate high school.
Michael and Rangel, who were dating at the time of the shooting, have both been charged with murder. Prosecutors are seeking to determine whether the pair should be tried as adults.
The White House letter marks the latest high-profile development in a case that has drawn widespread attention across California as prosecutors continue to build their case against the two teens.