Police want to try teen as adult in slaying
Prosecutor: 15-year-old from Dayton, Tenn., was in gas station during robbery, fatal shooting
NASHVILLE — Officials said Thursday they will seek to prosecute Trinity Quinn, 15, as an adult in the shooting death of a man at a West Nashville gas station.
Quinn was expected to make an initial court hearing Thursday afternoon. Instead, Quinn and her defense lawyer, Dwight Scott, waived the hearing, according to juvenile court administrator Kathy Sinback. That means Quinn will stay in juvenile detention as the case moves forward.
A prosecutor also announced the state would seek to transfer the case to adult court, according to Sinback. That process involves further hearings before a juvenile court judge. The next is set for May 16.
Quinn and Daniel Clark, 28, both of Dayton, Tenn., were arrested Wednesday in Nashville. Police said Clark had a gun and approached store clerk John Daniel Stevens, 58, on Tuesday night while Quinn shopped in the Exxon store at 6955 Charlotte Pike. Clark pointed the gun at Stevens’ head, and Stevens tried to get the pistol away, police said. Instead, police said Clark took a step back, opened fire and killed Stevens.
On Wednesday, an Amber Alert was issued for the girl, raising fears
she was the second Tennessee teen taken by an older man. On April 20, authorities safely found Elizabeth Thomas, of Columbia, after five weeks of searching. Elizabeth, according to police, had been kidnapped by her former teacher, Tad Cummins.
But just hours after the Amber Alert for Quinn rang out Wednesday, Nashville police said she was a suspect in Stevens’ death and there was no sign she was held by Clark against her will.
Quinn and Clark were each charged with criminal homicide, especially aggravated robbery and attempted auto theft. Clark will soon appear in court for a preliminary hearing, though that has not yet been scheduled.
Contact Tennessean writer Stacey Barchenger at sbarchenger@tennessean.