We, the people, firmly believe that 16 years old is old enough to be held fully accountable for committing the crime of murder. At this age, a young person understands the difference between right and wrong, and they are capable of making choices that respect or destroy life. Murder is not a mistake or an accident — it is a deliberate act that takes away someone’s future and forever changes the lives of their loved ones.

When someone at 16 chooses to commit such a violent and irreversible crime, the justice system must treat it with the gravity it deserves. Allowing a person who has taken a life to face adult charges is not about disregarding their youth. It is about recognizing the seriousness of the harm they have caused and ensuring that justice is served.

 On July 6, 2024, 13-year-old Jacob Munoz was brutally stabbed and killed during a fight outside a quinceañera celebration in Madera, California. What should have been a night of joy, turned into tragedy. It was a fatal attack that ended a child’s life in front of families and peers. Jacob—a bright, kindhearted 13-year-old boy—was taken from his family and community in an act of senseless violence.

The Madera Police Department arrested a 16-year-old male in connection with Jacob’s murder. The suspect was initially taken into custody on unrelated charges on July 8 and after a thorough investigation and cooperation with the Madera County District Attorney’s Office, he was formally charged with Jacob’s murder.

California’s juvenile justice system has undergone major reforms in recent years. Proposition 57, passed in 2016, and Senate Bill 1391, signed into law in 2018, were designed to promote rehabilitation by limiting the prosecution of juveniles as adults. SB 1391, in particular, barred the prosecution of youth under 16 in adult court, while Prop 57 transferred the decision to try juveniles as adults from prosecutors to judges.

While these changes were made in the name of fairness, critics argue they’ve contributed to a troubling rise in violent juvenile crime across California—including homicides. When minors commit acts that display adult-level premeditation, malice, and lethality, as in Jacob’s case, the justice system must have the tools to respond appropriately.

We urge the Madera County District Attorney and the juvenile court judge to pursue and grant a motion to transfer this case to adult criminal court. The violence that took Jacob’s life is not the kind that should be adjudicated with leniency simply because the offender is 16. Trying him as an adult is not an act of revenge—it is a demand for justice, accountability, and public safety.

Jacob was a child. He deserved a full life. His family deserves justice. California’s communities deserve a system that does not excuse deadly violence based on age alone.

We are also in coordination with, and in strong support of, the Lorenzo Bill Act, which seeks to strengthen accountability in our justice system for violent juvenile offenders. This bill is a critical step toward protecting our communities, honoring victims, and ensuring that the law reflects the true severity of these crimes.

Every victim’s life matters. Every family torn apart by violence deserves to see accountability, no matter the age of the offender. If a 16-year-old is old enough to take a life, they are old enough to face adult consequences.

Please sign this petition to demand that the juvenile charged in the murder of Jacob Muñoz be tried as an adult.

Stand with Jacob’s family. Stand for accountability. Stand for public safety. Stand for our children. Stand for justice.

 It begins with us, the people.
🖊️ Sign now. Justice for Jacob. Justice for all victims.