Preston Lord.Photo:Go Fund Me
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Months after16-year-old Preston Lordwasfatally beaten at a Halloween party in Arizona, new information is being released, including authorities' belief that none of the seven suspects charged in connection with Lord’s killing knew him prior to the incident.
Talan Renner, 17, Talyn Vigil, 17, William Owen Hines, 18, Dominic Turner, 20, Taylor Sherman, 19, Treston Billey, 18, and Jacob Meisner, 17, are all charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with Lord’s killing, Queen Creek Policeannounced. Turner, Meisner and Billey are additionally charged with aggravated robbery. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell confirmed toAZ Centralin early March that a friend of Lord’s that evening had a chain with a medallion on it stolen from him at the party. She also explained that the kidnapping charges against the suspects stemmed from Lord not being allowed to leave during the beating. “This was a group effort to both confine and to beat Preston,” Mitchell told the outlet.
The seven suspects charged in connection with Preston Lord’s death.
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According toAZFamily, which cites the police report, someone who knew Renner said Renner admitted to throwing the first punch during the deadly fight, adding that Renner “said he hammer pounded Preston in the face four times and everyone surrounded him and started kicking him.” Witnesses also claim they saw Billey stomp on Lord’s head, the outlet reports, citing the police report. The report also alleges that Renner bragged to his football team about the violence.
Renner was allegedly takento his family’s cabin three hours awayfrom where he lived after the fight occurred in October to allow time for his hands to heal,AZFamilyreports, citing the police report.
Additional suspects also allegedly spoke about thebeating through text and on social mediaon numerous other occasions, according to the police report.
“I can’t imagine what it would be like to send your kid out to a Halloween party and have him not come back,” Mitchell told AZ Central.
Preston Lord.Queen Creek Police Department
Queen Creek Police Department
In an exclusive April 3 statement to PEOPLE released through their lawyer, Bryn K. DeFusco, at DeFusco Law, P.L.C., Lord’s parents, Nick Lord and Autumn Curiel, opened up about the loss of their son.
“Preston Lord was a beloved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, and friend to many – always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. He was doing the right thing but was in the wrong place at the wrong time, in a neighborhood where he had always felt safe,” the statement said.
The statement continued, “His parents, Nick Lord and Autumn Curiel, each shared a close bond and relationship with him. The emptiness left in his absence is a constant reminder of the easygoing and generous soul they lost. Preston was a National Honor student, student council member, and three-sport athlete. He was looking forward to his basketball tryouts the following Monday. Instead, his life ended violently, extinguishing all his potential.”
source: people.com
