Arizona police released documents this week that shed light on the death of 16-year-old Preston Lord, who reportedly died at the hands of several people over a gold chain.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Jacob Meisner, 17; Talan Renner, 17; Taylor Sherman, 19; Dominic Turner, 20; William Owen Hines, 18; and Talyn Vigil, 17, have been charged with murder, robbery, and kidnapping. An additional suspect, Treston Billey, 18, is also facing the same charges.
Lord passed away two days after the brutal attack, which happened in Queen Creek, Arizona, last year, outside of a Halloween party. None of the seven defendants knew him before the attack.
Investigators described the party as chaotic, with hundreds of teenagers and alcohol present. Two adults said they were aware of their daughter hosting a party but claimed they didn’t realize how large it became, only becoming aware of the situation when a commotion arose outside.
When police arrived, they found Lord unresponsive, with injuries to his face and head.
This week, the Queen Creek Police Department released a 1,100-page police report, disclosing the evidence amassed by investigators that led to the arrests. The report, obtained by The Docket, indicated that Renner sent a text message on October 28, 2023, referencing the fight.
“Got in a fight…killed a kid..guess I don’t know my own strength.”
Later, Vigil allegedly sent a private Snapchat message that implicated him in Lord’s death.
“I hit a kid and this kid feel hit his head and then they kicked his head in the ground then I got word died so idk,” he wrote.
Sherman is also accused of sending a text message following the fight, but investigators didn’t specify in the report who received the message.
“Talan killed someone with his hands…Bro that kid died,” Sherman wrote, according to police.
An unidentified person also allegedly messaged Sherman, referencing a $10,000 reward for an incriminating video of the fight.
“Yo tell me you didn’t delete the video of the dead kid. It’s 10k if you give to the popo.”
Preston Lord Report Waterma… by Leigh Egan
Renner’s father, Travis Renner, allegedly planned to bring his son to a cabin after the attack, reportedly to let his injuries that happened during the attack heal. Investigators also noted that the Renner family has the “financial means to aid in fleeing to Mexico,” according to DailyMail.
It took investigators several months to identify the suspects, prompting anger among residents. Some of them claimed that the influential families of the boys were obstructing the course of justice.
Phoenix police issued an apology following an incident involving Talan’s parents, who reportedly received preferential valet parking services from two Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office deputies during a court hearing.
In March, however, the victim’s parents issued a statement obtained by NBC News that praised police for arresting the suspects.
“But for law enforcement’s collective efforts and community members’ invaluable cooperation, these arrests would not have happened,” they said in a statement through their lawyer. “Each arrest represents a step towards accountability and justice for our son Preston.”
Meanwhile, all suspects were arraigned at the Maricopa County Superior Court last month. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Preston Lord/Dignity Memorial]
