Arizona teen murder: 6 charged in tragic Halloween party attack

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From left: William Hines, Dominic Turner, and Taylor Sherman.Photo byauthor (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced charges on Wednesday against four individuals in connection with the death of 16-year-old Preston Lord, who tragically passed away after being assaulted in a gang-style attack at a Halloween party in a Phoenix suburb last year.

The accused individuals are Dominic Turner, aged 20, William Hines, aged 18, along with two 17-year-olds named Talan Renner and Talyn Vigil.

The charges filed against all four include felony first-degree murder and kidnapping.

The incident highlights the severity of the situation and the legal consequences that follow such destructive actions.

The community awaits further developments in this case as justice is sought for the senseless loss of a young life.

"These four indictments are just the start," Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Brice said at a news conference.

Preston Lord, 16, died after being the victim of a gang-style attack at a Halloween party in a Phoenix suburb last year, authorities said.Photo byauthor (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Mitchell's office announced indictments on Thursday against Taylor Sherman, 19, and 17-year-old Jacob Meisner for first-degree murder and other charges.

All six suspects, including Hines who was already in custody for unrelated assaults, are now in custody.

The three juveniles, Meisner, Renner, and Vigil, will be tried as adults according to Mitchell's office.

Lord's parents, Nick Lord, and Autumn Curiel, see the arrests as a step towards accountability and justice for their son Preston, who was beaten following a party in Queen Creek on Oct. 28, 2023.

First responders found him on a roadway and he later passed away from his injuries.

The incident has sparked outrage in the community, with calls for increased police efforts to address teen violence.

"While there is still work to be done - and nothing will bring Preston back - the arrests in the Preston Lord homicide investigation are an essential step in the process," Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley said in a statement. "The Lord family is in my thoughts and prayers daily – and I am so thankful that we can continue to move forward in our pursuit of justice for Preston."

The medical examiner classified Lord's death as a homicide but has not disclosed the specific cause.

Mitchell stated that her office thoroughly examined 600 videos, a 2,000-page police report, and additional pieces of evidence to build the case against the initial four suspects. The investigative grand jury convened on Feb. 7 to review the case.

According to a December report by The Arizona Republic, investigators believe Lord was murdered by a gang known as the "Gilbert Goons." This gang conducted blitz-style attacks in various locations like parks, parking garages, fast-food restaurants, and house parties, recording them and sharing the videos on social media.

The attacks predominantly occurred in Gilbert, a nearby city, without facing intervention from law enforcement for over a year, as detailed in the report.