Preston Lord was murdered in October 2023 in Arizona, and the crime scene was captured in a screenshot from Phoenix NBC affiliate KPNX/YouTube, while the victim's photo was taken from GoFundMe.
Five teenagers and a 20-year-old man have been formally charged in the murder of a 16-year-old boy who was beaten and left for dead on an Arizona road after a Halloween party, as part of a surge in youth violence.
Maricopa County Prosecutor Rachel Mitchell announced the arrests related to the October killing of Preston Lord. Those arrested include three men aged 18, 19, and 20, and three 17-year-old boys. Mitchell mentioned the family's extreme pain as the investigation continues, and shared that the evidence includes 600 video pieces.
She stated, “Most people cannot imagine the pain of losing a child, but experiencing it is a whole new level of horror.”
In a statement, Preston’s family thanked community members for giving information that led to the arrests.
“Without the collective efforts of law enforcement and the invaluable cooperation of community members, these arrests would not have been possible,” the family's statement said. “Each arrest signifies a step towards holding the responsible parties accountable and achieving justice for our son Preston.”
Preston was fatally assaulted on Oct. 28. The incident came to attention when police received a 911 call at 9:49 that evening regarding an attack near 194th Street and Via Del Rancho in Queen Creek, outside Phoenix. Preston was found on the road, taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, and passed away two days later.
Immediately, the police started a murder investigation, gathered hundreds of tips, conducted interviews, and executed over 50 search warrants in search of the perpetrators. In one instance, on Nov. 6, the Queen Creek SWAT team, while serving an arrest warrant, closed off a neighborhood street in Gilbert. The warrant was for the arrest of Renner, one of the initial individuals detained for the murder.
Preston’s aunt mentioned on a fundraising website that his killing is incomprehensible and he is dearly loved. His heart stopped, and others tried to save his life until emergency personnel arrived, but he passed away two days later in the hospital due to a serious brain injury.
“We are unable to express the support and love we have received,” the aunt said. “Thank you for loving us and our boy.”
Additional charges may be filed as prosecutors also suspect an attempted concealment of the beating, declared Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show..
Mitchell commented, “I believe it’s fair to say that nothing is ruled out. No one is excluded from this investigation, and if we find adequate evidence to bring charges, we will do so,” on
The news of the arrests comes as police are investigating assaults by teens in addition to Preston’s murder in the Phoenix suburbs.