Who are the 'Gilbert Goons'? What to know about teen gang accused of vicious attacks

When Preston Lord was found fatally beaten on the street in an affluent neighborhood in Queen Creek, people began to connect it to other vicious attacks in the southeast Valley.

Teenagers attacked other kids randomly — and some not so randomly, it seemed. Beatings occurred at fast-food restaurants, in parks, at parties and other locations where high school students gathered.

The Arizona Republic began talking to parents, kids and community organizers. Many of the attacks were attributed to a group called the "Gilbert Goons," they said.

Here's what we know about the group.

Who are the 'Gilbert Goons'?

The Gilbert Goons are described by concerned residents as a gang of 20 or more mostly white, upper-middle-class teenagers from multiple southeast Valley high schools.

Their attacks have become increasingly violent, and they use threats and intimidation to keep their victims silent, residents say in pleas to the police, emails to school officials, posts in group chats and during public meetings.

The "Gilbert Goonies" or "Goonies," as they sometimes call themselves, have for more than a year carried out random assaults on teenagers in mall parking lots, outside fast-food restaurants, at parks and at house parties, according to interviews, court and police records and social media posts.

Brass knuckles, beatings, fear: Random attacks on teens loom over Preston Lord murder case

They hit teens, kick them and beat them with brass knuckles, and they put at least one boy in the hospital in 2022 with a cracked skull, records show.

What are the 'Gilbert Goons' known for?

The Goons are known for attacks on teenagers in the southeast Valley, especially in the communities of Gilbert, Queen Creek, San Tan Valley and Chandler.

They have posted photos and videos of their attacks on social media.

Case developments: New 'Gilbert Goons' beating video, chilling account of Preston Lord's attack emerge

The Republic has documented seven attacks involving members of the Goons, although several more are alleged by parents and students. At least four attacks occurred at the Gilbert In-N-Out Burger at San Tan Village Parkway and East Williams Field Road.

Are the 'Gilbert Goons' connected to the death of Preston Lord in Queen Creek?

Students, parents and community activists say members of the Goons are responsible for the Oct. 28 fatal beating of 16-year-old Preston Lord.

Minutes after the beating, a "Gilbert Goon" climbed into a car where a teenage girl waited. He bragged: "I knocked that kid out," according to the mother of the girl.

At the crime scene: 'Gilbert Goon' girlfriend recounts deadly Halloween party

The teen later appeared to post a message on Snapchat confirming his involvement: "I hit a kid and this kid feel hit his head and then they kicked his head in the ground then i got word he died so idk," the post read.

The Republic could not verify the authenticity of the post. The teenager and his parents did not respond to multiple interview requests about it.

Charges referred: Queen Creek police seek charges against 7 teens, adults in death of Preston Lord

Have arrests been made in the Preston Lord murder case?

As of March 7, seven people have been charged in connection with Preston Lord's death: Treston Billey, 18, William "Owen" Hines, 18, Jacob Meisner, 17, Talan Renner, 17, Taylor Sherman, 19, Dominic Turner, 20, and Talyn Vigil, 17.

All face charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping. Billey, Meisner and Turner also face aggravated robbery charges.

Queen Creek police confirmed on Dec. 28 that they were seeking criminal charges against seven people in the Lord case.

Have arrests been made in the beating cases?

The first arrests tied to attacks on teenagers by a gang called the "Gilbert Goons" were announced Jan. 10 by southeast Valley police agencies.

The Pinal County Sheriff's Office and Gilbert police separately arrested three adults and two juveniles in two attacks. These attacks first were detailed in a December investigation by The Arizona Republic, which led authorities to reopen multiple cases.

Police and prosecutors confirmed those arrested were accused of involvement in gang beatings on high school students and indicated more arrests could be coming.

One of the people arrested admitted being part of the Gilbert Goons and attacking teens, a prosecutor said.

Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb announced deputies arrested 20-year-old Jacob Pennington of Gilbert in a Nov. 18 group beating of a 16-year-old Casteel High School student near San Tan Mountain Regional Park in an area known as Wagon Wheel. A second suspect, 18-year-old Garrett Bagshaw, was arrested on Jan. 12.

Gilbert police on Jan. 10 confirmed the arrests of four people in the Aug. 18 beating of a teenager at the Gilbert In-N-Out Burger. Christopher Fantastic, 18, and Aris Arredondo, 18, and two juveniles face assault and robbery charges.

The case involves the beating of Richard Kuehner’s then-16-year-old son, which The Republic first reported in December.

Gilbert police officials said the case remained active and they were working to identify others involved in the attack.

On Jan. 11, a 17-year-old was arrested by Mesa police in a May 29, 2023, attack on another teen. The suspect is tied to the Preston Lord homicide investigation and other assaults. On Jan. 16, Fantastic was also arrested in relation to the attack.

Did the 'Gilbert Goons' really record their crimes?

They did. They recorded attacks and posted video of beatings on social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok. They also shared video and images in private chats.

The gang recorded several attacks, including those that left teenagers hospitalized and traumatized. In one video, the Goon filming an attack appears to converse with an attacker, who can be overheard saying he needs to jump back into a fight.

Videos obtained and reviewed by The Republic also show the Goons flashing handguns, handling high-powered automatic weapons and showing off with wads of cash and drugs.

One video shows a pill press, Molly water and baggies of joints. Another shows lines of cocaine on top of a wipe case on a bathroom sink.

Goons recorded themselves racing down highways in high-performance vehicles, sometimes with weapons at the ready. They burned rubber and did doughnuts in industrial parks and behind malls as kids clung to roofs, squatted in trunks or hung out windows.

Karli Heinmiller, whose daughter briefly dated a Goon and was at the party where Lord was killed, said she compiled video and pictures from gang members' social media accounts and private messages.

"There were so many videos of them fighting ... stomping somebody ... more guns than anything I've ever seen in my whole life," she said.

What is the 'Gilbert Goons' connection to In-N-Out Burger in Gilbert?

The Gilbert In-N-Out parking lot was the site of at least four attacks in the past year, interviews and records show. A restaurant manager said police frequently were called to quell crowds of teenagers.

On Dec. 15, a town spokesperson said the Police Department beefed up patrols in response to assaults at the restaurant, at San Tan Village Parkway and East Williams Field Road.

Are Gilbert police investigating the 'Gilbert Goons'?

Gilbert is a nexus for many of the attacks, according to reports by victims and their families.

Police Chief Michael Soelberg initially said victims of the attacks never specifically mentioned the name of the gang when they called police — and the department did not have police reports associating the Goons "to any alleged criminal activity."

Victims have since referred to their attackers as being associated with the Goons, according to the department.

Shift in investigation: Gilbert police dodge questions on teen attacks, reopen 'Goon' case after Republic report

In 2022, police arrested two juveniles in separate attacks on teenagers. However, even though police indicated the attacks involved groups of kids, records show the attacks were not connected to the Gilbert Goons.

One juvenile was prosecuted. Other reports of attacks involving Gilbert Goons were closed and did not lead to arrests or prosecutions.

The Gilbert Police Department initially did not pursue any connections between individual attacks, but The Republic's reporting on the Goons led to a change in approach.

The department reopened a shelved investigation into the beating of a student by members of the "Gilbert Goons" the day after an Arizona Republic report. On Dec. 22, the department posted still images on Facebook of this attack on Richard Kuehner's son and asked anyone with information to come forward.

Cases revisited: Gilbert police reopen investigations after The Republic connects 'Goon' beatings

On Jan. 8, Gilbert police announced they were working with multiple agencies to determine if the Goons were a gang under Arizona law.

Four cases involving teen attacks and threats were reopened in late December. Soelberg confirmed Jan. 9 the department had nine active investigations related to teen violence.

A father wonders and asks: If Gilbert police had acted sooner, would Preston Lord be alive?

In addition to reopening cases, Gilbert police officials said the department was reviewing cases involving teenagers from the past two years.

The Gilbert Town Council is also looking into the issue of teen violence and voted on Jan. 9 to create a subcommittee dedicated to the issue. The subcommittee had its first meeting on Jan. 18.

What do community members say about the 'Goons'?

Two community walks, on Nov. 28 in Queen Creek and on Dec. 28 in Gilbert, drew concerned students, parents and community members dressed in orange.

During the Dec. 28 march, which occurred after the criminal referrals, community activist Kristine Brennan said victims' families were one step closer to justice, not only for Lord but for victims of the Goons' attacks.

"There’s still a lot of work that has to be done; we know that," Brennan said. "Because right now it’s just those seven. There’s more than seven."

Brennan said the march was in Gilbert because the majority of the "Goons" live there and it was the hub of many attacks on teens.

'More work to do': Gilbert marchers seek justice in Preston Lord murder case

"There have been multiple assaults in Gilbert, and kids have had to leave the country," Brennan said. "We’re in Gilbert because we’re affected by it.”

Orange has become a signifier of the movement, which has spread through the East Valley.

More than a dozen people dressed in orange also showed up at a Gilbert Town Council meeting after organizers involved in the #Justice4PrestonLord movement asked community members to speak out about teen violence and safety.

Why aren't we naming the kids involved?

The Republic is not naming victims of attacks. Nor is it naming individual Goons who have been arrested and who are underage and being charged as juveniles.

Those arrested who are adults — 18 years of age and older — are named. Juveniles being charged as adults are also named.

Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Reach him at [email protected] or 602-444-8694. Follow him on X @robertanglen.

Elena Santa Cruz is a criminal justice reporter for The Republic. Reach her at [email protected] or 480-466-2265. Follow her on X at @ecsantacruz3.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who are 'Gilbert Goons'? What to know about teen gang in Phoenix area