What to know about the people charged in connection with Preston Lord's death

Four adults and three juveniles face murder and kidnapping charges in the fatal beating death of 16-year-old Preston Lord.

The seven people were arrested in the hours and days after a Maricopa County grand jury handed up indictments on March 6.

Those charged were Treston Billey, 18; William "Owen" Hines, 18; Jacob Meisner, 17; Talan Renner, 17; Taylor Sherman, 19; Dominic Turner, 20; and Talyn Vigil, 17. Renner, Vigil and Meisner were to be charged as adults.

All were charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping. Billey, Meisner and Turner also were charged with aggravated robbery in connection with a necklace that belonged to a friend of Lord's.

The seven were held on $1 million bonds.

Each of the defendants entered pleas of not guilty to all of their charges.

The arrests came a little more than four months after Lord was fatally assaulted in a gang-style attack. His killing shocked the southeast Valley and brought to light a string of attacks by teens that persisted for more than a year.

Here is a briefing on those who have been charged in connection with Lord's homicide.

This article will be updated as each defendant's case advances. Check back for updates.

Who is Treston Billey?

Treston John Billey, 18, graduated from Perry High School in Gilbert. He turned himself into the police on March 7. He is charged with robbery in connection with the necklace, which prosecutors say was taken from a friend of Lord's.

Billey was one of 17 young people and 26 parents sued over "Gilbert Goons" attacks in Maricopa County. He lived in Gilbert, according to court records.

Who is Owen Hines?

William Owen Hines, 18, is known as Owen. He was arrested in connection with the Lord case on March 6. He was already in custody on charges related to Goons attacks. Prosecutors accused Hines of attempting to destroy evidence after the attack on Lord.

Gilbert police arrested Hines in January and accused him of being involved in an attack on a teen at a Gilbert house party in November 2022. Police also accused him of taking part in an attack on a teen at a Gilbert In-N-Out Burger in December 2022.

Hines was one of 17 young people and 26 parents sued over "Gilbert Goons" attacks in Maricopa County. He lived in Gilbert, according to court records.

Hines played football at Perry High School in Gilbert.

Who is Jacob Meisner?

Jacob Ryan Meisner, 17, was arrested in connection with the Lord case on March 7. He was served in a juvenile detention facility, where he was being held on suspicion of attacks tied to the Goons. Prosecutors have accused him of robbery in connection with Lord's attack. His home was among those targeted by police on Nov. 6 in the gated Gilbert community of Whitewing.

Mesa police arrested Meisner in January in connection with an attack on a juvenile at a Mesa park in May 2023. Gilbert police also arrested him on suspicion of involvement in the November 2022 house party attack, which also led to Hines' arrest.

Meisner was charged as a juvenile in both the house party and park beatings. A judge ordered him held without bail.

Meisner has been identified in other videos of Goon attacks.

Meisner was one of 17 young people and 26 parents sued over "Gilbert Goons" attacks in Maricopa County. Meisner and his parents were named in another lawsuit filed on behalf of the victim of the Mesa park attack.

Who is Talan Renner?

Talan Renner, 17, turned himself in to the police on March 6. His home was among those targeted by police on Nov. 6 in the gated Gilbert community of Whitewing. He has for months been targeted by community activists, who have accused him of being part of the attack on Lord.

His brother, Kyler Renner, 18, was arrested in January on suspicion of two gang attacks in Gilbert. Those include an attack at a Gilbert parking garage in December 2022 and the November 2022 Gilbert house party in which Hines and Meisner also have been arrested. Kyler Renner also was arrested in January on drug charges.

Kyler Renner was one of 17 young people and 26 parents sued over "Gilbert Goons" attacks in Maricopa County.

Their father, Travis Renner, 50, was arrested on the same day as Kyler Renner, on suspicion of drug possession and paraphernalia charges. He has been accused by a former employee of trying to cover up Talan Renner's alleged involvement in the Lord killing.

Following Talan Renner's initial court appearance on March 7, sheriff's deputies performed "valet" car service for his parents, Travis and Becky Renner, which infuriated leaders of the #JusticeforPrestonLord movement.

Talan Renner played football at American Leadership Academy Gilbert North high school.

Who is Taylor Sherman?

Taylor Reagan Sherman, 19, was booked into jail on March 6 and appeared before a Maricopa County Superior Court judge the next day. He is accused of robbery in connection with the Lord attack.

At his initial court appearance, prosecutors said Sherman attempted to destroy evidence after the attack on Lord and planned a "potential story" about what happened that night.

Sherman was named in a lawsuit filed on behalf of the victim of the Mesa park attack.

Who is Dominic Turner?

Dominic Turner, 20, was taken into custody on March 6 and appeared before a Maricopa County Superior Court judge the next day.

He is accused of robbery in connection with the Lord attack. Prosecutors said in court he took evidence from the scene of the beating.

He lived in Apache Junction, according to court records, and also went by Dom and Dmoney.

Who is Talyn Vigil?

Talyn Ray Vigil, 17, made incriminating statements about his involvement in Lord's death, according to an interview and a social media post. His former girlfriend told police that just minutes after the fatal beating, he climbed into a car and bragged: "I knocked that kid out."

The girl's mother recounted the moment to The Arizona Republic in a December interview. Karli Heinmiller said her daughter was interviewed by detectives who later had her walk them through the crime scene.

Days after Lord's death, Vigil appeared to make a confession on Snapchat. A screenshot of the post has circulated widely on social media.

"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 have not responded to multiple interview requests about it.

Vigil lived in Gilbert, according to court records.

On April 12, Vigil posted bail. He was released from a Maricopa County jail under electronic monitoring.

No photos: Why weren't mug shots of all 7 Preston Lord defendants made public?

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

Reach reporter Elena Santa Cruz at [email protected]. Follow her on X at @ecsantacruz3.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Preston Lord case: What to know about the suspects in the fatal attack