Preston Lord's parents speak out after arrests: His 'life will continue to shine'

The arrests in Preston Lord's murder are just the first steps in achieving justice for the late teen, his stepmother said to a crowd of a couple hundred attendees not far from the scene of his attack in Queen Creek on Thursday night.

After a months-long investigation, hundreds of people donning orange in memory of 16-year-old Lord gathered to hold a vigil in light of the six suspects arrested on suspicion of his beating death at an Oct. 28 Halloween party.

Community members held candles and sparklers throughout the chilly evening event, which was planned to resume rain or shine on the heel of a stormy day. While many exuded joy and levity, the mood turned solemn and emotional as Lord's stepmother Melissa Ciconte addressed the crowd.

“Preston was a gentle and kind person, and his last moments were filled with fear and pain,” said Ciconte. "We are standing where Preston’s life was taken, but we are here to take what was taken back. Preston’s life will continue to shine through this darkness and bring out the truth."

More: 7th person arrested in Preston Lord homicide case; Adult turns himself in

Who are the teens arrested in Lord's murder?

A Maricopa County grand jury indicted the six individuals who all face first-degree murder and kidnapping charges. Taylor Sherman, 19; Jacob Meisner, 17; William “Owen” Hines, 18; Talan Renner, 17; Dominic Turner, 20; and Talyn Vigil, 17 are all being held on $1 million bonds.

Meisner and Turner also face charges for aggravated robbery.

While Meisner, Renner and Vigil are juveniles, they’re being charged as adults. Both Meisner and Hines were already in custody on other charges when they were served with the latest charges related to Lord’s death.

What we learned: 6 arrested in Preston Lord death case make 1st appearances in court

Meisner was arrested in January on suspicion of two assaults. He’s accused of being involved in separate attacks, one at a Gilbert house party in November 2022 and another at a Mesa park in May 2023. In both instances, he was charged as a juvenile.

"Although we have some movement in arrests for Preston, this continues to be an ongoing, active investigation. These arrests are only the first steps in getting justice for Preston," Ciconte said to the vigil crowd.

Teen's violent death sparked community outcry in East Valley

Lord’s death had sent shockwaves across the southeast Valley communities since last fall. It also shed light on a string of attacks by teens that persisted for more than a year.

A Dec. 14 investigation by The Arizona Republic showed how the teen’s killing was tied to a gang called the "Gilbert Goons.” The Goons would record their blitz-style attacks in parks, parking garages, outside fast-food restaurants and at house parties.

The Goon attacks had largely occurred in Gilbert, but videos of other instances were documented in Chandler and Mesa, as well as in Pinal County. There was no evidence yet that any attack occurred in Queen Creek before Lord's assault.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell noted during a press conference to announce the arrests Wednesday night the months of law enforcement work to reach this point in the investigation.

“What has happened here today is a massive step forward in the quest for justice for Preston Lord,” she said. “This has taken months, but not because no one was working on it. Quite the contrary.”

Joining Mitchell was Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Brice. At the time of the press conference, only four arrests had been made, but he told reporters that additional indictments would be coming.

“This is all about making sure that we get justice for Preston,” he said. “And, to close out that chapter in the lives of this family."

Hines, Vigil, Turner and Renner were booked on Wednesday. Sherman was booked late Wednesday and Meisner was charged Thursday, according to county officials.

Kristine Brennan, a Gilbert resident, told The Republic on Thursday evening that there is still much work to be done.

"We see the wheels turning and that's fantastic," Brennan said. "We need convictions. These kids need to serve time to the fullest extent that the law allows."

Brennan said they chose to gather near the site of Lord's assault because the area has been "wrought with trauma" and the community wanted to bring it back into a positive light. "We have so much nervous energy and we needed to come together to be able to grieve together."

In a prepared statement, Lord’s parents, Nick Lord and Autumn Curiel, said the arrests of their son’s suspected attackers were the result of the police’s efforts and the community’s help by coming forward with information.

"We extend heartfelt gratitude to the community members who stepped up to provide information to secure these arrests,” they stated. “But for law enforcement's collective efforts and community members' invaluable cooperation, these arrests would not have happened. Each arrest represents a step towards accountability and justice for our son Preston."

More events to honor Lord planned for the future

Gilbert resident Ann Doucette said the community’s efforts in organizing events honoring Lord wouldn’t stop now that the teen’s attackers are in custody. In addition to Thursday night’s vigil, she said, there would be more events in April.

More than two dozen Queen Creek and Gilbert residents had gathered outside Queen Creek’s municipal services building Wednesday night for the press conference. When the arrests were announced, many cheered, prompting a wave of emotions.

The Gilbert Town Council released a statement Thursday night just before the vigil began, expressing gratitude for "every effort that resulted in the arrested and indictments over the last 24 hours."

"At the same time, we acknowledge that these arrests will not bring Preston back but we remain steadfast and dedicated to ensuring the safety of everyone in our community," the statement said. "...Today, our solemn hearts are with the Lord family."

Gilbert residents in a February 21 letter demanded the immediate resignation of Police Chief Michael Soelberg and Mayor Brigette Peterson, citing “negligence and inaction” related to ongoing investigations into the “Gilbert Goons.”

Peterson attended Thursday night's vigil, as well as Vice Mayor Scott Anderson and councilmembers Yung Koprowski and Chuck Bongiovanni.

As Lord's friends and family anticipate pending prosecution for his suspected assailants, Brennan told The Republic that justice also encompasses change in leadership, policies and community resources. Youth need safe recreational areas like Freestone Park where they can go without fear of drugs or violence.

"We need leaders to say they are listening and really listening," Brennan said. "We need to see more action. Change does need to happen."

Ellen Marrs, 54, of Gilbert, came to the vigil to show support and grieve with fellow residents. She believes it's not just public officials who should be held accountable.

"I think everyone can do more now that we know it's a problem," she said. "Many of us didn't even know that this teen violence epidemic was happening here... unfortunately, we have to lose a child to know a lot of depth to it."

"I think all of us can do more."

Republic reporters Robert Anglen and Elena Santa Cruz contributed to this report.

Shawn Raymundo covers the West Valley cities of Glendale, Peoria and Surprise. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Preston Lord's parents speak after arrests in teen's death