4 charged in fatal beating of teen Preston Lord in Queen Creek

Update: Officials have charged two more people in connection with Preston Lord's death.

Four people face charges in the killing of Preston Lord, the 16-year-old whose brutal beating shocked the southeast Valley and brought to light a surge in teen violence in the community.

A Maricopa County grand jury on Wednesday indicted them on charges including first-degree murder and kidnapping in the gang-style attack that occurred during an Oct. 28 Halloween party in Queen Creek.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office confirmed Talan Renner, Dominic Turner and Talyn Vigil were taken into custody on Wednesday. William "Owen" Hines was in custody on other charges when he was served.

"What has happened here today is a massive step forward in the quest for justice for Preston Lord," said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell at a news conference on Wednesday evening in Queen Creek. "This has taken months, but not because no one was working on it. Quite the contrary."

Queen Creek police Chief Randy Brice said the four indictments were just the start.

"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."

More charges and arrests were expected soon, said Jeanine L'Ecuyer, a spokesperson for Mitchell's office.

"We do anticipate more people will be arrested," she said.

Renner and Vigil are both juveniles and will be charged as adults. Hines is 18, and Turner is 20.

All were charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping. Turner also was charged with aggravated robbery.

Lord's parents, Nick Lord and Autumn Curiel, credited police and the community for helping to bring Lord's attackers to justice.

"We extend heartfelt gratitude to the community members who stepped up to provide information to secure these arrests," they said in a statement provided by their attorneys. "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."

Cheers, smiles and tears:Arrests in Preston Lord's death bring relief to community

The arrests come about two months after Queen Creek police recommended charges against seven individuals in the secondslong attack on Lord, whose body was left lying on the side of a suburban street among a throng of partygoers.

A Dec. 14 investigation by The Arizona Republic detailed how Lord's death was tied to a gang called the "Gilbert Goons," who recorded their blitz-style attacks in parks, parking garages, outside fast-food restaurants and at house parties.

Most of the attacks occurred in Gilbert and went unchecked by police there for more than a year. Other Goon attacks were recorded in Mesa, Chandler and Pinal County. There's no evidence yet that any attack occurred in Queen Creek before the one on Lord.

Boy's violent death shocked a community into action

Lord was a popular student at Combs High School in nearby San Tan Valley, where he served on the student council and played basketball, football and golf.

He was among hundreds of teenagers who descended on the Halloween party after word of the gathering spread via social media. He was jumped as the party dissolved into chaos. Several kids tried to administer CPR in an effort to keep Lord breathing. He died two days later, on Oct. 30, of traumatic brain injuries.

His attack sent a shock wave through the sleepy suburbs of the southeast Valley. A squad of social media sleuths set out to "solve" the case one post at a time, often spreading speculation and conspiracy without regard for truth.

Other activists provided information to authorities and channeled calls for justice into marches, vigils and protests, demanding answers and accountability from police and politicians.

"I am so excited to see justice being served for the Lords and the community," said Kristine Brennan, one of two Gilbert residents behind the Lily Waterfield Facebook page. Since November, the page has served as a virtual gathering place for people seeking information on the killing and attacks by the Goons.

"We can start to heal, but we still need a conviction," she said. "Our work is not done. Anybody with more evidence or information that will help in the conviction should come forward now."

Brennan said she was looking forward to the remaining assailants being charged. She said there are no winners in this situation.

"I'm sad for everybody. I truly am," she said. "Everyone is a victim."

Queen Creek chief: 'No real surprises' in department's investigation

Lord's homicide was a test for the newly formed Queen Creek Police Department, which had never before investigated a murder.

Queen Creek police Chief Randy Brice told The Republic in a Feb. 20 interview that detectives quickly determined why Lord was killed and who did it. He did not elaborate on the motive on Wednesday.

"They pretty much had everything kind of figured out within a week or two," Brice said. "They had everybody's names pretty much mapped. ... No real surprises over the next few months after that. So there's been no big reveal here."

At about 9 p.m. on Oct. 28, police responded to 194th Street and Via del Oro in Queen Creek for a "juvenile disturbance." When police arrived, they found multiple teenagers walking up and down the street, seemingly leaving a residence where they had gathered.

There were conflicting accounts about what happened next. Some witnesses told The Republic they warned officers the party was getting out of control. But Brice said officers did not observe a party at the time and did not notice any illegal activity. Officers left after they were called to a "high-priority call" about a crime in progress elsewhere, Brice said.

At 9:49 p.m., police received a 911 call about an assault in the same neighborhood, a few houses from the earlier call. When they arrived, they found a teen boy, later identified as Lord, lying in the roadway.

On Dec. 28, the two-month anniversary of Lord's beating, Queen Creek police referred charges against seven people in the murder of Lord to the County Attorney's Office.

Cheers, smiles and tears:Arrests in Preston Lord's death bring relief to community

Indictments are nothing more than a formal accusation. They are the first stages of the prosecution and signal the start of what could be a lengthy court process.

Brice said more than seven people could be charged in the case.

Mitchell said in January that prosecutors had to wade through thousands of pieces of evidence, including vetting and watching 600 videos, before charges could be brought.

What to know about those charged in the death of Preston Lord

Hines, 18, was arrested in January on suspicion of multiple assaults and remains in jail. He was accused of being part of two Goon attacks: one at a Gilbert In-N-Out Burger in December 2022 and another at a Gilbert house party in November 2022.

Renner, 17, lived in a home that was among those targeted in a dramatic Nov. 6 search in the gated Gilbert community of Whitewing. Search warrants were served at multiple houses.

Gilbert police in January arrested his older brother, Kyler Renner, 18, on suspicion of two gang beatings, including an attack at a Gilbert parking garage in December 2022 and a November 2022 Gilbert house party. Other teens were arrested in connection with those beatings.

Kyler Renner also was arrested in January on drug charges. A Maricopa County grand jury indicted him twice in February on felony drug charges, including drugs for sale.

Their father, Travis Renner, 50, was arrested on the same day as his son, 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 murder.

Vigil 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 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.

Little was known about Turner.

Advocate: Victims in other beatings fear retaliation

Katey McPherson, a former teacher and school counselor who has helped the #Justice4PrestonLord movement become a political force in the southeast Valley, said the arrests will result in more victims coming forward. And there will be lots, she said.

"As soon as these kids are charged, people are going to be coming out of the woodwork," she said, adding that many victims are afraid of retaliation because Gilbert police failed to stop the attacks. "They are still a threat."

The indictments echo what community members had been saying for months about who killed Preston Lord.

McPherson said it was a "full-on community effort" to hold Lord's attackers accountable and bring justice to his family. But she said the case should serve as a warning about violence perpetrated by young people.

"This brings us a step closer to some kind of closure," she said. "It also brings us the harsh reality that we have children in the community so rageful and hurtful that they want to bring harm to others."

She said teens' willingness to engage in brutal assaults needs to be addressed head-on.

"I hope going forward that the parents of those involved would heed the need for greater parental supervision and parental responsibility," McPherson said. "Anyone who was aware of even a hint of this type of behavior has failed."

She rejected the notion of celebrating the arrests.

"There's going to be a ton of jubilee among neighbors," McPherson said. "I don't view it that way. I never have."

Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Reach him at robert.anglen@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X: @robertanglen.

Reach reporter Elena Santa Cruz at elena.santacruz@gannett.com or 480-466-2265. Follow her on X: @ecsantacruz3.