Maricopa County, Arizona – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday that none of the seven individuals accused in the murder of Preston Lord will face the death penalty. Among the defendants, Dominic Turner, Taylor Sherman, and Treston Bailey were eligible for capital punishment, while the remaining four were minors at the time of the crime and therefore exempt from the death penalty.
Preston Lord was fatally attacked at a Halloween party in Queen Creek, resulting in his death two days later. The medical examiner ruled his death as a homicide, leading to a thorough investigation by authorities. The suspects arrested in connection with Lord’s murder include Talan Renner, Talyn Vigil, William Owen Hines, Dominic Turner, Taylor Sherman, Billey, and Jacob Meisner, all of whom pleaded not guilty.
The investigation into Lord’s death involved numerous interviews, video reviews, and analysis of cellphone messages, ultimately leading to the compilation of a comprehensive 1,100-page police report released by the Queen Creek Police Department in March. One particular message allegedly confessed the involvement of a suspect in the assault, stating, “Got in a fight… killed a kid.. guess I don’t know my own strength,” as documented in the police report.
The legal proceedings are expected to proceed to trial in 2025, implicating the defendants in a lengthy judicial process. The revelation of disturbing conversations and incriminating evidence from text exchanges further strengthens the case against the accused individuals. Despite the severity of the crime, the minors implicated will not face the death penalty by legal standards. The tragic events surrounding Preston Lord’s death continue to unfold as the case progresses towards trial in the coming years.