ARIZONA NEWS

Preston Lord’s parents release statement about Queen Creek murder investigation

Feb 7, 2024, 12:26 PM | Updated: Mar 12, 2024, 9:47 am

This sign honoring Preston Lord was on display as part of a youth violence awareness campaign at Co...

A sign honoring Preston Lord was on display as part of a youth violence awareness campaign at Combs High School in Queen Creek, Arizona, on Jan. 23, 2024. (KTAR News Photo/Heidi Hommel)

(KTAR News Photo/Heidi Hommel)

PHOENIX – The parents of Preston Lord, the teenager who died after getting assaulted in Queen Creek last year, broke their silence Wednesday about the ongoing investigation into his murder.

DeFusco Law, a Scottsdale-based firm representing Lord’s parents, Nick Lord and Autumn Curiel, sent the following statement to the media:

“After an initial meeting, the Maricopa County Attorney continues to provide us with updates on her office’s review of the case involving the death of our son, Preston Lord. The loss of our son is impossible to bear, and we understand that there is work to be done to achieve justice for Preston. We are exercising patience to ensure the best possible outcome and ask members of the community and the media to do the same. We are grateful for the outpouring of support and appreciate the upstanding individuals who have provided information to law enforcement.”

Preston Lord, 16, was attacked by a group of people outside a Halloween party on Oct. 28, 2023, and he died of his injuries at a hospital two days later.

How has community responded to fatal attack on Preston Lord?

The incident sparked outrage in the community and brought awareness to a wave of youth violence incidents in the East Valley from as far back as 2022. Reports have connected multiple attacks to a violent gang of teens and young men known as the Gilbert Goons.

On Dec. 28, the Queen Creek Police Department announced it had submitted charges against seven suspects — including adults and minors – to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show in early January she expected the review of the case to take an extended period of time because of the sheer volume of the submission. The report was about 1,800 pages long and was accompanied by about 2,000 pieces of evidence, including 600 videos, she said.

Other East Valley law enforcement agencies, including Gilbert and Mesa police and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, have made over 20 arrests in multiple youth violence incidents in their jurisdictions since the start of the year.

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Preston Lord’s parents release statement about Queen Creek murder investigation