Suspect in death of Preston Lord pleading guilty to manslaughter
A suspect pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a case connected to the death of Preston Lord on Tuesday, according to court officials.
Watch: Reacting to suspect in death of Preston Lord changing his plea deal to manslaughter | 9 mins
PHOENIX — A suspect tied to multiple cases of youth violence in the East Valley is pleading guilty to manslaughter in a case connected to the death of Preston Lord, authorities said.
William Owen Hines, 19, was named as a suspect in the death of Lord in March 2024. He and several other suspects were charged with first-degree murder, felony murder and kidnapping.
Hines was one of seven suspects accused of killing the 16-year-old Lord at a Halloween party in October in Queen Creek. Lord died two days after the Oct. 28, 2023, attack.
Hines pleaded not guilty to charges related to Lord’s death in March 2024.
Preston Lord murder suspect now pleading guilty to manslaughter
His decision to plead guilty to manslaughter marks a turn in his legal case. He’s now the first suspect in the case to take a plea agreement, according to ABC15.
Court officials accused Hines of kicking Lord at least once while he was on the ground.
A spokesperson with the Superior Court of Arizona told KTAR News 92.3 FM that Hines also pled guilty to aggravated assault in three additional cases related to youth violence.
Two of those were aggravated assault cases that were not reported to the Gilbert Police Department until December of 2023 and January of 2024. His other case relates to a vehicular aggravated assault in connection with an incident from July 6, 2023, that left a victim injured.
During his Tuesday hearing, Hines said he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol during the time of Lord’s death.
“For nearly three years, especially 2023, I was clouded mentally by drugs, alcohol and hallucinogens, so bad to the point where I was diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis,” Hines said. “The result of that has now led to incarceration.”
Suspect in Preston Lord murder case apologizes to teen’s family
Hines also apologized to the slain teen’s family.
“To the family of Preston Lord, I understand entirely how you may feel towards me, and I’m not asking for anything,” Hines said. “Rather, I pray that you can all find peace in your lives.”
He said he had been horrified to hear the news of Lord’s death after the attack.
“During the holiday season, I couldn’t help but feel for the family, especially his mother,” Hines said. “The thought of how my mom would feel terrifies me and that is why I will do absolutely anything to make sure I can prevent this from happening again.”
Mother of Preston Lord responds to murder suspect’s apology
Autumn Curiel, Lord’s mother, spoke to the court after Hines gave his apology. Speaking through tears, she said she’d rather be anywhere else than in court, describing the hearing as a painful experience she dreaded having to repeat as the six other suspects in her son’s murder case attend their hearings.
“Each time we are here, the wound is reopened, retraumatizing us, reminding us of the devastating loss of our kind and beautiful boy,” Curiel said.
Navigating what would have been Preston’s senior year has been stressful and painful for her, Preston’s father and Preston’s sister, she added.
“He should have been celebrating his 17th birthday, attending prom and participating in his senior night,” Curiel said. “To say we miss our son is an understatement. Preston was our world and now we are left to face an unimaginable future without him.”
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Hines said he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol during the time of Lord’s death.
“For nearly three years, especially 2023, I was clouded mentally by drugs, alcohol and hallucinogens, so bad to the point where I was diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis,” Hines said. “The result of that has now led to incarceration.”
Hines is clearly a unremorseful liberal idiot deflecting his acceptance of responsibility. Hines beats Preston Lord to death and then cries victimhood. What utter liberal BS.
Preston Lord was the victim. Society was the victim. Contrary to Hinges overactive imaginary denial of reality, Lord is dead and Hines isn't the victim, instead he's a murderer who should rot in prison for his actions. Hines has historically had zero issue with his dismissive criminal murderous behavior, right up until it's sentencing time, when Hines miraculously suddenly emerges from a complete metamorphosis and becomes the real victim of Lords death.
This case would have been handled entirely different and possibly ending in something other then a miscarriage of Just-Us if only Maricopa county had a commitment to the law by delivering aggressive representation at the county attorney's office.
Plea bargain to Manslaughter? This was murder!
What's the sentence attached to the plea ageement - the full ten or a lesser number? Was this one case lumped into a package deal for the other cases he wascharged with?