Community gathers to remember Preston Lord 1 year after fatal attack

Family and friends of Preston Lord lit up the lake at Frontier Family Park in Queen Creek with floating lanterns Monday night.

Twinkling lights honored the memory of 16-year-old Lord, who was beaten a year ago during a gang attack at a Halloween party. Two days later, he died from a brain injury.

“Let the lights represent the souls affected by teenage violence,” said Melissa Cicconte, Lord’s stepmother, before the lanterns were released.

Lord Tony Reich’s grandfather addressed his grandson directly in an emotional speech.

He said his grandson loved riding his motorcycle when he was growing up, but they never rode together.

He said he would “always regret” never giving him a ride.

“I’m ashamed to say I never rode with you,” he said.

Reich called this year the worst for his family. And he talked about waiting five months for the police to act.

“And finally something happened,” he said. “Seven bastards have been arrested and charged with your murder.”

He said it was difficult to watch the court hearings and see the accused getting bail.x

“I would gladly pay any bond to bring you home,” he said.

Ciconte described the past year as a year full of heartache.

“One year of living a nightmare,” Ciconte said. “One year without life with Preston.”

According to her, when she saw her stepson lying in the hospital a year ago, she felt disbelief, anger, disappointment and hopelessness.

According to her, saying goodbye to him was one of the hardest things she had to do.

“Sometimes I tell God it’s too much,” she said. “Sometimes I buckle down and do the best I can.”

Ciconte said her stepson will be forever missed, but his impact was great. According to her, he has united many people who want his attackers to be brought to justice.

She echoed their family’s constant message: Justice for Preston. Anything else would be unbearable, she said.

“Injustice for Preston is like killing him a second time,” she said.

About a hundred lanterns drifted in the dark waters of the lake, some with special messages written on the paper shade.

The words glowed from within.

“We really missed you in the game. Go Seahawks,” read one. The Seattle Seahawks were Lord’s favorite NFL team. “It’s still unreal. Love you dude. mother”.

Others had hand-drawn basketballs, notes from people saying they missed him, “PL5” and “Justice for Preston”. Lord played basketball at Combs High School in San Tan Valley. He wore the number 5 shirt.

Zander Sessions, 16, who attends Queen Creek High School, said he didn’t know Lord but wanted to be remembered. “What happened was not okay,” he said.

He was dressed in orange, the color of the #Justice4PrestonLord movement, and had a message for the people who killed Lord.

“Try to make up for it any way you can,” he said.

Bridget Vega of Gilbert said the Lord brought everyone together at Monday’s vigil.

“Never dim your light,” said Vegas. “Stand up and do what’s right.”

“It’s a Preston thing”: The parents of a murdered teenager talk about the impact of his life — and death

Preston Lord attacked at a Halloween party in 2023; 7 is loaded

On October 28, 2023, Lorde and a group of friends went to a party with hundreds of other teenagers after coming across an invitation that was widely shared on social media.

The Queen Creek Ranchettes unit was so packed with partygoers that police were called around 9 p.m. Officers reported seeing dozens of teenagers walking around the neighborhood, but said they saw no parties, no alcohol, no crime or emergencies. After that, the police left for a high-priority call.

During the party Lord and his friends crossed with a group of teenagers who have a reputation for being violent.

Lord was knocked down after being hit in the face. The attackers pounced on him, hit him in the face with a hammer, kicked and stomped on him. He was left lying on the street only for about 10 p.m

He never regained consciousness.

Lord’s death shocked the East Valley. It was the first homicide case for the newly formed Queen Creek Police Department.

December investigation The Arizona Republic linked Lord’s murder to the “Gilbert Guns,” a gang of teenagers who recorded their lightning attacks on teenagers in parks and garages, outside fast food restaurants and at house parties. The attacks, mainly in Gilbert, were not stopped by the authorities for more than a year.

The attack on Lorde and other beatings of criminals sparked community outrage, prompting marches, vigils and protests demand responsibility from the police, school officials and politicians.

Deferred cases of Goons were reopenedand new investigations were launched. In January, the authorities began detaining suspects in gang beatings.

Queen Creek Police in March seven people were detained in connection with the death of the Lord. They were charged with first degree murder and kidnapping. All pleaded not guilty. Three of the defendants participated in previous bandit attacks.

The trial is scheduled to begin in July 2025. The date can be moved.

Queen Creek Mayor: ‘I’m proud of our police department’

Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Brees said Monday’s lantern release, with everyone grieving together in one place, was “very emotional.”

He admitted that some of the people accused in Lord’s murder had posted bail, saying it was out of his control. But he said he wanted people to remember that they charged seven people with Lord’s murder, and that the district attorney and his department were “committed” to ensuring a successful prosecution.

The case could not have moved forward without the community’s help, Brees said.

He said the parties, including some last weekend, continue to attract teenagers — and warned of the risks such gatherings pose.

“They must understand the seriousness of the situation,” he said. “I’m not saying it’s everyone, but we have people who still don’t understand what’s going on here.”

He said any large gathering of teenagers was a cause for concern and reminded those present that the Lord’s attack was over in seconds.

“We take this very seriously,” he said. “We’re asking the public to understand, please understand, that if you allow a large number of teenagers to gather … the potential for trouble is high.”

Queen Creek Mayor Julia Whitley praised her police department’s handling of the Lord investigation in the face of enormous scrutiny and pressure from the community.

“I’m very proud of our police department,” she said. – It was a difficult few months when an active investigation was conducted. … There was no information that the public needed.”

She echoed the call for “Justice for Preston”, describing the lantern release as “absolutely beautiful”.

Elena Santa Cruz is a criminal justice reporter for The Republic. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on X @ecsantacruz3.

Robert Anglen is an investigative reporter for The Republic. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @robertanglen.