QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — Preston Lord's death was ruled to be a homicide, according to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner.
The ME office's online report was recently updated to show Lord's manner of death as a homicide. Lord, 16, was fatally beaten after leaving a Halloween party in Queen Creek late last year.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Médico forense dictamina que la muerte de Preston Lord fue un homicidio
Lord's cause of death was previously pending, but Queen Creek police handled the case as a homicide.
In the months following Lord's death, police departments in the East Valley have made several arrests in multiple cases of violent assaults that date back over the last couple of years.
In late December the Queen Creek Police Department submitted charges against seven people in the teenager’s death. However, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office is still reviewing those charges.
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EAST VALLEY TEEN VIOLENCE
For months, 12News has been tracking a growing number of teen violence cases in the East Valley.
Silent Witness:
Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities.
The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media.
Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous.
Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case.
Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000.