QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — The parents of Preston Lord and Maricopa County's top prosecutor are asking the public to be patient as law enforcement officials continue reviewing evidence in the case of the 16-year-old's death.
Lord was killed after attending a Halloween party in Queen Creek last fall. Police referred charges against seven individuals in connection to Lord's death but the Maricopa County Attorney's Office have not yet announced any indictments in the case.
On Wednesday, a law firm representing Lord's parents, Nick Lord and Autumn Curiel, released a statement indicating they're continuing to get updates from MCAO about the status of the case.
"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," the statement reads.
County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said Wednesday her office's review of the investigation is ongoing and asked for the public to respect the Lord family's privacy while the judicial process plays out.
Since Lord's death, police departments in the East Valley have gone back and reviewed other cases of teen violence, resulting in the arrests of several individuals.
During Wednesday's press conference, Mitchell said her office has recently gotten 29 submittals from Mesa and Gilbert police for crimes involving teen violence. The submitted cases involve 13 adult and six juvenile suspects.
Mitchell noted there's been an "explosion" in juvenile gun violence and said her office has been working with state legislators to close a loophole in gun laws.
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