PHOENIX — Court records allege Talan Renner, one of the seven suspects accused of killing Preston Lord, was taken out of the East Valley area shortly after the deadly assault and police feared he was a flight risk.
Documents claim the Queen Creek Police Department received tips that Renner's family had the financial means to aid him in fleeing to Mexico. The records also say numerous witnesses and information were provided to police indicating a fear of retaliation.
Renner, 17, is being charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping alongside six other suspects.
Late last week, Renner— along with Talyn Vigil, William Owen Hines, Dominic Turner, Taylor Sherman, Treston Billey and Jacob Meisner— was charged with Lord's death. Despite Renner, Meisner and Vigil being 17, all are being charged as adults.
Newly released records also state the suspects were strangers to Lord.
Turner, Meisner, and Billey were also charged with aggravated robbery.
A spokesperson for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said the night of Oct. 28, those three suspects stole a chain from Lord's friend outside of a Halloween house party. Lord was attacked after the theft occurred. The 16-year-old died from his injuries two days later.
Hines, Turner, Vigil Sherman and Billey remain in Maricopa County Sheriff's Office custody. Meisner and Renner are being held in juvenile detention.
Records show Meisner and Renner were recommended to stay in juvenile detention because they are under 17.5 years old. Renner's limited history with the courts and Meisner's alleged appropriate and manageable behavior during his time in juvenile detention were also factors considered.
Vigil, a minor suspect, was sent to MCSO custody because he is over 17.5 years old and just three months from turning 18. Records state there isn't sufficient time for him to benefit from any programs or services available in juvenile detention and "it would be in his best interest to utilize this time to acclimate himself to the adult jail process."
Some suspects linked to prior assaults
12News obtained juvenile court records for several of the suspects, showing many are linked to prior assaults.
In November and December of 2022, Hines was involved in two aggravated assaults. The first occurred outside of a Gilbert home, and less than two weeks later, a second happened at the Gilbert In-N-Out.
Records show Vigil was involved in an assault in April of 2023.
Meisner was allegedly involved in a November 2022 assault and another in Mesa in May of last year.
Both Sherman and Billey are named in separate civil lawsuits recently filed by the parents of teen assault victims.
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