QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — The parents of Preston Lord, a Valley teen who died after being attacked after leaving a Halloween party in 2023, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the suspects in the teen's death and the owners of the home where the party was held.
According to court documents, Lord, 16, went to a party that had been advertised on social media as “Halloween Rager.” A statement in the advertisement stated “Halloween Costume Rager… Open Invite… Alc [Alcohol] provided first come first serve.”
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Los padres de Preston Lord entablan demanda en contra de sospechosos de la muerte del adolescente y anfitriones de la fiesta
The complaint estimates that up to 200 people attended the party, including adults and juveniles.
Juveniles in attendance were students from the following Valley-area high schools:
- ALA Gilbert
- Basha
- Campo Verde
- Canyon Valley
- Casteel, Combs
- Crismon
- Desert Ridge
- Gilbert
- Hamilton
- Highland
- Higley
- Perry
- Queen Cree
- Red Mountain
Court records state that during the party a fight occurred between several people and Roberto Correa, the homeowner and host, told everyone to leave, following them out into the backyard to ensure they left.
The suspects in Lord's death, Talan Renner, 17; Talyn Vigil, 17; William Owen Hines, 18; Dominic Turner, 20; Taylor Sherman, 19; Treston Billey, 18; and Jacob Meisner, 17 were heard singing “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” to a group including Preston Lord, documents say.
The suspects then assaulted Lord leaving him unconscious, before running away. Lord was airlifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital but later died from his injuries.
Count one of the complaint accuses the suspects in Lord's death of negligence for "inflicting physical harm and/or aiding and abetting others to inflict physical harm upon Preston while under a state of extreme intoxication, and without the capacity to act in an intentional manner, and/or by using excessive physical force upon Preston in a mistaken belief that each was protecting or defending third parties."
The suspects are also accused of battery and aiding and abetting tortious conduct.
Count four of the complaint accuses Renner's parents of negligence. The suit alleges that the Renners should have known their son had "a propensity to engage in violence and inflict physical harm upon others."
The lawsuit cites three separate incidents that took place before the 2023 party that attorneys argue Renner's parents should have been aware of:
- In approximately 2017-2018, while a fifth-grade student in the Gilbert Unified School District, Renner threatened to “shoot up” his school.
- In approximately 2019-2021, Renner was involved in either a fight or bullying incident while a student at Sossaman Middle School, within the Higley Unified School District.
- Most recently, between March 2022 and March 2023, Talan Renner, while a resident at the Diamond Ranch Academy residential treatment center in Hurricane, Utah, assaulted another resident, thereby inflicting serious physical injury upon the other resident.
Count five alleges that host Roberto Correa and his wife, Emily Correa, were negligent by both providing alcohol to minors and by failing to ensure those who attended the party at their home were not injured at the party or when leaving.
An attorney representing the Lord family released the following statement about the lawsuit:
"The Lord Family seeks justice and accountability for all those who contributed to Preston’s death. This lawsuit brings them one step closer to achieving that goal. They are grateful for the community support and are determined to see this through to the end."
The lawsuit (linked below) was filed in Maricopa County Wednesday.
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