QUEEN CREEK, AZ — Monday marks 25 days since charges were referred to county prosecutors in connection to the death of Preston Lord, but there are still no arrests nor clarity on the charges referred, as speculation and questions fill Queen Creek.
“Why [are] there no arrests, and why has it been this long that there’s nothing? It leads to so much suspicion,” said Ann Doucette, who spoke at a recent town council meeting to support Preston Lord’s family.
On Saturday at noon, the community will gather at Veteran's Oasis Park in Chandler for a "Walk in the Light" to mark three months since the 16-year-old was beaten at a Halloween party. Preston died two days later from his injuries.
ABC15 is taking action to get the answers needed as teen violence incidents occur in the East Valley. Follow our latest coverage here.
Despite investigators with the Queen Creek Police Department referring charges for seven people, there are no arrests and the public does not know what charges were submitted.
INTERACTIVE TIMELINE: Teen violence attack in the East Valley latest updates
“There [are] answers, and we need them,” said Scott Myers, who also attended a recent town council meeting hoping for an update from Queen Creek’s police chief.
Queen Creek Police Chief Randy Brice held a press conference days after Preston’s death but has not taken questions from the press since.
Aside from some public updates at town council meetings, Brice said he could not go into details to avoid harming the integrity of the investigation.
Last week, before a public meeting, Brice acknowledged there’s still more work to do.
“At the forefront of every day, every weekend, every long night, we are focused on making sure that we get this case to where it needs to be,” Brice said.
Myers pointed out that the silence is filling the town, and surrounding community with rumors, and allegations of a cover-up, asking, "why no arrests right now, that’s my biggest thing, why are they still out on the streets,” asked Myers.
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In a public post on social media, Lord’s aunt, Melissa Lord, wrote a message to the mothers of the kids she believes are involved in her nephew’s death:
“To the mothers of the boys who took my nephew's life,
Twelve weeks.
It’s been 12 weeks since your boys made the decision, on a dark Halloween weekend, to [viciously] hit and kick my nephew.
84 days since they left his body in the road.
2,016 hours since they [drove] away to their warm beds you provided.
120,960 minutes since they woke the next morning like nothing had happened.
Decisions that ended my nephew’s life.
Twelve weeks.”
Melissa Lord did not name the kids she believes to be involved but questioned how a mother could not hold their kids accountable.
“As a mother, I cannot process what it would be like knowing my son took someone’s life. As my children’s guide, I cannot comprehend how you refuse to lead them by example. To make the right decision. Turn them in. Have you not taught them that actions have consequences? Reminded them that even in our darkest hours, after our worst decisions, we have a human obligation to take responsibility for our actions? To love others as ourselves?” Melissa Lord wrote in a social media post.
Josh Kolsrud, a former homicide prosecutor for Coconino County and former prosecutor for Maricopa County told the ABC15 Investigators that it is questionable why it is taking this long to move forward with criminal charges.
“If Maricopa County was going to charge the case they would have done so already,” Kolsrud said.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said at a recent press conference that her office has not moved forward with charges because the case is still under review which includes looking at over 2,000 pieces of evidence.
Mitchell could not speak to the details of the case citing it being an open investigation and that she only has "one chance to get this right."
Kolsrud said a prosecutor on a case this high profile should know all the evidence as it’s coming in.
“If they would have charged it, they would have done so already,” said Kolsrud. "The Maricopa County Attorney's Office has been involved with his case from day one, there isn't a single piece of evidence, there's not a single interview that they don't already know about, they are the quarterback of the investigation. They're in charge. They know everything [that] was going on."
The ABC15 Investigators asked Mitchell if she feels the case was sent to her to take the pressure off Queen Creek police. “No,” she replied. “This is an ongoing process and it was helpful to us that it came to us so we could review it even though they are still wrapping up some loose ends.”
It is unclear what loose ends County Attorney Mitchell is referring to.
The "Walk in the Light" walk and vigil for Preston Lord will be held on Saturday, January 27 at Veterans Oasis Park, which is located near Lindsay and Chandler Heights roads, at noon. and will start at the Chandler Nature Center.
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