Preston Lord murder case: Taylor Sherman scheduled for settlement conference
Taylor Sherman settlement conference scheduled for Sept. 11
We're approaching the third anniversary of the murder of East Valley teen Preston Lord, and on Sept. 11, one of the suspects in the case will be heading to court. FOX 10s Danielle Miller reports.
PHOENIX - As the third anniversary of the murder of East Valley teenager Preston Lord approaches, one of the suspects in the case is heading to court and possibly making a deal with prosecutors.
What we know:
On the morning of Sept. 11, a settlement conference is scheduled for Taylor Sherman, one of seven suspects arrested for the 2023 killing of Lord. It is not clear if any deal has already been reached, and if so, what charges Sherman would plead to.
Preston Lord (file)
If a deal is reached, Sherman would be the second suspect to make one in the case. In May of last year, William Hines pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Hines also made plea agreements in other cases against him at the time.
The backstory:
Lord was severely beaten by a group of teenagers at an October 2023 Halloween party in Queen Creek. The 16-year-old died in the hospital two days later, and his death was ruled a homicide from multiple blunt force injuries.
Lord's case brought a series of acts of teen violence in the East Valley to light, leading to ordinance changes in several cities, such as the banning of brass knuckles. It also led to the passing of "Preston's Law" at the state level, which created harsher penalties for people convicted of "swarming," when multiple people attack a single victim.
Preston's Law signed by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, establishing 'swarming' as a felony
Preston's Law was signed by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on May 12. The law creates a new type of crime called "swarming," which will be a class 4 felony.
Sherman and the five other remaining suspects in the case are still awaiting trial. Their cases are currently scheduled to begin Oct. 1. However, several defense attorneys have been asking for delays, saying they need more time to get through evidence and interview witnesses.
What's next:
Taylor Sherman's settlement conference is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
Preston Lord (left) and Taylor Sherman.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from official court records regarding the Preston Lord murder case, and a May 2, 2025, FOX 10 report on William Hines' sentencing.