Jacob Meisner
PHOENIX - A judge has set a trial date for one of the six defendants accused of taking part in the beating that led to Preston Lord's death.
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.
Preston Lord (file)
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.
What we know:
Jacob Meisner is now set to go on trial on Nov. 3. He is one of six people facing first-degree murder and kidnapping charges in the October 2023 death of the 16-year-old.
Preston Lord murder case: Judge warns Taylor Sherman of high trial risk in settlement hearing
A judge in Maricopa County warned one of the suspects in the Preston Lord murder case during a hearing on Sept. 11 that going to trial carries extreme risk.
The other five defendants still do not have trial dates set. A seventh defendant, William Hines, took a plea deal in March and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Sept. 15, 2026, Maricopa County Superior Court proceedings in Jacob Meisner's case, and a previous FOX 10 report on Sept. 11.