QUEEN CREEK — Orange lights glowed across a Queen Creek neighborhood Wednesday night as the community marked three years since 16-year-old Preston Lord was fatally beaten at a Halloween party, FOX 10 Phoenix reported.
The “Light the Night” vigil was held Oct. 28, the anniversary of the attack. Lord’s family said gathering is one way to honor his life and the movement for change now tied to his name.
“The tragedy’s just as real today as it was three years ago, for us,” Preston Lord’s stepmother, Melissa Ciconte, told FOX 10. She said the turnout shows teen violence “is still prevalent, and the community cares about it.”
Also at the vigil were the families of Jeremiah Aviles and Daniel Sublasky, two other Queen Creek teens killed in violent attacks, according to FOX 10 and ABC15.
ABC15 reported the families have united to push back against teen violence in the East Valley.
Lord’s death in 2023 drew statewide attention to violent teen groups in the southeast Valley and led to criminal charges against several young men, along with new state legislation aimed at group violence.
Sources: FOX 10 Phoenix, ABC15. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: The U.S. Army / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
