Law named for Preston Lord would increase penalties in Arizona assault cases

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A proposed new law named after a murdered East Valley teen would make it easier to file charges in certain assault cases while also making the penalties more severe.

HB2611, “Preston’s Law,” is named in memory of 16-year-old Preston Lord, who died after being brutally beaten outside a Queen Creek Halloween party in 2023.

According to a news release, HB2611 would strengthen the criteria for aggravated assault charges. For example, provisions would be added in assault cases involving two or more accomplices, which would also result in “enhanced penalties.”

The bill’s sponsor, Republican state Rep. Matt Gress (LD-4), along with Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, will introduce the legislation during a news conference on Thursday afternoon. Lord’s family members will also be in attendance.

The legislation was authored in response to Lord’s death, who was severely beaten by several suspects on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. He died two days later at Phoenix Children’s Hospital from multiple blunt-force injuries.

Seven teens were later indicted in connection to Lord’s murder. Investigators say some of the suspects are also connected to other cases of teen violence in the East Valley.

New legislation has been in the works for months.

Last Fall, Rep. Gress, the county attorney and Queen Creek leaders met to discuss tougher laws to combine teen violence. Mitchell focused on assaults called “swarming,” which involves a group of teens that gang up on someone else, usually another teen.

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