The Brief
- As the third anniversary of the murder of East Valley teenager Preston Lord approaches, suspect Taylor Sherman is scheduled for a settlement conference on Sept. 11 to potentially reach a plea deal with prosecutors.
- Sherman is one of seven suspects arrested in connection with Lord’s 2023 beating death, and if a deal is made, he would become the second suspect to accept a plea agreement.
- Lord’s death triggered community changes, including local city ordinance bans on brass knuckles and a state law creating harsher penalties for group attacks.
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.
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.…