QUEEN CREEK, AZ — Orange shirts, a moment of silence and families whose grief never stops.
Preston Lord's family stood beside dozens of neighbors or friends at a vigil in Queen Creek Wednesday, marking three years since the attack that took the 16-year-old’s life.
"It's impacted our family in every way possible," Melissa Ciconte, Preston's stepmother, said.
"It's our all day, every day," Nicholas Lord, Preston's father, added.
Preston was attacked outside a Halloween party in Queen Creek on Oct. 28 2023. He died two days later.
"We're here to peacefully celebrate my son," Lord said. "He was a good kid. He just wanted to do the right thing all the time."
The vigil also honored Jeremiah Aviles and Daniel Sublasky, two other teenagers lost to violence, bringing grieving families together in a shared effort to prevent another loss.
"It's important to share in that grief with other families," Ciconte said.
Roy and Jessica Sublasky first attended Preston’s vigil last year, just days after their 19-year-old son, Daniel, died in a shooting in Chandler.
"We really had to be there because there was another family that felt or is feeling like we do," Roy Sublasky said.
Both families are sill waiting for those accused to face trial.
Six defendants remain charged in Preston's case, with the first trial scheduled for January. Defendant Jacob Meisner's attorney is seeking to move it to another Arizona county.
“It would mean the world to us to start trial, to start to hold people accountable for the actions that were taken against Preston, and to get justice for him,” Ciconte said.
Since Preston’s death, his family has pushed for changes to Chandler’s unruly gathering laws and for “Preston’s Law,” targeting group attacks known as "swarming."
“We are trying to make strides in the legal system to actually impact the community, and to give victims more rights, and hold people accountable,” Ciconte said.
In a statement Wednesday, the Queen Creek Police Department said Preston’s loss has had a "lasting impact" on the community and that its commitment to seeking justice remains unwavering.
The department said preventing teen violence requires more than enforcement. It pointed to its Youth Engagement Unit and partnerships with schools, families, and community organizations as ways to build relationships with young people and address concerning behavior before it escalates.
Full statement from the Queen Creek Police Department:
Preston’s family, friends, and everyone affected by this tragic loss remain in the thoughts of our entire department. We recognize the lasting impact Preston’s loss has had on our community.
Our commitment to seeking justice for Preston and his family remains unwavering as the legal process continues.
The safety of our community, especially our youth, remains one of QCPD’s top priorities. We recognize that preventing teen violence requires more than enforcement. Through the work of QCPD’s Youth Engagement Unit and continued collaboration with schools, families, community partners and residents, we remain focused on building positive relationships with our youth, addressing concerning behaviors before they escalate and creating opportunities for meaningful engagement.
No community is immune to crime and violence. Keeping our youth safe requires a collective effort. Parents, guardians, schools, community leaders and law enforcement all play an important role in preventing teen violence.
“We never thought in a million years what happened to Preston would happen to him,” Ciconte said. “And so that resonates with a lot of parents, like that could have been my child. And so I think it touches home.”
For Daniel’s mother, loss has led to determination to spare another family pain.
“It’s been a whole year, and I don’t wish any family to go through this,” Jessica Sublasky said. “So our hope is to prevent the violence that’s going on in the communities, and to bring people together.”
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