A teen charged in the killing of Preston Lord, 16, admitted to his part in “Gilbert Goons” beatings in juvenile court Friday.
Jacob Meisner, 17, was charged with aggravated assault in connection with beatings in Gilbert and Mesa from November 2022 and May 2023.
He is one of seven people Queen Creek police arrested after witnesses said they were involved in the fatal beating of Lord at an Oct. 28 Halloween party. All are charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the attack. Meisner and two others were charged with aggravated robbery in connection with a necklace authorities say was taken from Lord’s friend as the beating unfolded.
On Friday, Meisner wore a blue polo, which signifies good behavior in juvenile detention and sat alongside his parents and lawyer in Commissioner Keelan Bodow’s Mesa courtroom. Bodow said Meisner had earned his high school diploma while in detention.
Bodow said Meisner would remain in custody unless ordered by the court. She scheduled his disposition, which is similar to a sentencing, for June 28.
Meisner’s lawyer, Andrew Marcantel, declined to comment following the hearing.
Meisner was first arrested in January in connection with an attack at a Mesa park. Two weeks later, he was arrested in connection with a beating at a Gilbert house party.
A Dec. 14 investigation by The Arizona Republic detailed how Lord’s death was tied to the Goons, whose members recorded their blitz-style attacks on teens in parks and parking garages, outside fast-food restaurants and at house parties. The group has since been classified as a hybrid criminal street gang by authorities, but Gilbert police Chief Michael Soelberg said there was not enough evidence to bring additional charges.
Meisner is not the only Lord defendant charged in connection with Goons attacks: William “Owen” Hines, 18, also faces charges in connection with assaults in Gilbert.
Lord defendant admits to filmed ‘Goons’ beatings in Gilbert, Mesa
On Jan. 4, 2024, police in Gilbert and Mesa received delayed reports of assaults. Meisner was involved in both.
The attack in Gilbert took place at a Nov. 22, 2022, house party near Higley and Riggs roads. The teen who was attacked had asked some people to leave — but they attacked him instead.
The beating, which took place outside the house, was filmed. It captured nine people surrounding the victim as they took turns hitting and kicking him. Meisner, according to court records, is wearing a white hat and dark-colored jacket in the video.
In January, police arrested four people in connection with the attack: Tyler Freeman, 17, who is alleged in court records to have used brass knuckles, Hines, Meisner and Kyler Renner, 19.
Kyler Renner is the brother of Talan Renner, 17, who is charged in the Lord case.
Meisner’s second case was linked to a May 29, 2023, beating at a Mesa neighborhood park near Val Vista Drive and Pueblo Avenue.
Police responded to the area that night for reports of a fight involving 30 to 40 kids and young adults. But when officers arrived, police said, those who spoke to officials didn’t mention a fight.
A 10-second video clip of the attack showed a crowd of teenagers around a boy on the ground. The boy is being hit repeatedly by a teen standing over him. As the blows continue, another boy steps into the frame and stomps on the victim. Meisner, according to the police report associated with the assault, is the person in the video wearing a red shirt and tan pants.
It was not until Jan. 4 that a man reported the assault to police, saying it was his stepson who was attacked, police said.
The first person arrested in connection with the beating was Christopher Fantastic, 19. Fantastic has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in this case and an August 2023 beating, and was scheduled to be sentenced in July.
Meisner declined to speak to police when he was arrested on Jan. 11 about his alleged involvement in the attack, according to the police report.
Murder, robbery charges in Lord case linger
Witnesses told Queen Creek police Meisner was one of the people who kicked off the events that led to Lord’s fatal beating.
The others charged in connection with the group attack are Treston Billey, 18, Hines, Meisner, Renner, Taylor Sherman, 19, Dominic Turner, 20, and Talyn Vigil, 17. All have pleaded not guilty to their charges.
After a $10 necklace was yanked from the neck of Lord’s friends by Turner, according to the police report, some of the attackers played hot potato with the item by tossing it from one to another. Meisner, at one point, the police report states, grabbed the chain and made fun of its value.
“This chain is fake,” Meisner said, according to the police record. The boy whose necklace was taken tried to walk away, but then, the boy told police, he “felt a boom” to the right side of his head.
The boom turned out to be a punch by Meisner, witnesses told police. Prosecutors say that strike was a catalyst for the chaos and beating on Lord that followed.
Lord and his friends started running, but the Goons gave chase, according to the police investigation. They caught up to Lord, knocking him to the ground with a punch to the head.
The gang-style beating lasted seconds, and witnesses told police Meisner leaned over Lord’s body and hit him multiple times like some of the other attackers, who also kicked Lord.
Then they left Lord lying in the street. He died two days later, on Oct. 30.
Elena Santa Cruz is a justice reporter for The Republic. Reach her at elena.santacruz@gannett.com. Follow her on X @ecsantacruz3.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Preston Lord murder defendant admits to other ‘Gilbert Goons’ attacks
