A second baby-faced suspect in the brutal murder of 16-year-old Preston Lord has been freed on bond.
Taylor Sherman, one of seven young men accused of beating Lord to death outside a Queen Creek party last October, posted bond on Wednesday after a judge lowered it to $250,000 from $1 million.
The 19-year-old's lawyer argued the original bond amount was excessive because his family is not rich and he is not at flight risk.
Defense attorney Joseph Tobler also denied that Sherman is part of the notorious street gang, the Gilbert Goons, who have been terrorizing Phoenix suburbs for years.
'Mr. Sherman was present but not involved in the victim’s death,' Tobler said.
'His non-affiliation with the group suggests a lower likelihood of future criminal conduct.'
Sherman is the second suspect to be freed after Talyn Vigil, 17, posted a $1million bond in April.
Talan Renner, 17, Dominic Turner, 20, Jacob Meisner, 17, William Hines, 18, and Treston Billey, 18, are the other charged in the murder.
Preston died after being brutally beaten outside a Halloween party last October and left on a road in Queen Creek.
It took five months, for the suspects to be arrested.
The suspects were arrested after a five-month investigation, with prosecutors claiming some of their wealthy families tried to coverup their involvement in the killing.
The suspects went from allegedly threatening witnesses and deleting evidence to turning on each other in hopes of obtaining the $10,000 reward for information on the murder, the police documents claim.
The police report into the probe reveals how the suspects discussed how they could cover their tracks, with accused killer Sherman discussing the cash reward in an exchange with an unnamed person.
The unnamed person texted Sherman: 'Yo tell me you didn't delete the video of the dead kid. It's 10k if you give to the popo.'
Sherman replied: 'Huh, that's going to make me a victim you stupid f***.'
Police noted in the police report that Sherman probably meant 'suspect' instead of 'victim.'
In another text exchange between Sherman and an unidentified person, a message read: 'Talan killed someone with his hands - referencing accused killer Talan Renner, 17.
Just days after the murder, a screengrab of a Snapchat chat was circulated that appeared to be written by Vigil.
After the post caught the community's attention, Talyn posted a public message on his Snapchat account.
'Yo I understand everyone is hurting right now and wants to find the kids that did this but you got the wrong talyn... the real kids name is talan renner. Please stop accusing me I was there I tried to help the kid off the street thank you,' it read.
At least one other alleged attacker, Talan Renner, also admitted - and even bragged about - beating Preston in the days after the party, writing on Snapchat: 'I got in a fight, a big group fight and I accidentally killed a kid. I guess I'm just too strong.'
The 'Gilbert Goons' were allowed to run amok Phoenix suburbs before Preston's murder, and after they were charged, authorities reopened numerous cases believed to have been conducted by a larger group of assailants.
Victims and residents in the area described the group as mostly white, upper-middle-class teenagers from multiple East Valley high schools.
Several lawsuits have been filed claiming that law enforcement and school officials allowed the Goons to continue unleashing their violence since as least 2022.