Prosecutors in Arizona are seeking to have Talyn Vigil returned to jail after the defendant in the Preston Lord murder case was arrested for a third time while under house arrest awaiting trial.
Vigil, who denies the allegations against him, was arrested in Tempe on 17 September and accused of reckless driving and racing on a motorcycle near Arizona State University. Court documents allege he reached speeds of up to 62mph while riding alongside another motorcyclist and passing vehicles without signalling.
A judge imposed an additional $5,000 bond, revoked Vigil’s driving privileges and prohibited him from using any motor vehicle, including electric bikes and scooters. He remains subject to electronic monitoring in the case involving Lord’s death.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has now joined a recommendation from pre-trial services to revoke Vigil’s release conditions. Prosecutors say he has been arrested three times for misdemeanour offences since posting a $1 million bond in April 2024.
Vigil was previously accused of violating an order of protection and was arrested on a separate reckless-driving charge in February. He pleaded guilty in June to interfering with judicial proceedings and disorderly conduct, receiving unsupervised probation and an order to remain law-abiding.
In court documents, prosecutors argued that Vigil’s alleged repeated breaches of his conditions meant he should remain in custody until trial. They said a defendant placed under house arrest should not have had the opportunity to commit multiple alleged offences in such a short period.
Preston Lord murder case moves towards first trial
Vigil is one of six defendants charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping over the death of 16-year-old Preston Lord, who was fatally injured during an alleged attack at a Halloween party in Queen Creek in October 2023.
Lord died in hospital two days after the incident. His death was ruled a homicide caused by multiple blunt-force injuries.
The defendants have pleaded not guilty. A trial date has not yet been set for Vigil, while fellow defendant Jacob Meisner is due to stand trial on 3 November after a judge rejected a request for a longer delay.
William Owen Hines is the only person charged in the case to have been sentenced. He reached a deal with prosecutors and was given 12 years in prison for his role in Lord’s death.
Vigil is due back in court on Thursday, 24 September, when a judge is expected to consider whether his pre-trial release should be revoked or further restricted.
