An alleged killer jock bragged that the 16-year-old boy he’s accused of beating to death at an Arizona house party had to have a ‘closed casket funeral.’
Talan Renner, 17, boasted that he had gotten away with the brutal killing of Preston Lord, 16, in the days after the deadly assault and even joked about it being a ‘closed casket funeral,’ his dad’s ex-girlfriend has alleged.
Renner and six other alleged bullies have been arrested over the death of Lord, who died of a brain injury two days after the October 2023 beating in Gilbert, Arizona, by a gang of bullies who call themselves the Gilbert Goons. Police records allege one unnamed boy danced on the dying teen’s body shortly after the beating, while others performed ‘humping’ – simulated rape acts – to further degrade their victim.
In a 1000+ page police report, new details have revealed how the millionaire Renner family tried to hide their football star son’s involvement – with the most recent claims coming from his father’s ex-girlfriend, AZFamily reported.
Lauri Spiker, 44, dated Talan’s father Travis Renner, 50, after he and his wife Becky, 44, divorced in 2018. Though they broke up before the attack, the ex-girlfriend is still ‘very close’ to the family – and still has access to Renners’ credit card history.
She described Talan as muscular and ‘full of rage.’ She said he was ‘an angry kid’ and a ‘fighter’, stating he ‘holds in a lot of aggression, and ‘when he snaps, he snaps.’
17-year-old jock Talan Renner, who is accused of beating Preston Lord to death at a wild Arizona house party, joked that the victim had an ‘closed casket funeral’
Preston Lord, 16, was left to die on a Queen Creek road outside Phoenix after being attacked at the party on October 28 and suffering critical wounds
Lauri Spiker, 44, dated Talan’s father Travis Renner, 50, and though they broke up before the attack, the ex-girlfriend is still ‘very close’ to the family – and still has access to Renners’ credit card history.
After the deadly attack , Talan was whisked off to this $850,000 family cabin in Show Low – three hours from their home, according to Spiker. His dad allegedly kept him there until wounds he’s said to have sustained from beating Preston Lord to death had healed
Talan Renner’s parents Travis and Becky Renners leave an Arizona courthouse earlier this month. The couple divorced in 2020
After the deadly attack, Talan was whisked off to the $850,000 family cabin in Show Low – three hours from their home, according to Spiker.
Spiker was Snapchat-messaging with her former stepson when he was hiding at the cabin, and she claims that in pictures he shared of him walking the family dog ‘Gucci’ she could tell his jaw was swollen.
Spiker told investigators that the family attorney had advised to keep Talan hidden away until his hand injuries from the ‘hammer punches’ he boasted about throwing had healed. She is pictured here with Travis Renner
Spiker said it was Talan’s alleged bragging about getting away with Lord’s killing and his remark about the closed casket that prompted her to contact police.
She told investigators that the family attorney had advised to keep Talan hidden away until his hand injuries from the ‘hammer punches’ he boasted about throwing had healed.
Purchases she saw made on their shared card are believed to have provided her with information about Talan and Travis Renners’ whereabouts in the aftermath of Lord’s murder.
Along with claims from his dad’s ex-girlfriend, others have come forward with evidence that the Renners are taking measures to protect Talan from facing justice.
Ashley Reynolds, who worked for Talan’s father Travis Renner, has claimed she was an unwilling participant in a coverup that allegedly began as soon as Preston was critically injured.
The former employee at Relentless Media Agency told Arizona Republic that her bosses Renner and Adam Kifer, CEO of Relentless Media Agency, openly discussed their plans to hide evidence and shift blame on another boy with a ‘similar name.’
Travis Renner and his business partner reportedly plotted to bring Talan to a cabin until the injuries he sustained while handing out the beating healed. Detectives recorded that Renner’s family had ‘financial means to aid in fleeing to Mexico’ and he was taken out of the Phoenix area after the attack on Preston.
The ex-girlfriend and close family friend described Talan (pictured in 2020) as muscular and ‘full of rage’
Arizona businessman Travis Renner has been accused of helping his teen son cover up the murder of a 16-year-old boy who was beaten to death after a house party
The former employee at Relentless Media Agency told Arizona Republic that her bosses Renner and Adam Kifer, CEO of Relentless Media Agency, openly discussed their plans to hide evidence and shift blame on another boy with a ‘similar name.’
The millionaire gym owners have also received special treatment at court proceedings for their son – with Phoenix police having to apologize earlier this month after Talan’s parents Becky and Travis Renner received special valet parking services from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office cops.
A deputy was seen pulling the millionaire gym owners’ white Tesla Model X into a private car park so they could avoid running a gauntlet of journalists.
It was revealed in the police reports that Talan himself not only admitted to the crime – but bragged about it numerous times.
The star football player took pride in telling the rest of his team that he ‘put this kid on life support’ while showing the friends video of the fatal beating he’d recorded on his phone.
Renner allegedly couldn’t help but brag after Lord was killed, texting fellow suspect Taylor Sherman to say: ‘I might have hospitalized that kid. I hit him pretty hard.’
Renner’s other son Kyler is said to be a violent bully too. He has been charged in connection with two separate gang attacks at a parking garage and a house party in 2022.
After the deadly brawl Talan wrote, ‘I got in a fight, a big group fight and I accidentally killed a kid.’ He goes on to write, ‘I guess I’m just too strong,’ a witness claimed
Phoenix police had to apologize earlier this month after Talan’s parents Becky and Travis Renner received special valet parking services from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office cops
Lord tragically died of a brain injury two days after the beating
Travis Renner’s other son Kyler has been charged in connection with two gang attacks at a parking garage and a house party in 2022
Travis Renner was also arrested in January on suspicion of drug possession and paraphernalia charges while his son Kyler was taken into custody over the gang violence claims.
Aside from Talan, there has been damning evidence presented against all seven of the accused.
In the 1,100 page police report that was released on Wednesday, March 28, a digital trail of evidence was presented. The snapchats, videos, pictures, phone calls and texts from October 28 allowed investigators to piece together the night.
Over 40 minutes of 911 calls were made – the first ones were to report the out-of-control house party that hosted ‘at least 250 kids.’
Another person who called 911 claimed the party-goers were armed, ‘Someone’s going to get hurt. Someone’s going to get killed,’ the caller said. ‘These kids have weapons on them.’
After the deadly fight, a fleet of 911 calls came through saying that a teen was attacked and that people were doing CPR.
Callers told 911 dispatchers that the group of attackers had ski masks on and estimated there was ‘like 15’ of them.
Investigators believe that the fight broke out over a gold chain after ‘D Money’, later identified as Dominic Turner, ripped the chain off.
Taylor Sherman (left) Dominic Turner (center), William Owen Hines top (right) have been charged with murder and kidnapping
Treston Billey (left) and Talyn Vigil (right) have also been charged in Preston’s murder
Dominic Turner, 20, and Taylor Sherman, 19, are seen in court earlier this month
Along with Talan’s vile alleged confession that he killed Preston because he was ‘just too strong,’ other members of the gang also fired off incriminating messages, according to the police report.
Talyn Vigil said in a Snapchat conversation that ‘I hit a kid and this kid hit his head… and then they kicked his head in the ground and then I got word he died so idk.’
William Hines told police officers, ‘Straight up bro, I was drunk, heat of the moment, I kicked him one time and I kicked his leg.’
Taylor Sherman told officers that he, Renner, Meisner and Turner got in his car and took off after the fight.
When the group were in the car, Talan allegedly said ‘I might have hospitalized that kid,’ and ‘I hit him pretty hard.’
Each of the seven suspects are now facing a first-degree murder charge and a kidnapping charge.
Treston Billey, Jacob Meisner and Dominic Turner are also facing charges of aggravated robbery.
The allegations leveled at Billey are among the most serious, as it’s claimed he stomped on Lord’s head as he lay dying.