ALA Gilbert North told 12News the head football coach was fired “due to new evidence coming to light.”
GILBERT, Ariz. — Taran Renner, one of the seven suspects in the October murder of Preston Lord, was allowed to attend high school football games in the weeks after the attack. The 17-year-old was named Player of the Game.
The match took place on November 17th. American Leadership Academy (ALA) spokesperson Gilbert North previously told 12 News there was no evidence or arrests involving ALA students at the time.
But newly obtained records show that a week before the game, Renner was served with a cellphone and DNA search warrant on ALA's campus.
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From search warrants to star football players
Lord, 16, was the victim of a gang attack outside a Halloween party in Queen Creek on the night of October 28th. He died from his wounds two days later.
An investigation report from the Queen Creek Police Department revealed that Renner's parents removed him from school early on Oct. 31. The report said Renner's family had alerted the school about people on social media calling him a murderer. He was absent for the rest of the week.
Records show that on Nov. 2, ALA Gilbert North Dean of Students Kenneth Thorley contacted Queen Creek PD to report that he had heard from a student about Ranner's alleged involvement in Lord's death.
By Nov. 6, Renner was back on campus, as were investigators with the Queen Creek Police Department. After making contact with Thorley, detectives approached Renner at the school, the report said. Police requested an interview with his father and learned that his father already had a lawyer and would not allow Mr. Renner to speak to police.
Police had already obtained a search warrant, which was executed. They took his cell phone, photos and DNA.
Officers noted Renner had “slight discoloration on the knuckles of his right and left hands and a small cut near the wrist of his left hand.”
On November 17, Renner played in ALA Gilbert North's football game against Horizon. It was the 5A quarterfinals and ALA lost. Renner was selected as one of the players in this game.
In January, ALA Gilbert North “parted ways” with head football coach and athletic director Randy Reisdorf. Neither the school nor Mr. Ridolph provided further details regarding his expulsion.
RELATED: ALA-Gilbert North partes ways with head football coach and athletic director Randy Reisdorf
In early March, when 12News asked the ALA about its decision to allow Renner to play, a spokesperson said in part:Regarding ALA sporting events held in November 2023, there was no evidence or arrests involving ALA students at that time. ”
However, when 12News followed up on Friday, a spokesperson issued an updated statement saying that new evidence had come to light, and that “steps have been taken to remove the student from the school and the football coach has been fired. I did,” he said.
“American Leadership Academy celebrates with the community that the perpetrators of these crimes are being brought to justice. During the investigation, ALA cooperated with and followed the guidance of law enforcement at all times. As the evidence came to light, we took steps to remove it.''We fired a student at our school and fired our football coach.Teen violence is a despicable epidemic, and we It has affected many schools in the region. We have and will continue to maintain a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence.”
The decision to allow Renner to play was scrutinized by many in the East Valley.
“When we as coaches, deans, assistant principals, and principals stand by a player who violates the code of conduct or the law, allow that player to play, and celebrate that player as a player of the game, we fully “You're doing a disservice to other athletes who are carrying the weight of your weight,” said Katie, a community activist and teen mental health advocate. McPherson said.
McPherson wrote a letter to ALA Gilbert North after the football game in question expressing concerns about Renner's continued role within the team and the message it sends.
“I think the superintendents are now very aware that new rules and conditions are needed,” McPherson said. “And the natural consequence is that they won't be able to play.”
Renner and all of the other suspects charged with Lord's murder have pleaded not guilty.
