PHOENIX — The suspects accused of murdering 16-year-old Preston Lord appeared in Maricopa County Superior Court on Wednesday morning, two months before their trial is scheduled to begin.

All but one of the remaining defendants who have posted bond appeared in person.

Wednesday was supposed to be the deadline for defense attorneys to decide whether to separate their clients’ cases, which could result in six separate trials instead of one. Instead, attorneys requested more time to make that decision.

“Yesterday was a rough day,” said Preston Lord’s grandfather, Tony Reich. “That was the day, two years ago, we laid Preston to rest, and I wasn't even thinking about it at the time, but it was on Veterans Day, and being a vet myself, I went and visited him.”

Despite the emotional week, Re

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