Gilbert Man Sentenced to 38 Years for Brutal Shooting of Woman 13 Times

The victim’s children were home when she was murdered last October in Gilbert.

GILBERT, Ariz. — Preston J. Allen has been sentenced to 38 years in an Arizona prison for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Michelle Golden, after she filed a restraining order against him.

Allen was sentenced in Maricopa County Superior Court for second-degree murder and attempted murder charges stemming from the incident on October 25, 2023.

On that day, Gilbert police discovered 31-year-old Michelle Golden dead inside her townhouse. Allen had shot her 13 times, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, while four children were present in the home.

Subsequently, Allen entered one of the children’s bedrooms and fired shots at the bed under which a child was hiding. The child had to move around to avoid being struck.

“On the night of the killing, these children were in their rooms knowing their mother was being killed just a few feet away,” noted County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “The trauma these four children will have to live with will forever impact their lives.”

Golden had filed a restraining order against Allen two months before the shooting, court records reveal.

Domestic violence resources:

If you or anyone you know is in a domestic violence situation, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233 (SAFE).

The Arizona Sexual and Domestic Violence Hotline is 602-279-2980 or text 520-720-3383.

For assistance from New Life Domestic Violence in Arizona, call 623-932-4404.

Additional local resources and shelters are available.

RELATED: Never Alone: A list of resources for domestic violence victims in Arizona