David Preston was introduced in October 1984, as a junior executive at Sampson Industries. While David's boss, Kyle Sampson, continued to gain more leverage in Springfield business circles, David Preston was getting more greedy and wanted more power at Sampson Industries -- as well of in all of Springfield. David’s attempt to seize that power would, in the end, cost him his life.

As 1985, David Preston tried to gain more power by aligning is promotional campaigns for Sampson Industries with Warren Andrews' new nightclub, "Blue Orchid." David hired several people to help with promotions, most notably his old lover, record producer Suzette Saxon. David persuaded her to come to Springfield by telling her about a new singing sensation that he thought Suzette might enjoy. Meanwhile, David, fed up with being Kyle's assistant, arranged for Kyle to be kidnapped and demanded $ 10 million from Kyle's employees and as well as Kyle’s girlfriend, Reva Shayne Lewis. Unfortunately, David wouldn't be able to keep a dime of that money since the money that he hid away in a juke box while found and kept by Mindy Lewis.

Meanwhile, when Preston and Saxon went to the "Blue Orchid" on several dates they quickly noticed its unlikely new singing sensation -- former gang leader, Brandon "Lujack" Luvonaczek! Satisfied to see Lujack committed to his singing career, Suzette offered him a record contract. She brought in a suave rock promoter named Jackson Freemont to work with Lujack. Jackson soon became friendly with Beth, who had always been a talented artist, and Jackson himself had an artistic bent. He encouraged her to be more free and sensual in her brush strokes. Suzette was pleased by this, for she made no secret of it that a girlfriend did not fit into the plans she had for her new star, Lujack. Suzette was so preoccupied with Lujack's career that she was unaware David was fending off a threat that had been made on her life. A man named Largo forced David to help him in his scheme by threatening to kill both him and Suzette. Soon, Suzette found out about this, and then about a new threat and opportunity to off David, who she was getting tired of -- for she was finding herself falling in love with Lujack. Noticing the enmity between Billy Lewis and Kyle Sampson, Largo and David engaged Billy in a poker game and hypnotized him with Largo's unusual ring. Their mission was to control Billy's mind and manipulate him into killing Kyle. Billy indeed had subliminal thoughts of murdering his "half-brother," but strangely, the programming ruined whenever Billy saw the ringed symbol of Largo's organization, known as infinity. Coincidentally, Beth and Jackson had designed the same logo for Lujack's music video.

This eerie scenario came to a head during Billy's daughter, Mindy and Kurt Corday's lavish wedding. At the reception, Lujack proudly screened his video, complete with the ringed symbol. A programmed Billy pulled a gun and aimed it at Kyle, but when H.B. called out Billy's name in the ensuing melee, David was shot instead! Police Lt. Jeff Saunders arrested Billy for David Preston's murder, although many had their doubts. Meanwhile, consumed with guilt, Suzette tried to commit suicide in a hot stove, but was saved by journalist Fletcher Reade, whom she confessed the truth to: She was the one who killed David, not Billy. Fletcher convinced Suzette to go to the police and with her confession (as well as Beth and Jackson's testimony), Billy was acquitted. Suzette was then carted off to the Clayton State Prison.