Oklahoma teen Noah Presgrove's cause of death is revealed

Release time：2024-05-17 20:15:43 Source：World Whispers news portal

The mysterious death of a teenager found dead on a lonely highway is no longer being investigated as a murder, despite his massive head injuries.

Noah Presgrove, 19, was wearing only his shoes when his body was discovered on a desolate stretch of US-81 near Terral, Oklahoma, on September 4. 

He was last seen alive about a mile away at a four-day 22nd birthday party with friends over the Labor Day weekend that was heavily documented on social media.

After almost eight months of silence, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, which is leading the investigation, finally gave its first update since last September.

'Currently, the OHP is not investigating Presgrove's death as a murder,' it said.

Noah Presgrove, 19, was wearing only his shoes when his body was discovered on a desolate stretch of US-81 in Terral, Oklahoma , on September 4

'The investigation is not over, and anyone with information on Presgrove's death is encouraged to contact [us].'

This was despite friends and family who saw his body saying his badly battered face 'looked like he got beat up by five dudes'.

Not investigating the teen's death as a murder does not mean police have ruled out manslaughter, and detectives are considering competing theories.

'We would like to publicly thank the team that are working in unison tirelessly to navigate what has always been called as a suspicious death, not a murder which is killing by premeditation,' Presgrove's family said in a statement.

'We understand everyone’s frustrations more so than anyone. However, we ask that everyone be mindful of their dedication and perseverance in finding answers.'

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation called Presgrove's death 'suspicious' in the days after his body was found.

OHP's announcement came hours after the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner finally revealed his cause of death.

The summary autopsy report ruled Presgrove died from 'multiple blunt force injuries', just as DailyMail.com revealed earlier. 

He was last seen alive at the four-day 22nd birthday party with friends over the Labor Day weekend that was heavily documented on social media

Presgrove's family (pictured with his sister Madison Rawling) were confused by aspects of the report but said they had confidence in the investigation

However, the manner of death was still a mystery and ruled out him being hit by a vehicle at the spot where he died. 

'There were no vehicle parts or debris observed on the scene. At this time, what transpired on how the body was found on the road having multiple blunt force injuries is unknown,' it read.

'Therefore, the manner of death is deemed undetermined.'

The report summary also vaguely explained some of the events leading up to Presgrove's disappearance and discovery on the highway.

'Then he rode an ATV ranger vehicle with several men that had a roll over incident. The decedent was alive following the incident and returned to the party where he got into an argument with his girlfriend,' it read.

'The decedent left the house party and was not found until the morning of September 4, 2023, on the side of the highway.'

Presgove's best friend Jack Newton, who was at the party but claimed he was asleep when he disappeared, said it was his ATV that was in the accident. 

Oklahoma Highway Patrol detectives, who are leading the investigation, are still unsure how Presgrove died, and were told conflicting stories about that night

That weekend they were drunkenly celebrating the end of summer with a ranging party at the birthday girl's home

'All of all close friends said that he wrecked my SXS I had there around 3,' he wrote in a message to another friend.

'And he was super dirty and super drunk so a couple of girls helped him in the shower.'

Presgrove's family said they were confused by the reference to his 'girlfriend' as he was single.

Newton explained this in the same conversation: 'When he got out [of the shower] he wanted to sleep in one of the girls' bed and she [said no and] that upset him and he walked off.'

During the same conversation, the other friend asked how Presgrove got the horrific injuries he suffered to his face that appeared to be from a beating.

'Bro, everyone that saw Noah at the viewing, including me, saw his face was beat up bad,' he wrote in a message shared with DailyMail.com.

'I know what a beat up face looks like. Definitely not just me saying that. Everyone that saw him said that.

'Looks like he got beat up by 5 dudes.'

Other people who saw his body said it looked like his nose and cheek were broken. 

Presgrove was a high school football player until his graduation in May

A friend who wasn't at the party questioned one of the teenagers in the weeks that followed about what happened to cause his facial injuries

The damage to his face was in addition to other injuries to the back of his head and upper body Presgrove suffered, and added fuel to fears he was murdered.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol detectives, who are leading the investigation, are still unsure how he died, and were told conflicting stories about that night.

Theories include him being 'forcibly pushed from the bed of a moving truck' where the blood spot was, and staggering along the road before collapsing.

Presgrove could also have been killed in an accident or murdered elsewhere and his body dumped on the highway.

Initial belief that he was killed in a hit-and-run was ruled out based on the pattern of his injuries that didn't include any damage to his lower body.

Presgrove suffered massive blunt force trauma to the back of his head, causing skull fractures but not killing him, according to correspondence with investigators shared with DailyMail.com.

Instead, he died of internal bleeding in his torso, where he had several broken ribs and deep bruising on his left side.

The teenager's body also had what looked like road rash on his left shoulder and hip, and his fingers were torn up like he was desperately clinging to something.

Presgrove's body was found about a mile north along the highway from the small street where the party was held

Confronting photos of police chalk outlines showed where his body, marked by the white line, and at least one of his teeth, marked by the circle, were found

Confronting photos of police chalk outlines showed his teeth were found scattered across the highway, some a dozen feet from his body.

Farther away still is a spot of blood - the only blood found at the scene despite the extensive injuries all over his upper body.

Presgrove and his friends graduated from Comanche High School just a few months earlier and his family said he planned to join the military.

But that weekend they were drunkenly celebrating the end of summer with a raging party at the birthday girl's home, on a small street about a mile south from where his body was found, detailed in videos obtained by DailyMail.com. 

One video from the night he died showed some of Presgrove's friends writing their names on his bare buttocks with marker. 

Presgrove's body was found between the two chalk lines, and teeth within the circles. In the background is a memorial set up for the teenager

Farther away still is a spot of blood - the only blood found at the scene despite the extensive injuries all over his upper body

The blood spot was dozens of feet away from the body, which is opposite the cross

The writing was not still there when his body was discovered in the early hours of the morning but it was not known how and when it was removed.

Other photos show the teenager writing on the buttocks of another friend, and posing alongside them with a signature on his chest.

Two more videos show Presgrove daring friends to slap him across the face as they partied under an outside patio at the house.

Presgrove had to repeatedly insist that a male friend hit him, eventually only giving him a light tap before sprinting away in fear of retaliation.

Another concerning photo appeared to show a teenager holding a rifle with Presgrove visible in the foreground.

Another concerning photo appears to show a teenager holding a rifle with Presgrove visible in the foreground

Presgrove (left) poses with a friend on the Sunday night of the party hours before his death

Presgrove's family complained his friends all claimed to have no idea what happened to him and how he ended up dead by the roadside just hours later.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation described his death as 'suspicious' days later, but few details have been released about the investigation.

Even Presgrove's family said they were in the dark and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol refused to provide any details to maintain the 'integrity of the investigation'.

'The longer you keep the truth inside, the guiltier you become… you could aid in getting justice for Noah,' his sister Madison Rawlings said.

'You could do the right thing and may receive a mercy that was not given to him, but the longer we sit in silence, the worse it becomes for you.

Presgrove's (left) family complained his friends all claimed to have no idea what happened to him and how he ended up dead by the roadside just hours later

One video from the night he died showed some of Presgrove's friends writing their names on his bare buttocks with marker

'I hope those involved see that we are not budging and the silence fuels our desire to know more. 

'I miss Noah daily. This is the hardest chapter of my life, but I am thankful that I have a family that will not give up on each other.'

Presgrove's grandmother Deborah Smith also called on his friends to tell the whole story about what happened the night he died.

'When you think you have friends that you trust with all your heart and then here it comes. Sorry Noah that some of your true friends stabbed you in the back,' she said.

'A piece of my heart is missing and every day that goes by and Noah doesn't walk through the door and still no answer just takes another piece of my heart.'

Presgrove's aunt Robyn Smith (center) and grandmother Deborah Smith (right) appealed for answers more than seven months after his death

His family said all they were told is that he suffered head trauma, but were not sure if that was his cause of death

Presgrove and his friends graduated from Comanche High School just a few months earlier and his family said he planned to join the military

His aunt Robyn Smith begged anyone with information to at least tell the police so his family would have answers seven months later.

'We lost an amazing young man to the horrible choices of others, please do not let us lose out on justice,' she said.

'We’ve heard so many different stories, but we have yet to hear the truth. The whole truth. Which we deserve. 

'I know it’s scary and I know it’s hard, but we deserve to know what happened. Noah deserves to have his story told. We will not stop searching and asking. We will not stop demanding. It will come out.'

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