Estate of Noah Presgrove files wrongful death lawsuit

The estate of Noah Nichols (Presgrove), a Comanche teenager who was found dead in September 2023 on Labor Day Weekend, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against multiple individuals and a local business, alleging Presgrove was supplied alcohol while underage and later beaten to death.

Filed Monday in Stephens County District Court, the lawsuit accuses eight named individuals, several unidentified defendants, and Val Petrol, LLC — operator of Napoli’s convenience store in Marlow — of negligence, civil conspiracy, and wrongful death.

According to the petition, Presgrove, 19, was found naked and deceased on the side of U.S. Highway 81 in Terral, on the morning of Sept. 4, 2023. Near his body were a folded pair of basketball shorts, a necklace, and several of his teeth. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later determined Presgrove died from multiple blunt force injuries and had a blood-alcohol content of 0.14%.

The lawsuit claims Presgrove attended a multi-day party hosted by Avery Jo Howard, Carter Combs, and Logan Jernigan at a trailer owned by Stevie Howard on property belonging to Johnnie Trout Wilcoxson Jr. The suit alleges that the gathering was a coordinated effort to provide alcohol to minors and that Nichols, though underage, was given "copious amounts of alcohol" despite being visibly intoxicated.

Partygoers allegedly allowed Presgrove to operate or ride an all-terrain vehicle while drunk, resulting in an accident and injuries. At some point later, the complaint states, Presgrove was involved in a physical altercation and then disappeared from the party around 3:41 a.m. His body was discovered roughly two hours later.

The estate claims Jack Newton, another underage defendant, purchased alcohol from Napoli’s for Nichols, alleging that the store improperly sold alcohol to a minor. 

The filing further accuses the defendants of civil conspiracy, alleging that two or more of them participated in Presgrove’s fatal beating. The lawsuit states that while the death may not have been premeditated, the events that led to it — including the facilitation of illegal underage drinking — were intentional and reckless.

In addition to damages exceeding $75,000, the estate seeks punitive damages and compensation for medical and burial expenses, as well as for the family's loss of companionship and Presgrove’s pain and suffering. The petition also demands a jury trial.

Attorneys representing the estate include Austin Vance and Jeremy Otis of All Rise! PLLC, along with counsel from firms in Oklahoma City and Lawton.

No criminal charges have been publicly announced in connection with Presgrove’s death.