‘We just want to know what happened’: Presgrove family still seeking answers to death two years later

Family members of Noah Presgrove are still searching for answers two years after his mysterious death.

On Sept. 4, 2023, the 19-year-old was found dead on the side of a road near Terral. His body was found bloody and battered, and he was wearing only his shoes.

Family members had a low-key day remembering Presgrove over the weekend.

“It’s not an anniversary you want to celebrate,” said Robyn Smith, Presgrove’s aunt by marriage. “We just met at the lake to have some time together. We talked about the case a little.”

He had attended a multi-day Labor Day party with friends the night before his death. Authorities initially suspected he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident, but this was later ruled out as his injuries were not consistent with being hit by a vehicle, and there was no vehicle debris at the scene. The medical examiner’s report listed the cause of death as “multiple blunt force injuries” but stated that the manner of death was “undetermined.” The report also indicated that he had been drinking and had a blood alcohol level about twice the legal limit.

According to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his family in June, he had been at a party that involved underage drinking. The lawsuit alleges that he was involved in an ATV rollover incident and later got into a “verbal argument” with two of the defendants. The lawsuit claims he “was beaten to death by one or more of the defendants” and that “two or more defendants engaged in a civil conspiracy to beat” him. The lawsuit seeks at least $75,000 in damages.

Several defendants have responded to the lawsuit, saying they were not responsible. According to court documents, several defendants denied the allegations and claimed Presgrove’s own negligence contributed to his death. Two of them also demanded a jury trial.

“It seems very calloused, like it’s just a big waste of time,” Smith said of the response. “Wanting to know what happened from people who know what happened should never be considered a waste of time.”

And that is the crux of the issue for the family: they want to know what happened. 

“It’s very sad, we don’t have answers,” Smith said. “We just want to know what happened and it’s difficult when people who know what happened won’t tell us.”

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol, which is investigating the case, has not made a public statement since May 2024, when they released a statement that it was not being investigated as a murder but rather as a suspicious death.

“It’s slow going,” Smith said. “It’s not an overnight process; we’re just trusting the process and hoping to get answers.”

The case has continued to grab international headlines, which Smith said the family is grateful for.

“We are so grateful for the support for us to find answers,” Smith said. “Sometimes, it gets a little crazy. I would say for people with tips to make sure they are accurate, because otherwise it just wastes time and is not helpful. I never listened to true crime podcasts before Noah’s death, but we do get people reaching out about things I hadn’t thought about. Sometimes, it does get repetitive.”

Smith said she could not comment on when the case might be heard in court.