(NewsNation) — Noah Presgrove was beaten during a marathon Labor Day weekend party before he ended up dead on the side of an Oklahoma highway, according to a lawsuit filed by his family nearly two years after the 19-year-old’s mysterious death.
Little headway in the case has been reported publicly since Presgrove was discovered Sept. 4, 2023 along U.S. 81, wearing only mismatched shoes and dead of blunt-force injuries. A pair of shorts and some of his teeth were found, among other items.
Police say they are still investigating Noah Presgrove’s death
State police say they’re still investigating what some have speculated could have been a hit-and-run accident, although no car parts or debris were found at the scene. Family attorney Ryan Sailors tells “Banfield” on Wednesday that the wrongful-death lawsuit is designed in part to pry information from people who know what happened to Presgrove.
“As we go through our discovery process and we get further evidence to support what we already have on hand, I think the story’s going to start to become much more clear on what actually happened to Noah,” he said.
Lawsuit filed againist multiple of Presgrove’s friends
Among the defendants, the complaint names four of Presgrove’s friends who were at the multi-day party. Sailors said at least two of the defendants conspired to beat Presgrove, causing his fatal injuries.
The attorney said he’s not sure if those responsible for Noah’s death dumped Presgrove’s body or whether the 19-year-old walked away with severe brain bleeding and other injuries before collapsing.
“Given the nature of how his body was found … the running theory is it might have been dumped along the highway,” Sailors said.
The lawsuit reportedly seeks at least $75,000 for funeral costs, pain and suffering, lost earnings and companionship, plus punitive damages. It also names as defendants a father of one of Presgrove’s friends; the owners of the property where the party and alleged underage drinking occurred, and a store where alcohol was purchased.
“If Noah would not have been provided that alcohol, if Noah would not have been in attendance at this party, it is very likely Noah would still be here today,” Sailors said.
Noah Presgrove Investigation
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation initially described Presgrove’s death as “suspicious,” though the state’s Highway Patrol later said it was not investigating Presgrove’s death as a murder.
A medical examiner’s report obtained by NewsNation local affiliate KFOR said Presgrove died from “multiple blunt force injuries” and labeled his manner of death as “undetermined.” The report notes that there were various injuries and abrasions seen on Presgrove. His family previously said Presgrove had a caved-in skull, road rash on his hip, a gravel rash on his shoulder and multiple bruises.
“At this time, what transpired on how the body was found on the road having multiple blunt force injuries is unknown,” the report said.
When the medical examiner performed the autopsy, Presgrove had a blood alcohol level of 0.14.