(NewsNation) — The autopsy results for Noah Presgrove, who was found dead along an Oklahoma highway, were delivered to his family one day after NewsNation pushed for answers at the state’s medical examiner’s office.
It said he suffered “multiple blunt force injuries,” though law enforcement hasn’t signed off on an official cause of death. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol also announced that they are not investigating Presgrove’s death as a murder.
Retired forensic pathologist and medical examiner Dr. Michelle Dupre told NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield that she’s “strongly suspicious” about the autopsy.
“It’s not tracking as a vehicle accident. … Perhaps he was placed in the road to make it look like a traffic accident,” Dupre said Thursday night on “Banfield.”
Dupre listed the following evidence that has her convinced Presgove’s death was not a vehicle accident:
- No arm or leg fractures
- Significant posterior rib fracture
- No debris on the road
- Had shoes on
Police allegedly told Presgrove’s family earlier that they have several suspects in mind, although they haven’t disclosed details about possible suspects.
Despite online rumors, Presgrove did not have drugs in his system when he died, according to the autopsy, which can be found here:
Oklahoma teen’s body found naked, teeth scattered
Presgrove, 19, was found lying dead, wearing nothing but shoes, along a rural stretch of U.S. 81 in Jefferson County, Oklahoma, on Labor Day in 2023. His family says that the teen had a caved-in skull, road rash on his hip, a gravel rash on his shoulder, multiple bruises and scattered teeth.
He was last seen alive at a party he attended with a group of friends.
Presgrove graduated from Comanche High School and had plans to join the military before he went missing after the multi-day party.
At the funeral home, Presgrove’s body was severely bruised and swollen, with his nose and cheek appearing broken, according to Presgrove’s aunt Robyn Smith.
“They said that they didn’t think that this was from a vehicle,” Smith said. “There was no indication of any kind of injuries to the lower half of his body.”
Only one shoe found at the scene belonged to Presgrove, while the other belonged to a friend, the family said. Investigators stated the injuries did not seem consistent with being struck by a vehicle.
Smith said that one of Presgrove’s friends told them that he wanted to go for a walk but couldn’t find one of his own shoes, so he took one of his shoes and one shoe belonging to another person at the party.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation described Presgrove’s death as “suspicious.”
Noah Presgrove’s brother believes it was foul play
Dailen Presgrove, the brother of Noah Presgrove, told NewsNation on Monday that he suspects foul play.
Dailen walked NewsNation’s correspondent Alex Caprariello along the road where his brother’s body was found.
“He was in the fetal position. And his body was covered up. … You can see blood seeping through the covering. … As I’m looking at it, it just seems weird. The placement of the body. The tooth, the shorts. It doesn’t look like a hit-and-run.”
Dailen’s exclusive conversation with Caprariello differed from the conclusions reached by Jack Newton, a lifelong friend of Noah’s.
Best friend: Noah Presgrove’s death was an accident
Rumors have circulated across the community, with some suspecting the involvement of Presgrove’s best friend Jack Newton and his father.
Newton was at the party the night Presgrove died and was one of the first people at the site of his death the morning his body was discovered.
He told NewsNation exclusively that he believes the death was an accident. Newton passed a polygraph test prior to speaking with NewsNation.
“We went back through the questions three or four times. … I think the reason I got brought into it is because in high school we were always together. He lived with us for awhile, but I don’t know where all the crazy talk is coming from,” Newton added.
“People say it’s easy to pass a polygraph. You can’t control what people say about it. I put my personal number on Facebook, saying, if you want to talk about it, I’ll talk about it.”
Relatives don’t think Noah Presgrove’s death was an accident
Presgrove’s grandmother and cousin told Caprariello they don’t think Presgrove’s death was an accident.
“He was beat in the head so many times. It couldn’t have been by a car. … It’s hard to believe he could have friends like that stabbing you in the back,” Presgrove’s grandmother said. “In my heart, I pray to God Jack had nothing to do with it. That was Noah’s best friend. Where was he?”
NewsNation’s Damita Menezes and NewsNation affiliate KFOR‘s Spencer Humphrey contributed to this report.