Podcasts > SERIALously > 173: Teen House Party Turned Nightmare: The Very Suspicious Death of Noah Presgrove

173: Teen House Party Turned Nightmare: The Very Suspicious Death of Noah Presgrove

By 10 to LIFE

This podcast episode delves into the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Noah Presgrove, a teenager who died under puzzling circumstances following a house party. The initial ruling of a hit-and-run accident was contradicted by an autopsy revealing severe injuries indicative of brutal physical trauma. Alina Burroughs and Dr. Stuart Fisher present conflicting accounts from Noah's friends at the party, raising suspicions of a potential coverup.

Theories and speculation abound, from Noah witnessing a compromising situation, to a beating carried out by friends or their family members. Noah's family remains determined to uncover the truth behind his death, sharing frustrations over the lack of progress and embarking on efforts to hire investigators and offer rewards for information. The episode portrays a complex web of contradictory narratives and explores the haunting question of what truly transpired that fateful night.

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173: Teen House Party Turned Nightmare: The Very Suspicious Death of Noah Presgrove

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173: Teen House Party Turned Nightmare: The Very Suspicious Death of Noah Presgrove

1-Page Summary

The initial investigation and autopsy findings around Noah's death

Law enforcement initially ruled Noah's death a hit-and-run accident, but the autopsy revealed severe injuries like 10 broken ribs, a split skull, brain bleeding, and punctured lungs that contradicted this theory, according to Alina Burroughs and Dr. Stuart Fisher.

The lack of car debris and mismatched shoes on Noah's feet indicated he was not dragged by a vehicle, suggesting severe blunt force trauma as the more likely cause of death.

The suspicious and conflicting accounts from the party attendees

Noah's friends gave drastically different stories, raising suspicions about their involvement. They deleted social media posts and wiped phones, which they claimed was to "stay busy" and "help their kids."

Jack Newton, Noah's best friend, provided multiple conflicting accounts - first claiming he went to bed early, then saying he found Noah's body and called his father Caleb. Jack took a polygraph and maintains Noah was hit by a truck, but others doubt his story.

Theories and speculation around what really happened to Noah

Many believe Noah was beaten, potentially by a group including his friend Jack and Jack's father Caleb, either at the party or a nearby burned-down barn. This is based on the severity of injuries, suspicious behavior, discovery of golf clubs, and Noah's missing belongings.

Rumors suggest Noah may have witnessed a compromising situation involving Caleb Newton. Party host Avery Combs is also suspected of involvement or coverup due to the drinking, deep cleaning of her home, and her family's alleged wealth.

The ongoing search for answers and justice by Noah's family

Noah's family is frustrated with the lack of progress and conflicting stories. His brother Dailen believes partygoers know more and should come forward. The family started fundraisers to hire an investigator and offer rewards.

Noah's sister Madison, cousin Lindsay, and grandmother Deborah believe an "accident" occurred at the party that attendees are covering up. The family remains determined to uncover the truth about Noah's death despite the initial accident ruling.

1-Page Summary

Additional Materials

Actionables

  • You can enhance your critical thinking skills by practicing analyzing complex scenarios, like creating a mock investigation based on a fictional case. Start by reading a mystery novel or watching a crime drama, then take notes on the evidence presented, create timelines, and try to piece together what might have really happened, just as you would if you were trying to solve a real-life case.
  • Improve your social media literacy by conducting a personal audit of your online interactions and posts. Reflect on past situations where you might have shared information impulsively and consider the potential impacts. Going forward, make a habit of thinking twice before posting, and if you're discussing sensitive topics, ensure you're doing so responsibly and with awareness of the consequences.
  • Develop empathy and support for those seeking justice by volunteering with organizations that assist families affected by unsolved cases. Look for local groups that work with such families, and offer your time to help with administrative tasks, community outreach, or fundraising efforts. This hands-on involvement can provide practical support to those in need and give you a deeper understanding of the challenges they face.

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173: Teen House Party Turned Nightmare: The Very Suspicious Death of Noah Presgrove

The initial investigation and autopsy findings around Noah's death

Noah’s death was initially ruled an accident from a hit and run, but the autopsy revealed severe injuries, leading experts like Alina Burroughs and Dr. Stuart Fisher to suggest he may have been the victim of a brutal attack.

Law enforcement initially ruled Noah's death as a tragic hit-and-run accident based on the scene, but the autopsy report revealed much more severe injuries that contradicted this theory.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol concluded Noah’s death as the result of a tragic hit-and-run incident. However, the autopsy results published later painted a much more sinister picture. The medical examiner’s report showed Noah suffered from extensive and severe injuries, raising suspicion that something other than a hit-and-run accident had occurred.

The autopsy found that Noah suffered from 10 broken ribs, a split skull, brain bleeding, punctured lungs, and numerous other fatal injuries that could not have resulted from a typical hit-and-run incident.

Noah's body exhibited 10 broken ribs, broken teeth, skin torn off to the skull bone, fingertips torn to bone, a split tongue, fractured vertebrae, broken neck, split skull, multiple skull fractures, a caved-in head, bleeding brain, punctured lungs, extensive damage to internal organs including the heart, spleen, and stomach, internal bleeding, and road rash on various upper body parts with no lower body injuries.

The absence of car parts or debris at the crime scene led the medical examiner to rule the cause of death as "undetermined," with multiple blunt force injuries as the mode.

Former crime scene investigator Alina Burroughs analyzed the autopsy findings and evidence, concluding that Noah's injuries were inconsistent with being struck by a vehicle.

Alina Burroughs, a former crime scene investigator, analyzed the findings and concluded that the injuries did not match what would be expected from a hit-and-run. Noah’s injuries were primarily to t ...

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The initial investigation and autopsy findings around Noah's death

Additional Materials

Actionables

  • You can enhance your critical thinking skills by practicing analyzing everyday situations as if you were a detective. When you come across an incident, like a minor car dent in a parking lot, take a moment to observe and deduce what might have happened based on the evidence present. This hones your ability to notice details and question initial assumptions, much like the experts did when assessing Noah's injuries.
  • Improve your observational abilities by playing "spot the difference" in real life. For instance, when you're out for a walk, try to notice changes in your neighborhood, like new signage or alterations in landscaping. This practice can sharpen your attention to detail, similar to how mismatched shoes and the lack of abrasions provided clues in Noah's case.
  • Develop a habit of seeking multiple opinions be ...

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173: Teen House Party Turned Nightmare: The Very Suspicious Death of Noah Presgrove

The suspicious and conflicting accounts from the party attendees

Investigations into the death of Noah face complexities as the accounts from attendees of the party he was last seen at are inconsistent and at times contradictory, raising suspicions about what really happened and who was involved.

Many of Noah's friends who were at the party provided drastically different stories about the events leading up to his death, raising suspicions about their involvement.

The events that transpired between September 1st and September 4th at the party where Noah was last seen alive remain murky, with pieced-together details from social media and testimony from friends and family. Concern is growing as Noah's friends, and even their parents, have shared different recounts on Facebook. Deborah Smith noted that some individuals have given varying accounts, with one person providing two different stories, while another gave three. Actions like deleting social media posts and wiping phones have further aroused suspicions, despite claims from the attendees that these actions were merely to "stay busy" or "help their kids," rather than to hide potential evidence.

Attendees deleted social media posts and wiped their phones, which they claimed was just to "stay busy" and "help their kids" rather than hide evidence.

It was discovered that all posts to social media related to the party were deleted and all phones belonging to attendees were completely wiped, actions that invite skepticism about the motives behind them.

One partygoer, Kayden, claimed he and other boys found Noah's body and took his black shorts off before the authorities arrived, contradicting other accounts.

Kayden provided an account that stood out, as he claimed that he and other boys came upon Noah's body in his red Cherokee truck. He alleged that they found Noah wearing black shorts, but Jack removed them and replaced them with white shorts. This contradicts other statements as well as the claims from the truck drivers who initially found Noah, asserting that they never saw any group of boys at the scene.

Jack Newton, Noah's best friend, has given multiple, conflicting accounts of his whereabouts and involvement the night of the incident.

Jack Newton, a figure central to the story, has provided inconsistent versions of his role on the night in question.

Jack initially claimed he went to bed early, but later said he found Noah's body on the road and called his father, Caleb, who arrived at the scene.

Initially, Jack claimed he went to bed early and was not awake when Noah reportedly crashed an ATV. ...

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The suspicious and conflicting accounts from the party attendees

Additional Materials

Actionables

  • You can enhance your critical thinking skills by practicing analyzing conflicting narratives in news stories. Start by selecting a current event with multiple eyewitness accounts. Write down each account and compare the differences, looking for inconsistencies and possible motives behind each version. This exercise will train you to spot discrepancies and evaluate the reliability of sources, much like dissecting the conflicting accounts from the party attendees.
  • Improve your digital literacy by learning how to securely archive your online data. With the attendees deleting social media posts and wiping phones, it's clear that digital footprints can be volatile. Use free tools like the Wayback Machine to archive web pages or learn to use cloud services with version history to save snapshots of your digital content. This way, you'll have a record of your online presence that can be referenced or restored if needed.
  • Develop empathy and understanding of different perspectives by role-playing complex scen ...

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173: Teen House Party Turned Nightmare: The Very Suspicious Death of Noah Presgrove

Theories and speculation around what really happened to Noah

Many believe Noah's death was the result of foul play rather than a hit-and-run, given the severity of his injuries and the suspicious behavior of the partygoers.

Theories abound regarding the tragic and mysterious circumstances surrounding Noah's death, with many doubting the hit-and-run explanation due to the nature of his injuries and the actions of those at the party. Rumors have circulated that Noah unexpectedly walked in on his friend's dad, Caleb Newton, in a compromising situation, leading to suspicion about Caleb's involvement. Caleb reportedly went home, but uncertainty persists about his potential role in the events that night.

Theories suggest Noah was beaten, potentially by a group including his friend Jack and/or Jack's father Caleb, either at the party or in a nearby barn that was later burned down.

Tensions between Noah and his friend Jack, especially over an issue involving Carter Combs, have led to speculation that their physical fight might be connected to Noah's eventual death. Adding to the sinister overtones are rumors of a video showing girls caring for an unconscious Noah, perhaps after sustaining injuries from a "fight club," on ATVs, or in a more nefarious activity. Moreover, the discovery of golf clubs, which were seen being used at the party and later found in the trash during a clean-up, have only fueled speculation that a violent attack took place.

Annie Elise speculates there was an incident involving Noah that led to a panicked response by the kids at the party. Noah's cousin Lindsay believes that Noah was found on the side of the highway and suggests he was placed there postmortem, intimating that someone at the party knows the real story.

The discovery of golf clubs and Noah's missing belongings at the party house have fueled speculation that he was violently attacked.

The mention of golf clubs at the party, and in subsequent trash cleanup by someone named Caden, adds a grim layer to the speculation around Noah's death, insinuating the possible involvement of such implements in a violent attack on Noah.

Avery Combs, the host of the party, has also come under scrutiny, as the party was held at her home where minors were ...

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Theories and speculation around what really happened to Noah

Additional Materials

Actionables

  • You can enhance your critical thinking skills by creating a mock investigation board. Start by gathering information from various sources on a topic of interest, then use a corkboard or digital app to visually map out connections, theories, and evidence, much like detectives do in complex cases. This exercise will help you analyze information critically and draw connections between seemingly unrelated data points.
  • Develop your observational skills by playing a "detective game" during social gatherings. Observe body language, conversations, and the environment, and then write down your observations to see if you can detect patterns or inconsistencies in behavior. This can be a fun way to become more perceptive about the subtle dynamics that occur in group settings.
  • Practice constructing narratives based on limited infor ...

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173: Teen House Party Turned Nightmare: The Very Suspicious Death of Noah Presgrove

The ongoing search for answers and justice by Noah's family

The family of Noah, who tragically died under unclear circumstances, is enduring a heart-wrenching journey for answers and justice amidst the turmoil of conflicting stories and frustration with the investigation's lack of progress.

Noah's family has expressed deep frustration with the lack of progress in the investigation and the conflicting stories from the partygoers.

Noah's older brother, Dailen, has voiced his belief that someone at the party knows more than they're willing to say and should come forward with information.

Noah's older brother Dailen has been very vocal, appearing in numerous interviews, about his brother's death. He suggests that although some partygoers are willing to talk about certain aspects of the night Noah died, they are reluctant to share too much, potentially due to fear of hindering the investigation. Dailen's drive to where Noah was found, presenting a scene inconsistent with a typical hit-and-run accident, has fueled his conviction that people at the party know more than they have disclosed.

The family has started GoFundMe campaigns to hire a private investigator and offer a reward in the hopes of uncovering the truth about Noah's death.

Dailen expresses his hope that raising public awareness might prompt someone with information to come forward. Regrettably, the transcript does not mention the specific GoFundMe campaigns or rewards, but Noah's family's determination is evident in their actions to seek the truth, including starting campaigns to fund a private investigation.

Despite the initial ruling of a hit-and-run accident, Noah's family remains convinced that foul play was involved and is determined to uncover the real circumstances surrounding his demise.

Noah's sister, Madison, and cousin, Lindsay, have expressed their belief that an "accident" occurred at the party that the attendees are covering up, leading to Noah's tragic death.

Madison, Noah's sister, voiced her belief that something more than a hit-and-run occurred and suspe ...

Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary

Registered users get access to the Full Podcast Summary and Additional Materials. It’s easy and free!
Start your free trial today

The ongoing search for answers and justice by Noah's family

Additional Materials

Actionables

  • You can enhance your critical thinking skills by practicing analyzing different accounts of the same event. Start by reading multiple newspaper articles about the same incident, then list discrepancies and possible reasons for them. This hones your ability to detect inconsistencies, much like the family identifying conflicting stories from partygoers.
  • Develop empathy and support for those seeking justice by volunteering with organizations that assist families in similar situations. By offering your time to help with administrative tasks, social media campaigns, or community outreach, you contribute to the efforts of families like Noah's who are searching for answers.
  • Improve your communicati ...

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