A yearslong investigation reaches a turning point as a suspect returns to face charges tied to a disappearance that gripped a community.
PARKERSBURG, WV – A man accused of kidnapping and killing a woman after leaving a downtown bar with her has been returned to West Virginia following his arrest out of state, marking a significant development in a case that remained unresolved for nearly three years.
Preston Pierce, 58, has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder, felony murder, concealment of a deceased human body, and kidnapping in connection with the death of 27-year-old Gretchen Fleming. The Parkersburg Police Department confirmed that Pierce was extradited from North Carolina and is now being held pending arraignment in Wood County Circuit Court.
Fleming was last seen in the early morning hours of Dec. 4, 2022, leaving the My Way Lounge in downtown Parkersburg. Police said she was with Pierce at the time and left behind her wallet and purse. “After failing to contact family or friends for just over a week, she was reported missing to the Parkersburg Police Department on December 12, 2022,” the department stated.
Search efforts and discovery of remains
In the days and weeks following her disappearance, a large-scale search effort involving hundreds of volunteers combed through areas around Parkersburg. Despite those efforts, investigators spent years pursuing leads with limited physical evidence.
The case took a critical turn in September when human remains were discovered in a wooded area roughly 20 miles south of Parkersburg in Wirt County. Authorities later confirmed the remains belonged to Fleming.
Investigators had long focused on Pierce. According to police, he acknowledged that Fleming had been in his vehicle around the time she vanished but declined to provide further details.
Arrest and extradition
A Wood County grand jury handed down the indictment on May 15. Law enforcement tracked Pierce to the Asheville, North Carolina area, where he was taken into custody with assistance from U.S. Marshals.
Authorities confirmed he has since been transported back to West Virginia. “Pierce is being held by authorities pending arraignment in Wood County Circuit Court,” the Parkersburg Police Department said, adding that a court date has not yet been scheduled.
Regional reports indicate Pierce is a former police officer who previously used the name Darrell Lott. Investigators have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding Fleming’s death.
The case, which drew sustained attention from the community and volunteers who participated in early searches, now moves into the court system as prosecutors prepare to present evidence tied to the charges.
Gretchen Fleming, Preston Pierce, Parkersburg WV murder, Wirt County remains, West Virginia extradition
