WV WV - Gretchen Fleming, 27, Vienna, Dec 2022 *POI in 2023*

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DEC 29, 2022
[...]

Gretchen Fleming, 28, was last spotted in the early morning hours of Dec. 4 at My Way Lounge in Parkersburg walking out the door with an unnamed male.

"He is a person of interest in this investigation," Parkersburg Police Lt. James Stalnaker told Fox News Digital. "We know she left with him. We believe that she traveled back to his residence with him. He’s given inconsistent statements."

Stalnaker said police are not releasing the man's name because he has not been charged with a crime. "Through his own admission, she was at one point in his vehicle, but he's claiming she didn't make it to his house," he said. "There is no indication they knew each other prior to this night."

[...]

Surveillance footage from My Way Lounge shows Fleming and the man leave the bar and head toward his car – but the cameras do not capture the pair climb into the vehicle because of where it was parked, Stalnaker added.

Additional surveillance footage that police pieced together from various cameras show the man's car travel toward his home about two miles from the bar. Police have executed search warrants on his house, his car and electronic devices.



[...]
 
DEC 29, 2022
Parkersburg police announced Thursday that the agency has a person of interest in the investigation of the disappearance of Gretchen Fleming.

However, police are not publicly naming that person or calling them a suspect.

[...]

Search warrants executed in connection with the case just before Christmas remain sealed, but multiple sources confirm to Eyewitness News that the person of interest is Preston Pierce, 55, of the Parkersburg area. Pierce has not been charged with any crime in connection to the case.

[...]

Board said while they are currently looking into leads, they're also waiting for forensic evidence to be analyzed.

"Things have been collected. As standard, sent to the state laboratory for analysis and just awaiting results there. That's commonplace in a lot of investigations, and when that comes back, hopefully, that proves fruitful, but in the meantime, this is not a waiting game," the chief said. "Our detectives are still following leads because, as I keep reiterating, the community really stepped up. The leads, the tips, the info, the phone calls, the Facebook messages, the emails. Every one of them is getting vetted."

[...]
 
Search warrants executed in connection with the case just before Christmas remain sealed, but multiple sources confirm to Eyewitness News that the person of interest is Preston Pierce, 55, of the Parkersburg area. Pierce has not been charged with any crime in connection to the case.

Snipped to point to the name that is BBM - just wanted to add the interesting (to me) fact that this POI previously went by a completely different name with initials "DL" (don't know if I am allowed to list that exact name yet). Things that make you go hmmm.
 
Snipped to point to the name that is BBM - just wanted to add the interesting (to me) fact that this POI previously went by a completely different name with initials "DL" (don't know if I am allowed to list that exact name yet). Things that make you go hmmm.
Yes, it will really make you go hmmmm if/when the police name PP/DL as the POI and his history can be posted… IMO
 
The police have released photos of the POI car and asking people to check their surveillance footage for the car during 12/03-12/05/22

What a shame they are asking for footage of the vehicle so much later. The warrants on the home of the POI were served nearly two weeks ago. Hopefully someone caught something that will be helpful to LE.
 
DEC 31

The Parkersburg Police Department has identified a person and vehicle of interest in relation to the disappearance of Gretchen Fleming.

The 27-year-old was last seen in the early morning hours of December 4, 2022, at the My Way Lounge & Restaurant in Parkersburg, West Virginia. She was reported missing to the Parkersburg Police Department by her family on December 12, 2022. Gretchen’s story was featured earlier this week in Dateline’s “Missing in America” online series.

More at Parkersburg Police asking for public's assistance in search for missing West Virginia woman Gretchen Fleming
 
Police have executed search warrants on his house, his car and electronic devices.
It seems strange to me that they would be able to get extensive search warrants based on the fact that Gretchen and this guy were NOT seen together in either his car or his residence. There were probably dozens of people at the bar. Simply walking together gives probable cause? I think not. Either they found a VERY sympathetic judge or they have more. IMO
 
It seems strange to me that they would be able to get extensive search warrants based on the fact that Gretchen and this guy were NOT seen together in either his car or his residence. There were probably dozens of people at the bar. Simply walking together gives probable cause? I think not. Either they found a VERY sympathetic judge or they have more. IMO
They definitely have more, IMO. The POI told police he gave Gretchen a ride and that she left the vehicle at an unknown location. His story was inconsistent and per the article below, "additional surveillance footage led them to believe that the person of interest took Fleming to their residence."

Police give update on Gretchen Fleming case - Look for this car in your surveillance footage

 
DEC 31, 2022
  • “We have spoken to him, but at this point, he is not communicating with the Parkersburg Police Department,” Police Chief Matthew Board said Friday.
  • Surveillance footage obtained by investigators shows the 28-year-old Vienna woman leaving the My Way Lounge at Fifth and Juliana streets in Parkersburg with the person of interest...
  • “In the infancy of the investigation, the person of interest stated Gretchen had gotten into his vehicle but had exited prior to going to his residence,” he said.
  • Search warrants were executed two weeks ago on the person of interest’s residence, car and electronic devices, as well as “a secondary location,” Board said.
 
The "secondary location" mentioned in the article above may be a storage building.

DEC 31, 2022
[...]

If you have video surveillance, Chief Board encourages you to look for the car at the bottom of the article in your footage. He says to check footage from late night December 3rd through December 5th.

If you see the car in your footage, contact Detective Zimmerman at 304-424-1072. During after hours, you can call 304-424-8444.

[...]

Officials have executed search warrants on the person of interest’s residence, car, electronic devices, and a storage building, according to Board.

[...]

1672544399416.png 1672544507111.png
 
Snipped...
...The missing woman’s family has offered a $15,000 dollar reward in the case. Board has offered assurances that they believe their person of interest will likely have important information that could possibly lead to Fleming’s safety.

 
JAN 3, 2023
“She is an amazing little girl. She’s very independent. You know, she’s my little girl. And she’s been a great girl, and everybody loved her. Everybody that came in sight with her loved her. She was unique and personable and had a great personality and she’s just a great kid,” says Gretchen Fleming’s father, David.

[...]

“You know, the police are doing everything in their power,” says Fleming. “They’re working around the clock. So, I know there’s some speculation out there that maybe they’re not doing enough. But believe me. These guys are not sleeping. They are working 24/7 to find details on that one little clue that connects this all together so they can make it happen.”

[...]

“And if anybody has seen the vehicle that’s posted. If anyone has seen that vehicle during the December 4th, 5th, 6th in their neighborhoods, out in the country or anything, please, please reach out,” says Fleming.

David Fleming

David Fleming(David Fleming)

[...]

“I just want to tell her I love her and if somehow, she is somewhere and she hears this, I just want her to come home,” says Fleming. “And I’m hoping for the best. And I love my little girl. I just want her home.”

[...]
 
“Eyewitness News confirmed through multiple sources, however, that the man at the center of the investigation is Preston Pierce, 55, of the Parkersburg area. Pierce, whose name was previously Darrell Lott, is a former law enforcement officer at multiple departments in West Virginia, according to law enforcement professional standards information system records.”


 
“Eyewitness News confirmed through multiple sources, however, that the man at the center of the investigation is Preston Pierce, 55, of the Parkersburg area. Pierce, whose name was previously Darrell Lott, is a former law enforcement officer at multiple departments in West Virginia, according to law enforcement professional standards information system records.”



"...the man at the center of the investigation is Preston Pierce, 55, of the Parkersburg area. Pierce, whose name was previously Darrell Lott..."

Channel 8 gives us both of his names.

Channel 15 says police aren't releasing his name(s).
 
Police searched the home of the POI again today. I guess now we know which house is the residence, by the pictures.

I was surprised to read that the police were back searching again!
It’s a very small house. I drive by it several times a week. I saw lights on in the early morning after he was taken in for questioning the night before. Since then I have never seen a car there or any lights on.
 

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