Preston Pierce has been returned to West Virginia after his arrest in North Carolina on charges related to the death of Gretchen Fleming.
Pierce, 58, faces charges of first-degree murder, felony murder, concealment of a deceased human body, and kidnapping. Authorities said he was indicted by a Wood County grand jury on May 15. Fleming, 27, was last seen leaving the My Way Lounge in Parkersburg early on December 4, 2022, with Pierce. She left her wallet and purse behind and was reported missing on December 12 after not contacting family or friends. Human remains found in September 2025 in Wirt County were later confirmed as Fleming's. Pierce, a former police officer also known as Darrell Lott, was arrested in the Asheville, North Carolina, area with help from U.S. marshals. He is being held pending arraignment in Wood County Circuit Court, with no date set yet.