Found Deceased AL - Paighton Houston, 29, left bar with 2 men, Birmingham, 20 Dec 2019 #2

[glynngoble]

I was going to make this point and read ahead and here you are.

There's no guarantee that she sent that text at all.

Hi all! Long-time lurker, first time poster. Re; whether she sent the text, I think there are two scenarios -1) someone else sent the text using her phone or 2) the text was never sent at all - just verbally relayed that it was sent. So my question is that if the friend that the text was sent to erased her text messages *NO CLUE THAT WAS THE CASE* wouldn't law enforcement be able to obtain friend's records and find it or confirm it was never received?

 

[C.Cato]

I read this on a public forum that anyone can join. If it’s not acceptable, please delete.

This is some of the same information I read but from another family members page. Truly heartbreaking!!

 

[Momof4RN]

Yes. Savannah Spurlock. LE was silent for months.

Video of SS leaving the bar with 2 men was released within the 1st week she went missing. Also released within the first week was info from LE that they had identified the 2 men and they had been questioned.

 

[Momma2cam]

Hi all! Long-time lurker, first time poster. Re; whether she sent the text, I think there are two scenarios -1) someone else sent the text using her phone or 2) the text was never sent at all - just verbally relayed that it was sent. So my question is that if the friend that the text was sent to erased her text messages *NO CLUE THAT WAS THE CASE* wouldn't law enforcement be able to obtain friend's records and find it or confirm it was never received?

I believe a warrant would be required. That would require just cause. MOO

 

[KCmetwo]

I was just reading up on that case- upcoming hearing tomorrow it appears.

Was there publicly announced searching in her case? I know there were initial searches where her body was discovered months later but was that known in the beginning?

Curious if there are any searches occurring "behind the scenes" for PH.

There were MANY public searches for Savannah Spurlock and even people going out on their own looking with out parties. It seemed people went NUTS to look for her because she was a new Mom with two newborns at home and it was her first time going out since giving birth to her twins and she had 2 older kids as well. It was well known that people were searching even when there was silence from LE and MSM.

 

[rickcross]

I am extremely suspicious of the whole bar/heavy set black men story. That picture is truly worth a thousand words. Most troubling of all is that it appears that the text went to the same "friend" who conveyed the "leaving the bar" story. So many questions - has LE actually seen the text, seen what number it came from? I hope LE can ping phones - PH's, "friend's" - and I am hoping that that LE has asked for nearby video of PH's car to see where it came from, who was driving, etc.

As an aside, wouldn't it be so much smarter to say "heavy set white men" in this case, if you were trying to cover something up.

Here's the thing, PH was supposedly at the bar with multiple co-workers. If the "friend's" story is a lie, it should be pretty easy for law enforcement to figure that up. Everyone in that group would need to be lying, and they'd all have to give the same sequence of events in their statements. As we have heard none of them, we have to assume that the original story is accurate. Remember, PH's phone was used to send that text after midnight, if phone pings show that her phone and the friends phone hit off the same tower, there is going to be a problem. If the co-workers stories don't align, there is going to be a problem. So here we are, about two weeks later. Nothing from LE. You have to wonder, are they trying to track down two heavy set black men, or are they trying to figure out why a group of friends and co-workers are being deceptive?

 

[glynngoble]

I believe a warrant would be required. That would require just cause. MOO

I wonder what "just cause" constitutes. If the only person who claims to have seen her leave and receive a text from her, I would think that might qualify?

 

[chili367]

Yes. That's why I believe the co-worker. Why create a scenario that could be so easily disproved.

Primarily to misdirect people's attention and perhaps a bit of a look into the mind of the person who told the tale (if it's false) and their world POV.

 

[Momma2cam]

I wonder what "just cause" constitutes. If the only person who claims to have seen her leave and receive a test from her, I would think that might qualify?

I don't think that alone would qualify but perhaps over time if statements changed and/or couldn't be corroborated, there would be cause. I'm not a legal expert, JMO

 

[KCmetwo]

I found this today and thought I would share it. It's sweet of her Uncle as well as a good idea. While people are out putting ribbons out they could do a "search" in a way if they are in a rural area. Individuals that are in rural areas can search their own private land to help the effort so that LE doesn't have to get warrants or ask permission, they can just look around for the "just in case" aspect of things.

Yellow ribbons tied around Trussville as search for Paighton Houston continues

 

[rickcross]

Hi all! Long-time lurker, first time poster. Re; whether she sent the text, I think there are two scenarios -1) someone else sent the text using her phone or 2) the text was never sent at all - just verbally relayed that it was sent. So my question is that if the friend that the text was sent to erased her text messages *NO CLUE THAT WAS THE CASE* wouldn't law enforcement be able to obtain friend's records and find it or confirm it was never received?

They would already know if a text message was sent because they have access to PH's phone records. If the friend erased the text, it may or may not be able to be retrieved, however, they still would be able to determine that it was sent, and the location of the phone when it was sent.

 

[chili367]

I don't think that alone would qualify but perhaps over time if statements changed and/or couldn't be corroborated, there would be cause. I'm not a legal expert, JMO

I'd think LE should have the cell phone records by now if they were requested.

I'm curious to know if they've went to Google and asked for her GPS/location information as well as for any witnesses/suspects. Some local PDs (one near me) has been doing this certain cases to verify statements or include/exclude suspects. It's a touchy subject for many (with good reason) but it can really help an investigation such as this.

 

[ChuckInHouston]

Okay, to me the silence from LE is unusual. It will be two weeks tomorrow. Surely they have SOMETHING they can share. I don't feel a sense of urgency to find her, as if she's not alive or in danger...just my opinion. Have we ever had a case where LE is silent, not offering updates to keep this on the radar, just letting rumor and speculation run rampant with no updates? LE said this is a strange case, in my opinion they are acting strange too.

Not at all unusual. It is not a crime for an adult to go MIA. Until they have a reason to believe that she is in danger, or that anything other than her leaving wherever she was on her own, there is not much they can do. As for the rumor and speculation, it is of no concern to LE, how much the public speculates. I have only seen LE statement that the information on the report came from the family. I have not seen any statement by LE other than they were conducting interviews, that says the co workers story to them initially was the same as it was to her parents. All information that we can confirm, looks to come second hand from family via the missing persons report. We don't know if this is the same story, the co worker told LE, or if she said "hey, thats what i think i say" We don't know if the co worker erased the text, or if the text is even legit. either way, there is not much LE can do with the co worker, until they can verify if in fact there is a crime.

 

[ChuckInHouston]

Okay, to me the silence from LE is unusual. It will be two weeks tomorrow. Surely they have SOMETHING they can share. I don't feel a sense of urgency to find her, as if she's not alive or in danger...just my opinion. Have we ever had a case where LE is silent, not offering updates to keep this on the radar, just letting rumor and speculation run rampant with no updates? LE said this is a strange case, in my opinion they are acting strange too.

Not at all unusual. It is not a crime for an adult to go MIA. Until they have a reason to believe that she is in danger, or that anything other than her leaving wherever she was on her own, there is not much they can do. As for the rumor and speculation, it is of no concern to LE, how much the public speculates. I have only seen LE statement that the information on the report came from the family. I have not seen any statement by LE other than they were conducting interviews, that says the co workers story to them initially was the same as it was to her parents. All information that we can confirm, looks to come second hand from family via the missing persons report. We don't know if this is the same story, the co worker told LE, or if she said "hey, thats what i think i say" We don't know if the co worker erased the text, or if the text is even legit. either way, there is not much LE can do with the co worker, until they can verify if in fact there is a crime.

 

[carbuff]

or maybe she didn't send that text at all.

Well yes that's possible, but I was thinking more that she might have sent it in a different context, and either it sounds ominous standing on its own, or surrounding texts were deleted to make it sound ominous.

 

[carbuff]

Okay, to me the silence from LE is unusual. It will be two weeks tomorrow. Surely they have SOMETHING they can share. I don't feel a sense of urgency to find her, as if she's not alive or in danger...just my opinion. Have we ever had a case where LE is silent, not offering updates to keep this on the radar, just letting rumor and speculation run rampant with no updates? LE said this is a strange case, in my opinion they are acting strange too.

This question gets asked about nearly every missing persons case I've followed.

 

[Momma2cam]

I'd think LE should have the cell phone records by now if they were requested.

I'm curious to know if they've went to Google and asked for her GPS/location information as well as for any witnesses/suspects. Some local PDs (one near me) has been doing this certain cases to verify statements or include/exclude suspects. It's a touchy subject for many (with good reason) but it can really help an investigation such as this.

Perhaps. I'm sure they at least have PH's records. But with a warrant required with just cause for any other records, it is hard to know if they've even submitted a request for friends' records. Obviously LE has a lot more information than we do. Moo

 

[glynngoble]

I'm starting to doubt that she was ever at the bar. Maybe I am out of touch with her demographic, but why have we not seen any pictures online of the bar that night? Whether friends that were there with her or other people that were there that want the limelight? Usually people will post pics and say they "think" this looks like the missing person, or even pics of the supposed suspects. Being from NC and following the Susan Smith case, I think it is natural for some people, if they are trying to throw LE off the trail, to naturally describe fictional suspects that look as different from them and their friends as possible. Reason being they would not want any friends that happen to be two heavy set white guys accused. Also, as a white person, I can say most white people are not very good at describing specific physical details of other races. Just a general outline of their body frames...and maybe hair if it is memorable. Also, and I do not, truly do not mean to start anything, but to *some* white people, if they find two innocent black guys that they can pin it on (it has happened many times) but who they are protecting is never caught, they think it is no great loss. "They were probably guilty of something else anyway." Please know that I hate this mindset but I am a white woman born , raised, and living in the south and in some areas racism is alive and well. So sad. And I confront it where I can. I hope this is not the case here for many reasons.

 

[KCmetwo]

I wonder what "just cause" constitutes. If the only person who claims to have seen her leave and receive a text from her, I would think that might qualify?

well, I believe (going based off what I hear is on facebook) IF the parents have PROOF the friends story has changed, and she is technically the last one we KNOW saw PH physically (leaving out the story of the 2 mystery men) that would leave plenty of room for "probable cause" and leave the door open for them to get a warrant to look into the "friend" and search not only phone records but her home as that's the location PH was prior to the bar. They will want to find any and everything they can.
Also being the ONLY person to be in contact with the individual (as far as we know PH sent the text) that's more than enough room to look into the friend because unless she has physically shown her phone to LE or the parents they need to validate that. Yes they can do that through PH's phone records HOWEVER they will want to see where the friends phone was located when she received it due to her statement of "I was asleep"

 

[ChuckInHouston]

The whole situation is touchy. I don't believe LE has PH's phone records. They would need her permission. As of yet, they are not even sure their is a crime. LE can't just go around getting anyone's records. All we know that they have is a missing persons report filed by the family based on information from a co worker. Information thus far, if in fact that was the story, can not be verified. Other than asking the public to help locate her, there is not much LE can do. Even if the text is true and correct, it does not say, " I have been kidnapped" It does not say who I am with, how we are traveling, or where we currently are. It does not say anything that would implicate someone in criminal activity. Shocking, yes, on a personal level. How she felt, does not mean that someone was making her feel that way. We have absolutely no context. I wish the best to her family, but without more information, I'm afraid there is not much more LE can or will do, to find her.