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

[Momof4RN]

I agree. I think this is more likely than the victim’s phone having any impact on finding her. Remember that LE was trying very hard to find the person that gave the phone to victim’s mom. IMO that showed they had no information from the phone.

I’m assuming u r referring to the text message of the victim and not her actual phone of which we have no idea has ever been recovered?
I think any activity on PH’s phone was looked into in the first few days. But if it took LE some time to track down any person or people of interest the timing seems to fit that their phone records and digital prints led them to their search areas in the second week. Moo

 

[Ontario Mom]

Also samung has a sos feature where you choose a few people and add their numbers to the list. You hit the power button fast 3 times and it sends a text saying I need help, SOs a picture and a short voice recording and of course estimated location. Not sure how helpful it would be if you are in trouble. I tested out on a few folks, I sent them a message saying I was going to.do.it beforehand but my poor aunt and my best friend did not see my warning text and panicked, even after saying im okay they asked me several times.:S at least I know it works.Good for me also as I have a health condition.

Somewhat O/T but, I have that alert set up on my phone and honestly don't even know if I'd remember to use it, if I were in danger. In fact, it's been set up for over a year and completely forgot about it until I read your comment. Really, with tech being what it is, you'd think there would be a much easier way to send an alert.

 

[evilwise]

I didn’t know there were any POIs. Can you provide me a link? Thank you.

Of course there are but no I can't provide you a link. It's against the rules to "sleuth" people who haven't been officially named in mainstream media and there's a good reason for it, those people are most likely innocent.

But if you want something to keep yourself busy with, the property records are there and I don't think it's a violation of the rules to investigate properties(?) I haven't personally dug into it since as I said I expect it's just a vacant house known to local hustlers and also these cases I'm not personally involved with are mainly just an exercise for my gut.

 

[bhammom]

My current theory is that she and the coworker went to score drugs and PH OD. The coworker freaked out for fear that she’d lose her job, so she and a male accomplice (whomever provided the drugs) attempted to cover it up with a bogus kidnapping story. Pure speculation of course.

I am of the belief that at least one male is involved (maybe a boyfriend of one of the co-workers?) Think of the upper body strength needed to lift and carry a body and then to dig even a shallow grave.

 

[Van Helsing]

Of course that's what the problem is. Peighton's friends probably have covered for her so many times it's second nature to them and yeah in the crucial first days they may have even obstructed justice not because they themselves were complicit in her death but because they still assumed she was alive "on a bender" and were trying to shield her and her compatriots from the law. The one who called Peighton's mom was clearly concerned on the first morning but probably others were not and at that point there were incomplete and/or conflicting statements.

This is how party culture is. Grasp it. If you or someone you love is currently part of this culture, know the risks.

That fits the description of being complicated; “friends” lying AND murder by others. I like the logic here.

 

[margarita25]

Toxicology could take weeks. Moo.

 

[Amstorrs]

I wanted to catch up and forgot to quote but I just wanted to point out something @MassGuy had said previously in the thread and something that instantly crossed my mind as soon as I heard Paighton had been buried.

When drug addicts use together and someone ODs, they do NOT bury that person. I’m not saying it has never happened, but if it has it’s incredibly rare and not the norm. Most often, other people flee the scene and leave the person dead where they are. Or if in a car, they dump that person out in the quickest non-populated location and high tail it away.

 

[Ontario Mom]

I am of the belief that at least one male is involved (maybe a boyfriend of one of the co-workers?) Think of the upper body strength needed to lift and carry a body and then to dig even a shallow grave.

It's really quite astounding what a rush of adrenaline (such as, in the case of realizing you need to conceal a dead person so you're not connected to their demise) can do for strength, for either a man or a woman. Of course I have no idea who really buried PH, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me to learn it was a woman. Not much surprises me any more.

 

[Tealgrove]

Does anyone else find it puzzling, that LE's only witness is surveillance from bar cameras in a deep south city/and state of Alabama, of a Caucasian female ending up in the company of 2 'large' black men and there has been no mention of 'people watchers,' in a bar crowd at a predominately Caucasian bar that could slightly, nevertheless state a detailed description of these 2 large black males. Bartender? Bouncers? Is Paighton so non distinguished, non descriptive, that no possible single male in a bar of all places took any notice or interest in Paighton, enough to notice her company? IMO these men did not exist.

I have another take on this. I don't think they exist in the way that was told to LE.

There are always elements of the truth in a lie. IMO there were two men (whether heavy set, black or white) with Paighton that night. Where she met them, or where they connected, remains to be seen. Somehow, somewhere 2 men are involved along with others.

The text that Paighton presumably sent that said she didn't know where she was, or who she was with, and was in trouble, probably has an element of truth in that too. She was in trouble, whether with drugs, or something else. She may not have known the people she was with or....that was just a ruse so as to not implicate anyone in her circle. I don't think Paighton sent that text anyway. And we will find out if she did or didn't. Two phones are going to ping off the same tower in extremely close proximity at the same time if it wasn't Paighton that sent that text.

It's only a matter of time.

MOO

 

[Ontario Mom]

I wanted to catch up and forgot to quote but I just wanted to point out something @MassGuy had said previously in the thread and something that instantly crossed my mind as soon as I heard Paighton had been buried.

When drug addicts use together and someone ODs, they do NOT bury that person. I’m not saying it has never happened, but if it has it’s incredibly rare and not the norm. Most often, other people flee the scene and leave the person dead where they are. Or if in a car, they dump that person out in the quickest non-populated location and high tail it away.

Agreed. Burying (and wrapped first) implies a need for concealment. i.e., hiding evidence that might connect the perp to the crime.

 

[Vail]

I was thinking the same thing a few days ago, the only thing I could come up with was a man they were both interested in or being coworkers both wanting to move up in the company they work for, (both applying for the same position) Some people are so evil.

I also considered that motive if the friend is involved. It is more realistic than them both doing heroin somewhere and the woman deciding to bury her in the backyard of an empty home because of an OD.


Burial of accidental OD victims appears to be super infrequent - in just the cases here on WS, OD victims are almost always found in the open, at or where it happened. Burial tends to suggest evidence needed to be concealed. In the case of AJ Hadsell, for example, her stepfather likely buried her to conceal evidence of rape or homicide, or he could not reconcile his guilt over contributing and thought keeping her death a secret would be better for everyone else so he concocted a ridiculous story. In Jonathan Minard's case, he was a minor and there was no reasonable scenario that would allow the perp to just dump and call it in. Let's remove the friend from Paighton's scenario for now. Imagine you're partying with some people and one of them never wakes up. You might panic, or others might be panicking. But how likely is it that you would conclude dumping/concealment is the right thing to do vs just leaving her somewhere and calling in an anonymous tip? Especially if you're 'comfortable' in the drug underworld? Especially if she's an adult that was willingly taking drugs? Wouldn't other factors need to be there for you to want to conceal it so no one ever finds her? Wouldn't self-preservation kick in and look for the path of least resistance/involvement (leaving the scene ASAP and calling 911). I think Paighton's history is important, sure, but then so is her friend's. Here are some other things to consider regarding heroin:
Three persistent myths about heroin use and overdose deaths | NDARC - National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
IMO it is a safer and more respectful bet that something bad happened to P that was beyond her control than to assert she OD'd or relapsed in any way. She was healthy, looked great, was employed, and surrounded by a huge support network of loved ones.

 

[Momma2cam]

"Jefferson County sheriff’s Chief Deputy David Agee said the sheriff’s office is taking over as the lead investigative agency on the discovery of the remains. He emphasized that this is a death investigation that has not yet been deemed a homicide. ‘Right now we have a lot more questions than answers,’ Agee said, ‘but we hope to have those answers real soon. We’re gonna work hard and we’re going to find out what happened.’”
Body found in shallow grave in Hueytown yard identified as Paighton Houston

RSBM, BBM- This statement by the Sheriff deputy seems very curious. Let's say, as a previous poster estimated, 99.3% of cases involving a body found in a shallow grave are homicides. What makes this case have so many questions combined with emphasis on not labeling it a homicide right away?

As far as the debit card on the dance floor- I see this either as a diversion tactic OR legit. I've lost my debit card and driver's license for that matter on a few dance floors as I would put them in my back pocket and leave my purse in someone's car. So this is certainly feasible. I'm just not sure she was there at all given we have no photos from surveillance, friends, or other patrons that even have her in the background.

I also think there is a lot of emphasis and assumption on Paighton's sexual orientation being heterosexual yet I don't believe we actually know that for sure.

MOO

 

[evilwise]

I don't think Paighton sent that text anyway. And we will find out if she did or didn't. Two phones are going to ping off the same tower in extremely close proximity at the same time if it wasn't Paighton that sent that text.

I'm pretty sure there will have been other phones in close proximity to hers when she sent that text considering she explicitly said she was with people. I really don't know why people have such difficulty believing she sent the text. I can't imagine a reason why anyone ELSE would have sent a text like that.

 

[TheExperience]

I have another take on this. I don't think they exist in the way that was told to LE.

There are always elements of the truth in a lie. IMO there were two men (whether heavy set, black or white) with Paighton that night. Where she met them, or where they connected, remains to be seen. Somehow, somewhere 2 men are involved along with others.

The text that Paighton presumably sent that said she didn't know where she was, or who she was with, and was in trouble, probably has an element of truth in that too. She was in trouble, whether with drugs, or something else. She may not have known the people she was with or....that was just a ruse so as to not implicate anyone in her circle. I don't think Paighton sent that text anyway. And we will find out if she did or didn't. Two phones are going to ping off the same tower in extremely close proximity at the same time if it wasn't Paighton that sent that text.

It's only a matter of time.

MOO

Your post helped me come to another realization. These men were described as completely unknown to Paighton. Within this narrow timeline at the bar, it is difficult to conceive Paighton would zero in on 2 strangers and ask about drugs to the extent of leaving with them to go get high.

A closer friend of Paighton's told the press that her friend was extremely cautious, and this behavior of hopping into strangers cars is not a behavior that is known of Miss Houston.

She had no idea if these guys were undercover cops, as well.

 

[Momma2cam]

Of course that's what the problem is. Peighton's friends probably have covered for her so many times it's second nature to them and yeah in the crucial first days they may have even obstructed justice not because they themselves were complicit in her death but because they still assumed she was alive "on a bender" and were trying to shield her and her compatriots from the law. The one who called Peighton's mom was clearly concerned on the first morning but probably others were not and at that point there were incomplete and/or conflicting statements.

This is how party culture is. Grasp it. If you or someone you love is currently part of this culture, know the risks.

I've considered this type of cover, too. I've (shamefully) been a cover for a friend's drug use as well as for infidelity in the past. It would explain why the co-worker/friend was not anxiously looking for texts or calls and why she may have gone to sleep relatively easily.

The timing still seems odd to me. PH leaving at 10:45 right as the band was starting, coworker being home and in bed by midnight to miss a text on a Fri night. And it seems the drive is at least 20+ min between Trusseville and Bham. Of course, we don't know that friend went home nor where exactly she lives. We really don't know much of anything, actually. I'm guessing LE is discovering a lot more.

 

[Noharg]

DBM

 

[Zella]

For folks questioning why a perp would send a text message saying she was in danger instead of she was fine, to me what seems potentially staged is more the idea she was with strangers as well as the idea she was still alive. It's just so wordy and over explains and phrases it weirdly. In my opinion, it is not a text most women would send when they felt uneasy or threatened by the company they are in.

That doesn't necessarily mean the person who received the text was in on it. PH may have left with people she knew and the coworker may not have known that. Likewise, she may have left with people she didn't know but then ended up with people she did know.

 

[BOSCOE]

There's nothing simple about relationships. Let's be fully hypothetical for a second. Let's say that I go to a bar with a girl and a couple of her coworkers, a girl she's work friends with and a guy who's interested in that girl. At some point she leaves to go to a party or someplace "quiet to talk" or whatever. I don't think anything of it until the next day when cops are knocking on my door to get a statement. I say that I didn't see anything or anybody. My girl has told them that she left with a nice guy she met. The guy from work has told them that she's a junkie *advertiser censored* who went off with some drug dealers. Conflicting statements but not lies - and that's just a super simple short hypothetical story.

Respectfully, my post made no reference to statements made. Length of time only in regards to relationship.
MOO

 

[Kurzz10]

So here's my thoughts on the "leaving bar with two heavyset black males theory", if police believed this to be the case from early on, would they not be releasing, at minimum, descriptions of the two?? I understand there is no surveillance of them leaving with PH, but surely the friend/coworker should be able to provide some type of description, possibly composite sketch, of them? Wouldnt they want to appeal to the public about who they were or if anyone saw them that night? It seemed like that was entirely skilled to the best of my knowledge. If these were two random strangers to PH, would there not be some feeling of concern towards the general public? It just didnt feel right to me that all we ever gained from friends description was two heavyset black males, yet we knew every last detail of PH down to her shoes.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Seattle News, Weather, Traffic & Sports | KIRO-TV
per this news article, it quotes Lynneice Washington, district attorney for Jefferson County’s Bessemer Cutoff Division, as stating that they found the location based on multiple tips.
1. Either there were sightings of known persons she was with at this and other search locations.
2. someone with direct knowledge of the crime reported it. Possibly someone who was with her earlier in the night but may not have actually committed the crime.
3. Persons not involved that saw someone digging at one or more of the searched locations.
no necessarily related to the crime in any way. Also not necessarily only one person who may have saw something they thought was strange.
4. Person or persons who know the person who put her there who may have thought they were acting, or saying things that made others feel as though they may have something to do with it.
I have read several comments that refer to the house as a "crack house, or trap house". I would venture a guess that probably not. The house across the street looks occupied. The previous resident, per neighbors lived there until only a couple of months ago. I would be confident to venture a guess that whoever put her there was familiar with the house. Not to say that they lived there but was entimately familiar with the home, such that they felt comfortable there and did not think anyone would be living there any time soon. A relative of homeowner, or friend of someone who lived there at some point. (for example)

I also wondered if someone living in the vicinity of the Chapel Drive property saw something on their security footage, reached out to the authorities and it went from there (e.g., the resident contacts the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office > JCSO determines a vehicle resembling one belonging to Paighton is seen on video [maybe her car was used to transport her body ] > JCSO contacts the Trussville Police Department to verify information regarding the vehicle > “On 1/2/2020 Detectives with the Trussville Police Department along with investigators with the Metro Area Crime Center [develop] information on a possible location for the remains of Paighton Houston.”)

This may not be the case at all, but if the individual(s) with direct knowledge of what happened to Paighton is not cooperating (sadly, I am not entirely convinced that they are) with the investigators, then it might have taken something like that to break the case. All MOO.