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

[R.U.Kidding!]

Not much new, but at least it's in the national news:

Alabama woman, 29, missing after leaving bar with 2 strange men, texted friend she could be in trouble

Has the friend been questioned thoroughly? Can one get location from the text the friend got?
Weird to just text a warning if she felt things could go south. Better to get out now than think you will have any chance of texting later.

 

[UnderstandBlue]

What’s her Venmo, please?

Sorry - it was posted earlier - here you go: Paighton Houston

 

[sarabean]

Sorry - it was posted earlier - here you go: Paighton Houston

Thank you! I should have looked instead of being lazy.

 

[toldav54]

The speculation about the video, is mute. Either the persons, she left with are not identifiable, or they do not have video of the two men and PH leaving together. We Know this information came from a friend or friends of PH. I wouldn't read anything into it. As for being apprehensive about the friends.....well, considering the HB case of late, I understand. I think the drug angle may have played a role, as the odds of someone abusing heroin truly recovering are slim to none.
Please understand that, this is only my opinion, and by no means do I intend to cast a shadow on the victim. I will say, that in this day and age, traveling with anyone you don't know is a risk. probably why we don't see a lot of people hitchhiking anymore. The text, is our biggest clue that something abnormal was happening. I can not imagine anyone sending a text like this unless they were already leery of the situation. Either in a place they did not want to be and feeling like they could not just walk away from it, or in route to somewhere other than where they thought they were initially going. I will also add that a bar of any type is no place for a recovering addict.
The best hope anyone in that situation has is to completely remove themselves from any environment that could trigger a relapse, including anyone who they have ever used with, up to and including immediate family. As harsh as that sounds, the odds of recovery without this important step, drop to almost 0.

The Ally Kostial matter included a video of her leaving a bar and briefly interacting with one or more seemingly “suspicious” men who happened to be hanging outside. Release of the video sparked interest in these “suspects” and what did they know or do, but the young woman’s demise was due to her boyfriend’s unconscionable wrath, involving facts then unknown.

 

[UnderstandBlue]

Thank you! I should have looked instead of being lazy.

Not lazy! these move fast!

 

[SuzDuJour]

Photo of inside the bar (DailyMail photo)

 

[Deleted member 110058]

Depending on her cellular service, the provider at minimum should have been able to determine the tower that received her text message; this would at least put LE in the vicinity of the phone. This would have obviously been much more useful info the night she disappeared...reports are that all calls to the phone go directly to voicemail, indicating the phone has either completely discharged by this point or been deliberately turned off. Modern cellular protocols keep 'phones idling even when not being used. Just my 2d...

Thank you this post! I'd like to piggyback off of this...and my apologies if this has already been stated.
Since gathering cell phone data is one of the first things LE will do in a case,
they most likely know her approximate location when she sent the text.
They also know the appx. path that she took between the times of 10:45 - 12:15am and possibly later.
Regarding phones going directly to voice mail. Not only can mean that the phone's battery has been fully discharged or that the phone has been turned off - it can also mean that the phone has been destroyed or has been manually turned to Do Not Disturb.
As many other have posted, LE generally knows more than they claim.

 

[liona]

Sigh.

iPhone users listen up!
If you go into your contacts and hit info, there is an option to share your location.

Both just one time or another option to share it with the person indefinitely.

I go out a lot on dates and my closest friends always have my location being shared in real time.

Basically. If you don’t know where you are and you’re able (and have an iPhone), hit that “share your location” option !
If it’s going to another iPhone, the person will not only see it in the text message 0n the map with a few streets labeled, they can also click and google maps will open with directions.

This is so upsetting how on guard people, especially women, have to be in public.

This is great advise. And may I add learn some self defense. Really practice it and don’t be afraid to use force if needed. It saved my life even when I was using and ended up with a dangerous stranger. I broke his leg and effectively stopped the attack.

Dating rituals of the near future:

He: Would you like to go for diner, dancing and a movie?

She: Yes, I'd really like that, but first I need to see your drivers license so I can text a photo of it to my BFF.

P.S - It may not sound romantic, but it might be a smart move.

And this is not a bad idea especially with things like Tinder out there. And you can swipe right to somebody in the same place as you. That is terrifying. Not saying Tinder was involved here but the Internet has changed the way we meet people and most start off as complete strangers. And some with bad intentions unfortunately.

 

[Knox]

Paighton's Mom spoke out this morning on a group find page. My heart hurts for this family, they are scared and devastated but holding out hope.

We have to go on facts and we have some known facts at this time but not much. We have not seen video surveillance yet so we don't have answers other than what detectives have released. This is terribly heartbreaking, frustrating and scary for all of us but our concern is for Paighton. I know my daughter and she is with someone she doesn't know and in danger. She is family oriented and had plans for Saturday with her best friend sister and family. I know she left our home Friday morning for work and was in contact with her family throughout the day. She sent the message to the coworker that she rode with to the Tin Roof that "if I call answer, I don't know these people and I feel in trouble." We want to know every detail and we want Paighton to come home safely to us. When information becomes something we can share we will. We want this to continue to get out there so we can bring her home. Our family appreciates everything that everyone is doing to help share her story. Thank you all for the prayers, love and support. This is a horrible nightmare for us and especially Paighton. Keep sharing her story and BRING PAIGHTON HOME!

 

[borndem]

I'm wondering this, myself. How many cases of missing young women actually turn out to have been trafficking cases? It seems like that's always a thought people have, but it never turns out that way.


I get what you're saying, and I agree with it, but as someone who's been on the other side of this, it can be pretty awful if someone makes a scene in public because she read something in your intent that wasn't there. I'm a very cautious, skeptical person who doesn't open up or make friends easily, I have a tendency to mutter to myself while thinking out loud, even in public, and I'm a big and fairly ugly guy. I make people, especially females, nervous just by existing. I kinda have to adopt an outwardly "nice guy" persona because people tend to take one look at me and automatically assume I'm a bad guy. And there's really nothing I can do about that.


It could mean any of these, or a combination of all of them. Basically, they're big guys.

Thought-provoking post.
People can be cruel or at best un-thinking about how people look, their accent, what they are wearing, etc., rather than just seeing/hearing that person as just a regular human being. Sometimes it's on purpose, and, sadly, sometimes it's not.
We need to be more "human," don't we?
And this:

Welcome to Websleuths,
The Handyman !!​

 

[borndem]

Welcome to Websleuths,
toldav54 !!​

 

[modesty blaise]

Things do not look good the longer this goes on. No pics or surveillance with the two men she left with?

 

[Sheila Terranova]

Oh my gosh, Prayers for Laughton and her family and friends. So hope she's found safe and soon. It's not safe to go anywhere alone anymore

Bars at night can be problematic for attractive young females alone, especially if their judgement is impaired.
A lot of other places are quite safe.

 

[Sheila Terranova]

Bank account has not been used. Do they mean credit card or ATM use? Either one might be a good thing. Since went with the 2 men willingly, I'm not too concerned.

I am.

 

[kathryann]

This happened to my daughter, someone put something in her drink at the bar, she called me and said she has no idea where she was, fortunately a good samaritan picked her up wandering in the parking lot and took her home, she has no ID, and he should have called police but he took care of her until I got there to get her. He had no involvement in the drugging. Thank God for him. We took her to the police department and they told us other girls had been drugged there.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

I don’t really understand why trafficking always comes up as I have yet to see such a case take that turn. But it always does...unfortunately this sounds too much like the sort of outcome whenever women go missing after a night out...jmo. I hope there is a resolution...far too many missing people are just never found.
Jmo

It's just par for the course here. Far more trafficking cases are a result of runaways or adults in relationships with someone who ends up being untrustworthy. Put yourself in the shoes of a trafficker ... there's far more liability and risk involved in abducting someone when the result is going to be LE on high alert as well as numerous mentions in MSM. MOO.

ETA: Not to say that it NEVER happens, but Occam's razor and all that jazz.

 

[Seattle1]

Reward offered for information in the case of missing Alabama mom who left bar with two men | Daily Mail Online

The Trussville resident was last seen leaving the Tin Roof bar on 7th Avenue South at 10.45pm on Friday night, news outlets report, citing Birmingham police.

'Unfortunately, another female is missing in the state of Alabama. The whereabouts of Paighton Laine Houston have been unknown since Friday, December 20,' Ivey said in a statement to WVTM.

[..]

The Birmingham bar took to their Instagram to offer words of support to the woman's family and added that off-duty uniformed police worked onsite at the time she went missing.

'We hope and pray for Paighton's safe return and encourage anyone to reach out with any information,' the bar added in their Christmas Eve Instagram post.

Houston reportedly left willingly with two men, described as heavyset black males, Sgt. Johnny Williams said.

[..]

Houston sent a text to a friend just after midnight Friday that said, "idk who im with so if I call please answer. I feel in trouble,' according to The Trussville Tribune.

Charlaine posted a cry for help on Facebook that said Houston's bank account has gone unused and her phone is going straight to voicemail.

 

[Seattle1]

Paighton Houston Missing: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com

Paighton Laine Houston is a missing Alabama woman who disappeared after leaving a Birmingham bar with two men on Friday, December 20, 2019, police and her family say. Houston is a 29-year-old Trussville native. Her family says Houston sent a concerning text message to a friend before she vanished.

Houston was last seen leaving the Tin Roof bar in the 2700 block of Seventh Avenue South about 10:45 p.m. Friday, according to police. Birmingham Police say that anyone with information about Houston’s whereabouts should call 205-297-8413 or 911. Tips can be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

 

[Seattle1]

I have seen three dates, December 18th, 20th and 21st.

MSN accounts all pretty consistent that PH was last seen Friday night (Dec 20) at Tin Roof bar where she left with two unidentified men around 10:45 pm.

 

[Seattle1]

Paighton’s parents send message to their missing daughter

Paighton Houston, 29, was last seen Friday night leaving Tin Roof, a bar on the Southside of Birmingham. She was there with friends from work, enjoying live music and spending time together. Birmingham Police say she left around 10:45 p.m. with two men. The last text message she sent was to one of the friends she was with saying she thought she could be in trouble, said her mom.

“It’s just devastating for us to go through this time and not know what’s happening to her. Something had to have happened. I don’t know what but someone has to know something,” said Charlaine Houston.

Her husband, Douglas, added, "There are some people out there who knows something and either they're too scared to say or maybe just protecting somebody they know."

Mrs. Houston continued, "And Paighton, if you're where you can hear me please get to somewhere where you can get back home. We need a Christmas miracle. We love you so much."

Douglas Houston described his daughter as someone who “lights up the room,” with an ability to befriend anyone. Her mom said she is fiercely loyal to her family and would never intentionally be out of touch.