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

[Sheila Terranova]

Bottom line, no matter how old you are you don’t go to bars alone, in this day and age! My Daughter is 33, she is very happily married with 2 young sons, 2 1\2 and 6 months. I totally understand her need to get away. Even though she calls and says she’s going out. I ask about how many people. If she says 3, she’s good too go.( not that I could stop her) If Not, I pester the hell out of her to find more people. I finally told her why ( her and her husband think my Websleuths rule is ridiculous. ) I pray that is always true. In her defense, she was the one who always remembers to put lids on our drinks.

I agree with you about young women not drinking in bars without a support system for safety.
But she was there with friends.
So often that is the case. They go out with friends, and either have a falling out, decide to stay alone after their pals depart , or take off with “new friends” or friend, and are never seen alive again.

 

[UnderTheSouthernCross]

I hope I am understanding your comment....my apologies if I am not.
In the State of Alabama, Dram Shop Laws apply when a third party is injured vs if PH was injured. PH would have to injure someone - who would then sue the Tin Roof.
"Dram shop and social liability laws do not allow a person who is injured through their own intoxication to seek damages from the vendor or host who provided the alcohol"
Also, in this situation, the restaurant could not prevent LE from releasing video because a claim against the Tin Roof would first need to be filed.

I am no attorney, but I believe if the Tin Roof itself provided the surveillance video, it's still their property. I am unsure if LE is free to unilaterally release it to the general public in that case. Something to look into.

 

[Elainera]

If those two heavy set guys were bouncers wouldn't this have come out already on sm via people who were present?

 

[alsleuther]

If those two heavy set guys were bouncers wouldn't this have come out already on sm via people who were present?

I've been following all the social media and have yet to hear anyone post about being there that evening and seeing or not seeing the men. One of Paighton's family members did say that during their LE interviews they are asking people not to release details. Either way, if the heavyset men were bouncers or just patrons, it's very surprising that noone saw them? Except the coworker from across the bar?

 

[ChuckInHouston]

In investigations that I have followed, the most common reason for NOT releasing video is for the safety of the victim.

Agree

 

[ChuckInHouston]

If those two heavy set guys were bouncers wouldn't this have come out already on sm via people who were present?

Most likely

 

[Deleted member 110058]

I am no attorney, but I believe if the Tin Roof itself provided the surveillance video, it's still their property. I am unsure if LE is free to unilaterally release it to the general public in that case. Something to look into.[/QUO

Surveillance laws vary from state to state and are ridiculously specific.
Bottom line is if LE needs video, they find a way to get it. A judge will always lean in LE's favor if necessary to protect someone from harm.

 

[ChuckInHouston]

I have also been wondering why no one from the bar that night has talked. Surely with a full house someone saw something. Rather LE asked them to stay quiet or not, in the FB age, lips are loooose! People like to talk even if it’s embellished, or not true at all, so I’m not sure if it would be a value add if they did. Regardless, behind the scene LE is working tirelessly to find her I’m sure.

 

[UnderTheSouthernCross]

“Idk who im with so if I call please answer. I feel in trouble.”

I notice while saying she does not know WHO she is WITH, she does not state she does not know WHERE she is. Puzzling to me because I would be far more worried if I did not recognise my surroundings. We pass by strangers every day but far less often do we end up in *places* unfamiliar to us. She also says "if" she calls -- leaving open the possibility that she feels she may not need to. Still, she senses trouble. I am wondering the WHERE here. Is she in another bar? Somewhere in public where she does not sense immediate danger, but possible trouble ahead? A lot of attention is focused on the Tin Roof, where so far nothing can be said to have happened, and not as much on this text, or where it was sent from. But it may actually be the key. My 2d...

 

[ardean]

BBM- Sounds like LE does have video and has an idea who she left with. Otherwise, I do think any video would be released like in the Cupcake case early on. My heart breaks for her and her family.

I can't imagine this is not a Savannah Spurlock type situation. They need to put the pressure on these guys and not drop the ball like they did in Kentucky. Check the obvious places. Again, like all potential bad endings, I hope I am wrong.

 

[ardean]

She may have left to do something like smoke weed with the guys (MOO), which is a super common reason for young adults to leave bars with people they don't know. I wish Paighton had an app such as Noonlight, that would've been spectacularly useful in this situation, but she didn't know what to do and didn't feel like the situation was bad enough to call the cops at that time so she let a trusted friend know she didn't feel safe. I wish she would've had the wherewithal to share her current GPS location with that friend as well. I hope she is found quickly. We're almost at 4 days in with no news, and I'm scared for her.

I don't frequent bars but the handful of time I have I can't help but notice some of the common activities, especially in cities and where smoking is not allowed. There always is a crowd working to smoke a cigarette and this is the opportunity for people to relate and talk. Everyone bums cigarettes or a lighter, I have been offered puff of people's vapes I don't know. This is a horrible idea and I participated once. Then I thought about how anything could be in that (over 5 years ago). If I imagined she was in this situation, she may have went to the restroom to freshen up or whatever and that could have been her opportunity to make the text. She may have already been drugged and was able to realize or she committed to something on the edge and was afraid to back out. Those guys are the key in my opinion and though she could be held somewhere they probably treated her bad and dumped her somewhere. I would say the type that would do that would have a history of abusing women or are sociopath(s).

 

[Stunned]

I can't imagine this is not a Savannah Spurlock type situation. They need to put the pressure on these guys and not drop the ball like they did in Kentucky. Check the obvious places. Again, like all potential bad endings, I hope I am wrong.

That was first thought also!

 

[ardean]

Here I go again searching for things that put me on a "list". I found oral ketamine lasts about 90 minutes. If these guys used that in her it would have taken 5-20 mins to affect her. If this is correct she would have had it wear off just after midnight if dosed around 10:20-10-30 which works out. If she came to in an odd place with 2 guys she doesn't know, she would probably send a text like that.

Scopolamine takes a lot longer to wear off. Rohypnol takes a long time also but has a paralyzing effect so she wouldn't have walked out.

Bartenders and waitresses would likely know what is going on or notice odd acts. This is all speculation and my opinion.

Here's the source on Ketamine.

Ketamine | Special K | Dorothy | Drugs and Me

 

[CuriousBystander]

Are there any bodies of water nearby? That’s always a possibility and likely outcome when someone goes missing during a night out.

Plenty - lakes, creeks, water treatment facilities, ponds, pools, and a river. No shortage of water for sure.

 

[CuriousBystander]

Wouldn’t someone have cleared the two black guys by now if they were bouncers and told us so? No point in everyone being on guard looking for two big black guys with a missing white girl if the guys were just bouncers. I’d hate to be those two guys and be falsely implicated simply because they were escorting her out in their capacity as a bouncer.

 

[EllaMae]

I suspect the reason police are not releasing the video is there is no point. Tin Roof at the very beginning said there were off-duty police at the club. It is possible that the two African-American men were either security, bouncers or off duty police and escorted her out the door. Her ATM card was found on the floor near the bar and it was reported she had a disagreement/argument with her friend/co-worker. Sorry, these may have been reported on FB and not allowed. In any case. if Paighton was disruptive she may have been escorted out the door and the two men would have just turned around and come back in. If this is the case, she may have been wandering outside and been picked up by anyone who promised her a ride. We actually may never know where she went or what happened to her. IMHO!

If that had happened.....then that would've been reported from the beginning. The Tin Roof would be in no trouble for asking an unruly patron to leave. They have that right. All over America people are escorted out of bars on any given weekend. That is not what happened here according to all reports. These 2 men were not "bouncers" or "security" for that bar IMHO. They were also bar patrons or were in the Tin Roof hanging out for whatever reason.
Paighton rode to the bar with a friend, they had an argument and she possibly thought she needed a ride back to her car. She left with the two guys. If they were security employees then their identities would not be a mystery.

BPD has a very good reason not to release bar video AT THIS POINT. We have no idea what they know.

 

[LadyL]

My heart is heavy as I know so many of my family are for our cousin. I know I have posted the past two days about my first cousin’s daughter’s disappearance since Friday PM. This is their family. I wanted you to see how family oriented she is. All these pictures are from her page. This family will face Christmas Eve tomorrow without knowing what has happened to their daughter, sister, and aunt. The local news is sharing daily asking for any leads but it can’t portray who she is nor the unanswered questions as to the time of events and last text received We all make mistakes and get ourselves into situations that we regret but she did text her best friend that she was in trouble. She is missing and we are praying they can find what happened to her. I want to thank the many friends who have shared the news post to get others to pray, the comments and words of encouragement and faith. Her family is trying not to give up and to have Hope. It has been overwhelming to hear from you and know you are hurting for us & with us. I thank you for caring. Paighton loves her family and would never willingly hurt them in any way by not contacting them with her sister flying home and brother and family driving up. Please keep praying for her and this loving sweet family of mine.

Elizabeth White

I'm confused Knox! Is this your family? Why the link to the reporter?

According to Paighton's brother, she wrote in the text sent to her friend that she did not know them

“At about 12:14 p.m. that night, she sent a text to one of the friends she was at the bar with, stating that she didn’t know who she was with, and that she felt like she was in trouble,” Evan Houston said.

Paighton Houston: Alabama woman who texted she ‘felt in trouble’ is still missing after leaving with two strangers

I assume the writer meant 12:14 a.m.

 

[Elainera]

I'm confused Knox! Is this your family? Why the link to the reporter?

Elizabeth White (the reporter) shared this post on her page on Dec 24.

 

[EllaMae]

Here I go again searching for things that put me on a "list". I found oral ketamine lasts about 90 minutes. If these guys used that in her it would have taken 5-20 mins to affect her. If this is correct she would have had it wear off just after midnight if dosed around 10:20-10-30 which works out. If she came to in an odd place with 2 guys she doesn't know, she would probably send a text like that.

Scopolamine takes a lot longer to wear off. Rohypnol takes a long time also but has a paralyzing effect so she wouldn't have walked out.

Bartenders and waitresses would likely know what is going on or notice odd acts. This is all speculation and my opinion.

Here's the source on Ketamine.

Ketamine | Special K | Dorothy | Drugs and Me

That's interesting information regarding ketamine.

Being drugged in a bar has to be a terrifying experience.

 

[alsleuther]

If that had happened.....then that would've been reported from the beginning. The Tin Roof would be in no trouble for asking an unruly patron to leave. They have that right. All over America people are escorted out of bars on any given weekend. That is not what happened here according to all reports. These 2 men were not "bouncers" or "security" for that bar IMHO. They were also bar patrons or were in the Tin Roof hanging out for whatever reason.
Paighton rode to the bar with a friend, they had an argument and she possibly thought she needed a ride back to her car. She left with the two guys. If they were security employees then their identities would not be a mystery.

BPD has a very good reason not to release bar video AT THIS POINT. We have no idea what they know.

If they were bouncers escorting her out, I think there could be a lot of reasons Tin Roof wouldn't want that footage released. What if they dragged her across the dance floor? What if they laughed after they pushed her out the door? I'm sure the guidelines for removing an unruly patron from a bar are quite subjective, and Tin Roof certainly wouldn't want that type of negative press or a lawsuit.

I can't decide if I think the two mystery men were security or patrons. But it is very perplexing that noone has stepped forward (besides the friend) and claimed to see two heavyset AA men in the bar that night....