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

[Seattle1]

This is interesting. In my mind I'm going back to the fact she was at the bar with friends. We assume all these people have been talked to by the police. Which leads me to think that they knew she didnt know them. I cant believe she saw the men and then at that instant left with them. Usually at a bar in a group setting, there would have been interaction. The others from the group you'd think wouldve witnessed the presence of these men. They didnt appear out of thin air. Which brings us back to the "disagreement" that insued.

While nobody wants this missing person case to cross the line over to suspected foul play and/or evidence of a criminal act, I'm afraid we will be stuck in a holding pattern with information limited to a missing person investigation that's not proving very helpful thus far in locating PH.

I'm outlining previously linked MSM below and my question in italics.

Please take note anything else being cited is probably coming from social media/FB which cannot be verified and therefore rumor/speculation and not allowed to be discussed here.

Seeking any answers by MSM that I may have missed. Please don't respond to my post with information from social media.

From MSM reports, we know that PH left her car at a friends home, and went to the Tin Roof bar with friends from work -- number in her party is unknown.

I'd really like to know what time PH and her friends arrived at the bar.

The live music allegedly started around 10:30 pm, and PH was seen leaving the bar willingly around 10:45 pm with two men.

How long had PH been at the bar when she left? Was she intoxicated when she left the bar? Did any of her friends see her leave? Where did they think she was going? Smoke break?

Some media report the men PH left with were strangers but no idea whether this info came from LE or if they were just assumed to be strangers.

PH sent a SOS text to a friend that she went to the bar with around 12:15 AM.

Was PH still with the two men when she texted her friend or was she with completely different people? Assuming the men were strangers, why would PH leave with them?

Other than putting her friend on notice about a possible future phone call, there are no reports that PH phoned her friend for help.

We don't know what time anybody attempted to phone PH but that it calls went straight to voicemail.

We also know that there's been no activity with her bank account but don't know if she had any money with her when she disappeared.

LinkedIn provides PH was currently employed at a very established family trucking company. Was she subject to random employee drug testing at her job?

Where did PH live -- did she live with on her own or with friends or family? Was she in a relationship?

Had PH ever disappeared before without contact and under what circumstances?

 

[Deleted member 110058]

Paighton was diligent about telling her mother where and when she was going, Charlaine said. "She called when she got to work. She called when she went on break and then when she was leaving," she said. "Whoever is holding her, I am begging you to let her go."
The Chilling Last Text This Alabama Woman Sent Before Disappearing Over a Week Ago

I hate to sound callous, but what 29yr old stays in that close contact with their family?
Heck, I come from a very tight knit Southern family, but contacting family about your exact comings and goings seems rather odd to me.

 

[Seattle1]

The friend she sent a text to. The reason why they split up it was said there was a disagreement between her and said friend. Will try to find the post.

Please note if you cannot link this information to MSM then it's considered rumor and cannot be discussed on this thread.

 

[WildcatRunner]

I hate to sound callous, but what 29yr old stays in that close contact with their family?
Heck, I come from a very tight knit Southern family, but contacting family about your exact comings and goings seems rather odd to me.

Did she live with her family? It does seem like a bit of overkill on the amount of contact, but maybe it is part of her recovery from addiction. Constant check ins to keep your mind from going another way? But that seems at odds with the willingness to go to a bar.

 

[Sheila Terranova]

This is what doesn’t make sense IMO. She had to have known them or been coerced into leaving with something she couldn’t refuse. Of course, they could have just had game & she was drunk and went... MOO

I was hustled out of a bar once by two guys when I was young and smashed. The cute guy said, “c’mon we have to go now, “ and I went. I was out of it enough to be very confused and complied...didn't turn out well for me. She could have gone thinking they were taking her to a fun party, another bar, or just offering her a ride home. Then when things became scary, texted for help (too late sadly) from the ride/friend she came with. I remember calling my ex husband for a ride home ( didn’t reply)before I got hustled out. This scenario seems, to me, quite plausible in this case.

 

[Seattle1]

Thank you! I think bestill all ready guided the post to them. So sorry, I will get my feet under me as I progress. Websleuths deals with such sensitive cases, and the last thing I want to do is put my cyber foot in my mouth. LOL

Welcome back @Gardenkeep and looking forward to your contribution to this case. Please be reminded that WS if a facts-based forum and only information reported in MSM can be posted here as it can be verified.

Information from social media including FB groups is not allowed. Hope this will help guide you what to add to the thread.

 

[WildcatRunner]

The Chilling Last Text This Alabama Woman Sent Before Disappearing Over a Week Ago
From the linked article: Her anxious mother says Paighton doesn't exaggerate. "If she said she is trouble, she's in trouble," her mom said. Charlaine Houston also said her daughter must have met the men before. "I just know her and she would not leave with someone she did not know."

So again, with my earlier question, why is the media calling the men strangers? Obviously that info didn't come from the family, and unless the police or media know Paighton personally, they wouldn't know who is or isn't a stranger to her.

 

[Seattle1]

Did she live with her family? It does seem like a bit of overkill on the amount of contact, but maybe it is part of her recovery from addiction. Constant check ins to keep your mind from going another way? But that seems at odds with the willingness to go to a bar.

I also have the same question about where PH lived. It was reported by PH's dad that she went out with work friends to hear live music.

It seems reasonable that she would attend this gathering especially if it was a possible 'holiday group outing' given the Friday, Dec 20, 2019 date.

(I also believe her heroin recovery was likely known to her employer and workmates).

MOO

 

[MassGuy]

While nobody wants this missing person case to cross the line over to suspected foul play and/or evidence of a criminal act, I'm afraid we will be stuck in a holding pattern with information limited to a missing person investigation that's not proving very helpful thus far in locating PH.

I'm outlining previously linked MSM below and my question in italics.

Please take note anything else being cited is probably coming from social media/FB which cannot be verified and therefore rumor/speculation and not allowed to be discussed here.

Seeking any answers by MSM that I may have missed. Please don't respond to my post with information from social media.

From MSM reports, we know that PH left her car at a friends home, and went to the Tin Roof bar with friends from work -- number in her party is unknown.

I'd really like to know what time PH and her friends arrived at the bar.

The live music allegedly started around 10:30 pm, and PH was seen leaving the bar willingly around 10:45 pm with two men.

How long had PH been at the bar when she left? Was she intoxicated when she left the bar? Did any of her friends see her leave? Where did they think she was going? Smoke break?

Some media report the men PH left with were strangers but no idea whether this info came from LE or if they are just assumed to be strangers.

PH sent a SOS text to a friend that she went to the bar with around 12:15 AM.

Was PH still with the two men when she texted her friend or was she with completely different people? Assuming the men were strangers, why would PH leave with them?

Other than putting her friend on notice about a possible future phone call, there are no reports that PH phoned her friend for help.

We don't know what time anybody attempted to phone PH but that it calls went straight to voicemail.

We also know that there's been no activity with her bank account but don't know if she had any money with her when she disappeared.

LinkedIn provides PH was currently employed at a very established family trucking company. Was she subject to random employee drug testing at her job?

Where did PH live -- did she live with on her own or with friends or family? Was she in a relationship?

Had PH ever disappeared before without contact and under what circumstances?

Damn good questions, and at this point, I’d settle for knowing the answer to any one of them.

 

[bestill]

Has this been posted? Whoa!
Screaming, bloodied woman rescued from van with cage & chains after kidnapping suspect beats her with tire iron

 

[perfectingpink]

It appears there was a 72 yo who disappeared from the 3000 block of this same road (story says the remains were found in the 9000 block) a few weeks ago. I'm guessing it's more than likely this guy.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office searching for missing 72-year-old man

I think you may be right.

Body of missing 72-year-old east Alabama man found in well; suspect charged

 

[Gardenkeep]

And that is my concern for Paighton. I know that this is an awful theory to consider, but what if she was lured out with some sort of ruse or possible verbal intimidation by the two males? What if they were "customers" from her place of work, so she did recognize them? What about the possibility that Paighton is a victim of trafficking? Birmingham has had a big problem with this. The bar that Paighton was at that night is 5 minutes from I-20, known as the super highway of human trafficking. The wording used by the LE, by her family, the delay between leaving and the message texted, the wording of the message. Not releasing stills of the two men; for me, these are red flags.

 

[bestill]

And that is my concern for Paighton. I know that this is an awful theory to consider, but what if she was lured out with some sort of ruse or possible verbal intimidation by the two males? What if they were "customers" from her place of work, so she did recognize them? What about the possibility that Paighton is a victim of trafficking? Birmingham has had a big problem with this. The bar that Paighton was at that night is 5 minutes from I-20, known as the super highway of human trafficking. The wording used by the LE, by her family, the delay between leaving and the message texted, the wording of the message. Not releasing stills of the two men; for me, these are red flags.

I did notice that B'ham is very easily accessed from several interstates. I've never been there.

 

[Spanky25]

I’ve followed this story on FB for days now. I’ve also found on this forum just recently, that she’s a recovering heroine addicted (Promo add of her recovery) That changes my opinion in someway. I NOW think the two black guys are cleared. Hence the reason a video wasn’t released or their pictures. Probably just two guys leaving the same time as she was. Now, the possibility that she had a relapse. With who, what, where is the question.
I hope she if found safe regardless of the cause.

 

[Bally_Bally_Be]

And that is my concern for Paighton. I know that this is an awful theory to consider, but what if she was lured out with some sort of ruse or possible verbal intimidation by the two males? What if they were "customers" from her place of work, so she did recognize them? What about the possibility that Paighton is a victim of trafficking? Birmingham has had a big problem with this. The bar that Paighton was at that night is 5 minutes from I-20, known as the super highway of human trafficking. The wording used by the LE, by her family, the delay between leaving and the message texted, the wording of the message. Not releasing stills of the two men; for me, these are red flags.

Gardenkeep, I agree and have also brought the trafficking possibility up twice here in this forum.

 

[Bally_Bally_Be]

One thing I have noticed and might be worth discussing. Despite the lack of information given by police, what about the media and reporters? Kind of surprised that they havent hounded any patrons/workers or her friends who attended the bar that evening for interview. Not the usual way of media personal.

 

[Seattle1]

And that is my concern for Paighton. I know that this is an awful theory to consider, but what if she was lured out with some sort of ruse or possible verbal intimidation by the two males? What if they were "customers" from her place of work, so she did recognize them? What about the possibility that Paighton is a victim of trafficking? Birmingham has had a big problem with this. The bar that Paighton was at that night is 5 minutes from I-20, known as the super highway of human trafficking. The wording used by the LE, by her family, the delay between leaving and the message texted, the wording of the message. Not releasing stills of the two men; for me, these are red flags.

Had PH gone to the bar alone, I think it plausible she might have been lured outside. However, based on the background of the outing, I don't think it fits that PH would be subject to verbal intimidation-- or trafficking for that matter.

According to her family -- PH can take care of herself which I take to mean she's no wallflower. At age 29, I think it's safe to say PH has lived more than most given some of her hardcore life choices.

PH allegedly arrived at the bar with a group of friends from work. The same way she knew to send out a text that she may be calling for backup, I think she would have walked over to her friends if she felt she was being intimidated. To my knowledge -- there's no evidence that her friends had all left the bar by 10:45 pm.

Unless the two men are POI in suspected foul play, it would be highly inappropriate to release still photos of the men. This is a national news story about a missing person and the consequences of placing two innocent men on blast could be something they'd never recover from -- and also actionable.

MOO

Why Police and the FBI Should Be Wary to Use the "Person of Interest" Designation | FindLaw

 

[Gardenkeep]

I’ve followed this story on FB for days now. I’ve also found on this forum just recently, that she’s a recovering heroine addicted (Promo add of her recovery) That changes my opinion in someway. I NOW think the two black guys are cleared. Hence the reason a video wasn’t released or their pictures. Probably just two guys leaving the same time as she was. Now, the possibility that she had a relapse. With who, what, where is the question.
I hope she if found safe regardless of the cause.

I just discovered this too. Here is the thing about that. If Paighton used after being recovered for any length of time, she is in real danger of an overdose. I say this based on 30 yrs in an ER. I truly pray this is not the case. So, if she has relapsed, she needs to score a hit. She needs money. More than she likely had on her. Yet, there hasn't been any activity. I know, that is a thin thread, but I'm keeping my grip on it.

 

[Bally_Bally_Be]

One thing I have noticed and might be worth discussing. Despite the lack of information given by police, what about the media and reporters? Kind of surprised that they havent hounded any patrons/workers or her friends who attended the bar that evening for interview. Not the usual way of media personal.

 

[MassGuy]

And that is my concern for Paighton. I know that this is an awful theory to consider, but what if she was lured out with some sort of ruse or possible verbal intimidation by the two males? What if they were "customers" from her place of work, so she did recognize them? What about the possibility that Paighton is a victim of trafficking? Birmingham has had a big problem with this. The bar that Paighton was at that night is 5 minutes from I-20, known as the super highway of human trafficking. The wording used by the LE, by her family, the delay between leaving and the message texted, the wording of the message. Not releasing stills of the two men; for me, these are red flags.

People aren’t kidnapped and forced into sex trafficking though (with any regularity), despite viral Facebook posts to the contrary.

Victims tend to live high risk lifestyles, and are subject to psychological manipulation (as opposed to force).

Myth: Human traffickers kidnap their victims

Reality: Traffickers in the U.S. usually lure victims into sex and labor trafficking situations through less dramatic, but just as insidious, means.

Traffickers are too smart to try to snatch unwitting victims from grocery store parking lots and city parks, authorities say, despite urban legends that continue to circulate on social media. Though there are some cases of kidnapping in human trafficking operations, they are relatively rare. Some victims are coerced or forced into trafficking through familial or romantic relationships, like Claira. Tuscaloosa Police Department Lt. Darren Beams said he's encountered victims who were promised money for college from a part-time job, only to become trapped in a trafficking ring. Victims most at risk — those without familial or community resources to turn to, or those fearful of authorities — include LGBT.

Do traffickers kidnap their victims? The myths and realities of human trafficking