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

[michellefultzyahoo.com]

Maybe they have and police just haven't released that information.

If they weren't involved, they probably wouldn't want to be dragged through social media mobs.

I understand not wanting to be in social media mobs, but the police have said they were still looking for her and the 2 men? Why not come forth if you have nothing to hide?

 

[michellefultzyahoo.com]

MOO she was slipped something whether knowing or not , that's when she sent the text once she knew she'd been giving something or maybe took something and regretted it. Either way the last two people leaving with her should come forward , if not they're guilty of something with her disappearance

 

[alsleuther]

Her mother's last Facebook post is from b/f 5am on December 22nd. No activity from her since then? I'm guessing they identified the two men pretty quickly and interviewed them also. I wonder if things are moving slowly due to the holidays?

 

[Ree89]

I understand not wanting to be in social media mobs, but the police have said they were still looking for her and the 2 men? Why not come forth if you have nothing to hide?

This exactly though! As other posters have said this reminds me of savannah spurlock. The police were looking for her for days until they pulled the guy over who ‘just happened to be on his way to hand himself in’. Any normal innocent person would come forth the first they knew about a person being missing, who they had been with said night. It’s been 4 days now surely one of the men would of seen the news/ social media posts/ anything!!! I pray Paighton is ok and reunited with her family ASAP.

 

[Knox]

Her mother's last Facebook post is from b/f 5am on December 22nd. No activity from her since then? I'm guessing they identified the two men pretty quickly and interviewed them also. I wonder if things are moving slowly due to the holidays?

She and Paightons Father have been in the news asking for help, read back and you'll find the most recent from today. APD asked them not to talk about details of the case in public. We have no idea if they have been identified, Dad said the detectives had a lead but it didnt pan out. I'm worried and sad for this family.

 

[Peppery]

Females, especially southern girls, are taught to be polite along with stranger danger. I’ve caught myself doing it with my own daughter.

Don’t talk to strangers, but when the nice man holds the door for you, you say thank you sir. Trust your gut, but don’t make a scene in public. Don’t be rude, respect your elders, speak when you’re spoken to, etc.

Imo, we need to teach our kids, girls and boys, to speak up when something feels wrong. If that man who held the door open gives you the creeps, you are not obligated to chat with him about the weather. When the sweet old lady in the waiting room keeps getting closer and closer to admire your baby, hold them for a second, it’s okay to say no!

I notice it a lot because I wasn’t raised in the south and to see my teen daughter caught between being polite and trusting her gut, it’s scares me. She needs to know she CAN make a scene, it’s okay if she overreacts, it’s better to be wrong than to be harmed. It’s okay to offend someone instead of taking a chance with your safety.

I grew up in a northern city and wouldn’t hesitate to tell someone who was making me uncomfortable to leave me alone or even F-off.

As to how this might relate to Paighton, she may have felt uncomfortable but didn’t want to draw attention to it. Maybe she told herself she was overreacting, maybe she did drink or take drugs (willingly or not) and questioned her judgement. Sending a text to a friend is a subtle way to look for help but not feel foolish if she was wrong. JMO as someone living in the south for 20 years, but raised elsewhere. This is something that really stands out to me.

 

[EllaMae]

Except, on this very thread, on a board where our sole purpose is to sleuth missing persons, a poster said (paraphrased), why bother sleuthing this, adults go off voluntarily with other adults all the time. God forbid anyone in LE has that attitude, this poor woman may never be found.

Websleuths posters are more useful on cold cases than active cases IMHO. Heidi Broussard's case is the perfect example of why.....

And it's insulting to those hardworking men and women of BPD who will probably be working this case during Christmas to insinuate that they don't care.

 

[nrbc4]

I been to this bar a couple of times and while nowhere is safe these days, it’s actually a nice little bar. They have indoor/outdoor sections with plenty of security. As a matter of fact, they wouldn’t let me in to listen to a band a couple months ago because my drivers license has expired by 3 days and I didn’t realize it. I’m 46 yrs old and they still wouldn’t let me in. They are strict and stick to the rules. There were at least 2 off duty police officers there that night.

All young women need to read “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin de Becker and learn to trust their gut instinct. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it!!! You can’t trust a complete stranger no matter how nice they appear. I know she could have been drugged or a host of other things could have happened but so many willing go with strangers. You add alcohol to the mix and sound judgement usually goes right out the door. Praying she is found safe and reunited with her family

 

[azure]

Websleuths posters are more useful on cold cases than active cases IMHO. Heidi Broussard's case is the perfect example of why.....

And it's insulting to those hardworking men and women of BPD who will probably be working this case during Christmas to insinuate that they don't care.

I wasn't trying to insinuate anything, apologies. I am more frustrated that people on this thread seem to be downplaying the danger Paighton is clearly in.

 

[EllaMae]

The thought of Aniah Blanchard enters my mind. LE didn't release the video stills of IY for quite a while. When they did, he was ID'd and the case moved forward quickly.
Is it a mistake for BPD not to release video or stills? If they know who the men are and have made contact, no need. If they have no idea who the men are, then I feel they need to release to the public. As I typed that I realize if they panic at being identified and still have her, it could jeopardize Paighton's safety.

There doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency, which given the text doesn't make sense to me. The Houston family has been told by BPD not to discuss the case with the media or public. I have mixed feelings about that.

Auburn and Montgomery PD knew as soon as they found the car that Aniah had been murdered. That was early in the case. There was no reason to worry about her safety at that point. They knew what had happened. And they knew she left in her car so they had more information from the get-go. They knew the perp pretty early on as well for several reasons.

In this case they didn't even know what kind of car Paighton left in.....much more difficult to pin down her location. They still may not know. It was a very busy night with lots of people and cars in a much bigger city. There's the possibility that she has been taken out of Birmingham. There are many more avenues to go down in this investigation, and it is by necessity taking a lot of time to follow up. Think of how many people were in the bar that they have to find, and interview, during the biggest holiday season of the year. That has to be a nightmare for BPD.

 

[EllaMae]

I wasn't trying to insinuate anything, apologies. I am more frustrated that people on this thread seem to be downplaying the danger Paighton is clearly in.

No problem....

And I agree that she is in extreme danger. I am haunted by that text because she was beginning to understand the danger herself. I just wish she'd had a chance to make that phone call.

 

[azure]

Just an example: my college graduate, young professional friend is visiting extended family in another state. She met a guy on a dating app and has been video chatting him since last night. She just sent me this text, "Going to his apartment and lied to my parents about where I’m going so if you have to tell someone one where to find my dead body " with her location.

I told her to be careful, but there's not much I can do...everyone takes chances when they're young and we all try to mitigate risk by texting our friends about what's going on. 99.99999 repeating percent of the time, everyone ends up okay. The other tiny fraction of the time, the victim isn't to blame, because *everyone* takes risks.

 

[kelsie]

Paighton Houston's family hoping for a Christmas miracle

 

[Knox]

Auburn and Montgomery PD knew as soon as they found the car that Aniah had been murdered. That was early in the case. There was no reason to worry about her safety at that point. They knew what had happened. And they knew she left in her car so they had more information from the get-go. They knew the perp pretty early on as well for several reasons.

In this case they didn't even know what kind of car Paighton left in.....much more difficult to pin down her location. They still may not know. It was a very busy night with lots of people and cars in a much bigger city. There's the possibility that she has been taken out of Birmingham. There are many more avenues to go down in this investigation, and it is by necessity taking a lot of time to follow up. Think of how many people were in the bar that they have to find, and interview, during the biggest holiday season of the year. That has to be a nightmare for BPD.

You completely missed my point. I obviously don't know what information BPD has, but that doesn't keep me from wondering why they haven't released video/stills to the public. We also don't know if they have a vehicle description, just no plate number.

Paighton’s parents send message to their missing daughter
By Morgan Hightower | December 24, 2019 at 5:43 PM CST - Updated December 24 at 7:04 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - All around her family’s home in Trussville, there are signs Paighton Houston should be there. Gifts with her name on the tag are under the Christmas Tree and her stocking hangs on the mantle.

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.

"She is very close with her family, she calls, she would never do this," said Charlaine Houston. Douglas added,"If she doesn't get [Charlaine] on the phone, she turns around and calls me."

No calls, no texts, no communication for days lead her family to believe something is not right but Paighton's parents remain prayerful and faithful.

"It's in God's hands. I mean we know He's the power and He's the strength of all of us," said Douglas Houston.

"We want to thank everyone for their prayers because God is our strength. God knows where my daughter is and I know angels are going to have to protect her to get her home," said Charlaine Houston.

She added, "I have got to get my daughter back."
Paighton’s parents send message to their missing daughter

 

[Knox]

I wasn't trying to insinuate anything, apologies. I am more frustrated that people on this thread seem to be downplaying the danger Paighton is clearly in.

I didn't think you insinuated anything other than concern. No need to apologize

 

[EllaMae]

You completely missed my point. I obviously don't know what information BPD has, but that doesn't keep me from wondering why they haven't released video/stills to the public. We also don't know if they have a vehicle description, just no plate number.


With all due respect....I didn't miss yours at all....you completely missed mine. You compared LE's decisions in Aniah's case to this one but they really are not similar in the details. And that's important to note.

Sadly this case is a lot more complicated.

 

[Knox]

Scrolling on by ...

My thoughts are with the Houston family today. Hoping for some good news!

 

[Jo in Calif]

Houston’s family says she left the location Friday, Dec. 20th around 10:45 p.m. They say she’s a loving person who always kept in touch.

Houston’s father, Doug Houston says the family is getting updates from detectives.

“The detective on the case said he followed some leads and it didn’t turn out to be anything,” says Doug Houston.

Police say Houston did not leave the bar alone and that surveillance video appears to show her leaving with two heavy set men. Authorities say that it appears she left willingly.

Our requests for the video and pictures was denied.
A BPD representative said the footage is currently being reviewed by investigators.

No further detailed description of the two men seen leaving the bar with Houston was available.

Two videos at link.

Police still searching for missing woman from Trussville

 

[kelsie]

Forgive me if this has already been posted, but I hadn't seen this one before.

 

[Southern_Girl]

Females, especially southern girls, are taught to be polite along with stranger danger. I’ve caught myself doing it with my own daughter.

Don’t talk to strangers, but when the nice man holds the door for you, you say thank you sir. Trust your gut, but don’t make a scene in public. Don’t be rude, respect your elders, speak when you’re spoken to, etc.

Imo, we need to teach our kids, girls and boys, to speak up when something feels wrong. If that man who held the door open gives you the creeps, you are not obligated to chat with him about the weather. When the sweet old lady in the waiting room keeps getting closer and closer to admire your baby, hold them for a second, it’s okay to say no!

I notice it a lot because I wasn’t raised in the south and to see my teen daughter caught between being polite and trusting her gut, it’s scares me. She needs to know she CAN make a scene, it’s okay if she overreacts, it’s better to be wrong than to be harmed. It’s okay to offend someone instead of taking a chance with your safety.

I grew up in a northern city and wouldn’t hesitate to tell someone who was making me uncomfortable to leave me alone or even F-off.

As to how this might relate to Paighton, she may have felt uncomfortable but didn’t want to draw attention to it. Maybe she told herself she was overreacting, maybe she did drink or take drugs (willingly or not) and questioned her judgement. Sending a text to a friend is a subtle way to look for help but not feel foolish if she was wrong. JMO as someone living in the south for 20 years, but raised elsewhere. This is something that really stands out to me.

I was raised as a southern girl (& have the username to prove it) & this is 100% accurate. This was a very confusing way to grow up & especially confusing when I got to college & didn’t have someone beside me, telling me to “just smile & look pretty” in all kinds of situations.

Just yesterday, my mom was talking about how rude it was to decline an invitation to an event I didn’t want to attend with the person who invited me. I didn’t think much of it, or consider how often I still hear this type of thing from my mother, until reading this.

In one of the articles posted here, PH’s dad says that she has the ability to befriend anyone. I used to be this way & I’m still too nice to people sometimes. This has rarely resulted in a positive outcome, regardless of the other party or situation involved. I’m still here at 36 years old though & I've learned a lot of valuable lessons. WS helps drive those lessons home too!