WV WV - Leah Hickman, 21, Huntington, 14 Dec 2007 - #1

[rebelmom]

Did you guys see the WSAZ news tonight? They reported no leads and no suspects. They are having to start at square one. By the comments given by the policeman interviewed, it really seems as they're stumped . He seemed genuine and concerned. They are interviewing anyone who has ever been to the apartment, even pizza delivery personel.:waitasec: Makes me wonder why they are saying this if Jess BF is being looked at as a person of interest (not been stated just discussed here). I just think if they were looking at him or Jessica, that they would be saying "no comment at this time, still interviewing, collecting infor"...something like that.

I love these smilies!!!!!

 

[concernedperson]

Did you guys see the WSAZ news tonight? They reported no leads and no suspects. They are having to start at square one. By the comments given by the policeman interviewed, it really seems as they're stumped . He seemed genuine and concerned. They are interviewing anyone who has ever been to the apartment, even pizza delivery personel.:waitasec: Makes me wonder why they are saying this if Jess BF is being looked at as a person of interest (not been stated just discussed here). I just think if they were looking at him or Jessica, that they would be saying "no comment at this time, still interviewing, collecting infor"...something like that.

I love these smilies!!!!!

I would think the autopsy would yield some results. Certainly as to cause of death but more importantly fiber evidence, fingerprints or lack there of, other DNA not the victims etc.

Could the local LE get assistance from the State as far as investigations? They may not be as well equipped to handle a murder investigation.

 

[SuziQ]

It seems more and more that LE doesn't name a suspect or POI even if they have one, then about six or eight weeks go by, DNA results come back and then there is an arrest. It's too bad the neighbors have to assume that there is a nutjob running lose until an arrest happens. I would have to bet LE has someone in mind.

 

[rebelmom]

I think that they would have lots of forensic info to send to a lab. Yes state and FBI are helping local LE. I hope you are right SuziQ!

 

[wv_mom]

Seems like there would be lots of forensic info, agreed. But wouldn't it be hard to sort out the things that could be there for a legitimate reason, given the traffic through the apartment building?

If you take the position that the assailant had been there before and was familiar with the building, then evidence of contact between that person and the premises might be too easy to explain (just visited last week . . . came by to pick up flyers to distribute . . .)

Seems like the only forensic evidence that would be meaningful would be from the victim or the things associated with her death or concealment. Fingerprints on a crawlspace door, if there is one . . . or skin fragments under her nails.

Lots of people here seem knowledgeable on these topics (nice to meet you . . . and thank you for letting me join your conversation!). How long does it take to get dna evidence analyzed? What about things like stomach contents? I know that toxicology screens can be done on live patients with a pretty quick turnaround . . . does delay after death complicate that?

I can imagine all sorts of evidence I would like to know more about (but I suspect if there was a clear fingerprint, we'd have heard something by now).

Do they still do some kind of test with something like crazy glue vapors, or is that ancient history?

I guess what I want to know, since I've sort of run out of timeline on the crime, is for the timeline to process evidence. Will you folks educate me?

 

[concernedperson]

Not a lot of traffic through the building.Two tenants one out of town. This narrows it down considerably.

 

[wv_mom]

I was thinking of after Leah was reported as missing. Were the search efforts centered at the apartment? I read somewhere that Leah's mother stayed at the apartment that week, so I guess I was just picturing it as the place that people would stop by, check in, maybe pick up flyers or compare notes?

 

[christine2448]

Not a lot of traffic through the building.Two tenants one out of town. This narrows it down considerably.

I tend to agree. And how much traffic could possibly have been in the crawl space since Leah's body was place there? I am praying for tons of evidence.

I also agree with (forgive me, I can't remember who said it) that maybe higher level LE needs to be brought in, they may not be equipped for this. As angry as I am that EVERYONE that searched missed her being there, right there, in the building, for so many days...I know in my heart that no one meant to not find her...everyone that looked for her had every good intention. My anger is really misplaced, it should be focused on the that caused everyone to be in the damn situation!

 

[rebelmom]

Nice to have you WV mom. I don't know the answers to all of your questions but I think that it would take two-four weeks to get everything in from forensics. Depending on how backed up they are. Hopefully, if it was sent somewhere here in WV they shouldn't be too backed up. I bet the holidays will slow it down some. I would think that there would be several pieces of evidence in and around the crawl space. This evidence should be limited to Leah, the police and perp, I would think.

 

[wv_mom]

Thanks, rebelmom. I guess a week has passed since the body was discovered. Hope they have some news soon.

I think the FBI joined the investigation just before the body was discovered (according to the timeline on WSAZ website). Do you think that will be enough to support the higher level investigation? Wonder if that has any impact on time involved in processing evidence?

 

[christine2448]

Thanks, rebelmom. I guess a week has passed since the body was discovered. Hope they have some news soon.

I think the FBI joined the investigation just before the body was discovered (according to the timeline on WSAZ website). Do you think that will be enough to support the higher level investigation? Wonder if that has any impact on time involved in processing evidence?

Welcome to WS. Tragic to have to 'meet' this way.

 

[SuziQ]

I was thinking of after Leah was reported as missing. Were the search efforts centered at the apartment? I read somewhere that Leah's mother stayed at the apartment that week, so I guess I was just picturing it as the place that people would stop by, check in, maybe pick up flyers or compare notes?

You may be correct about the apartment. The building wasn't sealed off that I can recall until after Leah's body was found. In fact her car sat outside all week. Hopefully no one went down into the laundry area and the evidence wasn't ruined.

 

[Taximom]

Welcome, wv mom!

I remember watching a true crime show where I first learned of LE using superglue vapors to get fingerprints off of plastic bags and sheets, etc. What a wonderful discovery that was!

I hope there is plenty of forensic evidence w/Leah's case. If the killer is a friend that lived or visited at the apartment for any time, it might be more difficult to prove.

I hope and pray they have the right people on the case. People that know what they are doing and aren't in over their heads.

 

[twistedLPN]

Hi, I'm a newbie, and have been reading through the posts for the last few days.

I was curious about something and didn't know if I had missed it in the posts. I work with a lady whose hubby is a pastor and close friends with the family. They took food over to Leah's apt. when her mother and sister were there waiting to hear something from her. She made the comment that after they found her in the crawlspace it gave her chills to know that she had stood on the porch and she was under it in that crawlspace the whole time. Did anyone else ever hear that the crawlspace was UNDER the porch? I don't know if she was misinformed or if she had heard something different where she was close to the family, she also mentioned that Leah wasn't only wrapped in plastic but that it was held down with bricks?!? Like I said I'm unsure of the roots of this info, just wanted to see what you guys thought and if you had heard anything similar.

This is really a nice site, not just this thread but others included. Its a shame to have to have sites like this, but great that people pull together at times like this.

 

[wv_mom]

Hi, twistedLPN,
I'm new, too.

If you go to the WSAZ coverage:
http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/12576086.html#

And click on this story down near the bottom of the list:
Dec. 26: Hickman Funeral Scheduled, Investigation Continues

you should get the description of location of the crawl space. I know that some older homes in Huntington have full basements under the living quarters, with crawl spaces that are like shallower, unfinished basement space extending under front &/or back porches. It sounds as if some sort of cabinet or locker may have been constructed the sort of "backed into" that space.

The ones that I have seen are shorter than the basement, but not because the ceiling was lower. It was because the floor was higher. In other words, that area wasn't excavated as deeply as the basement when the house was built.

Hope that is some help . . .

 

[MountainMama]

Can someone update me real quick on everything thats happened starting with when they positively identified her body? I've been out of touch since Christmas Eve. Did they release information about how she was murdered, etc? Any new evidence on the sister? Someone get me up to speed, pleeeease!!

 

[WV_Lady]

No new info....but I would say sister's x boyfriend would be a great suspect. See post 78

 

[MountainMama]

Okay, I've read all the posts and I think I'm caught up now..

The problem I have with the ex boyfriend as a suspect is.. why Leah? Why not Jessica or her new boyfriend? It seems like if he was jealous and angry, Leah would not have been the person to kill. I still suspect the sister. I read in some article on WSAZ that the police have been releasing information on the condition that Leah's body was found it, but as of yet I haven't been able to find out anything about that. Once we find out how she will killed, etc I think it will tell a lot about the mindset of the person who killed her.

I've always been into analyzing crimes, but this one has really got a hold on me.. Probably because me and the victim are both named Leah, we're about the same age, we both live in West Virginia, both have dark curly hair.. it really hits home.

 

[CW]

I want to welcome all of our new members. Like Christine said it's so sad that lossing Leah is what has brought us together. On a lighter note I love WV I was born there myself and still have many family members living in WV and SE Ohio, such beautiful country. We go back to WV about once a year to visit family and friends.

 

[WV_Lady]

Sister was clocked back in at work before Leah had her last cell phone call that was known about. It was posted here or somewhere else that they were very close.