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

[SuziQ]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x1731431065

(snip)
The state Forensic Laboratory completed its DNA testing. The final report is being reviewed for accuracy, but preliminary results already have been shared with the Huntington Police Department.
Police Chief Skip Holbrook said he doesn't expect any surprises when the department receives the final DNA report. He said other detailed tests are ongoing. He would not describe the nature of those additional tests.

 

[concernedperson]

Any updates about Leah's case?

 

[Fairy1]

I'm all for building a strong case. But jeez - WTH???

 

[Bobbisangel]

Does LE even have a clue? What about that ex-boyfriend of the sisters?

 

[Taximom]

Bumping for Leah. With all the college kids (mostly girls) being murdered lately, I couldn't help but think of Leah.

 

[wv_mom]

I was thinking the same thing, Taximom. All of these stories are so sad.

 

[concernedperson]

I truly think this case is different than the other murders. The perp in this instance knew where the crawl space was in the building to hide her body.

 

[Taximom]

I think it's different than the others too, cp, but it's still "unsolved" and she was still a young girl that had her whole future ahead of her. Wiped out by some .

 

[Bobbisangel]

I truly think this case is different than the other murders. The perp in this instance knew where the crawl space was in the building to hide her body.

I wonder if the killer had lived in the building at some point? Weren't there a couple guys working there when Leah was murdered? It is true, the killer had to have known where the crawl space was located and most people wouldn't know.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Hello everyone, I have ressurected Secret Squirrel from the Catch BTK forum and have decided to join in on the hunt for Leah's killer. I have yet read this new forum so forgive me if I say something that has already been posted. I have, however read the other old forum in it's entirty as well as remained close to all local news concerning the case.

Anyway, I'm glad to be here with you all. I'm coming out of good old Morgantown, WV.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Police_Reports_Finding_a_Body_that_Could_Be_Leah_Hickman_12137.html

The link above shows a picture of Leah in a vehicle of what appears to be a self taken photograph. In the backseat you will notice a clothes basket behind the passenger seat. I mention this because a clothes basket was found in the same place as this one upon investigation of her car. It is possible that this was common for her. She also lived on the second floor of her building, therefore a basket as such is extremely handy to load up with whatever to aviod making two trips.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/gallery_news/x607056243?mode=photo&im=22

I question whose truck this may be. This photo was either taken or posted Thursday decemeber 20, one day before she was found.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

In the old forum it was questioned about the bags....plural. She was found wrapped in plastic bags. I doubt highly that any person could handle a bag with a grown woman in it without either the bag tearing or physically fitting a person inside may prove to be complicated. I hate to discuss this but is there is a chance that she may have been dismembered. This supports the statements that her body was found wrapped in plastic bags. I am assuming large trash bags like drum liners. The type that a contractor or maintenance man would use. Again back to the truck.

 

[concernedperson]

In the old forum it was questioned about the bags....plural. She was found wrapped in plastic bags. I doubt highly that any person could handle a bag with a grown woman in it without either the bag tearing or physically fitting a person inside may prove to be complicated. I hate to discuss this but is there is a chance that she may have been dismembered. This supports the statements that her body was found wrapped in plastic bags. I am assuming large trash bags like drum liners. The type that a contractor or maintenance man would use. Again back to the truck.

Welcome Secret Squirrel and thanks for the links. I seriously doubt she was dismembered as there would have been lots of evidence left behind and forensics would have noticed that amount of blood. But, it does say plastic bags meaning more than one. That is an item handy for maintenance men or contractors working on site so it is possible that LE should be looking real hard at anyone and everyone who had access to the building. Either currently or in the past. Knowing where the crawl space was requires knowledge of the building.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Welcome Secret Squirrel and thanks for the links. I seriously doubt she was dismembered as there would have been lots of evidence left behind and forensics would have noticed that amount of blood. But, it does say plastic bags meaning more than one. That is an item handy for maintenance men or contractors working on site so it is possible that LE should be looking real hard at anyone and everyone who had access to the building. Either currently or in the past. Knowing where the crawl space was requires knowledge of the building.

There is no current eveidence that solidifies her murder taking place inside or anywhere near the residence. In a previous article, it was stated that LE was led to the body by smell during their second search of the premises. Again I point to the truck parked outside on Dec 19 or 20. If the smell was that bad and the truck belonged say to a maintenace worker, perhaps that unmistakable smell would have been noticed.

A lot of questions here but even better answers and theories from everyone here.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Also want to clarify about the clothes basket I mentioned in post #288

The basket was of some concern of others when the local news showed a pic of leah's car with a clothes basket in the backseat. Some wondered that if she was doing laundry why was there a clothes basket in the car. I am merely trying to estblish that a basket is also present with her in the car in an unrelated photo. Therefore it may not be that out of place.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I'm not working this first angle. Just letting you know FYI.

In NYC around Thanksgiving three college students were murdered over what turned out to be an I-phone. The killer wanted the phone and it made me think of Leah's missing phone. Which brings me to this:

I am a BTK strangler junkie and if your familiar, he took something from everyone he killed as a momento, souveneir, a reminder of his deed. Somehow it excited him sexually. I doubt that a phone would excite anyone but the reminder does. BTK took car keys, drivers licenses, hair brushes and jewelry and kept them for over 30 years in his took shed. It is suspected that whenever he got the urge, he sorted through these items and reminisced about days gone by. Sick yes, but killers do sometimes take a victims personal belongings as a reminder. A phone is no exception.

 

[concernedperson]

There is no current eveidence that solidifies her murder taking place inside or anywhere near the residence. In a previous article, it was stated that LE was led to the body by smell during their second search of the premises. Again I point to the truck parked outside on Dec 19 or 20. If the smell was that bad and the truck belonged say to a maintenace worker, perhaps that unmistakable smell would have been noticed.

A lot of questions here but even better answers and theories from everyone here.

I see what you are getting. The possibility that she was abducted from her residence and held/murdered at another site. Then she was returned shortly before she was discovered. If I remember correctly the building was virtually empty as the other tenant was out of town so coming and going would be easy.

I hadn't really thought of this as a reality but LE hasn't given much info to base a theory on and the plastic bags in the crawl space really causes me to wonder.

Do you think the truck seen in the pic was the perp returning the remains?

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I dunno! But if the pic was taken on December 20, which it appears that it possibly was, that truck was also there on the same day. If the smell was so bad why didnt the owner of the truck notice it. Remeber the body was found the next day. Decomposition is in full effect. So Was it a maintenace man, a neighbor taking advantage of an empty lot, the killer, or all three. It just seems out of place.

 

[concernedperson]

I dunno! But if the pic was taken on December 20, which it appears that it possibly was, that truck was also there on the same day. If the smell was so bad why didnt the owner of the truck notice it. Remeber the body was found the next day. Decomposition is in full effect. So Was it a maintenace man, a neighbor taking advantage of an empty lot, the killer, or all three. It just seems out of place.

It most certainly does considering everything. Does LE have a pic of this truck or have you brought it to their attention? It is much better to give them info than to wonder if they figured it out.