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

[Taximom]

Found this comment from the cached version of this page:
http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/12576086.html
Posted by: ****** on Dec 26, 2007 at 08:55 AM</I>
Yesterday channel 13 reported the body of Leah was wrapped in plastic.

So, we aren't going nuts!

"Channel 13" in WV appears to be "wowktv.com", and when I search for her name at that news site...NOTHING.

 

[Bobbisangel]

Found this comment from the cached version of this page:
http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/12576086.html
Posted by: ****** on Dec 26, 2007 at 08:55 AM</I>
Yesterday channel 13 reported the body of Leah was wrapped in plastic.

So, we aren't going nuts!

"Channel 13" in WV appears to be "wowktv.com", and when I search for her name at that news site...NOTHING.

I'm sure glad to hear that Taximom. I just knew I had seen it somewhere. Can they get fingerprints off of plastic? Seems like they can. I hope LE thought about that before they touched the plastic without gloves!

 

[wv_mom]

bump - still hoping for news

 

[Taximom]

**sigh** Still nothing. I wonder when those tests will come back?

Bobbisangel, I've seen on tv (real crime shows) where they use that "superglue" method to life prints off things where the normal process would be difficult. I hope they tried that in this case, if it works like it does on tv.

 

[EnvoyDriver61]

I'm a new poster and didn't see this thread back when it occurred.

I'd like to parse the half-sister's comments about the cats as that is kind of curious to me. It was a very quick and easy answer as to why the house, normally locked up, might be unlocked when someone was down in the *surprise where the body was found* laundry.

I think that ready answer, even though people haven't pointed to it specifically, is why people early on considered her as a suspect.

She states something to the effect of the door is normally locked except when someone is down doing laundry. It's open because the we have an ornery cat who can open a door.

I think the sister is using "open" in the first instance to really mean unlocked. And they have an ornery cat who can open the door while you are down doing laundry. So, is the cat ornery because it can open the door, while no one is around and escape, or is it ornery because the cat can move the door, in effect, really closing it while someone is downstairs and if the door is locked, you get locked out if you don't have your keys?

Does all that make sense? It's a ready story for why a door, normally locked is really unlocked (i.e., open). If the cat can really open a door, and some can paw a slightly ajar door to open it, then the cat is ornery because it escapes from the house. If the cat actually closes the door while you are downstairs, you make sure it is unlocked so you don't get locked out.

To me, she doesn't actually explain the cat v. door open situation very well in her first interview. But, it was readily given up, maybe even prepared, to have a reason why the door might be open, i.e., unlocked, especially since the sister was found in the laundry which gives an easy explanation that someone came in on her while she was doing laundry and thus the unlocked door.

And it is interesting the type of DNA they are searching for, if there are prints on the bag with similar DNA but different mito DNA, a sibling might be involved.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

**sigh** Still nothing. I wonder when those tests will come back?

Bobbisangel, I've seen on tv (real crime shows) where they use that "superglue" method to life prints off things where the normal process would be difficult. I hope they tried that in this case, if it works like it does on tv.

It does actually work just like it does on tv. My ex is an Arson Investigator and he took a class on it. He said it is very cool to see what you can get that way! They use it to get fingerprints on plastic gas cans and things like that. Just thought you would want to know. :blowkiss:

 

[concernedperson]

I'm a new poster and didn't see this thread back when it occurred.

I'd like to parse the half-sister's comments about the cats as that is kind of curious to me. It was a very quick and easy answer as to why the house, normally locked up, might be unlocked when someone was down in the *surprise where the body was found* laundry.

I think that ready answer, even though people haven't pointed to it specifically, is why people early on considered her as a suspect.

She states something to the effect of the door is normally locked except when someone is down doing laundry. It's open because the we have an ornery cat who can open a door.

I think the sister is using "open" in the first instance to really mean unlocked. And they have an ornery cat who can open the door while you are down doing laundry. So, is the cat ornery because it can open the door, while no one is around and escape, or is it ornery because the cat can move the door, in effect, really closing it while someone is downstairs and if the door is locked, you get locked out if you don't have your keys?

Does all that make sense? It's a ready story for why a door, normally locked is really unlocked (i.e., open). If the cat can really open a door, and some can paw a slightly ajar door to open it, then the cat is ornery because it escapes from the house. If the cat actually closes the door while you are downstairs, you make sure it is unlocked so you don't get locked out.

To me, she doesn't actually explain the cat v. door open situation very well in her first interview. But, it was readily given up, maybe even prepared, to have a reason why the door might be open, i.e., unlocked, especially since the sister was found in the laundry which gives an easy explanation that someone came in on her while she was doing laundry and thus the unlocked door.

And it is interesting the type of DNA they are searching for, if there are prints on the bag with similar DNA but different mito DNA, a sibling might be involved.

Interesting. Thanks for your input.

 

[Taximom]

Thanks, SS. I have only seen it "dramatized". I'm so glad someone discovered something like that. Who knew!

Welcome, EnvoyDriver! I'll have to go back and read the sister's comments again. It's been a while. Do you happen to know which interview or show she was on when she talked about the door/cat?

 

[EnvoyDriver61]

I believe the ornery cat scenario was discussed on the first interview the sister gave on MSNBC. I believe it is on page 3 or 4 of the first thread, linked in the first post of this thread on page 1, if that makes sense.

Edit: It's discussed on pages 9 and 10 of the original thread. Some people there are saying the same things I did; I didn't realize they had discussed it before. It does seem like she had an explanation for a few things in the beginning.

 

[Bobbisangel]

Was she actually doing laundry that day though? Did anyone find her laundry in the washer or dryer or waiting to be put into the washer/dryer? For some reason I didn't think she was doing laundry. Was the door found unlocked?

 

[MountainMama]

Let me just say for the millionth time that I am positive that it was her sister.

 

[dimples37398]

MM we speculated that in the beginning and I am still leaning that way.......JMO....

 

[wv_mom]

<snip>

She states something to the effect of the door is normally locked except when someone is down doing laundry. It's open because the we have an ornery cat who can open a door.

You make a good point, the statement seems odd. I've re-read your message several times, both in a close, analytical sense and in a general reaction sense.

I can see a variation on your interpretation. If someone questioned why a cautious person would leave an apartment with the entry accessible in a highly visible way . . . door unlocked AND open, the answer might intend to communicate that the door is normally unlocked while someone is doing laundry (to allow them to return to the apartment). As a separate thought, to explain why the door might also be open (when unlocked would be enough to allow re-entry), the cat might have opened an already-unlocked door.

It could almost be . . . Q: if you're doing laundry, you could just leave it unlocked. Why also leave the door open? A: Its unlocked to do laundry; its open because cat can open it.

Just an alternative . . .

 

[Bobbisangel]

But was any of her laundy found in the laundry room? If she had done laundry earlier then she wouldn't have left the door unlocked. If she was still doing laundry and that was why it was unlocked then some of her laundry would still have been in at least a dryer.

What motive would there be for her stepsister to murder her? I don't think it was the sister. Do LE suspect the sister? It sounds like Leah and her sister got along well and had even when they were younger.

 

[ekj_88]

Hi, I'm new here and not sure if this was brought up already or not. But, if they are trying to analyze the mitochondrial DNA from a sample left by the murder suspect, it says to me that they are possibly looking at a relative. Mitochondrial DNA is directly from the mother, and like I read on a link posted here earlier, it's not unique to the individual. So, siblings would have the same mitochondrial DNA. That says to me that maybe they are looking at the sister too!

 

[TaylorGrace2000]

Hi, I'm new here and not sure if this was brought up already or not. But, if they are trying to analyze the mitochondrial DNA from a sample left by the murder suspect, it says to me that they are possibly looking at a relative. Mitochondrial DNA is directly from the mother, and like I read on a link posted here earlier, it's not unique to the individual. So, siblings would have the same mitochondrial DNA. That says to me that maybe they are looking at the sister too!

I agree with this exactly. As a matter of fact, i'm new too and had to register just so I could post about the mito dna. It screams to me that they are looking at the sister because weren't they HALF sisters with ONLY the same mother? So they would only share the mother's dna and that is my theory why they need to do a mitochondrial dna test! This is very interesting.

I really hope they are closing in and not just jerking us around and buying time. Because one things for sure, Leah Hickman will never be forgotten!

 

[Bobbisangel]

But what motive would her sister have had?

 

[WV_Lady]

Here's a thought....hmmm??? the men that were working on the apartment building were relatives of the owner (I don't believe that was rumor--I think it was published, but I don't remember where or if it was on the news)....suppose they were related to each other? Hmmm?
Just a thought????????? Grabbing at straws. :banghead: = frustration!

 

[Taximom]

Maybe it was just accidental? Maybe Leah was going to tell their parents (step/whatever) something her sister didn't want them to know? IIRC, the sister was staying mostly at the boyfriends' place, which I think was not known by the parents.

I don't know. It's just so sad that this hasn't been resolved.

Welcome, ekj88.

 

[concernedperson]

Bumping for Leah. Anyone hear anything new?