Found Deceased AL - Paighton Houston, 29, left bar with 2 men, Birmingham, 20 Dec 2019 #3

[jgarris]

LE would know by now if the text was sent by PH & received by the friend. Someone would be behind bars if for no other reason than obstruction. jmo

How do you figure that they would already know?

 

[jenbo1970]

I wonder if that bar has a black clientel or a white one.

Though I have not lived deep south for 25 years,when I did blacks, whites socialized at different venues. For example, blacks who had invited me to their homes also told me that my presence in a black club would "freak people out". Likewise, they expressed no interest in going to the white country bars I went to.

That was a generation ago and times have changed.

Even still, I wonder how distinct two large black guys would be at a predominately white bar and would employees and other patrons independently notice them and who they spoke to?

Likewise, if TRs is predominately black, would the victim have stood out and had been independently noticed by customers and employees regarding who she talked to, left with etc?

I agree and can’t answer that because I live in Atlanta, and I believe Atlanta to be a little more diverse just because it’s bigger. Maybe I’m kidding myself.

 

[Yemelyan]

dbm

Yes, her younger brother.

 

[Herat]

I don't think it is sophisticated sentence structure. It's a fairly simple sentence from a grammatical standpoint. (Source: I used to teach English and have an M.A. in it.)

The "in trouble" part has always seemed super weird to me. I only ever hear people say they are "in trouble" when they've done something wrong. You know how kids say things like "I'm going to be in trouble!" "You'll be in trouble if mom finds out!" Or the parental favorite "You'll be in trouble when your dad gets home." It's within a context of one's own actions--not someone doing something to you/making you feel uncomfortable.

I've honestly never heard anyone say they feel in trouble--it's pretty much always paired with a be verb--and again the wording is more in keeping with someone themselves doing something than feeling like someone is doing something to them.

That's why it seems like such an artificial and, quite frankly, odd thing for a woman in that situation to say. I'm scared would be more natural, clearer, and shorter.

I agree " I'm scared" would have been a much more common way to phrase this.

I also think that 'I'm scared" would read as being more alarming, and suggesting the recipient of the message should take action.

However, the "in trouble" and "wait for my call" seems very specifically worded to relieve the recepient from the need to take immediate action.

The unusual phrasing seems intended to avoid the recipient being criticized for not acting immediately on the message. Which only comes back to the co-worker as being involved.

 

[Barry]

Just a thought that "in trouble" might mean fear of relapsing. MOO.

 

[bwt42]

The fact that they said that these men were not spotted on video, and released no description of them, is very telling.

For them to come out and say they have nothing in that regard, indicates to me the exact opposite of the statements supporting the initial report (that she left with two heavyset black men who were strangers to her).

Nothing LE has said leads me to believe she was or wasn't there.

 

[155etta]

Just a thought that "in trouble" might mean fear of relapsing. MOO.

Now this makes more sense.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

January 04, 2020
“TRUSSVILLE — A family member of Paighton Houston set up [an online fundraising] account for the family of the 29-year-old Trussville woman.

Houston’s body was recovered from a shallow grave in Hueytown, on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. She was last seen at Tin Roof in Birmingham, on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, according to police.

The money raised through [the fundraising site] will be used to help pay for services, legal fees and other expenses. The money will go directly to her parents.

[SBM]

The family said everyone loved to be around Houston and she will be remembered as a sweet, caring young woman who had so much potential. Her uncle, George Harding, said he organized what he called ‘Painting Trussville Yellow’ in order to keep Houston in the forefront of everyone’s minds.

‘She really was a special person,’ said Harding. ‘We appreciate so much what everyone has done for us. It’s unbelievable.’

Funeral arrangements have not been announced. The Justice for Paighton Facebook page has been set up and information on the case and events held in memory of Houston will be posted.

[SBM]”
https://www.trussvilletribune.com/tag/paighton-houston/

 

[rabidstoat]

I wonder if that bar has a black clientel or a white one.

Someone posted on the previous thread yesterday that they felt that a couple of large black men would stand out from what they considered to be a "white bread" crowd. I forget who posted this or what they based their belief of the crowd at that bar to be, though. Maybe they'll chime in here again.

 

[Zella]

I agree " I'm scared" would have been a much more common way to phrase this.

I also think that 'I'm scared" would read as being more alarming, and suggesting the recipient of the message should take action.

However, the "in trouble" and "wait for my call" seems very specifically worded to relieve the recepient from the need to take immediate action.

The unusual phrasing seems intended to avoid the recipient being criticized for not acting immediately on the message. Which only comes back to the co-worker as being involved.

There's this weird inherent contradiction in that it mentions being creeped out but then turns right around and minimizes it. I sent one of these messages exactly once. It said, "If anything happens to me, it was Chad." I sent it to a male friend who knew Chad and knew the situation.

I did not send that text message lightly, and I don't think most women, PH included, would send a message about strangers and being scared lightly because you know how upsetting that is going to be to the recipient and the response it's going to trigger.

So, yeah, it seems like the biggest thing the text message does is establish she is with strangers. And that makes me think it was the exact opposite.

 

[Van Helsing]

I don't think it is sophisticated sentence structure. It's a fairly simple sentence from a grammatical standpoint. (Source: I used to teach English and have an M.A. in it.)

The "in trouble" part has always seemed super weird to me. I only ever hear people say they are "in trouble" when they've done something wrong. You know how kids say things like "I'm going to be in trouble!" "You'll be in trouble if mom finds out!" Or the parental favorite "You'll be in trouble when your dad gets home." It's within a context of one's own actions--not someone doing something to you/making you feel uncomfortable.

I've honestly never heard anyone say they feel in trouble--it's pretty much always paired with a be verb--and again the wording is more in keeping with someone themselves doing something than feeling like someone is doing something to them.

That's why it seems like such an artificial and, quite frankly, odd thing for a woman in that situation to say. I'm scared would be more natural, clearer, and shorter.

To me it is not unusual for "in trouble" to be used meaning something like "under threat." Maybe it is a regional thing. I grew up in Center Point, near Trussville and my parents were from the B'ham area.

 

[Zella]

Just a thought that "in trouble" might mean fear of relapsing. MOO.

Sadly the phrasing in that situation does make more sense if PH sent the text message. The other situation I could see her sending that text message is if she was somewhat impaired, say roofied, and not able to express herself well.

Otherwise, I don't think she herself sent it.

 

[bwt42]

How do you figure that they would already know?

Its been 2 weeks. If they haven't checked the friends phone & PH phone pings by now this investigation is in real trouble. jmo

 

[Zella]

To me it is not unusual for "in trouble" to be used meaning something like "under threat." Maybe it is a regional thing. I grew up in Center Point, near Trussville and my parents were from the B'ham area.

Do people there say they feel in trouble?

If so, I could see it being a regionalism. I'm from the South but not Deep South.

 

[ChuckInHouston]

Did I miss something? I keep seeing it repeated that the friend/co-worker said, this that and the other. I have read through every article and every trustworthy source, and I have not seen one where LE confirms what the friend/co-worker said directly. The only definitive info we have is second hand. I would say it’s possible that some was lost in translation.

 

[edroid]

I don't feel the wording of the text is odd... maybe because I'm odd. But, I also don't think it tells us much because she was most likely terrified. People act differently when they are scared.

 

[momrids6]

Great write up Cryptic! If you peruse all of the photos on the TR Facebook page, two heavyset black guys would stick out like a sore thumb. Add to that that the band that was playing that night that PH wanted to hear is a white cover band that plays popular music for young adults. Nothing that would draw a different crowd IMO.

Agreed. But I bet many people there were older as well.
I read their playlist- it sounds like a band my old fart self would go see. My kids are 20 through 31, and only know those bands because they were played all the time here

 

[Tealgrove]

I'm not speculating on what happened . Dna on the fabric she was wrapped in will say a lot imo.

I'm concerned that with all the wet weather in Alabama recently that evidence (DNA) may have been washed away. I have friends in the Greensboro area and they are up to their eyeballs in rain right now. Apparently the sun was shining today though.

 

[mom2chloe]

Online research yields different stats, but here is one example. Based on a study done by the Irish medical journal, 2/3 of heroin addicts that go through a successful treatment plan, relapse.

The Facts about Heroin Addiction

100% of the heroin addicts I know have relapsed.

I suspect that when all the facts come out, heroin will be involved.

Heroin is definitely a tough addiction to beat. Much like nicotine! For those of us who quit cigarettes who know how addictive it is; thankfully I never tried heroin but know many who are either dead or fighting still and hopefully will succeed.

 

[SaucyWalker]

Did I miss something? I keep seeing it repeated that the friend/co-worker said, this that and the other. I have read through every article and every trustworthy source, and I have not seen one where LE confirms what the friend/co-worker said directly. The only definitive info we have is second hand. I would say it’s possible that some was lost in translation.

Although there have been no quotes attributed to this coworker, there have been statements made by PH's mother wherein she implies or says that the coworker's stories keep changing. To me that is all that needs to be said. This is a generalization, but the one huge red flag in LE interrogations is lying. Changing a story would fall into that category, wouldn't it?