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

[Van Helsing]

Do you know how far that is from LKL by chance?

8 to 10 miles depending on route. LKL (Tin Roof) is in downtown's Southside. Expedited Transport is in Vestavia, a wealthy "over-the-mountain" suburb.

 

[proctorelites]

Assuming they have seen the video based on this statement, I have been wondering if they had.

This!!! I don't understand what LE is doing, no request for help finding the two men, no additional details released like last phone ping, etc... and of course I'm a huge LE supporter. Just confused about this.

I believe LE knows more. They know the family is very upset & the Media & public want answers. They're keeping things very private IMO. They probably have accessed or are waiting for everyone's records they pulled via warrants. That takes time. They will be hauling ppl in soon of they havent already.
IMO if any of Paighton's friends or aquaintances have info they'd like to share LE needs to know now before LE heads to their workplace and pulls them out to discuss the texts, calls or social media messages or even minor disagreements with Paighton they forgot to mention bc they wanted to keep their name out of it. It happens in every case. Be forthcoming with everything so police can decide if it plays any roll in Paightons disappearance. Doesnt matter if a person thinks it is irrelevant or damaging to themselves, their friends and of no consequence, that is best left for LE to decide. LE spends many man hours scouring social media and phone records etc (guaranteed they will) If it were me I'd want to be forthcoming if I were in that situation and my friend or aquaintance or a girl I left the bar with was missing.

 

[WildcatRunner]

Unfortunately I don't think that there is any hope that this is going to turn out well. Praying for a miracle, just don't think its going to happen.

I unfortunately feel the same way. But Jamie Closs was missing for 88 days, so I'll try to keep some optimism until we have some evidence Peighton was harmed.

 

[WildcatRunner]

Question about phone records? If this is still a Missing Person investigation and not a Criminal Investigation, can we assume that LE had access to cell phone carrier data including phone calls and text messages from earlier that evening?

I know we have heard about a ping near a hospital 4 miles away. If they have that, can they also view texts sent earlier in the evening?

Can you share a link about the phone ping near the hospital? I had not heard this before.

 

[Seattle1]

I believe LE knows more. They know the family is very upset & the Media & public want answers. They're keeping things very private IMO. They probably have accessed or are waiting for everyone's records they pulled via warrants. That takes time. They will be hauling ppl in soon of they havent already.
IMO if any of Paighton's friends or aquaintances have info they'd like to share LE needs to know now before LE heads to their workplace and pulls them out to discuss the texts, calls or social media messages or even minor disagreements with Paighton they forgot to mention bc they wanted to keep their name out of it. It happens in every case. Be forthcoming with everything so police can decide if it plays any roll in Paightons disappearance. Doesnt matter if a person thinks it is irrelevant or damaging to themselves, their friends and of no consequence, that is best left for LE to decide. LE spends many man hours scouring social media and phone records etc (guaranteed they will) If it were me I'd want to be forthcoming if I were in that situation and my friend or aquaintance or a girl I left the bar with was missing.

I agree that LE knows more -- they finally declared PH to be in danger. This morning (GMA video) police stated they have received many tips that they are going through. Seems to me that police are moving to update the investigation from missing person to criminal where more resources will be available and warrants can be issued.

 

[WildcatRunner]

Multiple news reports state that her debit card was found on the floor of Tin Roof.

MOO This just adds to my suspicion that she may not have even been there that night. Her car is at coworker's house ... What if that argument happened before they even went out? Why haven't we heard from the co workers?

Can you supply a link to these news articles? I've only read her card hasn't been used. I've never seen anywhere that it was located at the bar.

Also, LE said off the bat she was seen on camera leaving the bar, so she certainly was there. It just sounds like maybe the image doesn't show enough to pin anything else down.

 

[WildcatRunner]

1 - I've thought about this too and if the bar was crowded, very possible PH was talking to the two men, coworker was busy talking to other people/friends and looked up and PH was already gone. Coworker may not have known she left. I WOULD be curious to know if coworker sent a text and asked PH where she was, especially if her car was at coworkers house. I don't blame coworker for letting PH leave, many scenarios where PH could have left without coworker even knowing.

4 - I answered another post like this earlier. I can hit a bar at 9PM and easily be back home and asleep by midnight. Every person is different and the bar scene is ok with me until it gets later and people get drunk and annoying. So I can easily see them all going out, maybe the band was boring to them, maybe the disagreement and PH leaving without notice put a damper on coworkers evening. Lots of scenarios here too. I don't have my phone on during the night, someone could text me over and over and I wouldn't wake up at all. Only reason I ever leave it on is if my teenage son is out.

But...…..it does bring up the point that it really makes me wonder if coworker tried to call/text PH BEFORE the 12:14 text. I mean, a disagreement between them, PH left alone, car still at coworkers house at midnight. Was this typical behavior for PH (despite what mom may know, parents don't always know everything) and there wasn't a reason for coworker to be concerned, or maybe PH let coworker know she was leaving and knew these men and there wasn't a reason for coworker to be worried.

I have to think since it was reported as "strangers" that LE has confirmation to think that PH didn't give notice she was leaving and possibly knew these men. I still think maybe she did know them casually or that she was slipped something.

If my friend disappeared from the bar, even with us having a disagreement, I would be texting calling non-stop po'd that she would pull something like that on me and I'm not sure I would sleep until I knew she was ok. NO judgment here for coworker, just my own personal feelings/thoughts, who ever thinks your friend will just disappear never to be heard from again (except those of us who follow crime cases).

I'm so curious to know what the disagreement was over (was it PH wanting to leave with the men and coworker advising her NOT to, was it PH wanted to drink and coworker knowing past history was telling her no or PH wanting to find drugs). It could just as easily be a fight over a guy. But I think this would be telling as to where PH's mindset was and possibly why she was leaving.

There is ZERO media info there was ever a disagreement. This was gossip that grew legs.

 

[Heleuth]

We could do with a media (listing facts) and maps timeline. One of those *No Discussion* threads.
Any offers...? (I’d do it but I spilt wine on my laptop so am having to do all my posts on my iPhone )

 

[Gardenkeep]

Awe thank you! I am one of the lucky ones...with so many of these cases I think of how it could be me, a “but for the grace of God go I” moment. Appreciate you!

My family is very prone to addiction. My father is 30 yrs sober. My daughter is heading into her 2 yr sobriety. I know first hand that it takes a huge amount of strength and determination every single day. I managed to avoid addiction. I'd say that was pure luck on my part. PH should not be defined by her addiction. She is a very loved friend and family member, who has shown strength in recovering. No person deserves to be made a victim, and every victim deserves justice.

 

[BlinkOfAnI]

Apologies if already posted. PH's Instagram Paighton Houston (@paighton_houston) • Instagram photos and videos

 

[Heleuth]

Apologies if already posted. PH's Instagram Paighton Houston (@paighton_houston) • Instagram photos and videos

Ah, she looks really fun

 

[BlinkOfAnI]

posted before finished

 

[bestill]

Apologies if already posted. PH's Instagram Paighton Houston (@paighton_houston) • Instagram photos and videos

Thank you for posting this. She looks like such a happy fun loving person! Beautiful family photos too.

 

[thesaint]

Man, I wish I could like this post 10,000 times and repost it on any missing female thread when all the trafficking stuff starts getting thrown around. Having LE and MSM and the general public on the lookout for someone who has been abducted is not conducive to a sex trafficker's bottom line.

haha, i've noticed that any time a female age of 12 and up goes missing there'll be at least one and usually multiple "hey, you think she was trafficked?" posts within the first thread. Maybe these posts group all sex-motivated abductions as trafficking. Trafficking maybe should be reserved for a fairly well-defined MO (grooming over time vs sudden violent abduction).

The main time trafficking overlaps with missing persons cases is when someone who had fallen into a trafficking situation suddenly drops off the grid completely. There have been some higher profile type cases of missing persons cases after trafficking out of Vegas and Socal and Atlanta. Those are super-tough. You're often looking for someone who they can't even say when/where or with whom they were last seen. Just that they used to check in and haven't in weeks/months. And getting LE to take their disappearance seriously can be a challenge when it's a trafficked person who turns up missing and not just off doing their thing.

Despite Paighton overlapping the profile of a trafficking victim on the data point of substance abuse history, doesn't seem like much else about her case suggests trafficking. The lack of use of her bank account doesn't mesh with the MO of traffickers. Who will milk a victim for their own and any family resources they have access to. She's also not the sort of young or otherwise exploitable/marginal background demographic traffickers favor. And, yeah, if you're a trafficker engaged in all manner of illegal activities on an on-going basis the last thing you want is to do something high-profile that puts a target on you and your operation.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

haha, i've noticed that any time a female age of 12 and up goes missing there'll be at least one and usually multiple "hey, you think she was trafficked?" posts within the first thread. Maybe these posts group all sex-motivated abductions as trafficking. Trafficking maybe should be reserved for a fairly well-defined MO (grooming over time vs sudden violent abduction).

The main time trafficking overlaps with missing persons cases is when someone who had fallen into a trafficking situation suddenly drops off the grid completely. There have been some higher profile type cases of missing persons cases after trafficking out of Vegas and Socal and Atlanta. Those are super-tough. You're often looking for someone who they can't even say when/where or with whom they were last seen. Just that they used to check in and haven't in weeks/months. And getting LE to take their disappearance seriously can be a challenge when it's a trafficked person who turns up missing and not just off doing their thing.

Despite Paighton overlapping the profile of a trafficking victim on the data point of substance abuse history, doesn't seem like much else about her case suggests trafficking. The lack of use of her bank account doesn't mesh with the MO of traffickers. Who will milk a victim for their own and any family resources they have access to. She's also not the sort of young or otherwise exploitable/marginal background demographic traffickers favor. And, yeah, if you're a trafficker engaged in all manner of illegal activities on an on-going basis the last thing you want is to do something high-profile that puts a target on you and your operation.

Beautifully stated, friend.

 

[UnderTheSouthernCross]

People can judge however they choose, but it's impossible for me to look at PH's smile without hoping she's returned safely to her family and SOON. That's all.

 

[Jo in Calif]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Sergeant Johnny Williams with the Birmingham Police Department said investigators have reviewed surveillance video from a bar where Paighton Houston was last seen and have not found anyone matching the description of the two men she is believed to have left with.

Officers believe Houston willingly left the Tin Roof bar with two heavy set black men on Friday, December 20, based on information provided in the missing persons report.

Houston’s family said she was at the bar that night with friends from work. One of those friends contacted Houston’s family and told them she left the bar with the two men and appeared to do so willing, according to Houston’s brother, Evan.

The friend also shared a text message she said she received from Houston that said, “IDK who I am with so if I call please answer. I feel in trouble.”

B’ham Police: Surveillance video in Paighton Houston case does not show 2 men she reportedly left with

 

[cvaldez1975]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Sergeant Johnny Williams with the Birmingham Police Department said investigators have reviewed surveillance video from a bar where Paighton Houston was last seen and have not found anyone matching the description of the two men she is believed to have left with.

Officers believe Houston willingly left the Tin Roof bar with two heavy set black men on Friday, December 20, based on information provided in the missing persons report.

Houston’s family said she was at the bar that night with friends from work. One of those friends contacted Houston’s family and told them she left the bar with the two men and appeared to do so willing, according to Houston’s brother, Evan.

The friend also shared a text message she said she received from Houston that said, “IDK who I am with so if I call please answer. I feel in trouble.”

B’ham Police: Surveillance video in Paighton Houston case does not show 2 men she reportedly left with

that is disturbing....

 

[chi123]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Sergeant Johnny Williams with the Birmingham Police Department said investigators have reviewed surveillance video from a bar where Paighton Houston was last seen and have not found anyone matching the description of the two men she is believed to have left with.

Officers believe Houston willingly left the Tin Roof bar with two heavy set black men on Friday, December 20, based on information provided in the missing persons report.

Houston’s family said she was at the bar that night with friends from work. One of those friends contacted Houston’s family and told them she left the bar with the two men and appeared to do so willing, according to Houston’s brother, Evan.

The friend also shared a text message she said she received from Houston that said, “IDK who I am with so if I call please answer. I feel in trouble.”

B’ham Police: Surveillance video in Paighton Houston case does not show 2 men she reportedly left with

So the friend is lying? Uh oh.

 

[MichelleBlue]

that is disturbing....

MOO but I agree.Let's say they don't have surveillance of her actually leaving, but have camera footage from the bar area (for example), it is concerning that these men were not spotted on the footage anywhere. I wonder what the footage DOES show.