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

Search is on for missing student

Dec 17, 2007 @ 11:18 PM

By ANTWON PINKSTON

The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON-- Huntington police are looking for a 21-year-old Marshall University student whose family reported her missing since Friday.
Sherry Russell, of Leon, W.Va., told police that the last time she talked to her daughter, Leah N. Hickman, was early Friday afternoon. She said she and Hickman talked about coming home for the holidays and that Hickman's dad, Ronald Hickman, was worried about the weather.
"Then I called her later on that evening and her phone went straight to voicemail," Russell said. "The third time I called, it said her voicemail box was full."
Russell said the family became worried and contacted the police after Hickman didn't show up for work Saturday or Sunday at Dress Barn on Merritts Creek Road.

pic @ link http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x611865058

I'm a Marshall graduate and it saddens me to hear of Leah missing. I pray for her safe return and would like to see some more details about her case. Wonder who the friend was that she was going to stay with? Pretty girl.

Gosh, doesn't she have pretty eyes!! I pray she is all right and will be found safely and soon!

I can't tell from the article if she was supposed to be heading home Friday? Although if she had to work Sat/Sun I'm assuming that's by the campus. Still, it sounds like she disappeared Friday. If someone took her, that's quite a headstart.

Any mention of boyfriends, ex or otherwise? I didn't see any....

This may have been one of her last Myspace comments to a friend "Kim":
Dec 14 2007 1:56 PM

hey hun, how did your finals go??

Myspace profile says she is "single".


Older layout/cached version:
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:3VV94DYBMnIJprofile.myspace.com/index.cfm%3Ffuseaction%3Duser.viewprofile%26friendID%3D51341948+iamcharlotte2255&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&lr=lang_en

I didn't see any REAL odd comments on her page. She has a Facebook account but I'm having trouble getting to it.

Anyway, I just read on the news forum (link above) that Greta aired a little about this case tonight! I missed it, so don't know if family or friends made an appearance. Did anyone catch it tonight?

Another college student missing. It seems that if she was alright she would have called her sister as she is her roommate. I hope that nothing has happened to her. Odd that she packed a bag and then didn't take it. I wonder who the friend is too. I hope that she is alright.

UPDATE: Marshall University Student Missing Posted: 7:44 PM Dec 17, 2007
Last Updated: 10:19 PM Dec 18, 2007
Reporter: Dave Benton

Police are looking for a Marshall University journalism student who has been missing since last week.
Leah Hickman is 21 and was last seen at 4 p.m. on Friday in her Huntington apartment. She lives at 403 8th Ave. with her sister, Jessica Vickers. According to the police report Hickman’s purse and keys were inside her apartment and her car was still parked.
if (self['plpm'] && plpm['Mid-Story Ad']) document.write('');if (self['plpm'] && plpm['Mid-Story Ad']){ document.write(plpm['Mid-Story Ad']);} else { if(self['plurp'] && plurp['97']){} else {document.write(''); } }if (self['plpm'] && plpm['Mid-Story Ad']) document.write('');Police say there hasn’t been any cell phone calls from her phone since Friday. Police have contacted friends and family, but no one has seen or heard from Hickman.
Hickman has shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. She's 5'2" and 130 pounds.
Katie Hay is on a mission to find her friend.
“We have people in Charleston looking, MySpace, Facebook. We're checking allies and knocking on doors.” Katie said.
Hickman's college friends say they're determined to find Leah. They're hitting local businesses. They're also using the web to drum up support for national media coverage.
All these efforts aren't going unnoticed by Leah’s father.
“I want to thank Leah’s friends for all their hard work they've done and for praying for us for strength,” Leah’s father Ron Hickman said, “More exposure we get, better chance to find my daughter.”
Leah's sister, Jessica will talk live via telephone on MSNBC Wednesday morning. Leah's friends are going at this full force. They've covered a lot of territory and they say they won't stop until they find their friend.
Anybody with information that can help police find Leah Hickman should call the Huntington Police Detective Bureau at (304) 696-4420.

link http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/12576086.html

I hope they can find her....I read on here all the time and you never think something like this would happen where you live....I live in Huntington and graduated from Marshall and it is such a small little town and very nice campus but I guess these things can happen anywhere.....
If I see any other updates I will post....

Her sister is on MSNBC right now.

Sister spoke with her at 5:40pm. They know she ate dinner at McDonald's.

I hope she turns up okay and soon!

Hope Leah is found soon. Thank you for keeping this updated. It is so close to the holidays, I pray they have her home for Christmas.

My daughter is in college. Friday night she and her room mate were coming home for Christmas break. My daughters car broke down (it's an old clunker - all we could afford) luckily they made it within an hour and 1/2 drive from home. She was on a busy Interstate. As soon as she called , panic struck me, jumped in the car and sped the whole way. All I could think about was what could happen in that 1 1/2 hours that it took to get to her. We were lucky! My daughter and her room mate are safe and sound.

My prayers go out to this family. Please let her be somewhere safe.

Talisman, I'm the same way with my daughter. She doesn't necessarily understand my concern about her being a young, single woman out on her own! I'm glad yours was o.k.

Thanks for all the updates, everyone!

Let's hope McDonalds has some video cameras in place.

New search turns up little

Dec 19, 2007 @ 01:36 PM

By BEN FIELDS

The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- West Virginia State Police assisted in a search for missing Marshall student Leah Hickman Wednesday, but didn't turn up any new leads. State troopers and Huntington police searched abandoned homes in the area of the 400 block of 8th Avenue, where Hickman lived, and interviewed area residents in a two-hour canvas that started late Wednesday morning.
"They did a neighborhood canvas, and checked on some of the sex offenders in the area, but there were no new leads," said Trooper Ronnie Drake
It isn't like Hickman to take off and not tell anyone where she's going.
That's part of the reason friends and co-workers of the 21-year-old Marshall student are so worried about her disappearance. Hickman hasn't been seen since last Friday, and her car, purse, coat and keys all remain at her apartment on the 400 block of 8th Avenue.
"If she was going anywhere she would usually put a bulletin on her MySpace page," said friend Roger Parker, of Proctorville. "And usually if you call her and leave her a voicemail, she'll call you back within a couple of hours, or the next day."
Parker posted a message on Hickman's MySpace page informing visitors that Hickman is missing, and asking anyone who has seen her to contact her friends.
"We've handed out flyers to practically all of Huntington," Parker said. "It's about all we know to do."
Police said Tuesday there was no new information on the search for Hickman. Her mother, Sherry Russell, of Leon, W.Va., said she last talked to her daughter Friday afternoon about coming home for the holidays. She called her later that night and Hickman's phone went straight to voicemail. Upon a third call, Hickman's voicemail was full, her mother said.
The family contacted police after Hickman didn't show up for work Saturday or Sunday at the Dress Barn on Merritts Creek Road in Barboursville.
"That is very out of the ordinary for her to not come to work," said Dress Barn manager Peggy Nida. "She was the type of person who would call us if she was stuck in traffic and going to be late."
Nida said Hickman has worked at the store for about five months.
Parker said Hickman "pretty much sticks to a routine" and that dropping out of contact would be "extremely out of character."
"She has a close group of friends that she does everything with," he said. "She checks her MySpace page once a day or at least once every other day. If she's going somewhere where her cell phone won't work, she lets you know."
Nida said Hickman is "just a sweet girl."
"We just keep praying she's OK," Nida said. "I wish there was something we could do. I'm at a loss as to what to say."
Hickman lives at her apartment with her older sister, Jessica Vickers, who said she last saw Hickman pack her bags Friday night in preparation to spend the night with a friend. Her bags were still at the apartment after she disappeared.
Hickman is a junior at Marshall University majoring in journalism. She is 5 feet 4 inches tall, about 125 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information regarding her disappearance or whereabouts is asked to call the Huntington Police Department at (304) 696-4444.

link http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x1106460136

HUNTINGTON -- A missing Marshall student's employer has offered a $10,000 reward for information on her whereabouts. Leah Hickman, who has not been seen since Friday, worked at Dress Barn in Barboursville for about five months.
Family and friends first became concerned about Hickman when she didn't show up for work at the Dress Barn on Saturday.

more @ link http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x1106460136

On Greta right now..............
no signs of forced entry, nothing in disarray.
works 25 hrs week, goes to school
5"45 conversation with friend from drive thru
she made it home
laundry facilties in basement.
4 apts two vacant.
neighbor was out of town so building empty
cell phone is gone, purse, car keys still in apt
cell phone records have been received, ping done, no activity
last call was 5'45 call, no ping after that
all credit cards there
laptop did cursory seach done on laptop, nothing there
sister Jessica last saw leah at 4 oclock, thenwent backt to work, discussed grades, discussed plans for next year.
Jessica went to boyfriends for weekend. attempted to check on leah on sat at apt.abt 4. mother had tried calling leah since fri 9 pm.
Apt when locked, bathroom light on. Leah had taken a shower.
Off friday evening, no discussion of doing laundry or going to mcdonalds.
end

I wish they had asked if McD's had any video cameras. Maybe someone followed her from there, although she only went through the drive-thru.

How do you just disappear like this?

Talisman said:

Hope Leah is found soon. Thank you for keeping this updated. It is so close to the holidays, I pray they have her home for Christmas.

My daughter is in college. Friday night she and her room mate were coming home for Christmas break. My daughters car broke down (it's an old clunker - all we could afford) luckily they made it within an hour and 1/2 drive from home. She was on a busy Interstate. As soon as she called , panic struck me, jumped in the car and sped the whole way. All I could think about was what could happen in that 1 1/2 hours that it took to get to her. We were lucky! My daughter and her room mate are safe and sound.

My prayers go out to this family. Please let her be somewhere safe.

Click to expand...

Tailsman,
I have a 17 y.o. daughter who just began driving. I had a conversation with her tonight that if at any moment she had trouble with her car she was never to get out and see what the problem was. I have told her that she is to stay locked inside the vehicle and call myself, her father or her boyfriend. I have told her that she is never to get out and get help from a stranger. I also told her that is she is unable to reach us to call 911. Just thinking about it makes my sick. I am so happy that your daughter and her roomate are safe at home!

jennyjwv said:

UPDATE: Marshall University Student Missing Posted: 7:44 PM Dec 17, 2007
Last Updated: 10:19 PM Dec 18, 2007
Reporter: Dave Benton

Police are looking for a Marshall University journalism student who has been missing since last week.
Leah Hickman is 21 and was last seen at 4 p.m. on Friday in her Huntington apartment. She lives at 403 8th Ave. with her sister, Jessica Vickers. According to the police report Hickman’s purse and keys were inside her apartment and her car was still parked.
if (self['plpm'] && plpm['Mid-Story Ad']) document.write('');if (self['plpm'] && plpm['Mid-Story Ad']){ document.write(plpm['Mid-Story Ad']);} else { if(self['plurp'] && plurp['97']){} else {document.write(''); } }if (self['plpm'] && plpm['Mid-Story Ad']) document.write('');Police say there hasn’t been any cell phone calls from her phone since Friday. Police have contacted friends and family, but no one has seen or heard from Hickman.
Hickman has shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. She's 5'2" and 130 pounds.
Katie Hay is on a mission to find her friend.
“We have people in Charleston looking, MySpace, Facebook. We're checking allies and knocking on doors.” Katie said.
Hickman's college friends say they're determined to find Leah. They're hitting local businesses. They're also using the web to drum up support for national media coverage.
All these efforts aren't going unnoticed by Leah’s father.
“I want to thank Leah’s friends for all their hard work they've done and for praying for us for strength,” Leah’s father Ron Hickman said, “More exposure we get, better chance to find my daughter.”
Leah's sister, Jessica will talk live via telephone on MSNBC Wednesday morning. Leah's friends are going at this full force. They've covered a lot of territory and they say they won't stop until they find their friend.
Anybody with information that can help police find Leah Hickman should call the Huntington Police Detective Bureau at (304) 696-4420.

link http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/12576086.html

I hope they can find her....I read on here all the time and you never think something like this would happen where you live....I live in Huntington and graduated from Marshall and it is such a small little town and very nice campus but I guess these things can happen anywhere.....
If I see any other updates I will post....

Click to expand...

Hi neighbor, I also live in Huntington. My son goes to Marshal in the summer.
You are very right this is such a small town you wouldnt think but there was another girl from Marshal that vanished a couple years ago cant think what her name was but they never found her. Have you posted any flyers out in the Wayne area?

bnhall said:

Her sister is on MSNBC right now.

Sister spoke with her at 5:40pm. They know she ate dinner at McDonald's.

I hope she turns up okay and soon!

Click to expand...

Did they know if anyone was with her at McDonalds?
surely the window person wood have remembered that yellow car, not many that color around here.

I wonder about the laundry room...I am thinking of the college student who disappeared and they found him later in a mechanical room, IIRC he got shocked in there and died. I hope they are doing and EXTENSIVE search of the immediate area incase she is 'stuck' somewhere. Doesn't make alotta sense that everything was is apt but her cell and the door was locked w/keys inside.