Found Deceased AL - Paighton Houston, 29, left bar with 2 men, Birmingham, 20 Dec 2019 #4

[FrostedGlass]

And now a separate thought, the house where Paighton was found has Christmas lights on it. It looks run down, sure, but I wouldn't say it's immediately identifiable as being abandoned. It's also on a corner and across the street from another home, so this doesn't feel like a random site to me. You have to have some gall to bury someone here.

Body found in shallow grave in Hueytown yard identified as Paighton Houston

I agree with you. People don't usually bury dead bodies in random backyards.

One of the first reports I read included in interview with one of the neighbors. IIRC, he said he was a retired LE. I think he's the one who said almost everyone in that little area was related to each other. I did find an interview of him but it didn't include him saying he was retired LE. Anyone else remember this?

 

[mks762]

And now a separate thought, the house where Paighton was found has Christmas lights on it. It looks run down, sure, but I wouldn't say it's immediately identifiable as being abandoned. It's also on a corner and across the street from another home, so this doesn't feel like a random site to me. You have to have some gall to bury someone here.

Body found in shallow grave in Hueytown yard identified as Paighton Houston

I'm sorry all, I'm jumping in here late. I've read the last 10 or so pages so I certainly do not know all that yall have discussed. Looking at the picture of the house, yes it looks run down just as Christineisfab says but honestly to me it doesn't even look abandoned. Is it for sure abandoned? There are just a few letters, that look to be new, in the mailbox- it's not empty nor is it over flowing, and there's a satellite dish on the house, as well as furniture on the front porch. The yard and bushes aren't overgrown per say. I don't know, it just really doesn't seem "abandoned" to me- and if it is abandoned then I'd say it was abandoned fairly recently and I'd like to know who lives/lived there. I don't think this is some completely random abandoned property that someone happened to pick out of the blue.
Again, so sorry if this has been discussed before!! Just saw Christineisfab's post and wanted to add to her comment.

 

[jgarris]

I wish I knew more about the tow yard across the street. Not going to divulge in looking into the lives of employees there that are likely innocent, but they would likely have significant knowledge on that house and the occupants.

 

[evilwise]

I'm sorry all, I'm jumping in here late. I've read the last 10 or so pages so I certainly do not know all that yall have discussed. Looking at the picture of the house, yes it looks run down just as Christineisfab says but honestly to me it doesn't even look abandoned. Is it for sure abandoned? There are just a few letters, that look to be new, in the mailbox- it's not empty nor is it over flowing, and there's a satellite dish on the house, as well as furniture on the front porch. The yard and bushes aren't overgrown per say. I don't know, it just really doesn't seem "abandoned" to me- and if it is abandoned then I'd say it was abandoned fairly recently and I'd like to know who lives/lived there. I don't think this is some completely random abandoned property that someone happened to pick out of the blue.
Again, so sorry if this has been discussed before!! Just saw Christineisfab's post and wanted to add to her comment.

Body found in shallow grave in Hueytown yard identified as Paighton Houston

Neighbors say an elderly man once lived at the home, but family members took him out of the house a while back to care for him.

It seems like the kind of house everyone in the neighborhood knew was recently vacated and also the kind of neighborhood people wouldn't necessarily check too closely if people were squatting - the utilities may have even still been on. The trash bags full of beer cans don't strike me as the trash left behind by an elderly man

 

[Van Helsing]

I agree with you. People don't usually bury dead bodies in random backyards.

One of the first reports I read included in interview with one of the neighbors. IIRC, he said he was a retired LE. I think he's the one who said almost everyone in that little area was related to each other. I did find an interview of him but it didn't include him saying he was retired LE. Anyone else remember this?

I do. I'm not sure it was in the same interview or person, but I saw the soon to retire LE officer interview and remember a neighbor say most on that road were related.

 

[Van Helsing]

Body found in shallow grave in Hueytown yard identified as Paighton Houston

Neighbors say an elderly man once lived at the home, but family members took him out of the house a while back to care for him.

It seems like the kind of house everyone in the neighborhood knew was recently vacated and also the kind of neighborhood people wouldn't necessarily check too closely if people were squatting - the utilities may have even still been on. The trash bags full of beer cans don't strike me as the trash left behind by an elderly man

"...utilities may have even still been on..." in one view on 1/2 it looked like a light was on inside. After my parents passed, I kept lights on timers to deter intruders. The family of the elderly owner probably did the same. Also, I maintained the yard in much the same condition as that yard. When a vacant house has little or no resale value it doesn't make sense to put too much into it, especially before probate if the owner doesn't have enough money. Real estate web sites show that property to be worth $75 to 95k. That's a joke. I know from experience that house would be lucky to get $35k. Other family members aren't typically going to put their own money into it. A house can start to look pretty run down quickly with no one living in it.
Aside: I noticed all of the Bud Lite beer cans. Do addicts drink light beer? I think those are trash from the past elderly resident owner. Living in filth may be part of why family moved him out.
Edit: He probably was saving up the beer cans thinking he would take them to recycling for cash. Another thing I know from experience unfortunately.

 

[ChuckInHouston]

Somewhere in these 4 threads is a MSM linked article which reads something like ' info provided by Houston family' with a list of a few bullet statements including that co-worker contacted PH's family around breakfast time on 12/21/19 and shared the text she received from PH.

From that statement, others have expanded it to include the co-worker was asleep at 12:15 AM and did not see the text until the next morning and reported it to the family, or that family called the co-worker first and not as printed.

However the text message from PH came to light, I think it's safe to say it happened Saturday morning and the family filed a missing person report with the police department without hesitation. Unfortunately, I think it was already too late to save her. MOO

agreed. I read the same. I only look at MSM, so unless misreported, this is the story as I heard it as well.

 

[MimosaMornings]

I have not seen any mention in msm of any personal belongings being found (purse/phone/etc) .

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

I agree with you. People don't usually bury dead bodies in random backyards.

One of the first reports I read included in interview with one of the neighbors. IIRC, he said he was a retired LE. I think he's the one who said almost everyone in that little area was related to each other. I did find an interview of him but it didn't include him saying he was retired LE. Anyone else remember this?

I do. I'm not sure it was in the same interview or person, but I saw the soon to retire LE officer interview and remember a neighbor say most on that road were related.

In the video at the link, at around 1:06, a neighbor states, “I’m a police officer also, on the verge of retiring ....”
Missing Trussville woman's body found in shallow grave behind house in Hueytown
[by Jack Helean; Thursday, January 2nd 2020]

According to the article linked below:
“Neighbors who live on Chapel Drive say the person who lived at the home had only lived there for a few months and they hadn’t seen much activity at the home recently.

[SBM]

‘We are still puzzled about the situation that happened. We hate that it happened. We were very concerned. We actually wanted to help out and see what was going on and see what we could do as well,’ said one neighbor who wanted to remain anonymous.

‘It’s seriously shocking. We don’t have those kinds of problems down here,’ said Albert Duff, Jr. ‘Just about everybody on this street is kin to someone else on this street.’”
Missing Alabama woman’s remains discovered in shallow grave
[By Randi Hildreth | January 4, 2020 at 6:33 AM CST - Updated January 5 at 11:41 AM]

 

[MimosaMornings]

* Neighbors said the house has been vacant for at least three weeks.

* Person who lived in the home had only lived there a few months.


The house was vacated shortly before Paighton went missing?

I thought there had been an elderly person living there for quite a while and family had moved him out.

Does that mean someone else had been living there or hanging out after the elderly person?

 

[PezCandy]

And now a separate thought, the house where Paighton was found has Christmas lights on it. It looks run down, sure, but I wouldn't say it's immediately identifiable as being abandoned. It's also on a corner and across the street from another home, so this doesn't feel like a random site to me. You have to have some gall to bury someone here.

Body found in shallow grave in Hueytown yard identified as Paighton Houston

I’ve been thinking about the house since she was found. The neighborhood or family must have been doing the yard work, but you would think that someone would have noticed the junk in backyard or people inside squatting, especially with how close it is to other houses. In a neighborhood like that you would think that someone would have noticed people trashing the place, lighting fires in backyard, bunch of random people hanging around. Idk, it seems like people who’ve been in neighborhoods keep a lookout even if they don’t notice themselves doing it. My house sat vacant for awhile and neighbors would call about suspicious activity or they would mow etc. I’m wondering if people were getting in and out of that house thru the hole (or broken basement window) if the doors are locked. It really don’t look like it was vacant for too long..

 

[PezCandy]

* Neighbors said the house has been vacant for at least three weeks.

* Person who lived in the home had only lived there a few months.


The house was vacated shortly before Paighton went missing?

I thought there had been an elderly person living there for quite a while and family had moved him out.

Does that mean someone else had been living there or hanging out after the elderly person?

this as well! I was wondering the same thing after further sleuthing

 

[alsleuther]

Listen to the Alabama’s Morning News with JT Episode - The Latest on the Paighton Houston Investigation on iHeartRadio | iHeartRadio

I think this counts as approved news source. I found this interview with AL.com's newsreporter, Carol Robinson very interesting.

She's been reporting on this case and it seems to think she believes there were two men. I wonder if that is the case, why have no arrests been made yet?

Others have surmised that possibly the arrests have happened but have not been publicized b/c they are waiting until after Friday when PH is laid to rest. Is that common protocol for LE, and if so, why?

 

[ChuckInHouston]

* Neighbors said the house has been vacant for at least three weeks.

* Person who lived in the home had only lived there a few months.


The house was vacated shortly before Paighton went missing?

I thought there had been an elderly person living there for quite a while and family had moved him out.

Does that mean someone else had been living there or hanging out after the elderly person?

JMO:
I would think that the person or persons responsible have some familiarity with the house. Not necessarily that they lived there, but at the least that they knew someone that lived there and knew the home was empty. I would say it takes an extreme amount of comfort, to spend enough time there to bury a body. If people were frequenting the house after it was vacant, I would think the neighbors would have said something or called the law. Not sure if it was a rental, but on the day they were exhuming the body, a lady pulled up and the cops would not let her down the street. she said she was the owner of the home, and the her stuff was in the house, and she was coming by to pick up the mail. I wont go back and find the link as it was posted repeatedly early in previous threads. It was live. I saw several references to the beer cans being a sign of parting at the house. Not for my money. could have easily been the resident. Some people drink a lot. could have been saving cans, etc. also regarding the condition of the yard. could have been things left behind or pulled out of the house getting ready to clean up and rent out. Could be that everyone does not live like others and that is just how it was.

 

[MimosaMornings]

And if they are all kin to each other on that street and watch out for each other, seems no one knew the name of the elderly person that supposedly lived there?

Like.....

“Oh, Old John Doe lived there a long time- he’s been living there by himself since his wife died years ago”
Or
“Yeah, Old John’s grandson and some of his friends been hanging out there drinking beer after they moved his grandfather out”

JMO

 

[alsleuther]

And if they are all kin to each other on that street and watch out for each other, seems no one knew the name of the elderly person that supposedly lived there?

Like.....

“Oh, Old John Doe lived there a long time- he’s been living there by himself since his wife died years ago”
Or
“Yeah, Old John’s grandson and some of his friends been hanging out there drinking beer after they moved his grandfather out”

JMO

If there was illegal activity going on in that house, by a grandson, cousin or even a renter, a neighbor might not want to comment publicly on what they have observed. Potential perps might run with a rough crowd and neighbors wouldn't want to risk retaliation?

Gang presence grows in Southeast bringing violent crimes

This article addresses growing gang activity in Bessemer, AL.

 

[Van Helsing]

Just for consideration, there probably was not much natural light in the early morning hours of 12/21 (waning crescent moon and cloudy, (except fair just after midnight)). If she was buried in that time frame they may have had to point car toward burial spot unless the house had outdoor lights that they could access and turn on. I guess any evidence of a car pulling in toward the back yard was probably destroyed by the recovery activities.
Birmingham, AL Weather History | Weather Underground

 

[GeorgiaRai]

She's been reporting on this case and it seems to think she believes there were two men. I wonder if that is the case, why have no arrests been made yet?

Can't listen until later because I'm at work, but as to this question... maybe PH left willingly with two men but they parted ways at some point, resulting in her being with people she didn't know. If that were the case, there'd be no reason to arrest them, right? They may even have provided one of the "tips" that eventually led to the recovery of PH (something along the lines of "she was fine when we left her at so & so's party around midnight" or whatever). It could also explain why LE stopped asking for help to identify them. MOO.

 

[MimosaMornings]

DBM

 

[bwt42]

Listen to the Alabama’s Morning News with JT Episode - The Latest on the Paighton Houston Investigation on iHeartRadio | iHeartRadio

I think this counts as approved news source. I found this interview with AL.com's newsreporter, Carol Robinson very interesting.

She's been reporting on this case and it seems to think she believes there were two men. I wonder if that is the case, why have no arrests been made yet?

Others have surmised that possibly the arrests have happened but have not been publicized b/c they are waiting until after Friday when PH is laid to rest. Is that common protocol for LE, and if so, why?

Reporter said authorities have a pretty good handle on what happened and have for sometime. Waiting for body to be found & now for test results. My interpretation of interview.