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

[Beth11311]

Just my thoughts. Usually the simplest answer is the right one. LE is not saying murder investigation because they do not know yet. Nothing worse than making that kind of mistake then having to recant.

They may also have to wait for the coroner to confirm MOD is in fact homicide. Or am I crazy?

 

[dagerrald]

Thank you for posting this! This makes the 2 known search sites less than 2 miles from each other.

maybe 1 murder scene / other is burial site?

 

[Beth11311]

I know there has not been a COD, but she didn’t put herself in a shallow grave.

MOO

Correct - but the MOD may not be homicide (not saying I think one way or another). Could be a case of xyz and someone burying her after the fact (again, not saying that’s what I think happened, I have no clue right now).

 

[Momma2cam]

They may also have to wait for the coroner to confirm MOD is in fact homicide. Or am I crazy?

If her body didn't have obvious signs of trauma, would that likely cause a hesitation in labeling it a homicide investigation? MOO

 

[KCmetwo]

This may be going out on a limb, but let’s say this was an OD. Is there any possibility, that someone could have taken advantage of the fact that she was a recovering addict and forced her to do the drugs causing an overdose.

NOW, I don't know how true this is, BUT it's my understanding that once you have OD'd and had a recovery and been "clean" that the drugs hit you harder the next time you dabble in them. I can't speak from experience as the only drug I have ever done was marijuana and I was 18 at the time, it became legal in my state 3 days ago.
ould PH have gotten a hold of something laced IF whomever this was took the drug route? Also, how many people knew of the internal injuries that her past caused? IF whomever did this was someone she knew they could have played with that knowledge and knew what would take her out if it was intentional. If it was an accident someone could have handed her somethin they didn't know would hurt her and freaked out.

 

[carbuff]

I've heard of OD victims left lying in frozen houses and under bridges, dropped by the side of the road, left outside emergency rooms, draped over the hood of a police cruiser while the officer was making a pit stop, but I can't remember reading about somebody who was taken away and buried.

Seems like most of the time everybody just gets out of the area and leaves the person where they died.

 

[Beth11311]

I am not trying to sound crass here. I am glad to hear that you are doing well in your recovery. BUT, in order for Paighton to go on a bender, wouldn't she have had to withdraw money from her account? It hadn't been stated if she had any cash on her, but the fact that her bank account hadn't been touched would mean that IF she had gone on a bender she was hoping for a free ride if she didn't have cash on her, OR perhaps she planned on paying a different way?? I am NOT saying that's what she did or what was planned AT ALL. I have friends that have done that and they have confessed to me it wasn't their finest hour.
BUT, with that said, I was just wondering as to how an accidental OD could occur unless 1- she had cash 2- someone else was supplying it or 3- she had other means of payment. (Even gettin it on a front with a "I'll pay ya on such and such day). All things that came to mind when the drug aspect kept coming up.
R.I.P. Paighton, fly free and help guide us to getting you Justice

I want to again state I don’t know that this is what happened or even think it is, BUT, to answer your question, when we are in our addiction we are incredibly resourceful about making sure we get a fix. All of what you mentioned is possible (know someone who will kick you some and you pay them back, pawn stuff, steal, you name it). So...there are always options. Congrats to my other sober sisters and brothers on the thread. Miracles

 

[KCmetwo]

Reports stated body was "intact". If her body didn't have obvious signs of trauma, would that likely cause a hesitation in labeling it a homicide investigation? MOO

IMO "intact" would mean that 1- decomp wasn't to the point of skin tissue coming off and 2- body wasn't dismembered but that's just MOO

 

[Momma2cam]

IMO "intact" would mean that 1- decomp wasn't to the point of skin tissue coming off and 2- body wasn't dismembered but that's just MOO

Removed that part as I realized that is what it meant as well.

Still, if body shows no obvious signs of trauma, they may hesitate to label it a homicide investigation. Moo

 

[Angleterre]

I

Positive identification of the deceased applies to all-- not only the high profile. However, with advanced technology (DNA, etc.,) it's not as grim as we've long seen on TV. In many areas, identification is now possible by a photo and physical viewing of the body by next of kin not required.

I have to respectfully disagree here unless the rule of identification law is different in the USA to the UK where I am, but I highly doubt it. I have investigated many murders and there MUST always be identification of the body by a member of the family or someone blood related ( unless nobody can be found). LE can still use DNA and we
still to this day, fingerprint dead bodies during autopsy BUT there still has to be formal identification by a family member.
Just FYI and moo

 

[Peppery]

Reports stated body was "intact". If her body didn't have obvious signs of trauma, would that likely cause a hesitation in labeling it a homicide investigation? MOO

I can’t recall off the top of my head but I know there’s been cases where the victim was shot and yet MOD and COD were withheld until ME or the DA was ready to announce it.

I suspect there’s a lot going on behind the scenes right now, plea deals, warrants, confirming facts, meetings between attorneys, before we see an arrest and then C/MOD will be announced. Moo.

 

[KCmetwo]

I want to again state I don’t know that this is what happened or even think it is, BUT, to answer your question, when we are in our addiction we are incredibly resourceful about making sure we get a fix. All of what you mentioned is possible (know someone who will kick you some and you pay them back, pawn stuff, steal, you name it). So...there are always options. Congrats to my other sober sisters and brothers on the thread. Miracles

I know you weren't stating that's what happened, I was just asking about the money thing since it was made such a huge thing that her bank acct hadn't been used. Thank you.

 

[SaucyWalker]

Was the body clothed? If not, this could suggest sexual assault and the next obvious charge - murder. I don't think this was an accidental drug overdose, although I do suspect drugs to be the reason Paighton left with these people in the first place. People are still saying that the two men who left with PH never existed, but I'm still leaning toward a probability that they did, and that they're responsible for her death. The house - and back yard where poor Paighton's body was buried -has "crack house" written all over it.

 

[bwt42]

For those of you that don't think she left the bar with 2 strangers. How do you think she died & ended up where she did.

 

[Seattle1]

I agree and have lost everything at many points. The expensive rehabs would only help me for a short period and it took outpatient for me to actually learn how to live a clean life. However, I have been clean for close to 13 years and every day at some point I struggle and I know how easy it would be to go back. I was so hoping Paighton was just on a bender. I would disappear too for awhile when I would relapse and it seemed to me like the best scenario for her. Sometimes the shame and feelings of failure keeps addicts away. I am very sad about Paighton and felt a connection to her case because of some of the similarities to my own life. I also put myself in to some very dangerous situations and I so hoping for a different outcome for her. So I really hope they find these guys soon, it almost seems like it was planned because she felt something was off. Even if it is a case of an accidental OD they obviously do not respect life and they need to pay for what they did. RIP Paighton

Congratulations on yr 13 years, I'm nearly 8 years myself and now have my family around me again, I work, I have a lovely home. I'm still not financially rich but I'm certainly rich in blessings and gratitude.

Back on topic, I too hoped that maybe she had just relapsed, it is such a long hard road to travel and the shame that comes with relapsing, knowing how disappointed family will be etc.... is enough to make many people hide away until they sort their s**t out. Sadly it doesn't look like this was the case for poor Paighton.

Big congratulations to both of you on your sobriety -- one day at a time.

Over the years I've watched the life destruction of addict and family alike -- most recently with co-worker's adult daughter (28) that went missing NYE 2018 after countless private and public rehabs. Watched her parents sacrifice their retirement-- using their 401k to finance multiple treatment programs to no avail.

The missing daughter was miraculously found by a private investigator at a crack house after an unknown person was discovered driving her vehicle (registered to her parents). Parents agreed not to press theft charges if he led them to daughters whereabouts. After a stint in the local hospital (significant organ disease near failure), she's living in another town in what's deemed a "sober house/community" where she's teaching adult education or short programs at the community college for a stipend. I believe the idea is to eventually transition back to mainstream but 11 months later she says she doesn't believe she will survive if she leaves.

Wishing all here a good 2020 -- one day at a time.

 

[Angleterre]

Hi is that

The family or anyone else is never required to view a dead body to make an identification.

the way it works in all USA ? I am genuinely interested as in the UK it MUST be a relative who id’s the deceased and it cannot be solely DNA or NAFIS or a photograph. I am surprised it’s not the case in the USA but I see your title is verified LE so I accept what you say . I am a senior investigative officer and was, prior to medical retirement, of the rank Detective Chief Inspector and was responsible for the leadership of many murder investigations and teams of Detectives so I speak from experience I’m my arena of law in the UK
It often amazes me just how differently we Police and investigate . Hope to hear back from you. Respectfully...

 

[carbuff]

I can’t recall off the top of my head but I know there’s been cases where the victim was shot and yet MOD and COD were withheld until ME or the DA was ready to announce it.

I suspect there’s a lot going on behind the scenes right now, plea deals, warrants, confirming facts, meetings between attorneys, before we see an arrest and then C/MOD will be announced. Moo.

Yeah, the LE on scene and others who recover the body can make a guess based on what they see, but until the autopsy they won't know for sure what the cause of death is.

 

[Tealgrove]

I am beginning to wonder if Paighton was ever at The Tin Roof. The way LE is wording the information about the two men leaving the Bar with Paighton really makes me pause and think that maybe she wasn't there at all.

Was the friend who reported that Paighton left with the 2 men actually at the Bar? Could the friend/co-worker have gone with Paighton to somewhere entirely different than what was reported and then had to make up a story to cover for herself when things went bad?

I am beginning to wonder???????

MOO

 

[Steph8angels]

This may be going out on a limb, but let’s say this was an OD. Is there any possibility, that someone could have taken advantage of the fact that she was a recovering addict and forced her to do the drugs causing an overdose.

This theory would/could only be proven if there where evidence of a person slipping something in her drink with-out victims knowledge.
Then it only goes down hill from there.
JMOO

 

[WildcatRunner]

Do we know, when was the last time other people saw her? Was she at work that day?

I don't know about seen, but she called her family in the AM when she got to work, called them on her break, and again after work. So she made it through the work day as normal it would appear.