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

[ChuckInHouston]

Question for Well Seasoned Sleuthers:
My title makes you sound edible, doesn't it
Is there any legal onus on the part of LE to control the narrative of a case in such a way that innocent parties are not unfairly implicated in a crime?
LE has done nothing to control the narrative in this case. Yes, there can be good reasons for this....and I am generally in LE's court. But assuming Grace holds no responsibility and that LE is positive of this, IMO , they could have communicated so to take the heat off of her. Can Grace sue for defamation?
Many assumptions here...I'm purely asking on principle.
Hope my question makes sense.

No. It's not their job to control public speculation. I have not seen anything put out by LE that points a finger at this person. Nothing. Sheer savagery in SM circles. Speculation about, why this person left PH, when they left PH, why they did not check on her when text received, if there is some connection to the home where found, relations to the last know persons PH was with, drug use, and the list goes on. I have seen no evidence of any of this. None 0. Nothing put out by LE that would even hint at any of it being true, or that for some reason, the public should look in that direction. In case of lack of information, input your conspiracy theory here ___________.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Question for Well Seasoned Sleuthers:
My title makes you sound edible, doesn't it
Is there any legal onus on the part of LE to control the narrative of a case in such a way that innocent parties are not unfairly implicated in a crime?
LE has done nothing to control the narrative in this case. Yes, there can be good reasons for this....and I am generally in LE's court. But assuming Grace holds no responsibility and that LE is positive of this, IMO , they could have communicated so to take the heat off of her. Can Grace sue for defamation?
Many assumptions here...I'm purely asking on principle.
Hope my question makes sense.

Your question makes perfect sense, and the short answer is no. LE agencies are under no legal obligation to make any sort of public statement about the innocence of anyone connected to a criminal investigation.

That being said, they often do anyway. Quite often, a statement is made that rules out this person or that person for a a variety of different reasons. Every department is different, just like every case is different, and I don't think we can assume it means anything at all, that they haven't come out and said "we don't consider This Person as either a suspect or POI".

 

[proctorelites]

There are definitely, higher classed addicts then the ones everyone thinks of in crack houses. Doctors daughters, CEOs daughters. They don’t hang with the dangerous people, they hang with friends they get high with and do drugs with. I know lots of them.

I know saying a “higher class addict” sounds like an oxymoron but think about the celebrities who have had addiction issues. They have money and can get whatever they want in the way of drugs, and they do their drugs in their mansions. IME

I'm gonna blow your mind. Pediatricians, nurses, even lawyers- the doctors and CEO- some of them get high too, not just their children. They have addictions too. I can name some in the town i live..i told my family what pediatrician & urologist to stay away from. Ive also dealt with a drunk nurse- at the hospital, in my line if work. Its sad and dangerous
Edit to add: my line of business is in the hospitality industry.

 

[ChuckInHouston]

I'm gonna blow your mind. Pediatricians, nurses, even lawyers- the doctors and CEO- some of them get high too, not just their children. They have addictions too.

YES. I assure you. resources are an addicts worst enemy.

 

[proctorelites]

YES. I assure you. resources are an addicts worst enemy.

I dont follow?

 

[sloane7777]

It’s not just her parents, I cannot find one comment by anyone who knew Paighton, including close friends, that imply in any way this is her character, only the opposite.
I know addicts that don’t do drugs with random people, or in “trap houses”, or turn tricks for drugs.
I know addicts who are “cautious”, as Paighton’s friend described her, they have a close inner circle they use with and are too paranoid about protecting their lifestyle to veer from that.
These addicts I know are middle to upper class, money gives them some protection and privileges in their addiction that keep them from the desperation to get drugs that would lead them to leave with strangers to do drugs in a trap house. Drugs, including heroin, are regularly available in nice towns and lily white suburbs.
moo
Maybe I’m wrong and Paighton had a reputation and history of running with a crowd outside of her community and hanging out in abandoned houses doing drugs, but I don’t see any evidence of that.

THIS!!!! I agree wholeheartedly this is 100% true!!!!

 

[sloane7777]

I dont follow?

if you have money to sustain you don't have to resort to hanging in "low places " and continue that habit without suspect .

 

[chili367]

Your question makes perfect sense, and the short answer is no. LE agencies are under no legal obligation to make any sort of public statement about the innocence of anyone connected to a criminal investigation.

That being said, they often do anyway. Quite often, a statement is made that rules out this person or that person for a a variety of different reasons. Every department is different, just like every case is different, and I don't think we can assume it means anything at all, that they haven't come out and said "we don't consider This Person as either a suspect or POI".

Once the SM train leaves the station you can't get it back under control until the case is solved -- and often times that doesn't even stop it. It's not just SM (this just makes it worse) but this kind of community-based shaming/blaming is a part of human nature and living in society that's been a problem for a long, long time.

Clearly, this person has to be a person-of-interest -- that's what happens when you're the last person to see someone alive in a murder/unexplained death situation. However, that doesn't mean you should be hounded in social media.

There is a problem with current "online detective work" when someone innocent gets misidentified and off everyone goes. Which is why I think it's good here at WS where this kind of guessing is kept off the boards in large part. Discuss amongst yourselves in DMs but don't let it get out where someone doing a driveby on the board suddenly makes someone's life difficult by taking the name to the other arenas where this kind of thing isn't policed.

 

[PezCandy]

this is my personal life experience:
Ugh, drugs are a nasty thing in life. My MIL has been a meth addict for 55 years... made our lives hell for the past few years with the narcissistic personality disorder along with the grandiose attitude that came along with the drug use, cleaning all hours of the night then trashing the place when she’s done, hoarding junk and animals. Her friends that do it are white collar and you wouldn’t think they would be doing it, they don’t act the way she does. Then there is my ex-hus who started doing heroin after his mom died of cancer in 2011. When he was sober he was wonderful but when he was using, awful. When using you could tell, couldn’t keep a job, overly wound up bouncing off the walls, would talk totally inappropriate and degrading. 2017 Last time we spoke he was sober, holding a job, went back to college and was doing the best anyone had seen him, he relapsed and died a year later. Truly devastating. I had gotten an odd random text from him the night he died that made me go “please don’t tell me he’s using again”. My best friend died almost a year after he did, she was addicted to meth but when tox came back she was clean and everyone thought she was using again. She died in her sleep from suffocation.
My point? Some people have a really hard time hiding drug use and some people are so good at it. And when someone is truly getting on their feet as sober you can tell from their personality to how they are deciding to take control of their lives and the actions they take to better others. If PH truly did pass of an OD like many are suggesting then I wholeheartedly think that she was trying to better herself and her life and just ended up with the wrong place at wrong time with the wrong people and someone panicked. From knowing what we do know of PH it seemed like she was really trying to turn things around.
also, knowing many meth and heroin addicts, the ones I know don’t drink, they stick to their drug of choice. So they continue going to bars and stuff, even the ones in recovery will still go to bars because like I said, it wasn’t alcohol they were addicted to (least that’s what they’ve said). Sorry if this post broke any rules, I was just trying to explain what I’ve personally dealt with and tie PH into the mix because I truly think that she was giving it her best.

 

[CuriousBystander]

Just getting back on after the pause in action yesterday. Did anyone gather any insight from the funeral or has any attender posted anything they may have learned or observed? Hate to ask and intend no disrespect to Paighton but do want justice for her.

 

[akazia1978]

this is my personal life experience:
Ugh, drugs are a nasty thing in life. My MIL has been a meth addict for 55 years... made our lives hell for the past few years with the narcissistic personality disorder along with the grandiose attitude that came along with the drug use, cleaning all hours of the night then trashing the place when she’s done, hoarding junk and animals. Her friends that do it are white collar and you wouldn’t think they would be doing it, they don’t act the way she does. Then there is my ex-hus who started doing heroin after his mom died of cancer in 2011. When he was sober he was wonderful but when he was using, awful. When using you could tell, couldn’t keep a job, overly wound up bouncing off the walls, would talk totally inappropriate and degrading. 2017 Last time we spoke he was sober, holding a job, went back to college and was doing the best anyone had seen him, he relapsed and died a year later. Truly devastating. I had gotten an odd random text from him the night he died that made me go “please don’t tell me he’s using again”. My best friend died almost a year after he did, she was addicted to meth but when tox came back she was clean and everyone thought she was using again. She died in her sleep from suffocation.
My point? Some people have a really hard time hiding drug use and some people are so good at it. And when someone is truly getting on their feet as sober you can tell from their personality to how they are deciding to take control of their lives and the actions they take to better others. If PH truly did pass of an OD like many are suggesting then I wholeheartedly think that she was trying to better herself and her life and just ended up with the wrong place at wrong time with the wrong people and someone panicked. From knowing what we do know of PH it seemed like she was really trying to turn things around.
also, knowing many meth and heroin addicts, the ones I know don’t drink, they stick to their drug of choice. So they continue going to bars and stuff, even the ones in recovery will still go to bars because like I said, it wasn’t alcohol they were addicted to (least that’s what they’ve said). Sorry if this post broke any rules, I was just trying to explain what I’ve personally dealt with and tie PH into the mix because I truly think that she was giving it her best.

Fully agree...the messed up thing about heroin is that it is so much stronger now. Easy to OD and die after clean time. I'm an ex addict/alcoholic. The one thing I do feel about alcohol is it does kind of serve as a gateway drug..for example, if I drink I often end up in search of cocaine/molly etc. Just how it is/was for me. It destroys my judgement. hugs to you, I dated an ex meth addict who fell off...was the worst thing ever.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Once the SM train leaves the station you can't get it back under control until the case is solved -- and often times that doesn't even stop it. It's not just SM (this just makes it worse) but this kind of community-based shaming/blaming is a part of human nature and living in society that's been a problem for a long, long time.

Clearly, this person has to be a person-of-interest -- that's what happens when you're the last person to see someone alive in a murder/unexplained death situation. However, that doesn't mean you should be hounded in social media.

There is a problem with current "online detective work" when someone innocent gets misidentified and off everyone goes. Which is why I think it's good here at WS where this kind of guessing is kept off the boards in large part. Discuss amongst yourselves in DMs but don't let it get out where someone doing a driveby on the board suddenly makes someone's life difficult by taking the name to the other arenas where this kind of thing isn't policed.

Really well stated. I do agree that the co-worker is sort of a generic POI. Not officially named as such by the investigating LE team, however, and that does make a difference. As for the blaming/shaming, I believe that comes from an inner sense that most people have that demands justice for such an injustice. Initially it comes from a good hearted place, but then turns into a nutty lynch mob mentality, rather quickly, if not kept in check.

moo.

 

[cass523]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=730870134103436

 

[Jan424]

It's really unusual for people getting high together to bury somebody who OD'd.
But it's very typical for somebody who kidnapped, raped, and killed someone to bury the body in a shallow grave somewhere.
Just the way my thoughts are trending...

I'm just trying to catch up on this case and thread .... but I agree with this 100%. My cousin OD'd in a home with other addicts one night, and they certainly didn't go out and bury him. What they did do before the police came (yes, they called 911), was rid the home of all illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Also, I had been thinking she might have been raped prior to death as well.

 

[TheExperience]

The witness named in MSM by her attorney is a co-worker of PH. She appears with PH in the last photos PH posted to her Instagram. I also don't know anything about their relationship but they seem close enough to embrace each other in public at an industry dinner. I imagine she must be absolutely shattered over the loss of her friend. Wishing her strength and comfort.

I believe this is why SM is not allowed here because of this, right here. Assumptions, that the co worker who we know nothing about must be absolutely shattered over the loss of her friend. On the same Instagram profile are top photos of what some others may assume, by going off of this SM alone, is a better and longer termed friend of PH, who does not share the same assumptions as you do about Miss co worker, not even close to your opinion at all, and voiced this on the same Instagram profile of PH.

 

[Optics]

Question for Well Seasoned Sleuthers:
My title makes you sound edible, doesn't it
Is there any legal onus on the part of LE to control the narrative of a case in such a way that innocent parties are not unfairly implicated in a crime?
LE has done nothing to control the narrative in this case. Yes, there can be good reasons for this....and I am generally in LE's court. But assuming Grace holds no responsibility and that LE is positive of this, IMO , they could have communicated so to take the heat off of her. Can Grace sue for defamation?
Many assumptions here...I'm purely asking on principle.
Hope my question makes sense.

Who would she sue? Facebook friends, Reddit comments? I have not seen anything from LE to indicate they have released any information with regard to her.

 

[UnderTheSouthernCross]

I believe this is why SM is not allowed here because of this, right here. Assumptions, that the co worker who we know nothing about must be absolutely shattered over the loss of her friend. On the same Instagram profile are top photos of what some others may assume, by going off of this SM alone, is a better and longer termed friend of PH, who does not share the same assumptions as you do about Miss co worker, not even close to your opinion at all, and voiced this on the same Instagram profile of PH.

Gotta go along with the point of drawing too many conclusions based off of SM alone, but if one picture *IS* worth a thousand words I'd have to say one angle I am somewhat surprised has not been mentioned more often on this thread is the one pic on Instagram with the word "FRIENDS" in rainbow colours. Suffice it to say that with the scarcity of men in her Instagram pics (at least those that are not family), I wouldn't think PH would have left a bar with *any* men. Just my 2d...

 

[TheExperience]

Who would she sue? Facebook friends, Reddit comments? I have not seen anything from LE to indicate they have released any information with regard to her.

Question for Well Seasoned Sleuthers:
My title makes you sound edible, doesn't it
Is there any legal onus on the part of LE to control the narrative of a case in such a way that innocent parties are not unfairly implicated in a crime?
LE has done nothing to control the narrative in this case. Yes, there can be good reasons for this....and I am generally in LE's court. But assuming Grace holds no responsibility and that LE is positive of this, IMO , they could have communicated so to take the heat off of her. Can Grace sue for defamation?
Many assumptions here...I'm purely asking on principle.
Hope my question makes sense.

Anyone can file charges and pursue a legal suit over just about anything. I have read reports of bickering anal retentive neighbors suing one another over what I assume are silly and senseless issues.

Awarded judgments, even large pots, are hardly ever paid, and most will be spent paying off the huge legal bill of a legal team, or the case is ongoing forever in countless appeals, until the costs become overbearing for all involved.

Imo, people, adults, should take accountability of themselves and be forthcoming asap, as soon as they feel the heat of their actions are being perceived by others as suspicious. In the majority of cases, if one is 100% innocent, they usually come forth themselves to clear up any presumptions that are 100% untrue.

I was 50/50 about an ex and close friend in another criminal case who was being slaughtered and not just in being possible guilty slaughtered, lawyer speak, I suppose not unlike scintilla or even better, iota, 'bashing.' He was made fun of, belittled, assumptions made from his sm site, ridiculing his lifestyle, looks, and characteristics. Oddly, no one was taking the same stances and passion of protecting and standing for this guy, like they are this female co worker. He has not sued, but he certainly came forth asap to clear the false impressions, false assumptions, and I was shocked at how impressive, kind, compassionate, mindful, and honest this male was. This shut it down, mostly, 95% of what is considered bashing. He did so without having to spend $$$$ in order to stand for himself.

 

[TheExperience]

YES. I assure you. resources are an addicts worst enemy.

Imo, there are junkies and functional addicts in every socio economical tax bracket branch, even the non taxed branch, 1%rs. Heroin is snorted by more users than the notoriously described needle junkies. In my experiences, I have first hand seen those who are lifetime functional addicts, die right around, near, or not too long after, 50 years of age, of a giant cardiac arrest, not OD, from snorting what some may consider a small amount of cocaine. There comes a point in time, age, to which cocaine becomes the most dangerous even in small amounts. Not counting street Fentanyl, in this opinion, plus I have little knowledge of anyone in my life who actively seeks it out to use.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Gotta go along with the point of drawing too many conclusions based off of SM alone, but if one picture *IS* worth a thousand words I'd have to say one angle I am somewhat surprised has not been mentioned more often on this thread is the one pic on Instagram with the word "FRIENDS" in rainbow colours. Suffice it to say that with the scarcity of men in her Instagram pics (at least those that are not family), I wouldn't think PH would have left a bar with *any* men. Just my 2d...

It actually has been mentioned, but I don't see how it has any bearing on what really happened to this young woman. No matter her sexual orientation, she left that bar with someone (unless we're going to assume she walked from the bar to the house on Chapel), and someone left her dead in a hole in the middle of a garbage strewn yard of an abandoned house. So to me, whether she was straight or gay (and it's never been stated in MSM, that I am aware of) has exactly zero bearing on this case.

moo