Paighton Houston's Body Found At Hueytown Investigation Scene

HUEYTOWN, AL — Paighton Houston, the 29-year-old Trussville woman who has been missing since Dec. 20, was found dead Friday in Hueytown.

Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies convened in the Hueytown neighborhood Thursday night — including Trussville, Birmingham, Hueytown police and Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies — and returned Friday to investigate a tip in the disappearance of Houston, according to Birmingham police.

Bessemer Cutoff District Attorney Lynniece Washington said human remains were found buried on the property, and the Jefferson County Coroner's Office confirmed that the body is Paighton Houston.

A home on Chapel Drive was the subject of the investigation. The home is currently unoccupied, and Houston's body was discovered buried in a shallow hole next to the house.

A heavy law enforcement presence began in the area around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Most of the agencies left the scene by 9:30 p.m. Chapel Drive and Love Street had the heaviest police presence, although residents said Pinewood Avenue from Johnson Drive were the first streets blocked off.

Birmingham homicide detectives and the Jefferson County K-9 Unit were on the scene surrounding a home in the area, and the Jefferson County Coroner left with Houston's body.

Houston was reportedly last seen at the Tin Roof, a bar in Birmingham's Lakeview district Dec. 20. Reports say she was seen leaving with two unidentified men, and later that evening sent a text to a co-worker saying she felt she might be in trouble.

Thus far, law enforcement has been unable to confirm when Houston left the bar or with whom she left.