Post by lisa on Dec 25, 2007 20:53:35 GMT -5
Police Find Body Believed to be Missing Marshall University Student
Saturday, December 22, 2007
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Investigators found a body in a crawl space Friday that police believe is that of a missing Marshall University student.
Forensic investigators found the body at 5 p.m. in a common laundry room in the basement of the missing woman's apartment building, the Huntington Police Department said in a prepared statement.
The body has not been identified but indications are that it is that of 21-year-old Leah Hickman, who has been missing since Dec. 14, the department said.
There are no suspects, Police Chief Skip Holbrook said at a Friday night news conference. He provided few details, saying police do not want to jeopardize the investigation. He said police do not know how long the body had been in the crawl space. He would not say whether a cause of death has been determined.
"Obviously this is a fresh crime scene. It was important for us to make a preliminary notification to the family. We are ... confident this is her," Holbrook said.
The last known contact with Hickman was a cell phone conversation with a friend late on the afternoon of Dec. 14. Police say Hickman's cell phone hasn't been used since.
The phone is missing, but Hickman's keys, purse, car and the bags she'd packed to go to visit her parents in the Point Pleasant area were found at her Huntington apartment.
Holbrook said investigators were not tipped off about the location of the body, and that they found it during a search for evidence. He said the crawl space was not in plain view.
Leah Hickman Timeline
Friday, Dec. 14
Marshall University student Leah Hickman, 21, is last seen by her half-sister, 25-year-old Jessica Vickers, at the apartment the two share on the 400 block of 8th Avenue sometime between 2:30 to 4 in the afternoon. Vickers said her sister was doing dishes when she last saw her.
Hickman’s last recorded logon to her MySpace page takes place sometime on this day. No specific time is given.
5:40 p.m.: Hickman makes a call from her cell phone to a friend saying she is going to get food from McDonald’s. It is the last call made from her phone, and incoming calls that night go straight to voice mail. After a time, incoming callers receive a message that Hickman’s voice mail is full.
Saturday, Dec. 15
4 p.m.: Vickers stops back by the apartment at the request of her mother, and notices Hickman’s purse, keys and car are still at the residence, though Hickman is nowhere to be found.
Vickers posts a message on Hickman’s MySpace page which reads “Oh sister, where are you???”
5 p.m.: Hickman does not show up for a scheduled four-hour shift at Dress Barn on Merritts Creek Road in Barboursville, where she has been working for five months. Her manager, Peggy Nida, later told reporters that Hickman was not the type of employee who didn’t show up for work, and usually called even if she was going to be a few minutes late.
Sunday, Dec. 16
4:48 p.m.: Hickman’s mother, Sherry Russell, of Leon, W.Va., files a missing person report with the Huntington Police Department. Authorities begin the investigation into Hickman’s disappearance.
Monday, Dec. 17
7:30 a.m.: Hickman’s friend, Roger Parker, of Proctorville, posts a message on Hickman’s MySpace page informing friends that she is missing, and asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact him, or friend Caitlin Starkey. Friends begin to post fliers across the area.
Tuesday, Dec. 18
Police continue to search for Hickman and conduct interviews, searching for leads in the case.
Wednesday, Dec. 19
Vickers is interviewed on MSNBC concerning her sister’s disappearance; other national media begin to carry stories on the incident.
11 a.m.: Police canvas Hickman’s neighborhood, searching abandoned houses and interviewing sex offenders in the area looking for evidence in the case. Authorities state the search does not turn up any new information.
Dress Barn announces a $10,000 reward for information on Hickman’s whereabouts.
Thursday, Dec. 20
Police announce they are pursuing new leads in the case, but declined to give details.
6 p.m.: Friends conduct a candlelight vigil at the Memorial Student Center plaza on the campus of Marshall University.
Friday, Dec. 21
Vickers is interviewed on MSNBC for the second time concerning her sister’s disappearance.
Huntington Police find the body of a white female in a crawlspace off the laundry room in Hickman’s apartment building. Police believe it is Hickman’s body, but the woman was not identified conclusively. Police forensic units look for clues and treat the discovery as an active crime scene.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Investigators found a body in a crawl space Friday that police believe is that of a missing Marshall University student.
Forensic investigators found the body at 5 p.m. in a common laundry room in the basement of the missing woman's apartment building, the Huntington Police Department said in a prepared statement.
The body has not been identified but indications are that it is that of 21-year-old Leah Hickman, who has been missing since Dec. 14, the department said.
There are no suspects, Police Chief Skip Holbrook said at a Friday night news conference. He provided few details, saying police do not want to jeopardize the investigation. He said police do not know how long the body had been in the crawl space. He would not say whether a cause of death has been determined.
"Obviously this is a fresh crime scene. It was important for us to make a preliminary notification to the family. We are ... confident this is her," Holbrook said.
The last known contact with Hickman was a cell phone conversation with a friend late on the afternoon of Dec. 14. Police say Hickman's cell phone hasn't been used since.
The phone is missing, but Hickman's keys, purse, car and the bags she'd packed to go to visit her parents in the Point Pleasant area were found at her Huntington apartment.
Holbrook said investigators were not tipped off about the location of the body, and that they found it during a search for evidence. He said the crawl space was not in plain view.
Leah Hickman Timeline
Friday, Dec. 14
Marshall University student Leah Hickman, 21, is last seen by her half-sister, 25-year-old Jessica Vickers, at the apartment the two share on the 400 block of 8th Avenue sometime between 2:30 to 4 in the afternoon. Vickers said her sister was doing dishes when she last saw her.
Hickman’s last recorded logon to her MySpace page takes place sometime on this day. No specific time is given.
5:40 p.m.: Hickman makes a call from her cell phone to a friend saying she is going to get food from McDonald’s. It is the last call made from her phone, and incoming calls that night go straight to voice mail. After a time, incoming callers receive a message that Hickman’s voice mail is full.
Saturday, Dec. 15
4 p.m.: Vickers stops back by the apartment at the request of her mother, and notices Hickman’s purse, keys and car are still at the residence, though Hickman is nowhere to be found.
Vickers posts a message on Hickman’s MySpace page which reads “Oh sister, where are you???”
5 p.m.: Hickman does not show up for a scheduled four-hour shift at Dress Barn on Merritts Creek Road in Barboursville, where she has been working for five months. Her manager, Peggy Nida, later told reporters that Hickman was not the type of employee who didn’t show up for work, and usually called even if she was going to be a few minutes late.
Sunday, Dec. 16
4:48 p.m.: Hickman’s mother, Sherry Russell, of Leon, W.Va., files a missing person report with the Huntington Police Department. Authorities begin the investigation into Hickman’s disappearance.
Monday, Dec. 17
7:30 a.m.: Hickman’s friend, Roger Parker, of Proctorville, posts a message on Hickman’s MySpace page informing friends that she is missing, and asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact him, or friend Caitlin Starkey. Friends begin to post fliers across the area.
Tuesday, Dec. 18
Police continue to search for Hickman and conduct interviews, searching for leads in the case.
Wednesday, Dec. 19
Vickers is interviewed on MSNBC concerning her sister’s disappearance; other national media begin to carry stories on the incident.
11 a.m.: Police canvas Hickman’s neighborhood, searching abandoned houses and interviewing sex offenders in the area looking for evidence in the case. Authorities state the search does not turn up any new information.
Dress Barn announces a $10,000 reward for information on Hickman’s whereabouts.
Thursday, Dec. 20
Police announce they are pursuing new leads in the case, but declined to give details.
6 p.m.: Friends conduct a candlelight vigil at the Memorial Student Center plaza on the campus of Marshall University.
Friday, Dec. 21
Vickers is interviewed on MSNBC for the second time concerning her sister’s disappearance.
Huntington Police find the body of a white female in a crawlspace off the laundry room in Hickman’s apartment building. Police believe it is Hickman’s body, but the woman was not identified conclusively. Police forensic units look for clues and treat the discovery as an active crime scene.