Leah N. Hickman, 21 [BODY FOUND] Marshall U Student MSG since 12-14-07

[Grande]

Search is on for missing student
Dec 17, 2007 @ 11:18 PM
By ANTWON PINKSTON
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON-- Huntington police are looking for a 21-year-old Marshall University student whose family reported her missing since Friday.

http://i19.tinypic.com/6tm8qw6.jpg

Sherry Russell, of Leon, W.Va., told police that the last time she talked to her daughter, Leah N. Hickman, was early Friday afternoon. She said she and Hickman talked about coming home for the holidays and that Hickman's dad, Ronald Hickman, was worried about the weather.

"Then I called her later on that evening and her phone went straight to voicemail," Russell said. "The third time I called, it said her voicemail box was full."

Russell said the family became worried and contacted the police after Hickman didn't show up for work Saturday or Sunday at Dress Barn on Merritts Creek Road.

Huntington Police Sgt. John Williams said detectives consider every missing person case to be serious and that they haven't found any reason why Hickman would be missing.

When police checked Hickman's apartment in the 400 block of 8th Avenue, they found that her car, purse, coat and keys were still at the apartment, which Williams said is unusual.

"We've contacted friends, neighbors and no one has seen or heard from her. She usually keeps close contact," Russell said.

Hickman's roommate and older sister, Jessica Vickers, said she had last seen Hickman pack her bags Friday before going to spend the night with a friend. Vickers said that when she returned to the apartment Saturday, Hickman's bag and the rest of her items were still there.

Thousands of flyers with a picture of Hickman have been put up in neighborhoods, restaurants and service stations from Huntington to South Point, Ohio, Russell said. Local churches and churches spreading as far as Illinois have become aware of the missing woman and have either prayed with or contacted her family.

Hickman is a junior at MU and is majoring in journalism. She is described as a white female, 5 feet, 4 inches tall, about 125 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.

"Leah wanted a job that she could use to help people," Russell said. "She is a thoughtful and caring person and I couldn't ask for two better daughters in the world."

Anyone with information regarding Hickman's disappearance is asked to call the Huntington Police Department at (304) 696-4444.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x611865058

[Grande]

Student's Disappearance Baffles Family, Friends
Marshall University Student's Car, Keys and Purse Found at Her West Va. Apartment

By DAVID SCHOETZ
Dec. 19, 2007
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Family and friends describe 21-year-old Leah Hickman as thoughtful, caring and loyal, the type of young woman who has no enemies and would call into work even if she was going to be just five minutes late.

They are all personality characteristics that have her loved ones growing increasingly concerned five days after the West Virginia woman disappeared without a trace.

Hickman, a broadcast journalism major at Marshall University, was reported missing Sunday first by her mother, Sherry Russell, and then by her father, Ronald Hickman, after she failed to show up for her shift at a local Dress Barn Saturday night.

Earlier Saturday, Jessica Vickers, Hickman's 25-year-old half-sister, had stopped by their shared Huntington, W.Va., apartment at her mother's request.

"I came by, her car was here," Vickers told ABC News. "Everything looked normal with the exception of her purse and her keys lying there. At the time, I thought she maybe left with a friend for a couple of minutes."

But calls to the college student's cell phone, Hickman's only noticeably missing item, were rejected. The voice mailbox was full.

Monday, their mother and friends of Hickman went to the state police. They also met again with Huntington detectives, Vickers said, laying out an hour-by-hour fact pattern.

From the telephone company, they received Hickman's cell phone records and they called every number that was unfamiliar — an effort that turned up nothing suspicious, but helped get the word out to Hickman's group of friends that she had disappeared.

The last phone call made by Hickman was to a friend around 5:40 p.m. Friday. There was nothing noteworthy about the call — Hickman said she was going to McDonald's to get some dinner. The wrappings and receipt from her meal were found at the apartment.

Police have since seized Hickman's laptop and have asked to take the woman's car as well to process it for evidence.

Vickers said that her younger sister does not have any enemies that she knows of and has not had any recent boyfriends. Hickman had been on some dates with one man she had met recently, but their family contacted him and "he's absolutely worried sick about all of this."

She also said that Hickman is not a big "party" person and that despite her parents living in different places, everyone in the family gets along well.

Hickman's friends, who have plastered fliers throughout the region, also are trying to elevate the case online, posting messages on her MySpace page and creating a Facebook group devoted to her search.

Roger Parker, a friend of Hickman's, is the administrator of the Facebook group. Parker, who described Hickman as "caring, outgoing and loyal," said that while friends and family are trying to remain optimistic, it's difficult not to think about possible foul play.

"We keep trying to think of good outcomes," Parker told ABC News, "but I don't know what could have happened to her."

Vickers said that her sister's disappearance is just so out of character that something must be wrong. "She would never do anything to make our mother cry," Vickers said. "She's holding it together and she's doing everything she can, but it's getting harder and harder."

Hickman has blue eyes and brown hair. She is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall and 130 pounds.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=4026181&page=1

[Grande]

Thursday December 20, 2007
Friends plan vigil for missing college student; $10,000 reward offered
by Kelly L. Holleran
Daily Mail staff

Police say they are following up on several leads in the disappearance of 21-year-old Marshall University student Leah Hickman.

Hickman has been missing since Friday.

The Huntington Police Department has been flooded with information from people calling in about the case, and officers are looking into several tips, Sgt. John Williams said this morning.

Police canvassed the area near Hickman's apartment Wednesday, but came up with no new evidence or leads, Williams said.

Officials are in the process of talking to sex offenders in the area and Hickman's friends, but they have no suspects at this time, Williams said.

"Right now, nobody's on our radar," he said.

Family and friends continued their efforts Wednesday to get any information about what might have happened to Hickman.

Dress Barn, where the young woman had been employed for about five months, posted a $10,000 reward for any information that ultimately helps authorities find her.

Friends are planning a candlelight vigil at 6 p.m. tonight and a benefit concert at Marley's Doghouse, a Huntington club, at 9 p.m. Friday.

Police say the last time family and friends heard from Hickman was Friday.

Officers say Hickman's car was found outside her apartment, and her keys and her purse were still inside her home in the 400 block of Eighth Avenue.

Huntington Police Sgt. John Williams said Hickman was scheduled to work at Dress Barn on Saturday, but she didn't show up.

Williams said Jessica Vickers, Hickman's older sister and roommate, was the last person to see her.

Now friends and family are blanketing the region with fliers, and posting messages on Facebook and MySpace about the missing girl.

One of Hickman's close friends, K.D. Crank, helped organize tonight's vigil, which is open to the public.

"We want Leah to know that we want her back, that we are searching for her," Crank said in a Marshall University press release. "We are just looking for information that will give us hope."

Vickers, Hickman's sister and roommate, said her family knows of no acquaintances, including former boyfriends, who might have been a threat to Hickman.

There has been no activity on Hickman's cell phone since she disappeared, Williams said.

Hickman is white, 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 125 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes, Williams said.

Hickman owned about six jackets, and one is missing, Vickers said.

The Leah Hickman Reward Fund, set up by Dress Barn, is being administered by Huntington National Bank.

All proceeds from Friday's benefit concert will go toward that fund, Vickers said.

Anyone who would like to contribute more money to the reward fund should contact Huntington Bank at 526-4600 or send funds to Huntington National Bank, 919 Fifth Ave., Huntington, WV 25701.

Another account has been set up to help the family. Donations to the Hickman family fund can also be made by contacting the bank.

Police are encouraging anyone with any information to contact the Huntington Detective Bureau at 696-4420.

"We're just waiting and being hopeful," Vickers said.

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200712200162

[annalyzer]

Prayers that this young lady will be found alive soon. :1222423:

[mollybrown]

This makes me so sad

http://www.wsaz.com/home?refresh

Last Updated: 9:23 PM 12/21/07 - Police found what they believe to be the body of missing Marshall University student Leah Hickman. Huntington Police made the announcement at a news conference Friday night.

[chambord]

This makes me so sad

http://www.wsaz.com/home?refresh

Last Updated: 9:23 PM 12/21/07 - Police found what they believe to be the body of missing Marshall University student Leah Hickman. Huntington Police made the announcement at a news conference Friday night.


I just heard. How sad for the family. When is this going to stop? All these women, its becoming an epidemic.

[mollybrown]

I just heard. How sad for the family. When is this going to stop? All these women, its becoming an epidemic.

To be honest I don't know that I can handle any more. I hate the fact that "WE" don't hold the POWER. KILL the FEEER We so need to enpower our girls. :1222423::1187603408.CR.Mothe:love0085:

[Grande]

To be honest I don't know that I can handle any more. I hate the fact that "WE" don't hold the POWER. KILL the FEEER We so need to enpower our girls. :1222423::1187603408.CR.Mothe:love0085:

Very sorry to hear this. My thoughts are with her friends and family. Rest in Peace Leah. :1222423:

[annalyzer]

I just heard. How sad for the family. When is this going to stop? All these women, its becoming an epidemic.

Leggs is that you? :basic44:

[chambord]

Leggs is that you? :basic44:

:0012:

[SavannahStar]

How horrific for the family, and right before Christmas. I pray they are able to find peace. :sad0119:

[packy]

So sorry to hear this. I wonder if someone followed her home from MacDonalds.

May she rest in peace. And may they find the person who did this soon.

[CatToy]

Leggs is that you? :basic44: Whoo Hoo Anna! :0012: Sorry to see you here tho under these conditions. Everyone here was crying yesterday a lot....

Wanted to post that I heard on our local station this morning that a key had to be used in the basement laundry room, it was not an unlocked room. Well, that is what they reported here. Nothing new on the case tho. So terribly sorry Leah died, I hope there is DNA or something that will bring her killer to the forefront.

[CatToy]

Leah herself of course also had a key, so we have to remember that.....were her own keys used? Were her keys left in her car? I thought I read that but yesterday was pretty horrific day, to be honest. Sorry I dont have all my links right now.
Cat

[Oceanblueeyes]

To be honest I don't know that I can handle any more. I hate the fact that "WE" don't hold the POWER. KILL the FEEER We so need to empower our girls. :1222423::1187603408.CR.Mothe:love0085:

I totally agree molly somehow we must but we cannot lose sight and think this happens only to "girls." Our country has become a killing field it seems where no one is safe. Being a male doesn't make them bullet proof. More men go missing in our country than females and more males are murdered each year. There are sexual predators who stalk and prey upon them too and discard them like garbage and hide them where they are never found. Their parents wait for answers with their hearts heavy in their chest and praying as Leah's family had prayed that it would all end well.

We use to worry about our girls safety and sadly now we have to worry just as much if our boys are out in the world living their lives too knowing a predator can stalk them when they are unaware.

We must try to find a way to protect all of our people. I don't think it will happen. Many people aren't like us that are so in tuned to the crimes happening. Young people simply don't see the dangers and I am sure they have heard the warnings repeated many times telling them to be safe. The sad thing is Leah should have felt safe where she lived. I wonder if she mention that anyone had made her unnerved lately or was always appearing to be around as she came and went.

I cannot believe they didn't have a lock on the back door to the laundry room that should have been accessible only by the tenants. I fault the complex for not protecting their tenants.

Since he put her in the crawlspace I think he had been there before. Someone watching her maybe. Someone who had seen her come and go. Imo, a sexual predator that lives close by or in the same complex.

We are living in scary times. I even get tense now when my grown children even go out to eat or run down to a convenience store. It truly is sad.

imoo

[The Kitchen Guy]

Posted: 12/26/2007 Link: West Virginia Metro News Network
(http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=22718)
Funeral Services Planned For Missing Student

Staff
Huntington, W.Va.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday in Mason County for the Marshall University student who was found dead in her Huntington apartment building on Friday, a week after she had been reported missing.

Twenty-one-year old Leah Hickman will be remembered in services Saturday night at the National Guard Armory in Point Pleasant, her hometown. Her family will receive visitors from 1 p.m. Saturday through 7:30 p.m. That's when services will begin.

Huntington Police have confirmed the body found in a crawl space on Friday, Dec. 21 was the Marshall student.

She was a junior journalism major at Marshall University. Investigators say her death is being treated as a homicide though no suspects have been named at this point.

[Grande]

Dress Barn to Pay for Marshall Student's Funeral
Last Updated: 11:12 AM Dec 28, 2007
Reporter: The Associated Press

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) - The funeral tab for the Marshall University student found dead in a crawl space after a week-long search will be paid for by her former employer.

Leah Hickman, 21, was a part-time employee at The Dress Barn when she disappeared Dec. 14.

Family members had been trying to reach her that night, but it wasn't until she missed a 5 p.m. shift at the Barboursville store the next day that they grew concerned. Hickman had worked at the store for about five months.

On Saturday, visitation will be held at 1 p.m. at the Point Pleasant National Guard Armory, and the funeral will start at 7:30.

The case is being investigated as a homicide.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/12883797.html

[Grande]

December 31, 2007
Thousands attend slain M.U. student's funeral

POINT PLEASANT — Family and friends have said goodbye to slain Marshall University journalism student Leah Hickman.

An estimated 2,000 people attended a public visitation and approximately 500 stayed for a funeral service for Hickman, 21, at the National Guard Armory in Point Pleasant on Saturday.

Hickman was found dead in a crawl space at her Huntington apartment Dec. 21. She had been reported missing Dec. 14 after missing a 5 p.m. shift at The Dress Barn in Barboursville, where she had worked part time for about five months.

Huntington police are investigating the case as a homicide.

Pastor Jamie Watts from Grace Baptist Church, where the Hickman family attended services in Point Pleasant, said the church is praying for justice. But he reminded those who attended the funeral that hope remains. “This is part of life, and it’s hard, but there is hope for the hurting people tonight,” he said.

The Rev. Matthew Dotson of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Point Pleasant said God gives people the strength to carry on despite grief. “God meets us in the midst of life, and only in that faith and hope we move forward.”

Dotson said it’s normal to experience anger, guilt and other emotions. But he reminded friends and family to remember stories and other things that bring joy, laughter, even tears.

“We have gathered here to praise God and celebrate the life of Leah Hickman,” Dotson said. “We need to remember the goodness and kindness that characterized Leah’s life.”

The funeral was paid for by The Dress Barn, which took the unusual step of closing the Saturday and Sunday before Christmas out of respect for Hickman.

http://sundaygazettemail.com/section/News/2007123018

[Grande]

Leah Hickman Case Causing Fear

Last Updated: 4:21 PM Dec 31, 2007
Reporter: Carrie Cline
Email Address: carrie.cline@wsaz.com

While Leah Hickman's body is finally resting in peace, many people in Huntington are living in fear. With no arrests, no suspects and no leads in this murder case, an uneasy feeling is setting in.

With no motive and no explanation, it's hard to relax.

A killer is on the loose. Who can relax knowing that? Police are working very hard and they're still working this case around the clock, but they're coming up empty and that's leaving many full of worries.

Despite the sunny, clear day, an uneasy, eerie cloud still hovers over the neighborhood where Leah mysteriously disappeared. Her body--found one week later in the basement of her apartment building.

Young women who must walk through here, travel in groups and with hurried steps.

“It makes me real nervous. My sister lives on 5th St. and my dad on 1st St. I walk this alley constantly,” said Courtney Otts.

Because Courtney often has no choice but to walk alone, she packs her companion.

“My dad bought it for me a week ago to be on the safe side.

Does a knife make you feel safer? Yeah, because I know how to use it. I was in the military. I'm good with a knife,” said Courtney.

“I used to go to work and about my day and didn't care if anyone knew where I was. Now, I call my parents when I leave for work and when I return from work. I don't go out at night and if I do someone always knows where I am at all times,” said Stacy Haverland.

Stacy lives all the way across town from where Leah disappeared. But, because she's a Marshall University student in the same age range as Leah, she's worried.

“I’m actually very nervous and I’m surprised the person is still out there,” said Stacy.

“Do you have any reason to believe he or she will strike again? No, not at this time,” said Lt. Rocky Johnson.

Lt. Johnson has worked the case around the clock. He says he wishes he could put people's minds at ease, but the truth is--there are still too many unknowns.

“It could be a random act--not sure. We're not looking at that right now, but it could be and we want to caution people to be aware--don't be scared or paranoid,” said Lt. Johnson.

Comments continue to pour into our webchannel at wsaz.com--many about this fear factor.

Beth, the parent of a Marshall student, wrote, "as a parent, it is a terrifying thought to send my child back with a killer out there".

However, not everyone is so worried. Another person wrote, "also, as a Marshall student, I am not afraid to go back. I practice common sense safety and know how to protect myself".

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/12944387.html

[Grande]

Thursday January 3, 2008
Lab results pending in student's death

by The Associated Press

HUNTINGTON -- Police are awaiting the results of laboratory work in their investigation of a Marshall University student's death.

Huntington Police Chief Skip Holbrook declined to say what kind of testing was conducted. Holbrook said more information could be released later this week.

Police have released few details as they investigate the death of Leah Hickman. The 21-year-old journalism major was last seen Dec. 14. Investigators found her body in a basement crawl space in the Huntington apartment building where she lived on Dec. 21.

No arrests have been made and police have not released a cause of death.

One question that Holbrook said he hopes to answer soon is whether the murder was random or Hickman was targeted.

"I think you can make commonsense inferences,'' he said. "If we felt like there was a major problem there, we would be very obligated to warn people. But at the same time, we've got to be careful not to allow the statements we make -- or not make -- to send a message that we're not looking at a certain place or we are looking at a certain place.''

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200801030118

[Grande]

Jan. 3, 2008

Chief Holbrook Expresses Confidence in Hickman Investigation
Does Not Blame Investigators For Not Finding Body Sooner

By Tony Seaton
Huntingtonnews.net City Editor

Huntington Chief of Police Skip Holbrook is in a tough position. Leah Hickman's killer has not been found and Huntington Police Department, State Police and FBI investigators have no suspects and no leads."We're standing mute on that right now," Holbrook said to questions about that.

Yet the chief wants to dispel any fears that there's an active killer on the loose or that someone is targeting Huntington residents. But he can't cite specific information his department has developed that would help him do that, for fear of jeopardizing the investigation. He can't even say that the police have developed such information.

He does say they have detected no pattern that would indicate any such scenarios.

Police were a heavy presence in the neighborhood of the murder during the crime scene investigation, but are not now doing saturation patrols or even being especially visible, so apparently the police do not consider the possibility that the neighborhood is home to a stalking murderer or any such thing to be even remotely likely.

Which only leads some to ask, 'where then is the killer '?

Holbrook believes the lack of information about where police are looking or what they're looking for has led to faulty assumptions by the public and by reporters. "You all are jumping to way too many conclusions," he recently said of journalists who ask certain questions that he says giving the answers to would likely impede the investigation. "There have been a few times when we've had some specific calls from different reporters and they've asked pretty pointed questions that made me really uncomfortable about where they came about that information."

Holbrook said a lot of those questions are likely based on speculation but,"once that information is public it hampers us in eliminating people, and makes it hard to determine if witness information is credible or not."

But he also says, "for me to say if she was specifically targeted or it was random is not appropriate, because we haven't ruled anything out."

That's what's worrying many women, especially Marshall coeds. News web sites are filled with comments from concerned students, parents and others. Some accuse the police department of hiding details, while others say they understand the need to be tight-lipped at this stage of the investigation.

Chief Holbrook says that despite requests for responsibility by the media, some news coverage, "is just inciting people's paranoia." He says that he knows that he can't control it, and he doesn't have an answer to help quell it. "Everybody wants us to say something when we're saying we don't want to do that right now, we don't want to jeopardize the case. The second we can, we'll do it.'

Probably the main thing that concerns many is the fact that Leah Hickman's body was found by forensics experts, after a week-long nationwide missing person search, in the crawl space adjoining the apartment's laundry room, where it presumably was the entire time she was considered missing, "right under their noses," as one person put it.

Why, many ask, did police using body detection dogs not find her sooner? "They let that poor girl lay up under that crawl space for a week; have the state police in there, two or three dog teams, the FBI..." begins a typical rant by an anonymous poster.

HNN asked Chief Holbrook about that specifically:

HNN: "The fact is, the body was right there for a week, yet there was a nationwide hunt for her. Shouldn't heads roll? Are you pissed about that?"

Holbrook: "Absolutely not. Everybody's jumping to way too many conclusions [thinking] that there'd be a body just easily accessible and visible for people that didn't even know there had been any foul play."

Holbrook says that's one of the reasons, in addition to the obvious motivation, that he'd like to get closure on the case. "We'll explain our position on a few things and set the record straight on a few things, but we're just not in a position to do that right now."

At the press conference the day Hickman's body was found, Holbrook told gathered journalists who asked questions about the length of time that expired before Hickman's body was found, "We need to keep our eye on the ball on this, there's a lot of reasons that it's not productive for us to explain what could have caused that." He went on to explain that the use of detection dogs is not a perfect science.

"They [dogs] give us indications, we then take it to the next step."

Holbrook says the next step now is priority number one with the department and they're working all the angles as fast as they can. "Every day that passes makes it a little bit tougher, and we have to stay as tenacious as we can."

For those who are still concerned and want more information about the progress of the case, Holbrook says, "I would love to explain something away, which I think is easily done, but again, we're not in a position to do that right now."

http://www.huntingtonnews.net/local/080103-seaton-localchiefholbrook.html

[Grande]

Friday January 4, 2008
Neighbors fearful after unsolved Hickman slayi
by Zack Pettit
Daily Mail staff

With no arrests made and police naming no suspects in the death of Leah Hickman, people who live in what once was a quiet Huntington neighborhood are wondering if things will ever be normal again.

Baby blue ribbons and long-stemmed red roses still adorn the trees lining the lawn of Hickman's four-unit apartment building, where her body was found Dec. 21 in a basement crawl space.

The 21-year-old Marshall University journalism student, who lived with her older sister, had been missing for a week.

Hickman's neighbors said they're still stunned by what happened, and they're afraid.

"I don't want to look over there, but my eyes go over every time," said Verna Blatt, 72, who has lived across from Hickman's Fourth Street apartment building for 48 years. "When they took her body out I was crying and praying for her. It's just so sad."

One of Blatt's six children lives next door to her. She said that's the only thing making her feel safe in the neighborhood right now.

"I'm a little bit scared, but not as bad as if my son didn't live next door," she said. "Nothing has ever happened here before."

People who live in the neighborhood said with no information forthcoming about the crime, theories and rumors are running rampant.

"My friend called me and said she's heard all kinds of things, and she's terrified," Blatt said.

Curt McHaffie, 50, has lived two houses down from the Hickman's apartment building for the past 30 years.

He said this is the first time a major crime has hit so close to his home. But he said he thinks the murder is an indication of bigger problems in Huntington. He cited increasing violent crimes and drug arrests in the city.

"It could be drugs, it could be anybody - the possibilities are endless," McHaffie said.

Another neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said he has noticed a change in the community since Hickman's death.

He said the porch lights on almost every house on the street are turned on immediately after the sun sets each evening.

The man said his wife was very shaken up by the incident, but the couple has been comforted by knowing that, for the most part, neighbors in the community watch out for one another.

Still, Blatt said she's changing some of her habits.

When the weather is nice, she sits on her porch after dusk.

She said she will be reluctant to do that anymore, even after the snow melts.

Huntington Police Lt. Rocky Johnson is heading the investigation into Hickman's murder, but has not returned phone calls this week.

Police have had little to say publicly since they had a press conference on the night Hickman's body was found.

At the time, they said they had no leads.

Police Chief Skip Holbrook said this week the department is waiting on laboratory results.

Several of Hickman's family members and friends, who pleaded publicly for the girl's safe return after she disappeared, could not be reached for comment.

Jessica Vickers, Hickman's roommate and half-sister, is the last known person to see her alive.

Vickers said the two discussed grades and the Marshall classes they would take during the upcoming semester. Vickers said her sister was in their apartment washing dishes the last time they spoke. That was about 4 p.m. Dec. 14, she said.

Police say Hickman called a friend from her cell phone about 5:45 later that day and said she was going to McDonald's for dinner. That is the last known contact she had with any of her friends or family.

Police said they found a McDonald's receipt and food wrappers at the apartment.

Hickman had been working at the Dress Barn store in the Huntington area for about five months before her death. The store put up a $10,000 reward for any information leading to her whereabouts.

For one week, friends had candlelight vigils and benefit concerts all over Huntington to drum up support and money for the search efforts, and to increase awareness about the missing woman. Her family members also plastered photos of Hickman on trees and telephone poles all over Cabell County and in Point Pleasant, Hickman's hometown and where her parents still live.

Leah's father, Ron, is the Mason County assessor.

Exactly one week after Hickman went missing, police found her body in a crawlspace next to the basement laundry room of her four-unit apartment building.

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200801040307

[Grande]

Monday January 7, 2008
Police know cause of death of Marshall student
Lab results are known but investigators are awaiting a key piece of evidence, official says
by Zack Pettit
Daily Mail staff

Huntington Police now know the cause of death in the case of Marshall University student Leah Hickman, but investigators are not releasing that information to the public.

Police received the lab results and notified the family on Thursday, said Huntington Police Chief Skip Holbrook.

Holbrook said police are still waiting on vital information from the lab before they will inform the public of anything further.

"We're hoping to have some information from the lab shortly," Holbrook said. "The information is critical to the investigation."

No suspect has been detained or sought as a person of interest from the initial lab results, he said.

"We've questioned dozens and dozens of people, but the investigation is still completely open," he said. "There's not any one person we are prepared to name."

He said more details would be available to the police department in the next few days, but depending on the information, police still may not inform the public immediately.

"I'm very comfortable with what we haven't put out," he said.

Media reports about the widespread feeling of fear in the Huntington community have been exaggerated, he said.

"Anywhere in the country," he said, "if you have a homicide next door it's going to shock you."

He added, "I certainly don't get the feeling (people are scared). Some people may read into it a little further."

He was also reluctant to say whether or not the alleged homicide was a random act.

Hickman was last seen on Dec. 14 by her half sister in their apartment at 403 8th St. in Huntington. She was washing dishes about 4 p.m.

The last known contact of the 21-year-old was to a friend from her cell phone about 5:45 p.m., when Hickman said she was having McDonald's for dinner.

Her family and coworkers got worried when she did not show up for work at Dress Barn the next day.

Benefit concerts and candlelight vigils were held to aid the search for the missing Marshall University student.

Police discovered her body tucked in a crawl space in the laundry room of her apartment complex on Dec. 19, a week after she was last seen. Hickman lived with her half sister, Jessica Vickers, at the four-unit apartment complex.

Police have been following all tips in the case but have not reported any leads.

Holbrook said he is pleased by the efforts of the investigation, especially since the case has been what he called "emotionally taxing," but does not want to hinder the investigation.

"We're just not prepared to comment on the case one way or another," he said. "We may be more specific in the near future."

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200801070122

[KittyMom]

This case is so sad. This young girl was killed by someone who knew her and her apt building. I have to wonder if her key to the basement was missing. If it was with her other keys then the person put her body into the crawl space and then went back intothe apt. I think LE may be looking at a boyfriend or the stepsister/roommate.

It is sad that LE can't release something to help ease the tension of the area. Maybe an arrest is coming soon.

[EG~Always]

I really hope they release some info soon. This one is baffling with so little info.

[packy]

I know I'd be afraid that someone is out there that may attack again. It does appear it was someone familiar with her and/or the building, but it could still be random. Hope some news comes soon.

[Grande]

Marshall classes resume; investigation of student’s death continues
Jan 14, 2008 @ 08:31 AM
By CURTIS JOHNSON
Herald-Dispatch.com

HUNTINGTON — Marshall University classes resumed at 8 a.m. today, one month after broadcast journalism student Leah Hickman died.

The 21-year-old from Mason County, W.Va., was last seen and heard from Dec. 14, 2007.

Police discovered her body a week later in a crawl space underneath her apartment building at 403 8th Ave. The crawl space was connected to a common laundry room.

Many questions remain in the unsolved homicide. Police have not named a suspect, ruled anyone out in the investigation or released Hickman’s cause of death.

Huntington Police Chief Skip Holbrook so far has declined comment when asked if the student’s death was a targeted attack or a random killing. He said he realizes the department’s obligation to limit fear and panic, but he does not want to say one thing and be forced to correct it later. He encouraged the public to listen to his “non-response” and make “commonsense inferences.”

No significant information has been released since police confirmed Hickman’s identity at a Dec. 24 press conference. The department issued a press release last week. It said police continue to “diligently investigate” the case, but nothing new was announced.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x808408126

[Grande]

Still No Arrest In Marshall University Murder Case
Last Updated: 11:32 AM Jan 21, 2008

There haven't been any changes on the campus of Marshall University following the murder of a student late last year.

Leah Hickman, who was missing for about a week, was found dead in a crawl space at her apartment.

Officials at the school in Huntington, West Virginia say they have not increased security because Hickman’s apartment was not on campus.

There have not been any arrests in connection with Hickman’s death.

http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/headlines/13946767.html

[KittyMom]

I'd like to hear that there was an arrest made on this case. This is one of those you just wait for.

[KittyMom]

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/x1532709167

Jan 25, 2008 @ 11:33 PM
By CURTIS JOHNSON
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- Work is ongoing to complete DNA testing in the death of Marshall student Leah Hickman.

The 21-year-old was last seen and heard from Dec. 14. Forensic detectives found her body a week later in a crawl space underneath her apartment building at 403 8th Ave. The crawl space was connected to a common laundry room.

No charges have been filed in the case, and detectives have not released the cause of death. Huntington Police Chief Skip Holbrook said he wants forensics results before releasing that information.

The lack of information has caused some residents to be anxious, but Holbrook continues to urge calm and patience. He said his department would be obligated to warn people if a threat existed. Still, he stops short of saying that Hickman's death was a targeted attack.

"I'm not saying there is not someone out there that has an uneasy feeling, but I think the general consensus is that people aren't walking around in fear," he said Friday.

Soraya McClung, director of the State Police Crime Lab, said her facility received two sets of evidence from Huntington police. The first set of DNA tests are complete, but analysts are still waiting for the second set to yield results.

McClung and Holbrook would not describe what type of evidence is being tested. But in general, McClung said DNA tests examine skin cells and hair, along with bodily fluids, such as blood, sweat and saliva.

"If you have a known fluid or something like that, you can identify the source," she said. "You can match it to a person. Say you find blood at a crime scene. Then you can see if it belongs to the victim or another person."

Holbrook has said detectives hope forensic testing in the Hickman case will lead them to identifying a suspect. He declined comment when asked if the department has comparative samples to use in linking the results to a suspect.

McClung estimates DNA testing can take one to three weeks. She said the lab recently received the second set of evidence, but she deferred comment to Huntington when asked for a specific date. Holbrook had no comment as to when it was delivered.

Both officials said the Hickman investigation is a top priority.

McClung said the DNA lab averages five to 20 "priority" cases at any given time. She said Hickman's case has been assigned to an analyst, and it is the top item on that person's list.

"Right now, it is what we're working on," she said. "We do have a huge backlog, but we have prioritized that case."

Holbrook said he is confident in the state lab's expediency. He said the case has attracted attention from State Police Col. D. L. Lemmon and Gov. Joe Manchin.

Manchin's office said he has offered any assistance that the State Police can provide Huntington investigators, according to Press Secretary Matt Turner.

"We're at the front of the line, so we are not frustrated by any means," Holbrook said. "Lab work is not something that is done just in a few minutes. A lot of the chemical and serology is a multi-step process. It takes time. We certainly don't want them to rush anything they are doing where you might use up a sample in your quest to expedite the process."

Holbrook said he and his department are staying in contact with the State Police. They also have some preliminary test results, but he declined comment when asked if he was encouraged by those results and discussions with the state troopers.

Holbrook and the department also stay in contact with Hickman's family. He said the department has instructed both parents to ignore any rumors they hear and only count on information from his department.

"There's a lot of rumors out there, and it is wreaking havoc on the family," he said. "Inevitable with all the amateur detectives that are out here, somebody in the rumor process may actually guess how she was killed or certain aspects of the case may be accurate, but again it's just a guesstimate on their part. It's not anything that is coming from a credible source."

Detectives have eliminated many leads, and Holbrook said the investigation is much more manageable. He also said they can rule out some people as suspects, but he would not release those names.

"We're not prepared to say that yet," he said.

Holbrook's detectives are not sitting idle, waiting for the results. He said they are still conducting interviews.

[KittyMom]

http://media.www.marshallparthenon.com/media/storage/paper534/news/2008/01/29/News/Police.Offer.Tips.To.Keep.Safe.On.And.Off.Campus-3173650.shtml

[KittyMom]

pages for Leah...

http://www.myspace.com/rogeraparker

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=36779811

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=45273729

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=74379492

Leah's page...
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=51341948

[Grande]

Thanks Kitty!

[Grande]

Long waits for evidence examinations by State Police

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- It would take at least three years to examine all the evidence that has piled up at the State Police Crime Lab.

Guns, drug samples and DNA evidence from all over the state are awaiting inspection, and some high profile cases have been stuck in the quagmire.

Huntington police officials have repeatedly said they're waiting for lab results on Marshall University student Leah Hickman, whose body was found in the basement of her apartment building in December.

"Currently there are about 650 cases where there could be DNA evidence that needs tests performed,'' said Lt. H.B. Myers, supervisor of the lab's biochemistry section.

Soraya McClung is the lab's director, and says the reason for the backlog is a high rate of turnover among the lab's scientists because of better-paying jobs elsewhere.

McClung says the salary for a forensic scientist with a masters' degree and two years experience is $33,000 in West Virginia -- that's less than half of what Maryland offers for the same job.

The state's Department of Homeland Security is asking the Legislature for about $250,000 to increase pay. An additional $110,000 is needed to hire three more employees in the lab, McClung said.

The lab is also banking on 2-point-1 (m) million dollars from the state's settlement with Oxycontin makers. The money will be used for new equipment that will speed the examination process.

"The backlog of cases is something that really shouldn't go on,'' State Police Col. David L. Lemmon said. "Unfortunately we are in a situation where we have a lot more evidence coming in than we have the ability to process.''

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200802100238

[Grande]

Questions remain in Hickman homicide
Feb 12, 2008 @ 11:46 PM
By CURTIS JOHNSON
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- Scientific testing continues as police try to sort out what happened to Marshall University student Leah Hickman.

Dan Hollis, like many others in the Tri-State, is awaiting answers, but knows they may not be forthcoming for a while.

"She was one of my students. I'll always wonder what happened as long as it's an open case," said the journalism professor at Marshall. "The fact that we don't have any answers leaves you expecting answers because you assume the answer is coming."

Thursday will mark two months since Hickman disappeared. Authorities believe she died on the same day, Dec. 14.

Forensic detectives found the 21-year-old's body a week later in a crawl space underneath her apartment building at 403 8th Ave. The crawl space was connected to a common laundry room.

The state Forensic Laboratory completed its DNA testing. The final report is being reviewed for accuracy, but preliminary results already have been shared with the Huntington Police Department.

Police Chief Skip Holbrook said he doesn't expect any surprises when the department receives the final DNA report. He said other detailed tests are ongoing. He would not describe the nature of those additional tests.

"We're as focused now as we were two months ago," he said of the investigation. "I'm always confident and hopeful."

No criminal charges have been filed and many questions remain.

The police department's last press conference was Dec. 24, when it announced Hickman's body had been positively identified.

Holbrook still declines comment when asked about any suspected motivation and cause. He continues to urge calm, but will not say if she died from a targeted attack or a random act of violence. He said police would be obligated to warn residents if a threat existed.

Detectives stay in frequent contact with Hickman's family, and Holbrook said those discussions keep everyone motivated.

"It's gut wrenching every time," he said of those talks. "Contrary to what many believe, things of this nature are of a very, very personal nature to the detectives and it always is. Nothing gets shelved."

Holbrook hoped to have provided more information in early January, but those answers depended upon scientific test results.

State Police Lt. H.B. Myers has completed DNA testing on two sets of evidence. He would not discuss specifics. His results are currently being reviewed by two independent analysts. He hopes a formal report will be completed later this week. It will not be released to the public.

"It's just to see that another analyst would have the same opinions that I reached," he said.

Holbrook would not explain the impact of Myers' findings on the investigation.

Hollis, the Marshall professor, was a television news reporter before he started teaching at Marshall. He covered homicides and other tragedies. He is personally confident his questions will be answered.

"It may not be today or tomorrow," he said. "Sometimes it can take years. Again, I'm not trying to defend the police or anything, but it is a process and sometimes you've got to let the process work itself out. I wish that we knew something. I wish that the police were providing us with more information, but I recognize it is a process."

Holbrook said he looks forward to a time when he can give the community more answers, but he said that is not the proper way to conduct an ongoing investigation.

"I'm not going compromise that to satisfy somebody's curiosity," he said.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x1731431065

[Grande]

Friday February 22, 2008
Scholarship named for slain college student

HUNTINGTON - Marshall University has established the Leah Hickman Memorial Scholarship in Journalism, according to Marshall University Foundation Inc. Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ron Area.

Leah Hickman was a Marshall University broadcast journalism major who died in December 2007.

The scholarship will be awarded to a Marshall University freshman, sophomore or junior who is a full-time journalism student, a West Virginia resident and in good academic standing according to standards set by the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall.

The Leah Hickman Scholarship was made possible by donations from Dress Barn Inc., the many family and friends of Leah Hickman, and Leah's friends at the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Hickman's mother, Sherry Russell, helped the Marshall University Foundation with the formation of the scholarship as a way to honor her daughter's memory.

"Leah had chosen journalism as a major because she wanted to be in a position where she could make a change, where she could influence others for good," Russell said.

"Leah Hickman's desire to help others will live on through this scholarship that bears her name," said Marshall University President Stephen J. Kopp. "The recipients of this scholarship and their life works will be a testament to Leah's life and the generosity of the many who have expressed their support of Leah's family during this tragic and difficult time."

Dr. Corley Dennison, dean of the School of Journalism, said Leah thoroughly enjoyed her shift at WMUL-FM, Marshall's student-run radio station.

"Many of our students have been asking about an appropriate way to remember Leah," Dennison said. "We are currently working on the details of several fundraisers and the proceeds from those will be contributed to the scholarship fund named in her honor."

To contribute to the scholarship, visit http://www.marshalluniversityfoundation.com/ or contact Tracy Straub, Donor Relations Coordinator, at (304) 696-6781.

The first award will be made during the School of Journalism's annual spring banquet.

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200802220315

[KittyMom]

Where the heck is the arrest in this case???

[Grande]

Police still await lab results for Hickman's death
CORY JACKSON
Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: News

Huntington police said they are pursuing all leads while waiting for test results concerning the December disappearance and death of a female Marshall University broadcast journalism student.

Multiple tests have been performed on Leah Hickman's body, some of which have been completed, while others are ongoing, said Sgt. John Williams, supervisor of violent crimes for the Huntington Police Department.

Police have received the results from an initial round of testing and are awaiting others, Williams said.

"We're still pursuing things," Williams said. "We act on whatever we get."

The police may not issue statements regarding the results of the testing when the results are returned, unless they lead to the immediate arrest of a suspect.

"If we come up with a suspect, we'll release that," Williams said.

As of Wednesday, police were unsure whether the killing was by a known assailant or a random act.

"We're torn between the two," Williams said. "It's something we're on the fence about. We could get the test results back and that could change everything."

The state medical examiner's office does not release information regarding the tests for a suspected homicide, said Dr. James A. Kaplan, chief medical examiner for West Virginia.

The types of tests usually performed in similar cases include a toxicology test for the presence of alcohol and drugs, trace evidence examinations for any substances or materials left on the body and a thorough analysis of areas of injury and a determination of the time and location of death, Kaplan said.

"There is a whole range of forensic disciplines we can utilize if the case calls for it," Kaplan said, "The techniques we utilize depend of the nature of the death."

Hickman, 21, of Point Pleasant, W.Va., was reported missing to the Huntington Police Department at 4:48 p.m. Dec. 16, by her mother, Sherry Russell, of Leon, W.Va. whereupon police began investigating her disappearance.

The search culminated Dec. 21, when police found the body of a white female in the basement of Hickman's apartment building, which was identified by the state medical examiner as the body of Hickman on Dec. 24.

The HPD has released few details since the body was identified. No arrests have been made and a cause of death has not been reported.

Chief Skip Holbrook has encouraged the public to make "common sense inferences" and assures them if there were a major perceived problem, they would be warned accordingly.

Cory Jackson can be contacted at jackson132@marshall.edu.

[Grande]

Hickman cause of death released
Cory Jackson
Issue date: 3/14/08

Police confirmed Thursday the cause of death in the December disappearance and death of a female Marshall University broadcast journalism student.

Leah Hickman, 21, of Point Pleasant, W.Va., was strangled to death by a known assailant, said Sgt. John Williams, supervisor of violent crimes at the Huntington Police Department.

"We feel strongly that the person(s) responsible for this crime were familiar with Leah and the layout of the apartment building," said Capt. Steve Hall of the HPD in a news conference televised Thursday afternoon by WSAZ.

Police also stated there was no evidence indicating that Hickman was sexually assaulted.

"At this time, the way the evidence has presented itself, we believe this was not a random act and that there was no sexual assault," Williams said.

Williams declined to elaborate on the condition of the body when found, the presence of defensive wounds or the method of strangulation, stating that those details were important to the investigation.

"Those are things we'll look for to be known by the perpetrator," Williams said.

The state medical examiner has completed testing on the body, said Williams. The tests performed include DNA, fingerprint and trace evidence. The next round of testing will enhance the results the police have already received, Williams said. Police declined releasing the types of testing to be completed.

No suspect or suspects have been named in the case, though police hope to narrow the field upon receiving the new test results, which are to be performed in FBI facilities around the region, said Williams.

"At this point, we're talking to everybody," said Williams. "We definitely hope these tests will point us in a more definite direction."

http://media.www.marshallparthenon.com/media/storage/paper534/news/2008/03/14/News/Hickman.Cause.Of.Death.Released-3269387.shtml

[KittyMom]

Well, these findings should narrow down the list of suspects. Let's hope there is an arrest soon.

[Nut44x4]

Indeed it should ;)

If indeed the FBI is doing Mitochondrial DNA Analysis, then that means 'family' DNA.
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/july1999/dnaf1.htm


IMO her sister killed her.
I have been checking daily for news in this case. This crime was 'personal'.

[KittyMom]

Indeed it should ;)

If indeed the FBI is doing Mitochondrial DNA Analysis, then that means 'family' DNA.
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/july1999/dnaf1.htm


IMO her sister killed her.
I have been checking daily for news in this case. This crime was 'personal'.

I've thought the same Nut. Isn't this a step or half sister? I'd love to know her reaction during the search and later find of Leah's body.

[KittyMom]

Check out the first two posts on this thread that quote halfsister, Jessica.

[KittyMom]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0712/20/ng.01.html

BROOKS: I`m Mike Brooks, in for Nancy Grace. A mysterious disappearance of a 21-year-old coed from Marshall University, Leah Hickman. Please help us find Leah Hickman. We need to get her back before the holidays. Where is she?

Joining us by phone, a very special guest from Huntington, West Virginia, Jessica Vickers. She`s the sister of the missing student, Leah Hickman. Ms. Vickers, thank you for joining us.

JESSICA VICKERS, MISSING STUDENT`S SISTER: Thank you.

BROOKS: Tell us -- tell us what`s going on right now in Huntington. Did you just go to the -- were you at the vigil tonight?

VICKERS: Yes, I was. It was actually pretty great. I was surprised at how many people showed up and showed their support us and for Leah.

BROOKS: Now, when was the last time you saw Leah?

VICKERS: I had come home for my lunch break on Friday. It was between 3:30 and 4:00 o`clock. And she was at the house just doing dishes. And after I left, that was the last time I`ve seen her.

BROOKS: So she was doing dishes at 4:00 o`clock, and then we hear that she may have gone to McDonald`s...

VICKERS: Right.

BROOKS: ... and then came back. And Sergeant Williams from the Huntington police said the back door was open. Is that normal, for the back door of the apartment to be open?

VICKERS: Actually, we leave it unlocked if we`re doing laundry. And I have two cats and they`re kind of ornery, and they`re able to open the back door, so...What kind of backdoor did they have that the cats could open?
BROOKS: Yes.

VICKERS: ... it`s not completely unusual...

BROOKS: OK.

VICKERS: ... but of course, in light of the circumstances...

BROOKS: Yes. Now, again, it`s something I have to ask. And we had a caller call in, and Sergeant Williams said that there`s no history. But how was -- right now, what was her mental state? Was there any depression? Had she ever been treated for depression, anything at all like that?

VICKERS: Nothing recently. I mean, she`s been pretty happy. We had gone to the mall earlier that day and just hung out and did sister things...

BROOKS: Now, you said "nothing recently." Had she been treated for depression in the past?

VICKERS: In her high school days, but I think it was just, you know, high school blues.

BROOKS: This was just a phase you think she was going through?

VICKERS: Yes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to thank all of Leah`s friends for all the hard work they`ve done. And I want to thank everyone that`s calling me and -- and (INAUDIBLE) their prayer chains and just thank everyone that`s praying for us for strength.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKS: I`m Mike Brooks, in for Nancy Grace. Where is Leah Hickman? I want to go right back out, joining us by phone, a very special guest, Jessica Vickers. She`s the sister of the missing student, Leah. Jessica, again, do you know anyone that she was having any problems with, anything at all like that?

VICKERS: No, honestly, everybody loved Leah. She`s a great, great girl.

BROOKS: Yes. And what about any relationships? Any problems with any relationships, any men at all?

VICKERS: No, she had just been dating -- dating around, just going on a few dates with some people, nothing really serious yet. So...

BROOKS: And this was totally out of character for her, it sounds like.

VICKERS: Yes, completely.

BROOKS: I want to go out tonight to Bethany Marshall, joining us from California. She`s a psychoanalyst and author of "Deal Breakers." Bethany, from what you`re hearing, it doesn`t sound like this is the kind of woman that would have just walked away.

BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOANALYST: Oh, no. No, not at all. You know, sadly, women between the ages of 18 -- or 16 and 21 are often at the greatest risk for kidnapping or abduction, and it`s because of their youth and sexual attractiveness. And you were talking about searching the sex offender registries. What we know from research is that the perpetrators of these types of crimes, which, again, are usually sexually motivated, are most often white males living with a family, own a family van, have a normal job and have been observing the victim.

BROOKS: Jessica, what is the family doing at this time?

VICKERS: We`re making as many phone calls to as many places as we can, participating in as many interviews and that sort of thing as we possibly can. We had the candlelight vigil this evening. A lot of Leah`s family came in from Spencer, West Virginia...

BROOKS: Right.

VICKERS: ... about an hour-and-a-half away, to be here tonight. We`re doing a benefit concert tomorrow evening with some local bands.

BROOKS: OK. Well, I`ll tell, our -- your -- everyone here at the NANCY GRACE show, your thoughts -- our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

When we come back...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[Nut44x4]

Here are some photos from the Vigil held in December BEFORE she was found.
2 are of her sister.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/gallery_news/x607056243

read the captions, then look at her...

[KittyMom]

Here are some photos from the Vigil held in December BEFORE she was found.
2 are of her sister.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/gallery_news/x607056243

read the captions, then look at her...

She's got guilt written all over her.

[Grande]

Hickman Murder Remains Unsolved
Updated Saturday, June 14, 2008 ; 06:25 PM

HUNTINGTON -- It was six months on Saturday when Marshall University Student Leah Hickman was murdered. There are still no suspects, but Huntington police said the case is still high on their priorities.

Hickman was last seen on December 14th, her body was discovered one week later.

Since then, no suspects have been arrested in the case.

Authorities said they are waiting for results from the latest forensic tests and they are hoping that will provide new insight on the murder.

http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=40021

[KittyMom]

This was one that I really thought would've had an arrest by now. I just hate thinking that some poor victim is being denied justice and their killer is getting off free to live life. There are times when the phrase Justice Is Blind is very fitting.

[Grande]

Friday August 1, 2008
Leah Hickman's dad worried about case
Man says he has heard nothing from police on murder of 21-year-old since March briefing
by Kris Wise Maramba
Daily Mail staff

HUNTINGTON -- It's the busiest time of the year for Mason County Assessor Ron Hickman.

His office is doing property evaluations, sending out notices to taxpayers and processing payments.

In the midst of all the work, his colleagues, other elected officials and even members of the public will often wander in, ask Hickman how he's doing and maybe give him a hug.

It's been seven months since police found the body of his daughter, 21-year-old Leah Hickman, in a crawlspace of her Huntington apartment building.

In that time, investigators have not released the names of any suspects or people of interest or said they have any leads at all about the crime.

In March, police revealed for the first time that Leah, a junior journalism major at Marshall University, had been strangled. Officials said they think her killer was most likely someone who knew her and the layout of the apartment building.

Since then - nothing.

"I'm afraid the longer it goes. . .we just don't want it to become a cold case," Ron said this week, speaking from his office at the courthouse.

He said he hasn't heard anything directly from Huntington police officials since their briefing on March 12.

What he has heard since then has come from some short media follow-ups and rumors and gossip on the Internet. Several Web sites were set up in Leah's memory and people comment frequently on the case on newspaper Web sites.

Leah was last seen alive on Dec. 14 by her sister and roommate, Jessica Vickers. Police found her body seven days later in the crawlspace next to the basement laundry room of her Eighth Avenue apartment building.

"It's been very hard on me," said Ron, who is divorced from Leah's mother, Sherry Russell. "She was my only child. You go through different stages of grief, and you do get through them.

"All I can do is contact people, hope they're working on it," he said. "I just don't want the case forgotten. There's no one out there that wants the case solved any more than I do."

Ron's words echo those of Sgt. John Williams, a member of the Huntington Police Department's violent crimes unit.

Right now, Williams and his team are working on three homicides in Huntington, including Leah's.

"There's nothing more that I would love to do than to call (Leah's) family and tell them we have a suspect," Williams said. "I'll keep working this case until I can do that."

But Williams called Leah's murder one of the most difficult investigations he's ever been part of.

"It's been very trying, very frustrating," he said Wednesday. "This is the only case I've ever worked where we haven't gotten any credible leads from the public. We've had none. It's been zero. We've had, maybe, five calls at the most I can think of, but they all turned up to not be relevant.

"Nothing's really generating on this," he said. "Now, it's not closed by any means. It's not cold."

He said with no tips and no witnesses, "The only thing we have to go off of is her victimology - her past, the people's she's connected to."

The blue-eyed, curly-haired Leah grew up in Point Pleasant and graduated from Christ Academy. She took dance lessons, loved animals and worked at Dress Barn while going to school. She wanted a career in broadcasting or communications, her father said.

"She was such a good person, and by no means led a lifestyle that would lead you to know what happened, why someone would want to kill her," said Williams. "I have no doubt we'll get a break of some sort, but it's just right now they aren't coming."

Williams said investigators have been focusing on a certain pool of people that were close to Leah.

"They will either turn out to be a suspect, a witness or not involved," Williams said. "The people we've interviewed gave up DNA, fingerprints and all that willingly - we've had no problem getting that from that pool of people."

Williams said the potential evidence all has been turned over to the FBI for analysis. There's no telling how long that might take, he said.

"They are really intricate tests and some of it is really groundbreaking," he said.

When those results come in, "There could be a slim chance we get these tests back and have no match to any of the people we've talked to," Williams said. "But we're hoping they show some type of match. There is evidence there. There is something there. It's just really intricate.

"There gets a point where there's only so much you can do," he said. "We can rely on old-fashioned police work only so far."

Contact writer Kris Wise Maramba at krisw...@dailymail.com">krisw...@dailymail.com or (304) 348-1244.

http://www.dailymail.com/News/200808010230

[packy]

I wonder if they finally got the results of the forensic tests and checked against some of those people who were working in that building.

[KittyMom]

Maybe someone will not be able to continue to live with the guilt and tell what they did.

[Grande]

Police hold to theory in Hickman's death
Aug 29, 2008 @ 12:00 AM
By CURTIS JOHNSON
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- Detectives continue to investigate a long-held theory about who may have killed Leah Hickman, but many of the answers lay at a DNA testing facility in Arizona.

Hickman, a 21-year-old student at Marshall University, was strangled Dec. 14. Police found her body about a week later. It was hidden in a crawl space underneath her apartment building at 403 8th Ave.

Detectives said in March they believe the killer was an acquaintance with knowledge as to the layout of her apartment.

Capt. Steve Hall said in June that detectives have a working theory, but lack evidence to file criminal charges. On Thursday, he told The Herald-Dispatch nothing has changed. They wait and hope DNA testing will provide a positive match.

"Fairly early in the investigation a suspect or suspects came to the front, and there's nothing that's changed our mind," he said.

DNA tests were expedited in West Virginia and proved nothing. That's when investigators sought assistance from the FBI in March. Their agents had access to resources not available in the Mountain State.

Police Chief Skip Holbrook said those tests are being completed by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The tests are expensive, very detailed and can take months to complete. He said it is "ludicrous for anyone to think anybody is dragging their feet."

Police say Hickman's killer left behind little DNA or trace evidence. The amount actually surprised Holbrook. He said that causes the forensic analysts to be more cautious.

"We're being very guarded and careful in how we are handling that to ensure we have the specimens available for the most precise tests we can possibly do," he said.

Police did not receive many tips from the public, but Sgt. John Williams has said that fits with the theory that an acquaintance was involved.

Hickman's death was one of 17 reported in Cabell County since October 2007, 11 of which occurred in Huntington.

Only two of those 17 cases remain unsolved, and Huntington police have a "prime suspect" in one -- the May 2008 shooting death of Timothy Taylor.

No suspects have been named in Hickman's death.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/x809658816/Police-hold-to-theory-in-Hickmans-death

[Grande]

Aug. 29, 2008
Police Hang Hats on Advanced FBI DNA Test in Hickman Case
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter

Huntington, WV (HNN) - “We’re hopeful that sooner than later…”

Those were the words of Police Captain Steve Hall during a television interview regarding the unsolved Leah Hickman murder. Hall explained that the police are pinning their investigation on the results of a DNA sample, which requires six to twelve months for a result. Following a state crime lab examination, the DNA was sent to an FBI lab in Arizona for further analysis.

From the test, a person of interest could be arrested, but under a worst case scenario, the test could rule out that person of interest too. That one person has stood out in the investigation. Speculation suggests that the “person of interest” might be an acquaintance.

But, due to the nature of the investigation, the police cannot reveal any of its clues or name the person. It would jeopardize the investigation, which has, of course, the goal of an arrest and a conviction.

Responding to a question about the spiking homicide count in 2008, Capt. Hall said that nine of the eleven cases have a suspect behind bars. He hopes that very soon, it will be ten out of eleven.

At the time of Leah Hickman’s disappearance near the end of the Fall Semester of Marshall University, the case attracted national attention from Fox News (Gretta Van Susteren), CNN (Nancy Grace) and MSNBC. Once her body had been located wrapped in plastic in a crawl space between the basement and first floor, the national attention ceased.

However, Police Chief Skip Holbrook has maintained from the onset that citizens of Huntington are in no immediate danger. Rather, than a potential serial killer, he and the department have settled on a random act of violence.

Hickman, a broadcast journalism student at Marshall University, disappeared December 14, 2007. Her body was found a week later.

http://www.huntingtonnews.net/local/080829-rutherford-localhickmancasednatest.html

[Grande]

Mitochondrial analysis at heart of probe
Sep 03, 2008 @ 12:00 AM
By CURTIS JOHNSON
The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- Analysts at a state-of-the-art crime laboratory, which focuses on hair and bones, are conducting crucial tests in the unsolved killing of Leah Hickman.

Analysts at the mitochondrial DNA laboratory in Phoenix are examining what little evidence was left behind in her Christmastime disappearance and death. Hickman was a 21-year-old student at Marshall University.

FBI Special Agent Joseph Ciccarelli said analysts may finish the MtDNA testing in a month, but Arizona State Police Lt. James W. Warriner could not provide an estimate.

"This type of DNA testing is a very complicated process and takes quite a bit of time to complete," Warriner said.

Hickman was strangled Dec. 14 and police found her body about a week later hidden in a crawl space underneath her apartment building at 403 8th Ave.

Detectives have a working theory about who may have killed Hickman, but they lack evidence needed to press criminal charges. They believe it was an acquaintance with knowledge as to the layout of her apartment.

Detectives will not release specific details of the case, but Ciccarelli confirmed MtDNA tests are under way. He would not describe the type of evidence being tested.

Publications from the Arizona Department of Public Safety provide general information about MtDNA analysis. Those tests examine hairs, bones and teeth. The publications state the human hair shaft contains only MtDNA, so therefore it's the only analysis technique to provide evidence about a hair's origin.

The publications described MtDNA testing as the "analysis of last resort used when there is no cellular material available."

Ciccarelli handles communications between the FBI and Arizona. He said DNA testing has a long record of producing numerous convictions and exonerating the wrongly convicted. He referred to the MtDNA analysis as a critical piece of evidence in Hickman's case, but said many people have been convicted without such evidence.

"We're hopeful it will come back and lead us to the offender," he said. "Whether or not that test comes back, doesn't necessarily mean we're not going to get an arrest and conviction. I think it's a piece of evidence. I think it's a critical piece, but I don't think we're out of the water in any stretch of the imagination if we don't have that."

Huntington Police Chief Skip Holbrook said his department received few tips in the case, and the killer left behind little DNA or trace evidence. Arizona officials say that type of case fits nicely into their facility's mission.

In many instances, the hair shaft fragments analyzed are "very degraded" and measure a few millimeters long, according to the Arizona publications.

The small amount of DNA and trace evidence left behind in Hickman's case surprised Holbrook and others in the department, but he said evidence can be sparse when the victim's body is moved from its point of death.

Ciccarelli said investigators are getting used to finding less and less evidence at homicide scenes.

"I think people watch 'CSI' and think, 'Well, geez there's always this huge amount (of evidence) and blood everywhere,'" he said. "That's not always the case."

The small amount of evidence makes perfecting each test crucially important. Holbrook and Arizona officials describe the testing as very costly and time consuming.

Holbrook said local police cannot speed up the scientific process, and he believes patience is critically important. He said each sample must be guarded and carefully handled to ensure plenty of specimens exist for the most precise testing.

"Once you use that sample up, ... you may only have one shot," Holbrook said. "They are very careful on how and when they do the testing to make sure they get the biggest bang for their buck."

The police chief said Hickman's case has been pushed to the front of the line in every instance. It was a top priority at the West Virginia crime lab and sent to Arizona for the purpose of expediting further tests.

The FBI selected Arizona in 2003 as one of four states to house the nation's regional MtDNA units. In 2005, it was the first unit to come online.

Ciccarelli said FBI officials identified the Arizona facility as its quickest route for Hickman's case to receive attention.

The original, FBI-Arizona partnership called for 75 percent of cases to come from out of state, according to publications from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The MtDNA unit has examined minute hair fragments from detonated improvised explosive devices recovered in Iraq, the publication states. In those cases the analysis may identify a suicide bomber, the bomb maker or other intelligence.

Mexican authorities use the technology to identify immigrants who illegally cross into the United States. Many of them die in Arizona deserts. Scientists can compare the person's bones to a maternal relative to determine a positive match, the publication said.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/x1724959344/MtDNA-analysis-at-heart-of-probe

[annalyzer]

Does anyone have an idea as to this known acquaintance could be?

[Grande]

Does anyone have an idea as to this known acquaintance could be?

I know there was ALOT of speculation regarding Leah's sibling initially and the out of town maintenance crew that was working near or at that property at the time of her disappearance. Not sure if there is a general consensus though. The statement from the Chief regarding someone's familiarity to the layout of the residence is significant imo.

I don't recall hearing anything about a significant other in her life at the time.

[Lolina]

Leah Hickman Benefit Scheduled
Posted: 11:00 AM Oct 24, 2008
Last Updated: 9:32 PM Oct 24, 2008
Reporter: Kari Adkins
Email Address: kari.adkins@wsaz.com

POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- It’s been almost a year since the murder of Marshall University student Leah Hickman. No one has been arrested yet.

Her family and friends are still looking for answers. On November 22, they will hold a 5K walk/run in Point Pleasant to raise money for the Leah Hickman Scholarship Fund. They also want to remind everyone that nothing has been solved yet.

The walk will start at 10 a.m. underneath the bridge and make its way through the city.

Click the link below for the registration form.


http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/33201824.html

[Nut44x4]

Remembering Leah Hickman

Posted: 4:37 PM Nov 22, 2008

POINT PLESANT, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- It's been almost a year since Marshall University student Leah Hickman was found murdered in the basement of her apartment building.

Now her friends and family are working to keep her memory alive.

Hundreds of people gathered in Point Pleasant Saturday to run in the Leah Hickman 5k.

Organizers say they wanted to show the family and community that they have not forgotten about the case.

We caught up with some of Leah's friends who say time of year is pretty tough with the holidays ahead.

No arrests have ever been made in Leah's murder.
http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/34932399.html

Interesting comments>>....
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
Posted by: citizen on Nov 22, 2008 at 07:37 PM
good job HPD,,,,,, for nothing

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Posted by: ... on Nov 22, 2008 at 05:59 PM
and still no arrests. do the men of the HPD not look at this picture daily? if not, they should be required to!!! it's sad that the people in our town that we expect to handle these types of things appropriately, efficiently and successfully have failed us so miserably.

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Posted by: Bob on Nov 22, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Thanks to everyone,. A special thanks to David and Connie Pyles.

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Posted by: Donna on Nov 22, 2008 at 05:08 PM
I would like to know what happened with the dna results the law enforcement were waiting on...they said they had a possible suspect pending the results...

[KittyMom]

I'm still waiting for an arrest.

[Grande]

One-Year Anniversary of Leah Hickman's Death This Weekend
Last Updated: 9:49 PM Dec 12, 2008
Reporter: Dave Benton
Email Address: dave.benton@wsaz.com

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- This weekend marks one year since Leah Hickman went missing.

The Marshall University student's body was found a week later in the crawl space under her apartment building. Police ruled the case a homicide, saying she had been strangled to death. No arrests have been made, but police say there is a person of interest.

Even though solving the case is taking some time, those close to Leah are keeping her name alive. Her family started a journalism scholarship in Leah's name at Marshall University. The money raised came from a memorial run, family members, friends and people in the community. One year later, those close to Leah shared their thoughts on losing someone who brought so much happiness to their lives.

Almost a year ago to the day, Leah's mother and sister posted fliers with high hopes she would be found. Leah's college friends got involved with the search, getting the word out to local businesses. Even the cable news networks reported the missing student.

But no one could find out what happened to Leah until a week later. That's when police found her body in a crawl space in the basement of her 8th Avenue apartment building. The cause of death was strangulation.

Today, Leah's friends still can't believe what happened a year ago.

"The difficult part is watching TV and wanting to call Leah and share funny things with her like we used to," said her friend Autumn Crank.

Fellow friend Abby Richards said, "When you lose a person, it makes you realize how important life is."

As mentioned, Leah's memory lives on through a scholarship fund at Marshall University, which already has surpassed $16,000.

"It was a huge blow," said Corley Dennison, dean of the William Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall. "She had an on-air show, and everyone was fond of her. We just hope they solve the case."

Huntington Police Sgt. John Williams, who led the investigation just after Leah went missing, said the evidence is still being tested at a federal lab in Arizona. There are only four labs like it in the country, and the Arizona lab has a backlog of cases.

Police do have a person of interest; they're waiting for the test results to come back -- in particular the DNA to see if it matches. Local police contact the federal lab about every three weeks to see how the test results are going.

Sunday will mark one year exactly since Leah was last seen alive.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/36088724.html