LEAH HICKMAN: MISSING MARSHALL UNIVERSITY STUDENT FOUND

Flier provided by Hickman's family and friends

Police Find Body Believed to be Missing Marshall University Student
Saturday, December 22, 2007

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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.

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