The Secret Life Of Paige Birgfeld

The Search For A Young Mother Exposes A Double Life

(CBS)  Asked what he thinks happened to Paige, D.A. Hautzinger says, "I think she was probably murdered by one of her clients."

But as far as he knows, Paige did not leave a diary or black book with names. However, she did have that cell phone, which helped investigators track down everyone who'd had contact with Paige. "We have looked very carefully at all of her clients and have made every effort to investigate everybody who may have been on that list of people she was going to be contacting later that night," Hautzinger says.

Before long, they honed in on one man, a 56-year-old father of two grown sons named Lester Ralph Jones.

Hautzinger says Jones was one of Paige's clients and that they had at least more than one encounter.

Authorities got warrants to conduct searches of his home, where he lives with his third wife. They spent hours searching through his belongings, but wouldn't talk about what they found, not even with Paige's family.

And remember her burned out car, discovered a few miles from her home? Search dogs led investigators from that parking lot to an RV shop across the street. It turns out that's where Ralph Jones worked as a mechanic.

"The fact that her car was burning so close to his place of employment is at least one significant fact," Hautzinger says. "Common sense certainly would indicate that it's something more than a coincidence."

Hautzinger won't disclose if Paige and Jones spoke on the phone on the night she disappeared. Asked if he knows if Jones was one of the people she had an appointment with that night, Hautzinger says, "I'm not gonna answer that question."

Though the district attorney refuses to elaborate, sources close to the investigation tell 48 Hours there is something that ties Jones to Paige the night she disappeared. They say one of the last phone conversations Paige had was with someone using a throwaway phone. And although Jones denies buying such a phone, sources tell 48 Hours there is surveillance video from a local store showing Jones purchasing that phone.

Jones, who declined 48 Hours' request for an interview, denies having anything to do with Paige’s disappearance.

"Would you say he's capable of murder?" Dow asks.

"I honestly couldn’t answer that," D.A. Hautzinger says.

But Jones does have a criminal record, which shows he was more than capable of violence. Jones was arrested for two incidents involving his estranged wife Lisa back in 1999. He served three years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and assault charges, both felonies.

"Those are, by definition, kind of violent offenses," Hautzinger points out.

And so, more than three months after Paige disappeared, authorities publicly cleared her two ex-husbands, and named the one target of their investigation: Lester Ralph Jones.

[NannyD]

I could identify with the family in this story. My family has been living with the pain of not knowing the facts of my cousin's disappearance since 1983. While the stories aren't similar in terms of finding out about a secret life, that really isn't the point. Living with the 'what ifs' for the rest of your life is an agony that you can't really, adequately express to those who haven't lived it.

My cousin's disappearance had a lot of questions surrounding it. Most of those questions still exist, & may never be known. We've had to come to this 'new normal' that has alterd all of our lives for the last 26 years. Family members who took part in the search for her have passed away. New people in our lives have this as a daily element of our lives, no matter what we do.

I know that someone who hasn't been through it could understand the profound impact it has on the lives of their loved ones, if they choose to leave. Knowing her, I doubt that she would have chosen to leave, even if she could have known the pain it would cause. Whatever is going on in someone's life, they don't deserve this.

NannyD

[jo7752]

Paige's case has a few similarities to my daughter's. My daughter has been missing for seven years from Monte Vista, Colorado and also left behind two small children she would never have left by choice. Her body has never been found, but the "persons of interest," her ex-boyfriend, Victor Braun, and his father, Vern, are not saying what happened though it is strongly suspected that they killed her and disposed of her somewhere. I know what Paige's parents are going through and I feel so bad for her children; losing your mother by such means has got to be life-altering. I will pray for her children and family when I pray for my own grandkids. My daughter's website is daniceday.com if anyone would like more details. Thanks for letting me have a say, and thanks for being here. Jonene Day, Laramie, Wyoming

[capegal67]

I just can't understand a woman like her. I mean she was a mother and putting herself in that kind of danger, what in the hell was she thinking. There is no earthly reason she had to live in a home with a 6G a month mortgage. She just got used to all that money and it was her God. I feel sorry for her family and her childen, but play around with fire and it will get you. She must have known this man was violent, because that kind of man doesn't seem to be the kind that could afford a highclass prostitute. I feel really bad for her father, but I don't think they will ever find her body. I mean this is an area with all kinds of animals, desert conditions, very sad indeed. That was a scary existence she was leading without anyone else knowing what she was up to.

[strmrnnr]

I am wondering why you are not investigating the possability of a pedophile ring. You have an ex-stripper who has aged and become a prostitute. A father who says that he thinks that may have been moral issues there, as if he can't add. And the hooker is teaching a pre-school dance lessons.

I would say all the ingredients are there except the client list. but, IMO, A-moral dad likely took care of that when they searched the computers instead of the police.

[mndogez]

I didn't see it in this article, but I just watched 48 hours about the disaperance of Paige.
They said on T.V. that along a highway they found her checkbook and some other items.
Did she carry a purse? Was that found? It would seem to me that whoever tossed out those items must have had her purse? Also it would seem that they had probabley already disposed of her body.Has the search team backtracked from those items found along that side of the highway, or sideroads? I don't think it would be a very far distance after getting rid of her body, to dispose of that incriminating evidence. I pray for the family and hope they find there daughter soon. Remember God loves her and she is with him, or lets pray she is still alive. I live in San Diego and there was just a 14 year old girl abducted in Escondido walking to school Amber Duboius. It seems like that's all that's been happening the past few months with the 3 babies in Florida. I was watching America's Most Wanted tonight also, flipping back and forth between shows. I hope I get a response if the search team did do what my question was.

[nottosmart]

just so sad for the unfortunate events. in time you will find closure and move on. Shes just missing and by gods hands she will be found in due time. great show but sad to say this happens in the world we live in......who can you trust? god luck and god bless.

[uscitizenvet]

Sounds like the cops are on the right trail with one of her last (jon) contacts. He seems to meet all the criteria to do something like this......or his wife if she had found out about their escaoades. Paige no doubt was leading a double life but it was one she was familiar with and knew it would provide her the money in the amounts needed to continue her life style. Wonder why family and/or friends never caught on to: how can someone live with these kinds of expenses and not have at least a CEO position?

[smurfcrusher]

Clearly she was very secretive, and I would say with good reason.

I don''t know whether she was ashamed of what she was doing; given that she defied her mother when she was a young adult and danced at a strip club I would suggest she was a little weak on ethics and a bit strong on greed.

There are a million foreclosed homes in this country... but I don''t see a million new ''escorts'' on the streets. I suggest there is an honorable way to struggle with life''s challenges, and a dishonorable way. Her choice was clear and unfortunate.

[honeywestsd]

I wondered about the IRS too. And how did she make a $6000/month payment for her house? If she made the payment by cash, wouldn''t that be a red flag? And let''s say that she never disappeared. Odds are, we''d be hearing a different version of this; we''d be hearing of a bust of her and her johns.

I''ve read where the majority of women who join the *** trade were sexually exploited; I do wonder. Incest? Rape?

And did she get regularly tested? Did a *** game a role play go horribly wrong? Did a john catch a STD and get upset? Will we ever find out?

[ptjhu]

So she was a hooker? My only question is: why the hell didn''t the IRS wonder why a part-time teacher was able to afford a $250,000 house?

[smurfcrusher]

momquixote, how would you know whether or not she was a prostitute? Funny thing about secret lives... they''re so... Secret.

Must be that she was "escorting" tourists perhaps? Perhaps you are trying to encourage others to become "escorts" since (in your eyes anyway) they aren''t prostitutes?

I think the lesson here is if you get into what many consider the prostitution business, the real ugliness is what happens when the truth comes out. While all might be sunny and bright in your imaginary world, the fact of the matter is she chose this risk and now her children have no mother. Pretty, that isn''t.

[smurfcrusher]

momquixote, how would you know whether or not she was a prostitute? Funny thing about secret lives... they''re so... Secret.

Must be that she was "escorting" tourists perhaps? Perhaps you are trying to encourage others to become "escorts" since (in your eyes anyway) they aren''t prostitutes?

I think the lesson here is if you get into what many consider the prostitution business, the real ugliness is what happens when the truth comes out. While all might be sunny and bright in your imaginary world, the fact of the matter is she chose this risk and now her children have no mother. Pretty, that isn''t.

[jboxton]

I agree with the guy below me. This guy is a hack writer. He keeps referring to a secret life as if he already said what it was. I love how the media only cares about the rich. If this woman was not wealthy, there would be no story here. For as much as you liberals and your media say you hate rich people, that''s all you ever write about.

[juliuswillis]

when i got to page 4 and still didn''t know about the wife/mother''s secret life, i decided it was a lame story that is taking waaay too long to tell. the writer is an idiot who beats around the bush. that''s the real story here. just get to the point. better luck next time, lame writer. lame storytelling skills...

[gopsoccermom]

roscoezzz, mob hit. They dont like independants.

[xtina100-2009]

It doesn''t make her bad, you know, it makes her desperate. Desperate women in the Middle East do it too, when they have nothing else to offer and no man to protect them. It is the oldest economic reality in the book, and if you were hard up and had kids to feed you would do it too. Who says the family has a lot of money they could support her and the kids? And there is the matter of pride - being a two time loser and being so fooled by the 2nd dipstick husband. I relate, but I would have ditched the ultra expensive mortgage - she probably would have lost it sooner or later. Likely she tried to hold on to it so she wouldn''t have to displace the children. I hope they find her body, and I hope they bust the *hit who did this to her and get a full confession.

[rodeoin_qb]

My heard just aches for this family, especially her children. I don''t care about what went on in her personal life, she did what she had to do for her family. It sounds like she was a wonderful person and mother. I admire her family''s determination! I hope and pray that she is found soon!!

[carolcape]

This woman is in my opinion not alive. She was living a very dangerous life. Two ex''s, one violent, having close encounters of a dangerous nature with complete strangers, it seems she had a death wish. Yeah, you are right, who was looking after the children and as you say, who in the hay needs a house that costs 6000 a month. Her father loved her and she had a family, she did not need to jeopardize her life and her childrens lives to live like she did. She certainly was a jeckyl and hyde, sure sounds like it. Sad that the children have lost their mother and her mom and dad also. Thoughts and prayers to them. It is even harder for them, knowing of this secret life style she had.

[roscoezzz]

Didn''t authorities find over $10,000 stowed away in that house? Why would she just up and leave her money and kids? With evidence showing her car burned, a credit card and license found by the highway. She had to have been kidnapped and/or murdered. Who knows?
I can understand her parents auctioning off what was in that house. Didn''t they have to keep up the payments after the daughter disappeared? $6,000 rent is pretty steep. That''s $72,000 a year plus other bills. No wonder she went into the Escort Service. Fast & Easy Money.
I don''t condemn this woman for anything. She''s a single mother who had to make ends meet. It''s not easy to live a lavish life-style and then it suddenly disappears. Most people don''t know how to quit the fancy trips, nice cars and social position. Unfortunately, this woman made a wrong choice which may have cost her own life.

[honeywestsd]

What I did, was just do a search with Paige''s name in it and I found out more stuff that didn''t even make it to the news story. Odds are, this could have been a 2 hour show. Hopefully the next update will be talking about an arrest.

I am assuming that her ex, the father of the children is working. And...did he pay child support?