Laura Jean Ackerson -- Deceased 7/13/11 -- Grant and Amanda Hayes Charged With Murder

Laura Jean Ackerson of Kinston, NC went missing.  A friend reported her missing.  She has two small children.  She and the father of her children were in a volatile custody battle.  They were not married.







A dismembered body was found late Sunday afternoon in Fort Bend County, Tx which is southwest of Harris County (Houston), Tx.  It is believed to be the body of Laura Jean Ackerson.

Ackerson's car was found in Raleigh, NC.  After the discovery of a dismembered body in Tx, Raleigh law  enforcement came to Fort Bend County to continue the investigation.  The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office stated that the Raleigh law enforcement have taken over the investigation.

It is believed Ackerson was killed in North Carolina and dumped in the murky waters of Oyster Creek in Fort Bend County, TX.

Some of the articles I've read from North Carolina TV stations and Houston, Tx TV stations conflict.  For example, some are reporting that Ackerson was in Texas visiting relatives.  It appears that is not true.
Ackerson's sister indicated they have no relatives in Texas.

Perhaps later on Monday there will be more specific details and accurate information.
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Search for missing NC woman leads to Texas

WTVD - Raleigh-Durham, NC

Updated at 11:13 PM on July 24, 2011

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Authorities in Texas say they have found the body of a woman, and the discovery is related to the case of a 27-year-old Laura Ackerson of Kinston. She was reported missing July 18.


The body was found in a creek near Skinner Lane in Richmond, Texas. That's west of Houston. Authorities said no positive identification has been made.

A spokesman for the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said two Raleigh detectives were in Texas, and the Raleigh Police Department is the lead agency in the investigation.

He said no other information would be released before Monday.

ABC11 sister station KTRK reported that the body found in Texas was dismembered and it appeared the murder was committed elsewhere and the body dumped where it was found. It also reported Ackerson was in the Houston area visiting relatives.

Investigators say Ackerson last saw her children, who live with their father in Raleigh, on July 13.

Read more:

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=8269063

This is a video of the area where the body was found Sunday afternoon in Fort Bend County, Tx:

http://www.click2houston.com/video/28652433/index.html
KPRC Houston, Tx 7-24-11

Body Found In Fort Bend CO. May Be From North Carolina
July ,24 2011 A body that was found in Fort Bend County may be a missing woman from North Carolina Jennifer Bauer reports

This article from a North Carolina TV station has the previous articles as this story unfolded. Keep scrolling down. Also videos.
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UPDATE: Body Discovered In Texas May Be That Of Kinston Woman

WNCT - Greenville, NC

Monday, July 25, 2011

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX. - Authorities in Fort Bend County, Texas have found the body of a 25 year old female this afternoon. They believe her body was transported to the Oyster Creek area after she was killed in North Carolina. There's been no positive identification on the body yet but they say it could be that of a missing Kinston woman. Officials say a suspect has been identified and detained. Raleigh Police are said to be working a homicide scene in North Carolina in relation to the case.

Read more:

http://www2.wnct.com/news/2011/jul/19/25/police-need-help-locating-missing-kinston-woman-ar-1220116/

Body found in Texas believed to be missing Kinston mom

WRAL - Raleigh, NC
Updated: 12:07 a.m. - July 25, 2011

Raleigh, N.C. — The remains of a woman found Sunday near Oyster Creek, about 60 miles south of Houston, are believed to be those of a missing Kinston mother, according to authorities in Fort Bend County, Texas.

Chief Deputy Craig Brady said that Raleigh police detectives who have traveled to Texas to look for Laura Jean Ackerson, 27, believe the remains are hers. Ackerson was reported missing July 15 after she failed to pick up her two sons from their father in Raleigh.

It appears she was killed in North Carolina and that her body was taken to Texas, Brady said. The remains were dismembered.

Read more:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9902277/
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There is a video within the article to view. To the left of the article, there are 3 pictures of Ackerson. One of the pictures is of Ackerson and her two children.

Body found in creek may be missing NC woman

KTRK - Houston, Tx
Sunday, July 24, 2011

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- A dismembered body found in Fort Bend County on Sunday may be a North Carolina woman who went missing more than a week ago.

Witnesses say the a human torso was found around 4pm Sunday in Oyster Creek in the 4300 block of Skinner at McCrary near W. Belfort. Officials say the body was in at least four pieces.

Read more:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8268981
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Includes a video!

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/gallery?section=news/local&id=8266302&photo=1
KTRK - Houston, Tx 7-24-11

Photos - Laura Jean Ackerson

The article said she dropped off her kids with their Dad. Was he in Raleigh? It also said she was visiting friends and relatives in the Houston area.

If the ex BF killed her in Raleigh, did he drive her all the way to Houston to dispose of her body parts, or did she actually arrive here and visit with her friends?

A lot of details are missing.

Hi, sitemama!

There are many conflicting stories by the media.

Per Laura's sister, they do not have relatives in Texas. This story is unfolding so hopefully today more accurate info will be available.

There have been arrests made and murder charges filed.

The father of her children and his wife have been arrested. See story below.

Ex-boyfriend, woman charged with murder in death of missing N.C. mother

KHOU - Houston, Tx

Posted on July 25, 2011 at 8:05 AM CDT
Updated today at 10:03 AM CDT

HOUSTON – Two suspects, including the ex-boyfriend of a missing North Carolina woman, were charged with murder Monday after a dismembered body was found in a rural Fort Bend County creek.

Grant Ruffin Hayes, 32, and his wife, 39-year-old Amanda Perry Hayes, were arrested around 1 a.m. and charged in the death of Laura Jean Ackerson, 27, police in Raleigh, N.C., said.

The arrests were made in Kinston, N.C.

Read more:

http://www.khou.com/news/Ex-boyfriend-woman-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-missing-NC-woman-126109729.html

Thanks.

sitemama, I posted Links about this case on Developing Stories at The Hinky Meter because I know there are folks from NC that post there.

The following is a comment from Carolina-grandma Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:56 am:

Ann, I have been following this case since Laura first went missing. She lived in Kinston which is about 20 minutes from me. The latest is that they've arrested her ex and his wife. All of the news reports have been very confusing. It started out that she had dropped her kids off with her ex at his home in Raleigh, but when it was time for her to pick them up, they were to meet midway between the 2 towns in Rocky Mount. The ex says he waited an hour & a half, but she never showed up. He did not report her missing for some reason, a friend of hers did this instead. Anyway, over the weekend, they found her car in Raleigh and then we heard about the dismembered remains being found near Houston. I also don't understand why they would take her body all the way to Houston. In one report I read, it said that she was visiting relatives near Houston, but that makes no sense - in other articles it states that the ex drove her body to TX. Anyway, her ex's wife was either involved in the murder or an accomplice because she has been arrested too. I have no idea what's happened to the children at this point - I pray they are with family.
CL - there does seem to be a lot of dismembering going on around here these days, WTH ???
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Carolina_grandma Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 8:11 am

Just to clear up a couple of points in my previous post....
Laura was to meet her ex and pick up the kids on 7/13. Her friend did not realize anything was amiss and did not report her missing until the 15th. I'm sure this will be key when this goes to trial - why didn't the ex report her missing when she didn't show up to pick up the kids?
I just read that the wife of Laura's ex was more than an accomplice, she has been charged with murder as well.If I hear more, I'll share....
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Above posted at:

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=1049&start=950
The Hinky Meter by Valhall - Developing Stories - Pages 20 and 21

Dismembered Body Found In Oyster Creek
Body May Be Missing Woman From North Carolina

KPRC - Houston, Tx

POSTED: Monday, July 25, 2011
UPDATED: 11:29 am CDT July 25, 2011

RICHMOND, Texas -- A dismembered body found in a Fort Bend County creek may be a woman who disappeared in North Carolina.

The remains of a woman were found in Oyster Creek in Richmond Sunday afternoon.

The Richmond Fire Department dive team and deputies with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office were in the 4300 block of Skinner Lane for several hours looking for evidence.

They returned to the area on Monday to continue to scour for clues.

Read more and view video:

http://www.click2houston.com/news/28654441/detail.html

Summary of KTRK - Houston, Tx News - 11 a.m. CDT Update

KTRK - Houston has news at 11 a.m. They have Katie McCall, an investigative reporter, on the scene. She is a great reporter.

The updated video has not been posted yet but this is a summary:

The arrests of Grant and Amanda Hayes were made at 1 a.m. in Kinston at the home of Hayes' mother.

Detectives believe that the pair killed Laura in North Carolina, dismembered her body and traveled to the Oyster Creek area in Fort Bend County, Tx to dispose of it.

The creek is right across the road from Amanda Hayes' relatives home. The home is now crawling with detectives. The residents of the home are not there and it is believed that they knew nothing about this.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's office (FBCSO) said in addition to murder charges in North Carolina, the pair now faces tampering with evidence charges.

FBCSO said they have information from North Carolina LE that the pair purchased a number of ice chests to conceal the remains, rented a U-Haul trailer and transported the remains to Texas from North Carolina.

At this time, they do not know how Laura was killed. The cuts were so clean on the body and they said it could not have been done with a machete found with the remains.

When the article and video posts to the web site, I'll post the link here.

Police arrest two in case of missing NC woman

KTRK - Houston, Tx
Updated at 11:53 AM July 25, 2011

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- The ex-boyfriend of a missing Kinston mother is one of two suspects arrested after a woman's dismembered body was found in Texas.

Raleigh police say Grant Ruffin Hayes, 32, and his wife, Amanda Perry Hayes, 32, were taken into custody at 1am Monday and charged with murder in the death of Laura Jean Ackerson, 27. The arrests were made in Kinston.

Grant Hayes is the father of Ackerson's two children.

Read more and view video:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8269452

This is a horrible story. The saying is true, people go back to familiar territory. Casey Anthony did it, Elisa Baker did it, just to name a few. Now this Amanda Hayes thought she could get away with murder throwing this poor woman's dismembered body across from most likely her parent's home. And for what, because she was the mother of the man's children. Horrific! Thank God she's been found so quickly and these two have been arrested.

Police arrest missing woman's ex-boyfriend, wife

WTVD - Raleigh-Durham, NC
Updated at 12:30 PM 7/25/11

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Raleigh police have arrested Laura Ackerson's ex-boyfriend and his wife after authorities in Texas found the body of a woman over the weekend.


Around 1 a.m. Monday, Raleigh police arrested 32-year-old Grant Ruffin Hayes, and his wife, 39-year-old Amanda Perry Hayes, in Kinston. Both are charged with murder in connection with Ackerson's death.

Authorities have not officially identified the body found Sunday in Oyster Creek near Skinner Lane in Richmond, Texas as Ackerson, but her family members tell ABC11 that Raleigh police believe the body is more than likely the 27-year-old Kinston mother, who was reported missing on July 18.

A spokesman for the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said Sunday that two Raleigh detectives were in Texas, and the Raleigh Police Department is the lead agency in the investigation.

Read more and view video:

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=8269063
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Additional details and the video is over 6 minutes long.

Photo Gallery - 10 photos

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/gallery?section=news/local&id=8266302&photo=1&pid=8269063
WTVD Raleigh-Durham, NC Original post date: 7-22-11

Laura Ackerson case

Missing Mom's Ex-Boyfriend and His Wife Charged in Her Murder

ABC News - New York
July 25, 2011

Police are trying to determine whether a body in Texas is that of North Carolina mom Laura Ackerson, and two people – the woman's former boyfriend and his new wife – have been arrested and charged in connection with her murder.

Ackerson's ex-boyfriend Grant Ruffin Hayes and his wife, Amanda Perry Hayes, were taken into custody at 1 a.m. today in Kinston, N.C., and "charged with murder in connection with the death of Laura Jean Ackerson," according to a statement from police.

Read more:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/boyfriend-wife-arrested-murder-missing-north-carolina-mother/story?id=14153123
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Interesting article about Hayes & Ackerson's relationship

Grant Hayes (who goes by Haze in his music career) appaently had a baby recently with his wife. I notice the video was uploaded on June 16, 2011.

There are numerous videos to the right of this one. Media have indicated Grant Hayes used the stage name Grant Haze. Here is the Link if you want to look at the other videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYuKuFrRNDw
YouTube Grant Haze -show me ur woman

LAWMEN: Kinston Mom Killed Here; Body Taken In U-Haul To Texas

WITN - Greenville, NC
Updated: 3:39 PM Jul 25, 2011






Texas authorities tells WITN News that Grant Hayes and his wife Amanda bought a number of ice chests and rented a U-Haul in North Carolina.

Read more:

http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/Texas_Deputy_Body_Of_Missing_Kinston_Woman_Found.html
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WITN is great. They have the previous articles following the most current article.

Arrest warrant: Missing Kinston mother killed in Wake County

News Observer - Raleigh, NC
July 25, 2011

Laura Jean Ackerson, a 27-year-old woman from Kinston who disappeared this month, was killed in Wake County on July 13, according to an arrest warrant made public today.

Ackerson's ex-boyfriend, Grant Ruffin Hayes, 32, and his wife Amanda Perry Hayes, 39, have been charged with her murder. They were arrested at 1505 Holman St. in Kinston and are expected to go before a Wake County judge this afternoon.

Grant Hayes is an ex-boyfriend of Ackerson and has two children with her.

Read more:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/07/25/1368102/arrest-warrant-missing-kinston.html#ixzz1T9QGCLSI
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There are pictures to the right that include a pic of Amanda Perry Hayes in front of the Magistrate in Wake County today, 7-25-11.

RE: Laura Jean Ackerson - NC

Per 4 p.m. News, KTRK - Houston, Tx, the divers have been in the water all day at Oyster Creek in Fort Bend County, TX. They found a part of a leg. 40% of the remains are still missing. Visibility in the water is difficult because it is murky and brown with silt.

The article and video are not posted on KTRK's site yet.

Couple faces murder charges in woman's disappearance

WRAL - Raleigh, NC

Posted: 7:25 a.m. - July 25, 2011
Updated: 49 minutes ago

Richmond, Texas — Texas investigators believe a 27-year-old Kinston woman missing for more than a week was killed and dismembered in North Carolina and transported in ice chests in a U-Haul trailer to Texas, where her remains were scattered in a creek.

Fort Bend County Chief Deputy Craig Brady said in a news conference Monday that search crews had recovered 60 percent of the body believed to be that of Laura Jean Ackerson.

Authorities are working to make a positive identification of the remains, Brady added, but all indications have led investigators to believe they are those of Ackerson.

Read more:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9902763/
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You can click on the video.

KHOU - Houston just said that the head has been recovered.

Grisly details emerge in Fort Bend dismembered body case
'It's one of the most gruesome scenes I've seen,' deputy says

By ZAIN SHAUK and MEGAN RYAN
Copyright 2011, HOUSTON CHRONICLE - Houston, Tx

July 25, 2011, 10:13PM CDT


Killing the mother of his children was only the start of a North Carolina man's effort to dispatch his ex-girlfriend, investigators said Monday. The rest of it involved a saw, ice chests, a U-Haul trailer and a boat.

Detectives on Sunday discovered pieces of the 27-year-old woman's torso in Oyster Creek, near Richmond, and pulled her head and leg out of the hot, muddy water on Monday.

Grant Ruffin Hayes, 32, a musician from Raleigh, N.C., had killed Laura Jean Ackerson, likely in North Carolina, then hacked and sawed her body to pieces, said Chief Deputy Craig Brady of the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.

"It's one of the most gruesome scenes I've seen in 30-something years of law enforcement," Brady said.

Hayes and his wife, Amanda Perry Hayes, 39, were arrested Monday in Kinston, N.C., and each charged with murder, according to the Raleigh Police Department. They were booked into Wake County Jail on Monday.

Grant Hayes had purchased several ice chests to transport Ackerson's dismembered body, then put them in a U-Haul trailer. The couple towed it with a pickup truck more than 1,200 miles to Fort Bend County, where Perry Hayes' sister lives, Brady said.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7669137.html#ixzz1TBDLCvJy

Per our 10 p.m. News (Houston, Tx), 60% of Laura Jean Ackerson's remains have been found. Divers will resume the search tomorrow.

I have read numerous articles today and the following are per those articles:

The children are with Grant Hayes' family members. None of the articles were more specific than stating family members.

Laura Jean Ackerson has a brother living in North Carolina and a sister living in Ionia, Michigan.

One media source in North Carolina said Laura's brother received a call at 5 this morning from Raleigh law enforcement and he was advised that part of Laura's dismembered remains were found. In an interview with Laura's brother, he indicated the hardest thing he had to do was contact their mother and let her know about Laura.

In the Houston Chronicle article (above comment box), the location is stated as being in the Pecan Grove area. I am familiar with the Pecan Grove subdivision, which is an upscale subdivision, in Richmond, Fort Bend County, Tx. I have friends that have lived there for years.

Apparently the location of the home of the sister of Amanda Perry Hayes is outside the area of the Pecan Grove subdivision. I've seen pictures of her home which is across the road from the part of Oyster Creek where Laura Jean Ackerson's remains are being found. It is clearly not an upscale home and is not in the Pecan Grove subdivision.

Police arrest two in case of missing NC woman

KTRK - Houston, Tx

Updated at 11:05 PM CDT
July 25, 2011

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- Search crews have the gruesome task of trying to find all the remains of a woman they say went missing from North Carolina nearly two weeks ago.

With all the vegetation in Oyster Creek, with the water being so murky, looking for body parts is no small task. Dive teams spent the day in the water and search crews scoured methodically by boat.

Neighbor Joe Garza said, "I just can't believe it. It's hard to believe."

Neighbors tell Eyewitness News they saw investigators seizing several large coolers from a home down the street.

Read more and view video:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7669137.html#ixzz1TB6NJB5a
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There are other related videos you can click on.

Custody Battle Possible Motive In Ackerson Killing

By Andrea Blanford , Jim Niedelman
WNCT - Greenville, NC

Published: July 19, 2011
Updated: July 25, 2011 - 10:59 PM EDT

KINSTON, N.C. - Laura Ackerson’s friends are reeling after investigators in Texas found her body in a creek.

Now, the father of her two children and his wife are in jail charged with her murder. It's clear there was a lot of bitterness between Ackerson and Grant Hayes. They were involved in a fierce custody battle for more than a year.

Nothing about her disappearance seemed to fit a logical explanation. Laura Ackerson's friends in Kinston literally prayed for a different outcome. Monday night, they prayed she will find peace.

Read more:

http://www2.wnct.com/news/2011/jul/19/53/police-need-help-locating-missing-kinston-woman-ar-1220116/

Police arrest missing woman's ex-boyfriend, wife

WTVD - Raleigh, NC
Updated at 10:37 PM - July 25, 2011

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Raleigh police have arrested Laura Ackerson's ex-boyfriend and his wife after authorities in Texas found the body of a woman over the weekend.


Around 1 a.m. Monday, Raleigh police arrested 32-year-old Grant Ruffin Hayes, and his wife, 39-year-old Amanda Perry Hayes, in Kinston. Both are charged with murder in connection with Ackerson's death.

Authorities have not officially identified the body found Sunday in Oyster Creek near Skinner Lane in Richmond, Texas as Ackerson, but her family members tell ABC11 that Raleigh police believe the body is more than likely the 27-year-old Kinston mother, who was reported missing on July 18.

Read more:

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=8269063

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/video?id=video?id=8270918&pid=8269063
WTVD Raleigh, NC 7-25-11

VIDEO: Victim's brother calls suspected killer a 'monster'
Laura Ackerson's brother says he feared the worse

This North Carolina article has some interesting info.

Grant Hayes is originally from Tennessee and is the son of a minister.

This article has more info about how the Texas search transpired.

I agree with Craig Brady, chief deputy for the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, regarding other places the alleged killer(s) could have dumped the body.

Had they dumped the body in the Louisiana swamp, alligators probably would have eaten it. I am so glad the killer(s) did not think to do that.

You can click on Gallery at the top of article. There are 19 photos with captions.
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Body parts turn up; ex-lover is charged

BY JAY PRICE AND MATT CAULDER - Staff Writers
The News & Observer
Raleigh, NC

July 26, 2011 - 4:58 a.m. EDT

RALEIGH -- Police say a Raleigh musician and his wife killed a Kinston mother here, dismembered her body, packed the pieces in coolers and loaded them aboard a rented U-Haul trailer before dumping the remains in a creek 1,250 miles away outside Houston.

Grant Ruffin Hayes, 32, and Amanda Perry Hayes, 39, were arrested early Monday at a house at 1505 Holman St. in Kinston, brought to Raleigh and charged with murdering Laura Jean Ackerson, 27.

Ackerson was Grant Hayes' ex-girlfriend, and they had been embroiled in a bitter custody fight over their two young children, according to Lenoir County court records.


Relatives of Amanda Hayes in Richmond, Texas, told investigators that she and Grant Hayes had come to visit her sister after Ackerson was killed, said Craig Brady, chief deputy for the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office. While there, relatives said, the pair carried coolers they brought from Raleigh to Oyster Creek.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/07/26/1369681/body-parts-turn-up-ex-lover-is.html#ixzz1TCnUQ2MX

Photo Gallery:
Couple charged in death of Kinston woman | 07.25.11

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/07/25/1369151/couple-charged-in-death-of-kinston.html#ixzz1TCpPWx3G
News & Observer Raleigh, NC 7/25/11

Missing mother's ex-boyfriend: 'It just boggles my mind.'

By Rachel Gallaher
Published: July 26, 2011
WNCT - Greenville, NC

RALEIGH, N.C. -- One man talking about the case of missing Kinston mother Laura Ackerson is her ex-boyfriend.

James Harrison is Ackerson's ex-boyfriend and he says he dated her for about three years and they kept in touch. They even exchanged several emails on July 11 and 12; just days before she disappeared. In those emails, Ackerson says she and Grant Hayes lived in the Virgin Islands for a year. She also says she moved to Kinston where she's been living for a year and a half with Hayes’ parents.

Read more:

http://www2.wnct.com/news/2011/jul/26/missing-mothers-ex-boyfriend-it-just-boggles-my-mi-ar-1240181/

Ex-boyfriend shares e-mails, memories of Laura Ackerson

WNCN - Raleigh, NC
Tuesday, July 26, 2011

RALEIGH, N.C. --
The news of Laura Ackerson’s death is being felt by people from Texas where her remains are believed to have been found, to North Carolina where she lived, to New York where a former boyfriend received word of the alleged murder Monday.

James Harrison said a friend called him to tell him about the arrests of Grant and Amanda Hayes. Harrison said he didn’t immediately process that the woman they are accused of killing was also his own ex-girlfriend.

Read more and listen to audio of interview with ex-boyfriend:

http://www2.nbc17.com/news/2011/jul/26/ex-boyfriend-shares-e-mails-memories-laura-ackerso-ar-1239076/

The lower part of this article details some info about the civil suit regarding custody of the children.
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Ex-boyfriend, his wife charged in Kinston woman's death

July 25, 2011 2:33 PM
jdnews.com - Jacksonville, NC

The discovery of a dismembered body in a rural creek in Fort Bend County, Texas, led to the arrests early this morning of Laura Jean Ackerson's former boyfriend and his current wife. Both are charged with murder.

Grant Ruffin Hayes III and Amanda Perry Hayes of Raleigh were taken into custody at 1 a.m. today at 1505 Holman St. in Kinston, the residence of Grant Hayes' parents. The arrests were made without incident, according to the statement.

Grant Ruffin Hayes, 32, is the father of Ackerson's two children; Amanda Perry Hayes, 39, is his wife. They are to be arraigned in a Raleigh court this morning, according to the Kinston Department of Public Safety.

In Lenoir County court documents, Hayes’ Raleigh address is listed as of 4021 Bella Park Trail, Apt. 322.

Read more:

http://www.jdnews.com/news/charged-93496-rural-early.html

This is just so disgustingly gruesome, these poor little children. I hope Laura's family is going to be able to get them from Hayes' family. They do not belong there! Senseless and tragic, now the children have no parents. I can't imagine what would possess two people to carry this out the way they did. I will never be able to wrap my head around these things.

Ann, thanks so much for all of the updates with so information.

RIP Laura

I have a heavy heart for these little ones. How a father could be so cruel to his children by killing their mother over custody is just pure evil.

I also hope Laura's family, maybe her sister, gets custody of these babies, only if her love for her sister can over come her hatred of their father. If she does get custody, she can never say anything bad about their father.

I got custody of my grandchildren after their father murdered their mom, but I could never say anything bad about their father. They were 2-1/2 years old and 13 months, and looks like these two are about the same age.

Piper, thanks for posting the pics. I like the picture of Laura with her two children. Precious children!

RE: Laura Jean Ackerson case - NC

Per KTRK - Houston, Tx, the search for Laura Jean Ackerson's remains resumed this morning.

The reporter indicated something new they have not seen before is that cadaver dogs are now in the boats and on land.

The reporter went across the road and knocked on the door of the home of Amanda Perry Hayes' sister but no one answered the door.

Amanda Perry Hayes and Grant Hayes have a court appearance this afternoon in Wake County, NC.
~~~~~

Search ongoing for NC woman's remains

KPRC - Houston, Tx
Updated at 12:35 PM - July 26 2011

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- Authorities on Monday recovered Laura Ackerson's head and one of her legs. Police believe she was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, and his wife, who have a court appearance in North Carolina later this afternoon.

The two suspects, Grant and Amanda Hayes, are due in court in North Carolina in mid-afternoon. In the meantime divers and search crews resumed their search for the rest of Ackerson's remains in Oyster Creek in Fort Bend County.

Read more:

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8271256

The article said the creek is fast moving, so they may not be able to find all the body parts. That would be devastating for the family. I certainly hope they are successful.

Couple held without bond in woman's death

WRAL - Raleigh, NC
July 26, 2011

Raleigh, N.C. — A Raleigh couple was ordered held without bond Tuesday in the death of a Kinston woman whose remains are believed to have been found in a south Texas creek.

District Judge Jacqueline Brewer appointed public defenders for Grant Ruffin Hayes, 32, and Amanda Perry Hayes, 39, and set their next court date on Aug. 16.

Laura Jean Ackerson, 27, a businesswoman and mother of two, was last seen July 13, and her business partner reported her missing five days later.

A dive team for the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office in Richmond, Texas, found some remains scattered in a creek about 60 miles south of Houston late Sunday. The search for remains continued on Monday and Tuesday.

Read more:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9910196/
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The next scheduled court appearance date, Aug. 16, is one day after Grant Hayes and Ackerson were suppose to appear in the civil suit regarding custody of their children - August, 15, 2011 in Lenoir County Civil Superior Court.

Remains positively identified as Laura Ackerson; accused killers held without bond

By WNCT Staff - Greenville, NC

Published: July 19, 2011
Updated: July 26, 2011 - 3:20 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C.- The human remains located in Fort Bend County, Texas, have been positively identified as those of Laura Jean Ackerson.

That's according to Raleigh Police, who released the information Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the two people accused of killing a young mother from Kinston will be held without bond.

Grant Hayes and Amanda Hayes briefly appeared today separately for their hearing in Wake County. The judge appointed a public defender to represent the pair. They have the option to hire an attorney if they want.

Read more:

http://www2.wnct.com/news/2011/jul/19/60/police-need-help-locating-missing-kinston-woman-ar-1220116/

Grant Ruffin Hayes booking photo




Amanda Hayes booking photo

Is it me, or are they smirking?

Divers search Oyster Creek near Skinner Lane in Richmond, Texas Monday July 25. Human remains were found in the creek the day before

Deputies say this cooler was used to transport body parts to Texas

Amanda Hayes appears before a judge Monday July 25

She still has a smirk on her face, omg!