Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Can I Prey First?’ of ABC’s ’20/20,’ the focus is on the chilling murder of a mother of two named Laura Ackerson, whose mutilated body was found several days after she vanished into thin air in the summer of 2011. The following weeks and months were busy for the detectives as they indulged in a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of the case and bring the perpetrators to justice. Thanks to the exclusive interviews with the loved ones of Laura, the viewers are provided with a detailed account of the murder, investigation, and everything that followed.
Laura Ackerson’s Dismembered Remains Were Discovered in a Texas Creek
It was on April 30, 1984, that Rodger and Brenda Ackerson gave birth to a little bundle of joy in Hastings, Michigan, in the form of Laura Jean Ackerson. Until she was around 12, Laura grew up in Hastings along with her several siblings — Jennifer Cross, Erin Anderson, Ryan Martin, Heather Fruchey, Jason Ackerson, and Daniel Martin. Later, she relocated to Iowa with her mother and went to Lynville-Sully High School to complete her schooling. Given her friendly and compassionate nature, she managed to make many friends during her formative years.
After spending several years in Iowa, Laura became an independent woman and made a move to Kinston, North Carolina. There, she met a guy named Grant Hayes, with whom she shared two sons — Grant and Gentle. Not only was she a devoted wife but also a doting mother to her children. Apart from spending time with her family, she also ensured that she was active in the professional aspect of her life. In Kinston, she was employed as a business woman at a Graphic Design firm. Everything seemed well as she continued making positive strides in her life, but only until the 27-year-old mother of two went missing on July 13, 2011, from Raleigh, North Carolina.
A horrific discovery was made 11 days after her disappearance as her dismembered remains were found in Oyster Creek 60 miles south of Houston, Texas. As the investigators inspected the body and the surrounding area for evidence, they found it hard to determine a particular cause of death with accuracy. The autopsy reports showed that the victim was inflicted with a puncture wound to the fourth cervical vertebra, crushed thyroid cartilage, and blunt force trauma to the neck. Declared as a homicide, the detectives launched an investigation immediately, hoping to capture the killer/s responsible.
Laura Ackerson’s Past Came Back to Haunt Her During Her Custody Battle
As the investigators began interviewing Laura Ackerson’s friends and family about some of the intricate details of her personal life, they learned that she had separated from her boyfriend, Grant Hayes, around 2010. After Grant claimed that Laura was mentally unstable and a dangerous presence to Grant and Gentle, he won their custody. In retaliation, Laura argued that her ex-partner was a substance abuser and sociopath, which is why she was concerned about her children’s safety. In order to turn things around and get back the custody of her sons, she made positive changes in her life, such as going back to school, advancing on the professional front, and purchasing her own apartment. After her efforts, she was confident that she would at least get split custody of her children.
Upon learning about the tension between Laura and Grant, the investigators focused on the latter and dug deeper into his life. They learned that since the separation from the mother of his children, he had married Amanda Hayes. Since Oyster Creek was quite close to the residence of Amanda Hayes’ sister, they reached out to her and searched the property for evidence while asking her if she knew anything about Laura’s disappearance and murder. She admitted that Amanda and Grant drove to her house in a rented U-Haul, which contained Laura’s dismembered remains inside two coolers, before dumping them into the Oyster Creek.
The Killers Were Brought to Justice For the Murder of Laura Ackerson
Upon searching the property for evidence, the investigators discovered a black machete and a couple of towels that were allegedly used to wipe out the coolers that contained the victim’s sawed-up body parts. As per the detectives, the Hayes couple lured Laura into their Raleigh apartment and proceeded to murder her before dismembering her and transporting her remains to Texas to dispose of them into the creek. On July 25, 2011, Amanda and Grant Hayes were arrested at the latter’s mother’s house in Kinston for the first-degree murder of Laura Ackerson.
What followed was their trials, in which they blamed each other for the crime. In late August 2013, Grant Hayes stood on trial for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. A few weeks later, on September 16, he was convicted of first-degree murder. During Amanda’s trial in early 2014, the defense argued that she had no clue about Laura’s murder as Grant was solely responsible for it. She alleged that she learned about her dismembered body when they reached her sister’s house, where he forced her to help him get rid of the remains.
According to her, the only reason she obliged was that she feared for her own life and that of his and her children. Meanwhile, the prosecution argued that the defendant was a willing participant in the killing. In the end, while Grant Hayes was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Amanda Smith Hayes was sentenced to 13-16 years in prison, with credit for two and a half years already served.
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