ABC’s ’20/20: Can I Prey First?’ delves deep into the brutal killing of Laura Ackerson and the extensive investigation that ensued. When a couple, Amanda and Grant Hayes, was taken into custody for the crime, their marriage got torn apart as they pointed fingers at one another. During the trial, Amanda’s daughter from a previous relationship, Sha Garrison, also took the stand and testified against her stepfather. Given her importance in the trial and life of Amanda, questions about her current whereabouts naturally arise.
Sha Garrison Gave Critical Statements Against Grant Hayes in Her Testimony
Before marrying Grant Hayes, Amanda Hayes was in wedlock with three other men. One of them was Scott Elmer, with whom she gave birth to Sha Garrison (née Elmer) on June 7, 1989. She was over 20 years old in the summer of 2011 when her mother found herself entangled in the murder case of Laura Ackerson, along with her then-husband Grant Hayes. During the trial, Sha testified against her stepfather, whom she considered charming but manipulative and controlling at the same time. According to her testimony, she went to the Hayes’ apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina, a few days after Laura’s murder, while Grant and Amanda went to Texas.
Sha claimed that when she entered the house, she noticed the strong smell of bleach all over the house, which she found strange as her mother never used bleach to clean. As per her claims, the bathroom was also missing certain important accessories like the rug, toilet seat cover, and shower curtain. She also provided the authorities with a song called ‘Broomstick Rider,’ which was recorded in February 2010 and written and performed by Grant allegedly about killing Laura Ackerson. Initially, Sha was under the impression that it was just “his way of blowing off steam,” until Laura was killed and he was arrested.
Sha Garrison Runs a Cannabis-Oriented Business in New Mexico
Given her ambitious and driven nature, Sha Garrison was determined to pursue a career in the medical industry. After graduating from Charter College in 2018, she joined San Juan College, where she joined the EMS Program and studied to become an AEMT Advanced Emergency Medical Technician. In August 2021, Sha also started pursuing a Liberal Arts Program at San Juan College. Around 2020, she was employed as an EMT for one of the local hospital’s ambulance services in Farmington, New Mexico. Looking forward to becoming a paramedic and then a flight medic, Sha has been working hard for her dreams.
In February 2022, she established her own business called Canna Family, which is based in Farmington, New Mexico. Apart from being the owner and CEO of the company, she also serves as the Cannabis Education Consultant at the firm. With the help of the Canna Family, Sha Garrison aims “to help navigate the new opening world of cannabis” to the rest of the community.
Sha and KC Garrison: A Tale of Love That Ignited at Second Sight
Though the incident had a significant impact on her life, Sha Garrison seems to have held her head high and moved on. From what we can tell, she has a perfectly balanced professional as well as personal life. Apart from serving as the owner and CEO at Canna-Family, the entrepreneur is leading a fulfilling life on the familial aspect as she is surrounded by the love and care of her supportive family and friends. She has been married to K.C. Garrison for over a year now. For the uninitiated, Sha was married to Matt Guddat, but things didn’t work out between them, leading to a divorce. Though Sha and KC officially got together in 2019, they had set eyes on each other a decade prior to that.
Their paths first crossed sometime in the 2000s — when they were likely in their 20s — via a mutual friend, but it wasn’t love at first sight. At that point, both Sha and KC were not really focused on the romantic aspect of life. However, it appears that their union was destined to occur, so in 2019, they met again at the residence of the same friend from before. But this time, it didn’t take much time for the romantic sparks to ignite in their hearts, and they decided to take things ahead. Sha fell in love with KC’s kindness and driven attitude, while the latter was amazed by the former’s brilliance as well as their empathetic and understanding nature. Spending more time with each other made the two realize that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives in each other’s company.
Sha and KC Have Weathered Several Storms Through Love and Understanding
Sha and KC’s journey in love wasn’t devoid of ups and downs. As they began family planning, the two were hit with a medical hindrance, which drove them to reach out to the community via a GoFundMe campaign in July 2020. In their detailed post, the couple revealed that Sha had been dealing with the effects of Endometriosis and polycystic ovaries, which gave rise to severe complications in their hopes to have kids of their own. To combat the same, the pair urged for financial support. “By having the eggs harvested and having the doctors fertilize the eggs before freezing them, gives us a higher chance of viability for the surrogate. This is our last chance at the possibility of having a child of our own DNA,” they stated.
They added, “Even if we only have one child of our own DNA, and all the rest of our future children do not, we do not want this opportunity to pass us by.” However, the couple shared a disheartening update in November 2020, stating, “We had two eggs retrieved and only one fertilized and stared dividing, even then it was not dividing at the normal rate. Thursday, October 29th, we were called and informed that we had lost our only embryo.” Despite the setback, Sha and KC showed resilience and helped each other navigate the rough terrain.
KC popped the question to Sha in June 2021 with a beautiful ring and a promise of everlasting love. And over two years later, on August 25, 2023, the pair tied the knot in an intimate ceremony that was blessed by the warm presence of their family and close friends. The immense love and mutual respect that the two have for each other make their bond so precious and unbreakable. Therefore, we are pleased to report that despite some rough edges along the way, Sha and KC have built a happy and comfortable life for each other, one that they continue to cherish and be grateful for. In their downtime, the Bloomfield, New Mexico, residents enjoy going on dates, hanging out with friends, and traveling to stunning locations to rejuvenate themselves.