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After Laura Ackerson's decomposing dismembered body parts were discovered in a creek in Texas, the missing-person case of the North Carolina single mother-of-two started making sense to authorities. Only days ago, Ackerson had been reported missing by her colleague, who was the last person she had spoken to.
At the time, she was heading to the residence of her ex, Grant Hayes, who lived in Raleigh with his then-wife, Amanda.
The two were subsequently arrested and found guilty in connection to Ackerson's grisly murder. The couple reportedly killed the victim in their apartment, dismembered her body parts, and transported them to Texas, where they disposed of them in a creek. It took authorities several weeks to locate all the body parts.
Grant and Amanda Hayes are currently in prison, serving their respective terms. The former was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison while the latter was convicted of second-degree murder, receiving 13 to 16 years of prison time with an additional 20 years.
Five essential facts you need to know about Laura Ackerson's 2011 grisly murder
1) Laura Ackerson was embroiled in a custody battle with Grant Hayes
Authorities alleged that Laura Ackerson and Grant Hayes, as former partners and co-parents of two young sons, were at loggerheads over a brutal custody battle that only came to an end with Ackerson's murder. The mother only had access to the children over the weekend while Grant had them for the week.
The former couple made that arrangement based on a court order. However, it was supposed to be a temporary setting while both the parents were to undergo psychological evaluation, given their claims against each other, which stated that Laura was mentally ill and Grant was a substance abuser.
It is believed that Grant murdered his ex with his wife's assistance because of the custody battle.
2) Grant bought multiple incriminating items over the days that followed Laura's disappearance
During Grant Hayes' trial, the prosecution presented video evidence that showed him buying a saw, acid, disposable bags, bleach, and other incriminating goods over the days after Laura's disappearance. They stated that these substances were used to dismember Laura Ackerson's body parts, decompose her remains, and clean up the crime scene.
3) Laura's body was discovered in Oyster Creek, Texas, near her sister’s house
Authorities found evidence that on July 18, Grant and Amanda Hayes drove from North Carolina to Richmond, Texas, in a U-Haul truck containing Luara's remains. Her body parts were discovered five days after the couple arrived at Oyster Creek, just 100 yards from the victim's sister's residence.
When the remains were recovered, it was revealed that Ackerson's torso was in two parts, and the arms and legs had been removed from the corpse. The victim was also decapitated. Authorities claimed that for several weeks, various body parts kept showing up in the water.
4) Evidence was also found at Grand and Amanda Hayes' Raleigh apartment
Authorities searched Grant and Amanda's Raleigh home after learning that Ackerson was headed towards their apartment on the day she disappeared. The house, according to sources, smelled like bleach. Many carpets, vacuums, and shower curtains had also been removed from the apartment.
5) Laura Ackerson reportedly signed a note to give up the children's custody
Inside Grant and Amanda's Raleigh apartment, upon investigation, authorities also discovered a note with Laura Ackerson's signature on it. The note reportedly stated that she was more than willing to give up custody of her two young sons in exchange for $25,000.
Authorities, however, refused to believe that Laura would give up on something that she had been fighting over for more than a year, thereby hinting that the note might have been fabricated.
Laura Ackerson's gruesome murder was covered in the latest episode of ID's See No Evil, which aired on October 19, 2022.
