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Little is known evidentiary wise on what law enforcement has to prove their case against Grant Ruffin Hayes (also spelled Haze) and his wife Amanda Perry Hayes. But what we have learned is Grant emailed Laura Jean Ackerson on July 13 and told Laura to meet him for a visit with her children. The two had gone through a harsh custody battle for the two boys. On July 15 an allegedly frustrated Grant called his mother and advised Laura had not shown and the boys were in the car and hot. Another version of this story is Laura took the boys to Grant on July 13 for a visit. She was going out of town on a business trip. On July 18 Laura was reported missing by Chevon Mathes; Laura was a co-owner of Go Fish Graphic Design in Kingston, NC with Chevon. A couple days after Laura was reported missing her car was found in Raleigh, NC parked at an apartment complex about 400 yards from where Hayes and his wife lived.
As the investigation moved forward LE discovered Grant had made some interesting transactions. He had purchased several large ice chests and rented a small U-haul trailer. Then he and his wife and children made a trip to Richmond, TX to the home of Amanda’s sister. Raleigh police contacted the TX police for assistance with the investigation. Parts of a dismembered body, 60%, was discovered in Oyster Creek and was later identified as being the remains of Laura Jean Ackerson. Raleigh investigators traveled to Texas and assisted with the search. Apparently Grant had taken a small boat out onto the creek during the visit and had loaded the items from the trailer onto the boat. Access to the boat and creek was about 100 yards from the sister’s home. The U-Haul was returned to a dealer in TX. The sister is said to have stated Amanda was there when the boat was loaded. Whether this means she assisted with loading the boat and/or went out in the boat with Grant, I do not know. What makes me curious is how Amanda, the lady Grant announced was his soul mate could have helped with the murder and dismemberment then taken his and Laura's childre and traveled to Texas with him to dispose of Laura’s body. Wouldn’t she realize he wasn’t the sweet gentle man he claimed to be if he became so violent he murdered Laura then so coldly dismembered the mother of his children? Is she so cold and blinded by love she helped him?
Grant had said he named both his children after himself. The oldest is Grant but the youngest is named Gentle because Grant is a gentle man. This self image contradicts when Laura’s friends and family say about him; they say he was very controlling and violent, that his and Laura’s relationship was volatile. The two was in a very contentious custody battle for full custody of the children. Allegedly, police believe Laura was killed and dismembered at Hayes apartment on July 13 then placed in the coolers. Grant Hayes and his wife are under a no bond hold in NC.
What makes me even angrier is that Grant Hayes is using the legal system. District Judge Jacqueline Brewer appointed an attorney, Jim Freeman in 2011, but in September of 2011 decided he wanted a new attorney and was assigned Mike Klinkosum. Then in November of this year he again filed a motion stating he wanted a new attorney. Both these attorneys cited ethical issues in defending Grant Hayes; Judge Donald Stephens granted the motion but told Hayes it was his last time he could do so.
