Sunday, November 25, 2012

Grant Ruffin Hayes ‘a.k.a. Grant Haze’ and Amanda Perry Hayes and the Murder of Laura Jean Ackerson

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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.

12 comments:

  1. A little more is known about the case against Grant Hayes and Amanda Perry Hayes. Allegedly Amanda confided in her sister that she hurt Laura and was covering for Grant. The Prosecutors say (according to a wral article) there is a tremendous amount of evidence. The Prosecutors are also calling the murder domestic violence.

    Thr Hayes' trial is set for May 20,2013 but whether they will be tried together is yet undetermined. I have questions about the sister's cooperation with LE in this case, as in when did she tell them what Amanda confided in her. I am not doubting what she said just would like to know what brought about her confession.

    TigressPen

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  2. I read that both Amanda and Grant will be tried together in the May 20, 2013 trial. Fine by me.

    Tigresspen

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  3. Seems there is discord in the relationship between Amanda and Grant. Grant allegedly sent his 'soulmate' Amanda a jailhouse letter threatening her life. Amanda's attorney had previously asked for the two defendants to have separate tables at trial but now the Judge is revisiting whether or not to try the defendants together. On April 22 a hearing will be held on the matter. Amanda allegdely is now saying she had nothing to do with the murder and only went with Grant out of fear for herself, her son, and his two children. I ask if this is true where was her worries over her life and those of the children when she arrived at her sister's home in TX with Laura's body parts in coolers and the coolers containing the body parts was dumped in a creek? Why didn't she express her concerns to her sister or the numerous law enforcement officers who arrived at her sister's home to search for Laura's body? Fear as Strategy? All strategies?

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  4. As of today's pretrial hearing it appears Amanda and Grant will have separate trials. Amanda's is set to go forth May 20, 2013, the date originally set for both defendants. Grant's is set for Aug 26, 2013.
    Both dates are tenative. If state decides it wants to try Grant first, all will change.

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  5. State has decided to try Grant first so the May trial is off... Grant's is set for August 26, 2013.

    TigressPen

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  6. Looking forward to this trial. Maybe it will bring Grant's I am great self-image down a few notches. Amanda is claiming she was scared of Grant, hence her participation in the murder and disposal of Laura's body. Not saying I believe her but I do see him as a violent person.

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  7. This trial began last week and it is hard to watch it unfold in courtroom. I just haven't had the want to, to post daily on what we hear in court. Live stream camera pans to GH and to see him lean back and rock his chair with his smirky grin makes me ill. Today before lunch break we heard about detectives trip to TX and the discovery of Laura's dismembered remains. What was horrible was we saw a vid that showed Grant purchasing several boxes that contained bottles of acid that can be used to destroy human bodies. While in TX a camera caught pics of Amanda dumping that acid at the end of the lane of the road where her sister lived.

    TigressPen

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  8. I simply could not write about this trial as it happened. Something about it made my stomach churn constantly. Never got so sick of seeing a defendant smile and interact with his lawyers as GH did. Fortunately the jury was wise and found him guilty of first degree murder and now he sits in prison for life without parole. Maybe he can sing and jam to 'Broomstick Mama' in his cell.
    Amanda's trial is set for Jan of 2014. Just learned a few days ago that grand jury added accessory after the fact charges to her list of charges in Laura's death. During Grant's trial he blamed Laura's death on Amanda and even used the fact that they went to TX to her sister's home to dispose of the body as her fault.

    TigressPen

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  9. Jury selection is underway in Amanda's trial. I hope it is streamlined live so I can watch the trial. Defense is blaming Grant for the murder and say he threaten Amanda. He claimed she killed Laura in his trial but now says Laura got herself killed, but still isn't taking any responsibility other than he was protecting his family... He said Laura instigated a fight in which Amanda elbowed her in the neck. Ha Ha....

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  10. Although I have watched all the live stream vids of the trial of Amanda Hayes and listened

    intently to what was said, I haven't been able to put thoughts to paprer for the blog yet.

    So here goes.

    During the OS the state reiterated most of what was said in the OS of Grant Hayes only this time

    focusing on Amanda as a co conspirator and actively participating in the murder and

    dismemberment of Laura. However, the defense came back with a very fearful participant and one

    not of free will. According to defense Amanda was afraid for her own life and those of the

    children, including her and Grant's daughter. According to defense Amanda was sent in bedroom

    while Laura and Grant worked out an agreement for custody of Little Grant and Gentle. One that

    gave Laura 25 thousand dollars and ability to see boys regulary, Amanda came from the bedroom

    and was holding her baby, Laura asked if she could hold the baby and Amanda turned her back on

    her and walked away. Laura got up and followed but tripped on a rug hitting Amanda in back. It

    was an accident. Amanda called out for Grant and he got up and grabbed Laura by hair and threw

    her aside causin her to hit her head. Grant then sent Amanda out house with children so he could

    allegedly call for help for Laura. He didn't want the boys to see their mother being cared for

    by medics. Amanda came back to no Laura in sight and went straight to bed. Next morning Grant

    takes the machete and slaps it against her thigh and told her what to do, which was help him get

    rid of Laura's body by taking her to TX and dumping her body.

    It was a very believable story and so far defense has done a good job via Amanda's daughter,

    from a previous marriage, showing just how controlling Grant was to her mother.He apparently had

    gone through all Amanda's money she'd received from the death of her previous husband too and

    they'd sold all Amanda's jewelry. If this continues, they may just get her off on accessory

    only.

    State is putting up compeling testimony on just how controlling Grant was to Laura. Theyre using

    Laura's own words from her meticulous record keeping. So far, state has played the song Grant

    wrote and recorded in 2010 Broomstick Rider, shown him buying the reciprocating saw and blades

    for it, shown him renting the trailer used in the TX trip, plus many coolers that was used to

    keep Laura's body stored during the trip. It's about time for state to call Amanda's sister and

    nephews to stand... plus show video of Amanda dumping the containers of acid about a mile from

    her sister's house. Those will show she participated in the coverup but will they show she

    helped kill and dismember Laura.

    Personally, I am wondering how Amanda slept through the sound of that saw in her apartment. They

    are very loud saws and the sound would reverberate off the walls. I wonder how it could not have

    awoken the baby and did they drug the boys to keep them asleep?

    Grant claims LAura attacked Amanda and Amanda lashed out with elbow and hit Laura in throat

    knocking her down and causing her to go unconscious. But, autopsy shows Laura was strangled and

    stuck with a knife. Hmm. Guess after Amanda left home Grant tried to strangle Laura and couldn't

    so he stabbed her with knife.Or Amanda was in home and when Laura came too and tried fighting

    off attack she stabbed Laura... Either or I feel Amanda should go to prison for her part.

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  11. The jury in Amanda's trial settled in for deliberations a few minutes ago. Hoping for a guilty of first when they reach a verdict... She took the stand in her defense and with a soft spoken voice said she was scared of Grant but had contradictions in her story... then in Sept of 2011, wrote Grant's mom a letter for him that Mom was supposed to read over phone to Grant. She wrote a couple more of those in 2012, all, including one in 2011 stating that she loved him and couldn't wait until he got out so she could hug and hold him. Yep. So scared of him...

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  12. The jury found Amanda guilty of second degree murder. She was sentenced to 13-16 years in jail. Already 41 she will be nearing 60 before she is a free woman again. Her daughter, living with Grant's mom and dad. And will be a teenager. The judge said personally he felt she could have saved Laura's life.

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