GUILTY NC - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kinston, 13 July 2011 #4

Nymeria said:

:seeya: Morning all....I slept in:facepalm:

Hope everyone is well today, I hear Judge Stephens will be watching the weather, I hope it doesn't get so bad he lets "the kids" leave school early!

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CarolinaMoon said:

Laura's comments about Amanda show that she was involved with Grant in harassing Laura. I don't think we heard these quotes before. This is the "down-low" on Amanda straight from the victim's mouth.

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Nymeria said:

Not sure how this is going to play to the jury.
Will they think it was all Grants influence on Amanda, or will they make her be a big girl and take responsibility for treating Laura like dirt before, during and after her death. I hope it is the latter.


ETA-Side note, *giggling* a bit at the NC weather panic. I live in lower Michigan and we have set a record for snow already this January, not to mention this flippin arctic vortex carp. At the moment it is -3 and feels like -17 with the wind chill!
But I get it, if you are not used to it, any amount of snow can wreak havoc. Wish I was not so used to it :facepalm: ....moving to Fiji is sounding better and better....I could be a beach bum, why not!?

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CUCKOOHEAD said:

Welcome island! What is a 'cut less'? I too believe both Grant and Amanda were up to their necks in this murder.

I ain't buying the 'Stepford' wife defense!

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borndem said:

bbm

SMH too, Jewels -- that's what it sounds like but I'm not buying it. He drove all that "stuff" (please excuse the crudeness) to Kinston? Nope, nada, nyet.

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islandmixed said:

Apologies for the Barbados slang lol. They call a machete a cutless in the caribbean. Meaning u cut and theirs less of it. lil history...

But I agree, this is turning into a movie, I would not mind renting, but this is real life! Cannot wait for day 2.

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islandmixed said:

Apologies for the Barbados slang lol. They call a machete a cutless in the caribbean. Meaning u cut and theirs less of it. lil history...

But I agree, this is turning into a movie, I would not mind renting, but this is real life! Cannot wait for day 2.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk now Free

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islandmixed said:

Apologies for the Barbados slang lol. They call a machete a cutless in the caribbean. Meaning u cut and theirs less of it. lil history...

But I agree, this is turning into a movie, I would not mind renting, but this is real life! Cannot wait for day 2.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk now Free

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CUCKOOHEAD said:

I keep losing connection with the live feed... is the camera person ready for a break or something?

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Background: GH and LA had been together since 2007. They have had two sons - one in 2008, the other in Aug 2009 while in the Virgin Islands. LA went stateside in Oct 2009 for medical care for the newborn, GH continued an affair with AS/AP, who operated a local art supply store on on St. John's. When it became clear GH was moving beyond LA into another relationship, LA did not return to the Virgin islands. With no job any longer, and no other source of income - she and the boys were taken in by GH's parents in Kinston, NC - 90 minutes from Raleigh.

LA starts updating and posting her resume in Jan 2010. GH and AS/AP moved from Virgin Islands to Manhatten (NY) in 2010, then to Raleigh in order to contest custody of the boys. In April 2010 GH and AS/AP married in Las Vegas. GH and AH won ex-parte custody of the boys from LA (due to her financial situation, and the fact that GH/AH were married).

LA launched civil action to regain custody of her boys. She moved out of GH's parents, started her own marketing/graphic design company (or franchise), started attending church regularly, enrolled in Lenoir Community College to finish her degree in early childhood education (made the deans list) and diligently worked the legal system to get her boys back.

In Sep 2010 AH (formerly AS/AP) became pregnant. In Dec 2010 a judge ordered both parties to pay a total of $10K each in court costs related to a comprehensive psych eval for the boys. LA paid her share and participated for her part, GH and AH dragged their heels - as of Jul 2011 did not pay the Dr. did not schedule visits to record interaction. By March 2011 GH and AH had closed their art supply business and were liquidating stock. Money (or lack thereof) was apparently becoming an issue. LA was looking forward to an August 2011 hearing which would likely award her primary custody of her boys based on the current situation. AH gave June 9 to baby girl, two days after AH's mother (lived in NM) passed away (June 7) - funeral was in CO.


TUE 7/5:

LA calls her brother JA to "proudly congratulate her brother on opening an auto repair shop in Raleigh and to say she loved him." This is the last time LA and her brother spoke.


MON 7/11:

LA exchanges email with former boyfriend (2005/2006 before GH), tells him about past weekend spent with her boys, excited about the possibility of getting full custody.
GH and AH list an antique on craigslist: Continental walnut Halltree 1880 - $2,000


TUE 7/12:
GH tells a friend during a FB chat that due to the inability to make enough $ in Raleigh performing he intends to give LA full custody of the boys and move with his wife AH and newborn daughter back to the Virgin Islands.


WED 7/13: ***This is the day that RPD says LA was murdered***

(lunch) LH meets with potential clients in Wilson, NC (Paul’s of New York Italian Restauran) - takes rest of her lunch in a to-go box. She tells the two restauranteurs she is meeting with that she was going to see her children that day.

(afternoon) *last time anyone aside from the arrested reported to have spoken to LA* LA speaks with her business partner CM on the phone. meetings went well so far, 2 more clients to meet that day - LA is excited and happy. She tells CM she planned to try to see her boys that evening since she was already in Raleigh.

(evening) LA (presumably) visits with her boys. Afterwards, LA is seen in her 2006 white Ford Focus at 9:30 that night in Raleigh. *the timing of these two events is still not entirely clear, but one source does report she was seen after visiting with her boys and bringing them back to GH apt after taking them out to dinner*


THU 7/14:

AH asks her 22 yr old daughter SE to come by the apt and pick up the children, take them to he (SE's) place to watch them for a few hours - which she did. Also asks SE to bring a vaccum cleaner they could use. At 11:45 AM GH and AH put a living room set for $1,000 on craigslist. At 3:16 Pm GH put this on craigslist: 2 Studio Monitors HSM80 - $450.

CM said she sent LA an email: 'If I don't hear back from you, I am going to the police in the morning.'


FRI 7/15:

(12:55 PM) GH put his macbook on craigslist: 15in Macbook Pro - $1200, the listing was deleted, so appraently the macbook sold.

(6:30 PM) according to Patsy Hayes (GH's mother), GH called her to complain that LA never showed up at the Sheetz in Wilson to pick up the boys for the weekend as is the norm per the current custody arrangements. PH says he was frustrated and the boys were hot. PH says GH asked her to call LA or go see if she was at her residence/office (both LA and PH live in Kinston). *note that this day 7/15 was actually the coolest day of the month and the coolest day since 30 days prior (86 high). The rest of the week was very, very hot...so in hindsight would recall the week as excessively hot but it was not that FRI*

CM (business partner) calls Kinston Police to report LA missing.


SUN 7/17:

GH, AH and the three children set off for AH's sister's in Richmond, TX with a U-Haul trailer and 5 coolers. Prior to departing, they purchase a quantity of coolers, ice, and rent a Uhaul trailer which they attach to their car. This is a 20 hour trip, so its also possible they left Raleigh SAT 7/16.


MON 7/18:

GH and AH arrive in Richmond, TX as AH sister's house. Across the street is Oyster Creek. The two are observed with the coolers at some point(s) on the property.


TUE 7/19:

GH and AH leave Richmond, TX. One cooler would be left by the creek, another somewhere else on the property - GH/AH take 3 back with them.

PH (GH mother) is interviewed by reporters. Gives story about missed Fri pickup, comments that she "would think that" LA loved her boys, and describes the boys as resiliant, doing okay - kids get over those things quicker than adults (*odd comments...note that she probably has not seen them recently as they are still in TX*).


WED 7/20:

(early morning) LA's car found in an apartment parking lot (Summit Manor) half a mile from GH/AH current apartment. The apt lot where the car was found was the old apt where GH and LA used to live. Initial search of car found no evidence of foul play, but the to-go box mentioned above was still in it - which tends to indicate LA had not been in her car since the previous WED.

(3:00 -3:30 PM) A flurry of Police activity at LA's residence/office, witnessed by WS'er say2when, who indicates he saw plainclothes and uniforms, SBI types wearing latex gloves - upwards of 20 LE.

(6:20 PM) GH texts the manager of Mellow Mushroom to cancel his performance for the evening, cites "serious family issues", "mother of my children is missing". GH/AH+kids are presumably on the way back to Raleigh.

(evening) GH and AH apartment neighbors report that RPD is camped out, interviewing neighbors about LA, GH, AH.


THU 7/21 & FRI 7/22:

neighbors report continuous police presence at GH/AH apartments. Police release LA surveillance photos FRI.


SAT 7/23:

RPD detectives arrive in Richmond, TX after discovering GH/AH has visited AH sister there. AH sister's family did not contact LE, according to FBSD "we contacted them" (probably to tell them RPD detective were conming out to have a look).


SUN 7/24:

Property search continues, Ft. Bend Sheriffs Dept assisting, coolers found, Divers scouring Oyster Creek, body parts are being recovered. Machete recovered from an out building.


MON 7/25:

AH and GH arrested at 1:00 AM in Kinston, NC at GH's parents house. Appeared before magistrate, Held without bond. LE continues to search creek for and recover more body parts. FBSD presser: they know AH at least participated in the dumping, they are positive the right suspects were arrested, they do not believe AH's sister's family was aware or involved - though they may have cleaned out some of the coolers.


TUE 7/26:

Remains are positively identified as LA. GH and AH separately arraigned (and separate case #s) by Wake County judge Jacqueline Brewer, ordered held without bond pending 8/15 & 8/16 probable cause hearings, assigned public defender James Freeman. Freeman meets with GH to begin "to work on his defense", Freeman notably does not meet with AH. Becky Holt assigned as prosecutor in the case.

FBSD report 75% of LA remains recovered thus far, DNA testing will conclusively identify the body but they are 99.9% sure its her. RPD detectives still in Texas, more on the way.


THU 7/28:

Raleigh police detectives were making arrangements to have evidence in the case shipped from Richmond to Raleigh according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators have also made arrangements with the Galveston County Medical Examiner to conduct the autopsy on Ackerson’s remains.


FRI 8/5:

AH's 22 yr old daughter SE does an interview in Raleigh, says 2 weeks after the baby was born (mid-June) AH stopped calling her to come over, that her mother appeared "numb" over the days following WED 7/13, and her mother AH told her during a jail visit, "Baby, I know I didn't do anything wrong, everything's going to be okay and I just kept the babies safe."


MON 8/15:
Grant Hayes 4:00 PM probable cause hearing.


TUE 8/16:
Amanda Hayes 2:00 PM probable cause hearing.

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