GUILTY NC - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kinston, 13 July 2011 #1

[RaleighNative]

I'm just sick over the thought of LA's little boys. People around here mostly seem to be in an uproar about GH's mother having custody for now. But from the comments made by family and friends on FB, it seems GH's mother was a constant in the boys' lives.

Some people believe GH's mother knew something more about the crime. She made a comment about the kids moving on while LA was missing. I don't know if that was a callous comment or simply a poor choice of wording which made a TV soundbite.

The way LA's own family is describing her father is simply awful. It's disturbing to think he could get the kids (or even visitation ) if what the family is saying about him is true.

Does anyone know if all the custody documents be made public, or are the details of those matters sealed due to sensitivity?

 

[wuffin]

You are right, RaleighNative. The way he is being portrayed, I would hate to see the boys go to LA's dad.

IMO, this case has so many holes. Even the aftermath and the question of custody of the boys leaves holes. It is not often that the victim's family feels that the murderer's mom should get custody. Speaks volumes, even without the details.

 

[AnonymousD]

I sure hope the jury would travel to Texas! Checking out that creek on google maps had a huge effect on me personally. Such a sad, lonely (and muddy) "burial" spot! =(

If anyone hasn't done it yet, I'd also suggest tracing the entire route from NC to TX. Despite already having a good sense of the distance involved, it really helped me to visualize that trip. Anyone who's ever towed a UHaul trailer is aware of the added level of stress it brings. Now picture the contents they towed, the distance they traveled, the heat, the stress, trying to entertain two bored toddlers and feed/placate a newborn baby... These, IMO, were two very determined individuals.

My daughter & I did a quick roadtrip this weekend, appx. 700 miles total, & I couldn't help but find myself thinking these exact things. Every time I saw a UHaul, I thought of LA.....I wondered how many people passed GH & AH during that trip down the interstate highways & think nothing of it, just saw it as "another UHaul".

 

[Boodles]

Just to be fair, the disparaging of LA's father is by the sister and brother in law, with some veiled comments perhaps by others on that Facebook page. We need to remember that's only one side of the story. There are always at least 2 sides, and in this family, it sounds like there could be even more than that.

The sister and BIL have not come forward to offer a home for the child, nor has Jason, nor has Laura's mother (does she have a mother?). And by no means do I intend to imply that any of these people are obligated to. But we don't know the family history. It's definitely a weird dynamic (even weirder than my family's!), but who knows why.

I read that Laura "had a rough childhood" (written on that FB page by one of her Iowa friends), but none of us knows what may have transpired to lead her to say that.

In my gut, and I hate to say this, but I wonder if any of her family cared about her until now (except Jason) when there is publicity. And even now, when the children are orphaned, the father is the only one offering to take them (as far as I know, and I could be wrong). Maybe for the wrong reasons, who knows? But he is stepping up in some way. It's easy to point fingers, we should keep in mind we're hearing one side only.

I hope child protective services and/or the court, whoever makes these decisions, really does their homework when they decide what's in the best interest of the children. Seems there's a lot going on under the surface. And the poor little newborn. Oh my goodness, this is just so horribly sad.

 

[jrb0124]

I'm sorry to have to ask but where did all that info come from? I must have missed a lot on this thread! TIA

Some info is an accounting from her brother Jason [LINK]:

From her brother’s viewpoint, the relationship looked unhealthy, even dangerous. He feared Hayes had gained complete control of his sister’s life, deciding who she could hang out with and when and how she could communicate with her family. Ackerson said his sister lived with the threat of being killed if she ever tried to take the children.

“I tried to get her away from him,” Ackerson said.

When the attempt failed, he began to hear from and see his sister less.​

*the particulars mentioned are in the article*

Also from Sheri Ackerson (former SIL who LA was close with for a while) [LINK]:

"It was probably about a year ago when she contacted me. That was the last time I heard from her. She said 'I have a hearing. Will you please come out here tomorrow? I need you as a character witness,'" said Sheri Ackerson, who couldn't make it to the hearing at the time. "I just feel horrible I wasn't able to do that."

Apparently, she discovered the night before that she would not have the support she anticipated and thus needed character witnesses. Why would LA need her SIL who she hadn't lived with in 3 years to testify if GH's parents (who she lived with) were prepared to offer her supportive testimony?

I will try and find the ref for the custody hearings where GH parents testified in his favor and against the fitness of LA...which tends to indicate who they were backing as far as the custody dispute went.

 

[jrb0124]

The sister and BIL have not come forward to offer a home for the child, nor has Jason, nor has Laura's mother (does she have a mother?). And by no means do I intend to imply that any of these people are obligated to. But we don't know the family history. It's definitely a weird dynamic (even weirder than my family's!), but who knows why.

True, and also GH's parents have not filed for at least temporary custody of any of the children yet. A lot of people are assuming they want custody or will contest it - may or may not be true. They run a daycare fulltime.

ETA: evidently, LA's father at least helped fund her legal costs in seeking custody of her children [LINK]:

Hayes and his attorney wrote in court files that Ackerson solicited money from her father in Minnesota...

 

[wuffin]

The whole custody issue and the family dynamics is quite strange. I agree that we can only hope and pray that the DDS work with due diligence to arrange for the proper care and love for these kids.

I have NEVER, EVER thought or said this about any other case, but I'm wondering if perhaps these children would be better off starting fresh in a new, proper, home. I am not suggesting that the two boys be separated, they only have each other.

For LA's sake, let's hope that the boys grow up in a safe and loving environment - irregardless of the legal guardian(s).

 

[Leomoon80]

So a rough timeline would go something like this:

2008: LA and GH have first son together.
2009: LA and GH relocate to Virgin Islands. LA working for Rare Breed entertainment booking GH gigs at local places there.
2009: (August) LA and GH have second son.
2010: January - they are back in Raleigh LA is job hunting, they are splitting up. LA (and the kids???) move in with GH parents.
2010: April - GH marries AH aka AS aka AP aka AE (who he met in Virgin Islands)
2010: GH/AH awarded primary custody of children
2010: Sep - AH pregnant
2010-2011: LH trying to get back on her feet financially to get split custody, going to church regularly.
2011: July LA murdered a few weeks before a custody hearing for split custody.

Do either GH or AH have prior records .........any links for them?

 

[AnonymousD]

I agree 100%. Funny that GH's parents have not yet even filed for for temporary custody.

I've seen some questions about support for LA's boys (as well as concerns about who could be trusted to do so), her friend/business partner CM has taken an initiative:

http://www.gofishgraphicdesign.com/

Another interesting twist posted on the FB group:
***ADMIN POST*** PLEASE READ... Laura's Brother Jason has talked with Chevon Mathes about the "fund" she is supposedly setting up for the boys. She had NOT contacted any family members about this. The money donated is going into the business account that Chevon and Laura set up, not a separate trust. We are asking that you DO NOT donate to her site. Please stick with our group and our bracelet and t-shirt donation collections. Jason is aware of them, and we will be contacting him or another family member when it comes time to make sure the boys get the money... you have my guarantee on that!

It was then updated about 12 hours later with this:
***UPDATE*** The donation option on Chevon's site has been taken down.

 

[say2when]

Another interesting twist posted on the FB group:
***ADMIN POST*** PLEASE READ... Laura's Brother Jason has talked with Chevon Mathes about the "fund" she is supposedly setting up for the boys. She had NOT contacted any family members about this. The money donated is going into the business account that Chevon and Laura set up, not a separate trust. We are asking that you DO NOT donate to her site. Please stick with our group and our bracelet and t-shirt donation collections. Jason is aware of them, and we will be contacting him or another family member when it comes time to make sure the boys get the money... you have my guarantee on that!

It was then updated about 12 hours later with this:
***UPDATE*** The donation option on Chevon's site has been taken down.

Where was all this concern from her family when they hadn't heard from her in 5 plus years... LA had enough faith in CM to be a business partner, wouldn't you think she would be one of the few that would be doing the right thing for her children? She has been in the childrens lives unlike her family. I mean really!!!:waitasec:

 

[jrb0124]

Another interesting twist posted on the FB group:
***ADMIN POST*** PLEASE READ... Laura's Brother Jason has talked with Chevon Mathes about the "fund" she is supposedly setting up for the boys. She had NOT contacted any family members about this. The money donated is going into the business account that Chevon and Laura set up, not a separate trust. We are asking that you DO NOT donate to her site. Please stick with our group and our bracelet and t-shirt donation collections. Jason is aware of them, and we will be contacting him or another family member when it comes time to make sure the boys get the money... you have my guarantee on that!

It was then updated about 12 hours later with this:
***UPDATE*** The donation option on Chevon's site has been taken down.

Who reported LA missing? Chevon.

Who was LA's active "family"? her church by all accounts.

Who gave LA $$$ for her custody battle? her father.

Yes, Jason is her brother, they did talk once a month or so. Neither Jason nor his wife at the time (SA) testified as character witnesses for her during her custody ordeal, even though LA called to ask for support.

Jason and SA let LA live with them when she came to Raleigh, she became close to SA.

Jason,apparently her closest sibling, is her half-brother as far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong - please!), so is the other sister making the fuss about custody. I'm not even sure if LA had any meaningful relationship with her 2 half sisters, since she apparently moved to IA as a teenager to live with her mother after her mother split with her father, then moved on to MO, then NC. The two half sisters are 8 and 10 years older than Laura.

check out this article: http://sports./viewArticle.action?articleId=281474979747016

Her father has filed for custody of his grandsons. If her other family members think its a bad idea they should show up at the custody hearing and tell the judge why. Will they? No one else has even filed for custody...even GH's parents have not filed! It even appears (based on reported current addresses) that LA's mother has recently moved back to the same town in MI where LA's father still resides.

I am not implying that LA's siblings should not be involved in providing for the welfare of LA's sons, but why can't her friends be? especially the ones who were looking out for her?

 

[Boodles]

jrb and say2when - thank you for saying this! And the "admin" of that Facebook page is a brother in law. When he was on Jane Velez Mitchell (which he proudly posted on FB, e.g., "hey everybody watch me!"- that's a paraphrase), Jane would say "what what Laura's life like?"..."tell me about Laura" etc., and he would just repeat: "we don't know". He gets his info from the media. They didn't even seem to know Laura.

But he is happy to be the "admin" of the FB page, and happy to coordinate money gathering activities, as long as he is in the loop. (But no one is allowed to use paypal because he doesn't like it.)

As for Chevon, I would bet her intentions are good. I personally wouldn't donate to anyone at this point...too many things up in the air.

I just hope the kids end up in a good place. I have no idea where that may be.

 

[AnonymousD]

Where was all this concern from her family when they hadn't heard from her in 5 plus years... LA had enough faith in CM to be a business partner, wouldn't you think she would be one of the few that would be doing the right thing for her children? She has been in the childrens lives unlike her family. I mean really!!!:waitasec:

ITA! I mean, I am glad they are standing up for her now, but so many things just seem....off?

I also agree about CM, except that the $$ donated was allegedly being put into their business account? That seems a little untrustworthy, imo. That's what made me wonder about what was going on.

 

[borndem]

This, my friend, is the downfall of almost every criminal. Yep. But I'd still say stupid too. :crazy:

Like someone said earlier, there was an alligator in the water next to the relative's home so maybe they were hoping the body would be eaten. That's a lot of hope though in my book. Too risky for me.

ITA, BRice - Way too risky -- just give me a shower curtain to wrap her and give me a swamp on the side of a country road, or a nice bridge with low rails & a nice, deep river underneath, and around 3:00am.

Either they were just poor planners and too arrogant to think they'd get caught, or they just viewed what they were planning to do as a Catch-us-if-you-can lark, having no idea they'd get caught. (Nice words, IMO, for, as you say, just plain sto-o-o-opid. IMO

Was this a game to them? How did they know the gator would be there?

And, as I've said before, the odor of those body parts that were shut tightly in the coolers, had to be just awful. Did no one notice the odors? Or did they just not think or worry about it (read, "stupid"). Maybe they were under the influence of some type of drug.... if so, still sounds like some type of speed (meth, ecstasy, IDK -- whatever-is-out-there-these-days). I just can't figure it -- beyond me, their logic here.

 

[AnonymousD]

Also, some time within the past couple of days, someone has accessed GH FB account. It was where I could see his wall, although I could not see any posts made by his friends since the arrest, and I could see his pictures. Now I cannot see anything except his Info & Friends. Even the link of him being married to AH is not shown any longer.

...I wonder who is doing that ?

 

[Leomoon80]

Also, some time within the past couple of days, someone has accessed GH FB account. It was where I could see his wall, although I could not see any posts made by his friends since the arrest, and I could see his pictures. Now I cannot see anything except his Info & Friends. Even the link of him being married to AH is not shown any longer.

...I wonder who is doing that ?

http://www.granthaze.com/workinprogress/

He's a "work in progress" alright.

At least life
in prison.

 

[JeannieC]

http://www.granthaze.com/workinprogress/

He's a "work in progress" alright.

At least life
in prison.

His BLOG was coming soon............NOT! Didn't look like he had done anything since last August. I guess he'll be do all his performances for the inmates for a while unless he gets the BIG DP. Then he'll be doing them alone on DR.....

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Two things: One, I'm not sure GH's parents HAVE to ask for custody. I thought I saw somewhere that CFS is involved. If CFS has made a temporary placement of the boys with GH's parents, that is probably legally enough right now.

Also, because you can't see what you used to see at GH's FB, it doesn't necessarily mean that anyone got access. I have not been able to see the recent FB posts because of his FB settings being set to "Friends of Friends" for certain things, and I have no friends in common with him. If you had a friend in common with him, even if you weren't his friend, you would be able to see things the rest of us would not. However, if your friend in common decided she no longer wished to be his friend and terminated their FB friendship, by extension you would now be restricted by the privacy settings. Make sense?

 

[borndem]

It blows my mind that 3 of the 5 ice chests were recovered back in NC after apparently having been taken to Texas. That means they traveled to TX with 5 coolers with the body parts, left 2 there, then returned home in the car with 3 of the coolers. Wow. I know this is bizarre, but I can't think of any reason they would do that except if maybe they were planning to return them. {{shudder}} Otherwise, what would they do with them, use them for family picnics?

I agree, Boodles. That is amazing, -- why??

I guess there must not be a single dumpster for body parts or large coolers anywhere between Raleigh and their destination in Texas and back again .....more's the pity....

 

[JeannieC]

I agree, Boodles. That is amazing, -- why??

I guess there must not be a single dumpster for body parts or large coolers anywhere between Raleigh and their destination in Texas and back again .....more's the pity....

Maybe they brought 3 back so it wouldn't look suspicious or maybe they really did put food in them for the return trip.................:sick: