GUILTY NC - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kinston, 13 July 2011 #2

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Well I think she was a good witness in that she appeared to just answer the questions and not elaborate. She was/is very poised for a 24 yr old. Contrast that with the giggly witnesses we've seen on the stand in other cases. But yes, she looked pizzed at having to be there and she especially looked pizzed at the defense team. I imagine because of the angle the defense is taking (throwing her mother, AH, under the bus as it were) is at least part of the reason.

She was all of 22 yrs old when this crime went down. That's a young age to lose the presence of one's only parent and to have that parent be involved in such a horrific crime and be jailed. I imagine she blames GH totally for this.
 
Just goes to show you can have a quiet sizzle bar! lol


Yes, sports fans -- let's let the sizzle come later!! Starting with that smirky, holier-than-all-thou's, aren't-I-pretty-and-talented-too, don't-you-wish-you-were-grant-hayes grin. MOO

Strange witness in delivery, slo-o-o-ow eye roll, exasperation, but (and I can be fooled easily sometimes) she seemed as tho she was trying to be truthful and accurate. Just an odd affect, IMO. But we're all odd here, I dare to say...

One more thang:

GH's 'rents have AH's child -- a Very Big Thing to hang over on her, IMO. Is she afraid to testify because of that? I mean that would be a heavy threat -- especially if you're facing the :jail: for the rest of your life... Will we see her in this trial? I know her name apparently did not appear on the PT witness list.... Testifying here will be evidence in her trial, if she testifies -- she could help herself out here... and she has a he!!uva defense atty.

Ideas, anyone?
 
I found Sha's (AH's daughter) testimony and demeanor very interesting. Thought I caught some daggers being thrown at GH with her eyes. She implied GH depleted all of her mom's money - all GH's fault. The fascinating part is everything she said will have to synch with her mother's defense, so she had to be meticulous with each statement. She sure had her dates down! I felt she was extremely prepared and well coached, probably by an attorney of her own.

Also, what she didn't say was interesting. What did that mean, "Everything was business with GH....music, art....among other things." What's she implying? Drug dealer? Pimp? Did anyone else think she was alluding to illegal activities? Notice that the defense had no more questions after that.

Lastly, I would not want to be the target of this young woman's vengeance. She seems intense, IYKWIM.
 
Yes, sports fans -- let's let the sizzle come later!! Starting with that smirky, holier-than-all-thou's, aren't-I-pretty-and-talented-too, don't-you-wish-you-were-grant-hayes grin. MOO

Strange witness in delivery, slo-o-o-ow eye roll, exasperation, but (and I can be fooled easily sometimes) she seemed as tho she was trying to be truthful and accurate. Just an odd affect, IMO. But we're all odd here, I dare to say...

One more thang:

GH's 'rents have AH's child -- a Very Big Thing to hang over on her, IMO. Is she afraid to testify because of that? I mean that would be a heavy threat -- especially if you're facing the :jail: for the rest of your life... Will we see her in this trial? I know her name apparently did not appear on the PT witness list.... Testifying here will be evidence in her trial, if she testifies -- she could help herself out here... and she has a he!!uva defense atty.

Ideas, anyone?

Hey borndem, glad you're back!

Are you referring to AH testifying? I really don't think she will. She has a lot to lose by subjecting herself to questioning by both the prosecution and defense. Both are out to get her in this case. Unless they cut her a deal, I don't see why she would take the stand.

Her daughter set her up with a post-partum/grieving distress defense. AH lost her mother, two days later gave birth, and a month later, she kills Laura while being a "protective mother." The stressors caused her to have a psychotic break or some such variation of that theme. That's where I think AH's defense is headed. JMO of course, and I do not buy it. I find AH much scarier than GH.
 
If you were unable to watch the testimony today, 8/30/13, you can click on the video title (in blue).




Grant Hayes trial testimony (Day 2 pt 1)
Part 1 of Aug. 30, 2013, testimony of Heidi Schumacher.


<LI class=alir_textlist_layout2>
Grant Hayes trial testimony (Day 2 pt 2)
Part 2 of Aug. 30, 2013, testimony of Heidi Schumacher.


<LI class=alir_textlist_layout2>
Grant Hayes trial testimony (Day 2 pt 3)
Aug. 30, 2013, testimony of former Kinston Police Department officer James Gwartney.


<LI class=alir_textlist_layout2>
Grant Hayes trial testimony (Day 2 pt 4)
Aug. 30, 2013, testimony of Lolita Chapman, with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.


<LI class=alir_textlist_layout2>
Grant Hayes trial testimony (Day 2 pt 5)
Aug. 30, 2013, testimony of Raleigh police Sgt. Dana Suggs.


<LI class=alir_textlist_layout2>
Grant Hayes trial testimony (Day 2 pt 6)
Aug. 30, 2013, testimony of Oksana Samarskiy.


<LI class=alir_textlist_layout2>
Grant Hayes trial testimony (Day 2 pt 7)
Part 1 of Aug. 30, 2013, testimony of Sha Guddat.


<LI class=alir_textlist_layout2>
Grant Hayes trial testimony (Day 2 pt 8)
Part 2 of Aug. 30, 2013, testimony of Sha Guddat.



Source:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/asset_gallery/12826513/

WRAL - Raleigh, NC -- Grant Hayes murder trial video
 
Intense doesn't cover it! She was beyond upset. She ought to think her mom would have never been involved in this if it wasn't for GH. I am still not sure what to think about AH. What's the general consensus?
 
Thank you for the links, Ann. I have some catching up to do this weekend. I'm anxious to see Sha's testimony.
 
Gaslighting is a good term for what they were doing to her. It is probably derived from the old movie, Gaslight, Ingrid Bergman, excellent movie....watch it if you can. In the movie, her husband did everything within his power to make her think she was losing her mind, incapable of leaving the house alone, losing important things, etc.

Yes, continues trying to throw her under the bus! Did you hear the last question the defense attorney asks oksana? Implying Laura was "ripping off" Grant's art/grant's idea for cell phone art. Unbelievable. Because in this sicko's head he had the right to annihilate her, because she had his "property" (HIS kids) AND was stealing his wonderful cell phone art business.
 
Intense doesn't cover it! She was beyond upset. She ought to think her mom would have never been involved in this if it wasn't for GH. I am still not sure what to think about AH. What's the general consensus?

My thought are Grant was a master manipulator and user. I believe Amanda was manipulated and used. Not that it excuses her not trying to get away and call the police after he killed Laura. She was stuck. She had a newborn infant with this murderer and was probably scared and manipulated, that's why the trip to tx. He used her in every way to try and save himself/cover up his actions. Still doing it. I still think she's guilty of at the minimum of accessory to murder/mutilation of a corpse.
 
Intense doesn't cover it! She was beyond upset. She ought to think her mom would have never been involved in this if it wasn't for GH. I am still not sure what to think about AH. What's the general consensus?

Although concerning AH and how innocent she might have been in all of this... we still don't know the cause of death of one of her previous husbands Nicky smith...anybody know how to search death records on him, know how old he was at death, how long they were married? We know from her daughters testimony that she received jewelry including rolex, diamonds from NS and they inherited a "very valuable" 1800's antique when he died. I still don't think she was the designer of LA's death...that was all GH.
 
Does anyone have an idea of the significance of the large antique piece of furniture that was referenced in AH daughter's testimony. She said her aunt in TX told her AH & GH brought it to Tx in the trailer. They showed the jury a pic of the storage unit & pointed out where it had been in the unit before it was removed. Is this just for confirmation that AH & GH drove to TX? Any ideas?
 
:welcome5::wagon:
Welcome Marilou!
 
Does anyone have an idea of the significance of the large antique piece of furniture that was referenced in AH daughter's testimony. She said her aunt in TX told her AH & GH brought it to Tx in the trailer. They showed the jury a pic of the storage unit & pointed out where it had been in the unit before it was removed. Is this just for confirmation that AH & GH drove to TX? Any ideas?

Welcome to WS! My thoughts are...we have to remember this DA is also prosecuting AH, so he believes AH is just as guilty as GH. I think the significance of the furniture is to show that AH/GH used it as a "cover" to travel to Texas with the U-Haul/coolers and not that AH "needed her big sister," although I must say that's a lot to go through in a week, death of mother, birth of daughter.
 
Bump. I had forgotten about the Craigslist ad for the antique hall tree. Interesting.

additional info added based on articles and interviews after the previous timeline

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.
 
The Craigslist ads:

Grant and Amanda Haze firesale
This is a list of items GH and AH were trying to unload on craigslist to build up some cash right around and after Laura's murder:

Continental walnut Halltree 1880 - $2000 (Raleigh, NC ) Date: 2011-07-11, 9:57PM EDT
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/atq/2489510897.html

Awesome Leather Living room set! - $1000 (Raleigh, NC) Date: 2011-07-14, 11:45AM EDT
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/fuo/2493826660.html

2 Studio Monitors HSM80 - $450 (Raleigh, NC) Date: 2011-07-14, 3:16PM EDT
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/sys/2487699159.html

15in Macbook Pro - $1200 (Raleigh, NC). Date: 2011-07-15, 12:55PM EDT
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/sys/2495718497.html (was deleted by poster)


the 2 studio monitors were new info to me today, but the other 3 listings have been posted in this thread already.

I bet he sold the Macbook and that was enough for them to split town for the time being.

I actually inquired about the Living Room Set, not that I wanted to buy it - just curious to see what the response would be. Never heard back.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Found Deceased NC - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kiniston/Raleigh, 13 July 2011
 
Going through the older thread and had forgotten about this. Apparently, Grant went to Hawaii for ?a month? or so in 2011. Wonder where the money came for that?

A few tidbits
Its interesting that GH had an account on this flirtatious social media site, which bills itself as a luxury social network for the world's most exclusive parties, LOL. Looks like GH was playing around even behind AH's back.

GH also apparently spent a month or more in Hawaii starting in late April this year, 2011. I base this on the date of the photo and the content of the conversation indicated (that he hoped to be back in time for the birth the first week of June). So he's out in Hawaii by himself, I guess performing, for maybe a month or more - yet still fought (and won) to be the full time parent for his boys? I can understand having to travel for work, even as a full time parent, but Hawaii was the only place he could go to make $? really? and for a month?

I also found this pic, which appears to be LA (its not captioned) back in 2007, at a time when she and GH first started their relationship.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - Found Deceased NC - Laura Ackerson, 27, Kiniston/Raleigh, 13 July 2011

Picture here (and check out the nails): QUINN-20110427-P2273934 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
 
Welcome to WS! My thoughts are...we have to remember this DA is also prosecuting AH, so he believes AH is just as guilty as GH. I think the significance of the furniture is to show that AH/GH used it as a "cover" to travel to Texas with the U-Haul/coolers and not that AH "needed her big sister," although I must say that's a lot to go through in a week, death of mother, birth of daughter.

I agree, surfie, that it was a "cover" for their reason to all of a sudden travel to Texas. But I also went back to the old thread and reviewed the Craigslist ad. So did they need/want to sell the antique for cash (and did they)? Or, did they actually take it to Texas? Kinda odd to have a need to keep it safe at Karen's in Texas, but simultaneously have it listed for sale. Guess we'll find out soon enough!

Thanks for bringing back those prior posts! I wish rockit, who apparently knew GH, would come back to the board and post.
 
I agree, surfie, that it was a "cover" for their reason to all of a sudden travel to Texas. But I also went back to the old thread and reviewed the Craigslist ad. So did they need/want to sell the antique for cash (and did they)? Or, did they actually take it to Texas? Kinda odd to have a need to keep it safe at Karen's in Texas, but simultaneously have it listed for sale. Guess we'll find out soon enough!

Thanks for bringing back those prior posts! I wish rockit, who apparently knew GH, would come back to the board and post.

I don't know. I have been thinking about this all day long. I need to go back to S's testimony when she said that mom was taking it back to her aunt's house for "safe keeping." Was this before the CL ad or after? Did AH know about the ad? IIRC, all of the ads traced back to Grant's NY phone number, so he could have been selling things w/o her knowing? Did he have a key or access to a key? There were a bunch of other things in the storage lot as evidenced by the pictures, so I just don't know. Some would have been way easier to sell here and there for $$ if AH was totally unaware of it all.

Another thing that I can't remember but is making me crazy is.. Sha testified that she came on that, I think Friday, to be there while the guy bought the sofa set. She was alone and smelled the bleach and found a bleach rag. She also put 2 knives in the bedroom side table drawers "just in case," but ended up knowing the guy who bought the sofa sat from the bar that she worked at across the street. So where were Grant and Amanda?

I need to watch her testimony again while I look at the timeline, I think.
 
FWIW, I went searching for antique hall trees, and what Sha described is pretty similar. She called it a "wet bar," but then went on to say that the other piece attached to the top and went to the ceiling.

As described by Sha, it sounds like the bench had 2 doors, one on the right and one on the left (then there were drawers visible), it was covered with a marble seat and then the actual coat tree/walnut/redwood part went up the back to the ceiling like they used to do. The doors would have held the shoes and the drawers would have held socks or whatever.
 
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