How was Laura Ackerson dismembered body found? Decade-old investigation explored

North Carolina resident Laura Ackerson was a single mother who was killed by her former partner Grant Hayes and his then-wife Amanda. A trail of evidence led authorities to a creek where they discovered her decomposed remains. They also discovered incriminating evidence that connected Hayes and his wife to the murder.

Authorities found evidence that Grant bought bleach, a saw, disposable bags, coolers, acid, and other items from several stores after Ackerson disappeared. Moreover, a witness testified that he was spotted near the creek where her remains were found. Evidence also surfaced inside Hayes' Raleigh apartment.

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Laura Ackerson's body parts surfaced near Shinner Lake

Laura Ackerson, 27, disappeared on July 13, 2011, after informing a colleague that she was heading to her ex, Grant Hayes' house to pick up her boys.

Ackerson's car was discovered on July 20, 2011, in an apartment complex in northwest Raleigh, about a quarter mile from Hayes' apartment, where Laura was reportedly killed. A gruesome discovery was made on July 24, 2011, near Richmond, Texas. A decapitated head and other body parts were discovered in the water near Skinner Lake, and the remains were later identified as Laura Ackerson's.

Police claimed that the arms and legs were separated from the body and that the head was cut off from the torso, which was discovered in two halves. Multiple body parts kept emerging from the water for weeks. Soon after, the police arrested Grant and Amanda Hayes and searched their apartment, which smelled like bleach.

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Laura Ackerson was murdered in her ex's Raleigh apartment

Authorities later stated that evidence gathered in the case indicated that Ackerson was murdered and mutilated in North Carolina. Her body parts were transported 1,200 miles to Texas in ice chests and disposed of in the creek. Authorities claimed that the Hayeses cut up the body using a power saw and then tried to use muriatic acid to eviscerate Ackerson's body in Richmond.

It was also alleged that after a failed attempt to dissolve the part in acid, "they took a boat onto Oyster Creek and dumped Laura's body parts into the water, hoping that alligators would eat her remains."

During Grant Hayes' 2013 murder trial, the prosecution alleged that Ackerson's murder was motivated by a contentious custody battle for the kids. Hayes was convicted of first-degree murder in his ex's killing and sentenced to life in prison.

Donald Stephen, Superior Court Judge, before sentencing him to life in prison without parole, stated that,

"I think that a jury verdict in a case like this, in an hour and a half, probably speaks louder than anything anyone could say about this case."

Assistant District Attorney Amanda Bolin also stated,

"The jury verdict was swift, and the court’s sentence was appropriately harsh. Laura Ackerson’s family can be assured that Amanda Hayes will be punished for all of her barbaric behavior ― whether it was in North Carolina or the great state of Texas."

Amanda Hayes was tried separately in 2014 when she maintained that she only helped with the body's disposal and denied having anything to do with Ackerson's murder. She was reportedly forced into assisting her husband as she was concerned about the well-being of the kids. She was sentenced twice - her initial sentence was of 13 to 16 years in prison, and she received a 20-year term during a retrial.

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Laura Ackerson's gruesome murder is the subject of ID's See No Evil's latest episode. Tune in to learn more.