RALEIGH — Grant Hayes’ own mobile phone gave up his location.
As Raleigh homicide detectives investigated the disappearance of Laura Ackerson and the whereabouts of Hayes, his wife Amanda and Hayes’ children, they called in Keith Heckman — of the Raleigh Police Department’s Tactical Assistance Response Unit — to get tell-tale information from mobile phone use.
With the cooperation of Ackerson’s carrier — T-Mobile — and Grant Hayes’ provider — AT&T — Heckman was able to determine Ackerson’s last call was to Grant Hayes at 4:49 p.m. on July 13, 2011, the day she disappeared.
According to Heckman, mobile phone tower triangulation data put Ackerson in the general area north and east of the intersection of U.S. 70 and I-440 — a route she would have taken after leaving Kinston and headed to the Hayes’ apartment in Raleigh.
In trying to find Grant Hayes’ location, Heckman turned to AT&T’s GPS data, because when on, an AT&T phone sends its general latitude and longitude data to AT&T every 15 minutes. Heckman testified that Grant Hayes’ phone placed him within a 223-foot reliability of Amanda Hayes’ sister’s residence in rural East Texas.
A document provided by AT&T and placed into evidence related the same information.
Sgt. Robert La Tour, an RPD homicide detective in 2011, received information about Grant Hayes’ spending activity and contacted U-Haul corporate offices about a trailer rental. La Tour said the information provided by U-Haul showed Grant Hayes rented a trailer on July 16 on a one-way trip and returned it at a U-Haul location in Katy, Texas — a roughly 15-20 minute drive from Amanda Hayes’ sister’s residence.
On July 27, La Tour and another RPD detective left North Carolina for the residence, only stopping for a two-hour nap at a rest stop in Alabama.
La Tour said Amanda Hayes’ sister appeared somber and worried as she talked to the detectives in the late afternoon of July 28. Asked by Assistant District Attorney Boz Zellinger if he found anything unusual, La Tour said he noticed several coolers on the property that looked out of place, and discovered a machete partially hidden in a dilapidated structure nearby.
The ‘Agreement’
Detective Amanda Salmon testified that during her investigation of the Hayes’ residence on July 19, she — and other investigators — took note of a 3-foot bleach stain on the apartment’s carpet directly adjacent to the entrance to the apartment.
She also noted a document, written by two people, granting Grant Hayes custody of the two boys he fathered with Ackerson.
Directed by Zellinger to read the note, Salmon read aloud, “I, Laura J. Ackerson, for the sum of $25,000, agree not to pursue custody of the two minor children — Grant and Gentle Hayes. I am not surrendering parental rights, but I do consent to leaving them in the sole custody of their father for now. Further, I agree to drop all pending litigation against their father in the Lenoir County Family Court.”
Salmon continued, “And at the bottom, ‘By notifying counsel John Sargeant about arrangements, less the monetary compensation, and understand I will be able to see my kids when I want to, at the discretion of their father.’ ”
The detective noted the document was signed by Laura Ackerson and, after initially showing a date of “6/13/11,” was changed to “7/13/11” — the date of Ackerson’s disappearance — with Ackerson’s initials next to the change.
Brother testifies
Early Tuesday, Ackerson’s brother Jason testified. He said his sister had been looking for a way out of her relationship with Grant Hayes when they were together. Jason Ackerson added that once he went to their residence and heard them arguing, and no one came to the apartment door despite his repeated knocking.
He said his sister told him the next day that if they were to talk and see each other, they would have to do it in secret because Grant Hayes didn’t like him. Laura Ackerson’s friend, Heidi Schumacher, testified last week that her friendship with Laura suffered a similar fate.
Today
La Tour resumes his testimony today at 9:30 a.m. at the Wake County Justice Center.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.