The father of Laura Jean Ackerson, a 27-year-old woman from North Carolina whose dismembered remains were recently found scattered in Texas, is reportedly seeking custody of her two children.
Ackerson's father, Lowell, Mich., resident Rodger Ackerson, told WWMT 3 News he has already started looking into gaining custody of his daughter's kids. Ackerson also said he was making plans to bring his daughter back to Michigan for burial.
Ackerson did not immediately return calls for comment from The Huffington Post on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the same day that human remains located in Fort Bend County, Texas, were positively identified as Laura Ackerson, a Raleigh couple was ordered held without bond in her death, Raleigh police spokesman Jim Sughrue told The Huffington Post.
Grant Ruffin Hayes, 32, and his wife, Amanda Perry Hayes, 39, have both been charged with Ackerson's murder. The victim was one of Grant Hayes' ex-girlfriends and he fathered her two children, police said.
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Ackerson was last seen on July 13, when she dropped off her kids at the Hayes home. She was reported missing two days later when she failed to show up for work. On July 20, Ackerson's Ford Focus was found abandoned near the 5400 block of Summer Manor Lane in Raleigh.
On Sunday, Ackerson's dismembered remains were found in three separate locations near Richmond, Texas, about 30 miles southwest of Houston. The remains were found near Amanda Hayes' sister's home. Investigators do not suspect the sister had any involvement in the crime, but they did recover several items from her home, including a machete, police reported.
Authorities suspect Ackerson was killed in North Carolina on July 13, dismembered and transported to Texas in several ice chests. On Tuesday, investigators called off the search for additional human remains.
Grant and Amanda Hayes are scheduled to appear in court again for probable cause on August 16.
Laura Ackerson's funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, at Grace Fellowship Church in Kinston, N.C. It is open to the public, WNCT News 9 reported.
