Raleigh Police are taking over the investigation to find missing mother, Laura Ackerson. Authorities say Laura, 27, went missing last Friday when she did not show up to pick up her children from their father. Kinston Police in North Carolina confirm a friend and business associate of Laura’s initially reported her missing and they were handling the investigation until her Ford Focus was found in Raleigh on Wednesday.
Laura was in Raleigh for business last week when she was supposed to see her children who live with their dad. She never showed for the meeting in Wilson at a gas station. Authorities say when she did not come into work on Monday, that’s when her friend reported her missing. Laura attends church in Kinston and they are praying daily for her safe return.
If you have any information on this case, please contact Raleigh Crimestoppers: (919) 834-HELP
UPDATE:Investigators confirm they have found Zahra Baker’s remains in North Carolina. Authorities found the bones earlier this week in an isolated location, dug beneath the earth in a large grave. A “no fly” zone was erected above the area where investigators were searching, that zone would not allow news choppers above.
Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins said earlier today at a press conference, “I’ve been dreading this moment [since] early on in this investigation. As investigators we are trained to follow leads, but never give up the hope the evidence may take us in the wrong direction and the outcome may be different. We have recovered enough physical evidence to believe we have found Zahra.” Chief Adkins continued to say that he and his staff are devastated.
Zahra’s mother has arrived in the United States from Australia. Stay tuned for updates on this case…
Shaniya Davis is one of those cases that comes up in conversation frequently. I am often asked how a child could allegedly be sold by her mother as a sex slave to pay off a debt. If Shaniya was never passed off to Mario McNeill like a piece of trash, she may still be alive today. Test results show Shaniya died from asphyxiation, and McNeill is charged with first degree murder and first degree rape. He is being held without bond and is currently behind bars. Shaniya’s mother, Antoniette Davis, is charged with child abuse in the form of prostitution, human trafficking, obstructing an official investigation and filing a false police report. Unfortunately, Davis is out on bond, and has been roaming free since February 21st. She is scheduled to appear in court on June 3, 2010 to face charges.
Bradley Lockhart, Shaniya’s father, is taking a proactive approach to combat child prostitution and crimes against children. This is why he created Shaniya Speaks. The organization says the goal is, “to bring voice to Child Exploitation and Sexual Crimes against Children.” Bradley will tour the country and be the voice for his murdered child. He will use his personal experience to educate the public on these types of horrific crimes against children.
The last anyone heard from Kristi Cornwell was on August 11, 2009. Since then, investigators say an anonymous grandmother wrote a letter into the Cherokee County Sheriff’s department and said her grandson was working in the area at the time Kristi was hit and abducted. A formal letter released by Cherokee County Sheriff’s says,”Evidence has been obtained which lead investigators to believe that between August 1st and August 25, 2009 that the described person was in the Western North Carolina area working for a relative, specifically his grandmother, and that he was doing some handy man work. The person was believed to have been driving a white Nissan Exterra with a brush guard and would have been bearing a Florida tag.” Kristi’s family is begging that grandmother to come forward today with more information to help solve Kristi’s case.
Today the nation mourns the brutal death of Shaniya Davis. Funeral services are scheduled today at 3 p.m. at the Manna Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Those wishing to say goodbye to this beautiful child are welcome to attend, services are open to the public.
MARIO McNEILL CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE RAPE AND FIRST DEGREE MURDER
We learned more tonight about how little Shaniya Davis was murdered, and what happened to this child before her life was taken. Fayetteville Police just held a press conference, and they say preliminary test results show Shaniya died from asphyxiation, and the testing is not complete. Police also brought down charges against the man they’ve been holding for her kidnapping, and have officially charged Mario Andrette McNeill with First Degree Murder and First Degree Rape. McNeill is being held without bond, and he will stay in the Cumberland County Detention Center. The two lead detectives on the case are currently serving warrants on McNeill.
This story is heartbreaking. It is hard to imagine the fear and trauma Shaniya Davis must have suffered before she was murdered. That someone was able to wage these unspeakable acts against an innocent child and discard her so callously is beyond my comprehension.
The death of Shaniya Davis is not the first murder her father Bradley Lockhart has had to work through. In March 1998, Bradley’s wife, Vicki Sue Lockhart was shot and killed, along with her 19-year-old sister Channel Coleman in Fayetteveille, N.C. According to Vicki Sue’s family, the women fell victim to a robbery gone bad and were killed. Five victims were shot during the robbery, three died, and two survived. All of the victims were bound and gagged. Vicki Sue left behind three beautiful children, Byron, 20, Cheyenne, 17, and Chavez, 13. Vicki Sue’s parents, Byron and Phyllis Coleman took custody of the three kids after the murder because Bradley had to travel out of the state a lot for work as a contractor. They wanted their grandchildren to grow up in a stable environment, Byron told me earlier today, “We feel blessed that we have the kids, and they are able to get a good education, all of my family has been to college, and we are trying to carry on the family tradition, get through high school, and get to college.” Byron the oldest, is in college in Charlotte, and Cheyenne and Chavez are doing well in high school.
Over the years the custody battles have plagued the two families, but Shaniya’s death is mending the gap between them. “It’s like someone cutting your heart out, we lost a son in 1991, then losing Shaniya here is very hard on the family,” says Byron. He and his wife Phyllis have lost three children total since 1991, so they understand the heartbreak Bradley is working through. He says he even told Bradley Shaniya could live with them if she wanted to so she could be with her half-brothers and sisters.
Police originally charged Clarence Darriel Coe, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina with First-Degree Kidnapping in the disappearance of Shaniya Nicole Davis. Police say they dropped those charges against Coe, and he will be released today, November 13, 2009.
10:30 a.m. – I just got off the phone with Lt. David Sportsman with the Fayetteville Police. He says his entire detective division is solely dedicated to this case, and to finding little Shaniya. They are still searching, conducting interviews. Dozens of leads and new information is taking investigators to more places to do more research on this case. Lt. Sportsman says during this investigation, his department found probable cause to charge Clarence Coe. He also confirms that Department of Social Services does have active cases involving Shaniya’s family, but would not go into detail about those cases involve children.
Michelle Sigona is a crime fighting, victims advocate extraordinaire, but for Michelle -- the good fight doesn't stop there. In her spare time, she is a volunteer firefighter -- and now, she is tackling the issues and cases that mean the most to her....
