Ex-boyfriend found guilty in Kinston mom's murder

EDITION OF THE CBS EVENING NEWS

THAT WILL FOCUS ON THE TRAGEDY

TODAY.

>>> A JURY PRONOUNCED A MAN

GUILTY OF KILLING THE MOTHER OF

HIS 2 YOUNG SONS.

HE TRANSPORTED IT TO TEXAS IN

SEVERAL COOLERS AND DUMPED IT

IN A CREEK.

AMANDA, DID DID HE HAVE ANY

REACTION TO THE VERDICT.

>> REPORTER: HE REALLY DIDN'T

WHICH IS INTERESTING BECAUSE

THROUGHOUT THE TRIAL HE WAS

ANIMATED.

BUT TODAY HE WAS VERY SOLEMN

AND THE JUDGE CAUTIONED

EVERYONE TO KEEP THEIR EMOTIONS

IN CHECK.

RIGHT AFTER THE VERDE WAS

SENTENCED AND BROUGHT HERE TO

CENTRAL PRISON.

LATE MONDAY MORNING, HIS SMILE

WAS ABSENT AND THE JURY

PRONOUNCED HIM GUILTY.

>> WE THE JURY FIND THE

DEFENDANT GRANT HAYES TO BE

GUILTY OF MURDER IN THE FIRST-

DEGREE; IS THAT CORRECT?

>> REPORTER: THE JUDGE

IMMEDIATELY SENTENCED HAYES TO

LIFE IN PRISON.

>> AND HOUR AND 1/2 PROBABLY

SPEAKS LOUDER THAN ANYTHING

ANYONE CAN SAY ABOUT THIS CASE.

>> REPORTER: ATTORNEYS ON BOTH

SIDES ALSO SEEMED SURPRISED BY

THE LENGTH OF THE

DELIBERATIONS.

BUT PROSECUTION PROSECUTORS

WERE NOT SURPRISED BY THE

OUTCOME.

>> WE'RE PLEASED THAT THE JURY

LOOKED ALL THE EVIDENCE AND SAW

THE TRUTH OF WHAT HAPPENED.

MR. HAYES CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN

HIS EVIDENCE AS HE ALWAYS HAS.

WE'RE.

>> WE'RE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE

VERDICT.

>> REPORTER: DOES IT GIVE YOU

ANY PEACE OF MIND AT THIS

POINT.

>> I'M GOING TO HOME AND I'M

GOING TO PRAY.

>> REPORTER: THE VICTIM

FATHER ROGER ACKERSON SAT

THROUGH THE ENTIRE TRIAL.

>> HE HAD A DEAD BODY IN HIS

APARTMENT FOR 3 DAYS.

I'M NOT SURPRISED AT THAT

VERDICT AT ALL.

>> REPORTER: GRANT HAYES --

AMANDA HAYES.

-- THROUGHOUT THE TRIAL --

AMANDA HAYES WAS THE RING

LEADER, THAT SHE ACTUALLY

KILLED THE VICTIM.

>> THANKS AMANDA.