US prosecutors have revealed that Valerie Hayes, a suspect in a child snatch murder plot who was found hiding in Scotland, posed as a “secret agent” who faked her own death. Hayes and Gary Reburn were extradited from Scottish prisons last year to face justice after being accused of a botched attempt to kidnap five kids and kill their four parents in Virginia.
Hiding in Glasgow
The pair were found living in Glasgow in 2018 along with a third suspect, Jennifer Amnott, who has now changed her plea to testify against them. The trio remained behind bars in Scotland for seven years, costing the public purse at least £1 million as they battled to stay in the country.
Prosecutors have laid out the evidence they plan to present at the pair’s trial, saying Hayes faked her death and posed as a “body double” called “Madeline” as she dragged childless Jennifer Amnott and her husband Frank into the plot in the promise she would make them parents.
Claims of manipulation
The court papers state: “The evidence will show that it involved years of manipulation and ruses. Hayes was the purveyor of these lies to the Amnotts. Hayes convinced the Amnotts that she was a secret agent and that she could procure them a child, which they desperately wanted.”
The US Attorney’s Office claims Hayes, living in Maryland with boyfriend Reburn, fed the Amnotts lies that she was in intelligence and claimed her kids had been kidnapped and were held by two families in the Old Order Mennonites community in Dayton. Prosecutors say Hayes, Reburn and Frank Amnott attempted to carry out the plot, but a parent fled from the first property and dialled 911.
When cops arrived they found Frank Amnott holding another parent hostage at gunpoint. Prosecutors say Hayes and Reburn fled to Maryland before fleeing to Scotland with Jennifer Amnott. Frank Amnott pled guilty to his part in the plot back in 2019.
Trial ahead
Hayes and Reburn now face trial on a 16-count indictment, and Hayes’ three, now-adult children are all expected to testify alongside Hayes’ ex-husband, who followed the family to Scotland but ultimately fled back to the US to alert the authorities.
Documents state that the Amnotts met Hayes in 2014, who claimed she worked in a “covert capacity” on “dangerous missions”. Prosecutors say: “Hayes routinely claimed that she had operatives working with her who were providing protection. Hayes provided multiple names for these operatives, which included “Kane,” and “Bjorn,” among others. Hayes would message Jennifer Amnott pretending to be these individuals... At one point, in late 2014, Jennifer Amnott received a message that Hayes had died during a ‘mission’.
“Jennifer Amnott travelled to Maryland for Hayes’ funeral where she met a woman who claimed to be Hayes’ ‘body double’ named ‘Madeline Davidson’. This individual’s appearance was identical to Hayes and she never appeared at the same time as Hayes. At the time, Jennifer Amnott believed this to be a separate person, but later realized that Hayes was pretending to be this alter ego.”
The Government says it expects that all three of Hayes’ daughters “will describe how Hayes used them for surveillance” and had “attempted prior kidnappings and killings in their presence”. On one occasion, Hayes is said to have taken one of her daughters to a Mennonite house in Virginia, telling them she would enter the house and bring back the mother and two children. Prosecutors said Hayes handed one daughter a pistol and told her to shoot the Mennonite mother when she came out, but Hayes approached the house and did not bring the mother or children back.
Around March 2018, Hayes is said to have taken a daughter on a surveillance trip to Dayton - with two car seats, Benadryl, pacifiers, diapers, zip ties and a firearm. Prosecutors state that following the failed plot, the suspects travelled to Ireland and then “snuck into the United Kingdom” before being found in Glasgow.
They say: “While in the United Kingdom, Dawson spoke with Hayes and Reburn who admitted their involvement in the kidnapping plot. Additionally, Hayes and Reburn discussed how if Jennifer Amnott attempted to return to the United States and speak with law enforcement, they would prevent her from doing so. Hayes said that she would ‘bag her [Jennifer Amnott] up and put her in a dumpster’ and Reburn added that he was a blackbelt (in karate) and would be able to carry that out.” A further hearing in the case is scheduled for later this month.
