Warning Signs: Adriana Laster

In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: The disappearance of Adriana Laster haunted her family for over a decade. In 2011, the 27-year-old mother vanished after trying to escape her abusive boyfriend, Freddie Grant. Despite a history of violence, no charges were filed. Then, in 2024, shocking new discoveries uncovered her remains—and a chilling connection to Grant, already convicted of another murder. 

This is the story of Adriana Laster. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today we're
delving into the dark and heartbreaking case of a young
mother who vanished over a decade ago from Elgin, South Carolina,

(00:22):
and whose mysterious disappearance would go unsolved for more than
twelve years. This is the story of Adrianna Laster. September three,
twenty eleven, twenty seven year old Adriana was heading to church,

(00:42):
a routine trip on a late summer morning, but this
wasn't just any Sunday. Adriana had been living in fear
hiding from her abusive boyfriend, Freddie Grant. That day, despite
her friend's warnings to stay inside, she left the house
and was never seen again. Her loved ones were left terrified,

(01:08):
and as time passed by, hope quickly turned into despair.
Then suddenly, the case took a horrifying turn. In twenty twelve, Grant,
who was already suspected in Adriana's disappearance, was arrested for
the murder of another young woman, fifteen year old Gabby Swainson.

(01:32):
His confession was chilling. He admitted to abducting, assaulting, and
burying the teenage girl in a shallow brave. The community
was stunned and questions resurfaced. If Grant could do that
to a child, what did he do to Adriana. Despite

(01:56):
mounting suspicions and Adrianna's repeated cries for help in the
years leading up to her disappearance, authority struggled to bring
about charges. The warnings were there. Warrens outlined a terrifying
pattern of abuse, choking, beatings, even kidnapping. In one chilling report,

(02:18):
Grant was accused of putting Adriana in a choke hold
and punching her until she lost consciousness. She eventually regained
enough strength to grab the steering wheel and force the
car off the road to escape. Still no arrest, no
murder charge, and Adriana remained missing. January twelfth, twenty twenty four,

(02:48):
a construction crew operating heavy machinery at a sand site
made a very gruesome discovery partial human remains buried beneath
the surface. The remains were confirmed to be Adriana. Alongside
her body, investigators found personal quoting items slowly piecing together

(03:11):
the final moments of her life. They now believed Adriana's
body had been hidden there as far back as twenty eighteen,
before the land was even purchased by its current owners
at the time. With her remains recovered, justice was finally

(03:33):
catching up. Freddie Grant, already serving thirty years in prison
for the murder of Gabby Swainson, was now formally charged
in Adriana's case. He was slammed with two counts of
domestic violence, one count of kidnapping, and one count of murder.
The police say Grant's abuse spanned years, documented in reports

(03:57):
dating back to twenty ten, and yet until twenty twenty four,
no legal action had been taken against him for what
happened to Adriana. For more than a decade, Adriana's family
lived with the torment of not knowing now the truth

(04:17):
had finally surfaced. Adriana feared for her life, she tried
to escape, and she pleaded for help. The warning signs
were there, so the question remains could more have been
done to save her? Adriana Laster would be forty one

(04:38):
years old today. Let Adriana's story be a reminder that
abuse can leave warnings and that those warnings matter. If
you are someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, called
the Domestic Violence Hotline at one eight hundred seventy nine

(04:59):
nine That's Safe. Their contact information can also be found
in the description box Bila. As we close out this episode,
don't forget to hit the follow button to stay updated
on this case and others like it. Be sure to
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(05:23):
you enjoyed this episode, leave us a five star rating.
Thank you so much for joining us on another episode
until next time. Hunting for Answers is a production of

(05:47):
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