In May 2023, in Greenwood, South Carolina, 46-year-old Kenneth Davis McLendon was killed when William Gray 'Bud' Ackerman struck him with a Ford F-250 pickup truck at an intersection. Meredith Haney had separated from Ackerman in spring 2022 after ten years of marriage, citing his depression, heavy drinking, paranoia, and secret placement of hidden cameras in their home. In December 2022, Meredith began dating McLendon. After learning of the relationship in late April 2023, Ackerman repeatedly demanded that Meredith break off the relationship prior to their scheduled divorce finalization. On the night of May 6–7, 2023, Ackerman continuously tracked and messaged Meredith while she was out with McLendon. Frustrated by the harassment, McLendon called Ackerman at 12:51 a.m. and arranged to meet him at the intersection of Avid Road and Sawgrass Place. At 1:11 a.m., Ackerman drove his truck at 25 mph directly into McLendon and his parked BMW sedan, leaving McLendon fatally injured on the road. Ackerman fled the scene to his parents' nearby house without calling emergency services. Police followed a trail of leaking motor oil from the crash site to Ackerman's truck, finding severe front-end damage and blood on Ackerman's shorts. In October 2024, Ackerman was convicted of murder and sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Country: United States
State/Province: South Carolina, United States
City/Region: Greenwood
Incident Type: Murder
Relationship Status: Separated
Relationship Duration: 10 years
Incident Date: May 7, 2023
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How the relationship or connection began.
10 years
Important relationship phases recorded for this case.
Reported red flags or early concern points.
Contributing factors and possible motives from the available sources.
2023-05-07
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Dr. Grande · Original language: English
Jealous Husband Turns Estranged Wife's Lover Into a Hood Ornament | Bud Ackerman Case Analysis
Jealousy
The case illustrates a severe pattern of post-separation stalking, intense jealousy, and non-acceptance of divorce boundaries. Following a ten-year marriage marked by controlling behaviors and hidden surveillance, the offender reacted to his estranged wife's new romantic relationship with persistent digital tracking, personal confrontation, and extreme vehicle-ramming violence against her new partner.
Police rapidly identified William 'Bud' Ackerman by following a prominent half-mile trail of motor oil leaking from his damaged Ford F-250 pickup truck directly to his residence. Extracted event data recorder (EDR) telemetry from the truck confirmed the exact crash time (1:11 a.m.) and impact speed (25 mph). Forensics detected McLendon's blood on Ackerman's shorts. After an initial mistrial in June 2024 caused by defense counsel medical emergencies, Ackerman was tried a second time in September 2024, convicted of murder on October 5, 2024, and sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Ackerman claimed the incident was an accidental collision caused by speeding and swerving to avoid standing in the road. However, prosecution evidence—including vehicle telemetry, direct fender damage to McLendon's parked BMW, blood evidence, and neighborhood camera audio capturing post-collision taunts—refuted his claims of an accidental maneuver.
Investigators reconstructed the incident by combining phone records, text messages, bar witness statements, vehicle telemetry, and security camera footage. The reconstruction showed Ackerman aggressively pursuing Meredith across multiple Greenwood establishments, prompting McLendon to arrange a late-night meeting. Ackerman drove directly to the location and intentionally rammed McLendon and his parked vehicle before fleeing.
Prior abusive behaviors—including hidden surveillance in household items, paranoid control, alcohol abuse, and relentless harassment following separation—served as severe behavioral indicators. The imminent finalization of divorce, combined with the victim's willingness to engage in a late-night physical confrontation, escalated the situational risk to a fatal outcome.
Engaging directly with an obsessed, escalating estranged spouse poses grave danger. Situations involving intense post-separation stalking and upcoming court deadlines require formal law enforcement intervention rather than direct physical or verbal confrontation.
Early warning signs included Ackerman's heavy drinking, paranoid behavioral changes, placement of hidden surveillance cameras in home items, refusal to accept separation, and obsessive tracking of his estranged wife's movements.
Key physical clues included a trail of motor oil leading from the scene directly to Ackerman's driveway, severe front-end truck damage matching the impact, blood on Ackerman's shorts matching the victim, and neighborhood surveillance audio recording post-impact taunting.
Primary evidence consisted of vehicle EDR telemetry data, forensic DNA/blood analysis, motor oil trail matching, neighborhood audio surveillance, and mobile phone text/call logs documenting persistent harassment.
Meredith Haney detailed Ackerman's prior paranoia, camera hiding, heavy drinking, and harassing messages. Megan McGovern described arriving at the intersection, seeing McLendon unresponsive on the roadside, and calling 911.
Initial legal proceedings in June 2024 ended in a mistrial when Ackerman's defense attorney suffered medical collapses in court. A re-trial in September 2024 established intent and resulted in a murder conviction on October 5, 2024.
The precise intended purpose of the 12:51 a.m. phone call and arranged meeting—whether meant as a verbal discussion or an agreed physical fight—remains unconfirmed, though physical indicators suggested preparation for a fistfight.