A Georgia man, Bornold Alastair Eberhart, 44, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering his girlfriend, 53-year-old Kristen Laymon, during a trip to North Myrtle Beach. The plea was announced Tuesday by the 15th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Eberhart and Laymon traveled from Decatur to North Myrtle Beach and checked into the Wyndham Hotel on Sept. 22, 2023. Surveillance footage showed the couple arguing when they returned to the hotel shortly before 2 a.m. on Sept. 23. Prosecutors said Laymon opened the car door while it was still moving, exited the vehicle, and went up to her hotel room. Authorities said this was the last time she was seen alive. About 10 minutes later, Eberhart entered the room.
Body Hidden and Transported
On Sept. 24, surveillance video captured Eberhart using a luggage cart to move what was later determined to be Laymon’s body, wrapped in a sheet, out of the hotel. He loaded her remains into the trunk of his car, which later tested positive for her blood. Prosecutors said Eberhart attempted to mislead investigators by sending Laymon text messages suggesting she had taken his vehicle and needed to return it so he could get back to Georgia.
Authorities later determined that Eberhart drove Laymon’s body back to Decatur and disposed of it there. It took approximately six months for investigators to locate her remains. Detectives in Georgia worked alongside the North Myrtle Beach Police Department to reconstruct the events and track Eberhart’s movements.
Arrest, Recovery, and Sentencing
Eberhart eventually admitted to killing Laymon and directed investigators to where he had disposed of her body. Her remains were recovered on March 9, 2024. Prosecutors credited law enforcement agencies in both states for their persistence in solving the case.
Laymon, who is survived by her daughter, was remembered in her obituary as someone who lived with laughter, kindness, and unwavering strength.
