the fbi tells abc news, mayes' motives are still unclear. >> adam mayes was a close friend of the family. he was a trusted person to the kids and everybody involved in the family. so, that is one mystery as to why this happened. >> reporter: but the manhunt is now over. authorities tell us they are giving those two little girls lots of hugs tonight. there's no telling what they've been through. they've lost their mother and their sister, but tonight, they're safe and the manhunt is over. juju? >> our thanks to yunji. >>> up next, investigators say he ripped off americans to the tune of $100 million. but why can't they unravel the mysterious identity of the man who calls himself mr. x? need any help? uh, nope. just, uh, checking out my ad. nice. but, y'know, with every door direct mail from the postal service, you'll find the customers that matter most: the ones in your neighborhood. print it yourself or find a local partner. and postage is under 15 cents. i wish i would have known that cause i really don't think i chose the best location. it's not so bad... i mean you got a deal... right

preliminary reports indicate mayes shot himself in the head. >> reporter: mayes and his wife teresa were wanted for killing the girls' mother jo ann bain and her 14-year-old daughter adrienne in their garage in whiteville, tennessee. >> there was two little girls that he was absolutely obsessed with. >> he made us all think that was his kids. >> reporter: mayes and his wife had been charged with the murders two weeks ago. teresa is in custody. cops say she's confessed. since then, mayes has been on the fbi's top ten wanted list and he's been on the run with the girls. 12-year-old alexandria and her 8-year-old sister kyliyah. the fbi and local authorities were on an intense manhunt to find mayes and the girls. as for motive, the belief was that questions about whether mayes was the girls' father were causing problems in his marriage. >> that was abc's bill ritter. we've just learned from an fbi news conference that the girls witnessed mayes' suicide. when rescued they were hungry, thirsty and suffering from poison ivy but otherwise unharmed. they are at a children's hospital in memphis as

the fbi tells abc news mayes' motives are still unclear. authorities tell us they are giving those little girls lots of hugs this morning. there's no telling what they've been through. their mother and their sister are dead. they are recovering, and, thankfully, this manhunt is now over. yunji de nies, abc news, guntown, mississippi. >> apparently they are saying he believed those two girls were his children. >> so maybe is that the theory why he didn't kill them but did kill the oldest girl? >> that's right. and that may have been the motivation behind the entire crime spree. he wanted them. >> so strange. and fascinating to hear from the wife and the mother who were in on that. have been charged and arrested at this point. they have to have some insight, you would think, into what led them to do this. and this was a family affair. >> and the wife has been charged with first-degree murder. first it was aggravated kidnapping, then first-degree murder. the mother, i believe, sort of conspiracy charges have been leveled against her. so they k

and then they saw mayes. they told him to put his hands where they could see them, instead he shot himself. >> walk down there and see what you see. that's obviously been somebody down through there. >> reporter: and suddenly there it was, the tip with all the flies, the exact place in the middle of the woods. judging by this blood on the ground that we found here, this would be the spot that according to authorities adam mayes shot himself. now, in keeping again with their account, the young girls would have been laying on their stomachs directly in front of it. you realize two things. that phone call tip that came in from the public probably saved the lives of kyliyah and alexandria bain but not before the two girls witnessed the deaths of their mother and older sister had to watch one other person die. >> i wish the man could have been saved. i wish it hadn't happened. i wish those other two lives could be brought back. but it can't. they met their maker. i hope they were ready. >> martin savidge joins me

authorities felt mayes had not gone too far, they were right. because whe

police say adam mayes shot himself yesterday. he was accused of killing the girl' mother and sister near hi two week ago so he could abduct them -- nearly two weeks ago so he could abduct them. >> when she came home two years ago, she told me the reason they were arguing so much was because there was two little girls that he was just absolutely obsessed with. he was claiming that those two children were his. and my daughter said he lived, slept, eat and breathed nothing but these two children. >> police say the young girls were taken to a hospital for observation. mayes' wife is already in jail on murder charges related to the case. the case. >>> also making local headlines, the fbi busts an international drug trafficking conspiracy in northern virginia. for the last six years, agentss say smugglers use dulles airport as a gateway to smuggle cocaine from honduras. 2 suspected -- twenty-eight suspects are under arrest. >>> manoj unni is under arrest after police say they found pot in his home. officers discovered growing equipment

his mother mary mayes and his ex-wife teresa ann mayes charged with four counts of conspiracy si to commit aggravated kidnapping. teresa has confessed mayes killed jo ann and adrienne. after their stay in the hospital alexandria and kyliyah will be returned home to the care of their father. rob and sunny. >> as good an ending we could hope for. tahman bradley live in washington. thanks. >>> turning now to presidential politics. mitt romney is on the defensive on something in his distant past. >> he has apologized for what he calls stupid high school pranks which may have targeted a gay classmate. david muir has the latest. >> reporter: one of mitt romney's former high school classmates at the prestigious cranbrook school was supreme bullying and they acted like a pack of dogs. that classmate, phillip maxwell, now a lawyer offered more an a scene reported by "the washington post" telling abc news that mitt romney was part of a group of students that who targeted a boy who most thought was gay and who dyed his long hair blond with peroxide. it's a haunting memory, he said. i think it's a hau

the fbi tells abc news mayes' motives are still unclear. authorities tell us they are giving those little girls lots of hugs this morning. there's no telling what they've been through. their mother and their sister are dead. they are recovering, and, thankfully, this manhunt is now over. yunji de nies, abc news, guntown, mississippi. >> apparently they are saying he believed those two girls were his children. >> so maybe is that the theory why he didn't kill them but did kill the oldest girl? >> that's right. and that may have been the motivation behind the entire crime spree. he wanted them. >> so strange. and fascinating to hear from the wife and the mother who were in on that. have been charged and arrested at this point. they have to have some insight, you would think, into what led them to do this. and this was family affair. >> and the wife has been charged with first-degree murder. first it was aggravated kidnapping, then first-degree murder. the mother, i believe, sort of conspiracy charges have been leveled against her. so they kne

found mayes and the girls thuusday night &pin union county, mississippi. the fbi's ddniel ccullen says mayes --who was on its 10 most wantee list --killed himself. sot: daniel mcmullen/fbi, special agent in charge "preliminary reports indicate that mayes ssot himsellfin the head and was later prrnounned deed at an area hhspital."the girls wereealso taken to the hospital as a precautton.a laa enforcement source tells cnn the sisters are suffering from dehydration and exhaustion, bbt ppear okay.mayes' sister pn law, bobbi booth, says she's happy the girls are fine, but ii dissppointed in mayes.sot (phoner)::bobbii would like to have seen adam face his charges and stand pore accountable. he took the sissy wwy ouu, but praise god the girls are safe, and thatts all that matters."mayes' wife, teresa s also charged in the murders and kidnappings.police say she told them that she was in the garaae when her husband killed jo ann and adrienne bain. she also told police that shh went with him to dump the bodies in mmssissippi. teresa mayes' mother says her and wouldn

mayes may have cut their hair. the manhunt is now focused on union county, mississippi, where the girl's mother and one sister were found dead. jo ann bain and adrienne were discovered in a home linked to mayes. he is said to be a long-time family friend of the bains. they have arrested his mother and ex-wife. martin savage joins me now. what's the latest on the search for the two girls? >> i think the biggest development has to be the arrests that were made or announced today of the wife or ex-wife, depends on who you talk to, of adam mayes. 31-year-old theresa. she apparently has confessed to authorities that she drove in essence the get away car that transported the bain family across state lines from tennessee where they were abducted to mississippi. the other person who was arrested was mayes 65-year-old mother and she told the authorities on the day that the bain family disappeared she saw her son in her yard digging and of course in her yard over the weekend that the shallow graves and bodies were found of j

his mother mary mayes and his ex-wife ex-wife teresa ann mayes charged with four counts of conspiracy si to commit aggravated kidnapping. teresa has confessed mayes killed jo ann and adrienne. after their stay in the hospital alexandria and kyliyah will be returned home to the care of their father. rob and sunny. >> as good an ending we could hope for. tahman bradley live in washington. thanks. >>> turning now to presidential politics. mitt romney is on the defensive on something in his distant past. >> he has apologized for what he calls stupid high school pranks which may have a gay targeted a classmate. david muir has the latest. >> reporter: one of mitt romney's former high school classmates at the prestigious cranbrook school was supreme bullying and they acted like a pack of dogs. that classmate, phillip maxwell, now a lawyer offered more an a scene reported by "the washington post" telling abc news that mitt romney was part of a group of students that who targeted a boy who most thought was gay and who dyed his long hair peroxide. it's a haunting memory, he said. i think it's a

let's talk about adam mayes. he was found in a wooded area in union county, mississippi, in that guntown area that investigators had focused in on. and this was a task force nearby, a task force of the mississippi highway patrol, special operations team, and also officers from the state game and fish department. they got a call from someone who noticed a vehicle that this person believed belonged to mayes. when these officers got to this wooded area and started closing in, they heard a gunshot. then they got closer and discovered adam mayes had shot himself, shot himself in the head. mayes was rushed to the hospital and he either died en route to the hospital or at the hospital. >> george, we know the girls are physically safe. and they're in the hospital. what happens to them now? >> well, we believe that at some point, they will go back into the care of their father, gary bain. and again, we know that bain has been in seclusion, obviously very distraught since all of this happened. but that is very likely what

mary mayes is charged with four counts of conspiracy. authorities say she knew what adam and teresa mayes were planning and went along with it. police say adam and teresa mayes were friends of the bain family. teresa is is seen here with the bain girls. teresa mayes' sister spoke to nbc affiliate wmc by phone on tuesday, saying the two had discussed disturbing details about adam mayes. >> my sister has told me things, yes. she knew he dug the grave. >> oh, she did? okay. >> that was my understanding of the conversation with her, because i was yelling at her, because i'm like, you what?! you know? >> well yeah. >> well, what she said was, i saw him digging a hole. >> police won't comment on that conversation. >> reporter: as teresa and mary mayes sit in jail, hundreds of police officers are searching for adam mayes and the two missing girls. they're stopping cars, checking trunks, and asking questions in mississippi, tennessee, and beyond. >> that was nbc's traun trung reporting. >>> now the latest on breaking news. president obama weighs

and then they saw mayes. they told him to put his hands where they could see them, instead he shot himself. >> walk down there and see what you see. that's obviously been somebody down through there. >> reporter: and suddenly there it was, the tip with all the flies, the exact place in the middle of the woods. judging by this blood on the ground that we found here, this would be the spot that according to authorities adam mayes shot himself. now, in keeping again with their account, the young girls would have been laying on their stomachs directly in front of it. you realize two things. that phone call tip that came in from the public probably saved the lives of kyliyah and alexandria bain but not before the two girls witnessed the deaths of their mother and older sister had to watch one other person die. >> i wish it hadn't happened. i wish those other two lives could be brought back. but it can't. they met their maker. i hope they were ready. >> martin savidge joins me now. three additional arrests have bee

has a visual of seeing mayes with these two girls. >> adam mayes was last seen in mississippi in union county. >> when we talk about the fact that he made the top ten list, what is it that put him on the list in what is it, the credentials or criteria that he was able to achieve to be able to make that infamous list? >> that list is usually reserved for those violent criminals who commit just really egregious crimes and whose ability to flee exceeds that of a local area. so by that we have all the resources of the other federal agencies involved in this and also with local authorities throughout the states. >> agent ford, when it comes to mayes and his family members, and we're also hearing now his outspoken mother-in-law, how much insight have they been able to provide into the relationship or the perception of the relationship that mayes believes he has with this 12 and 8-year-old? >> i cannot provide specific details on any conversations we've had with witnesses or other family members but i can tell you we are receiving a lot of tips into our 1-800- number. i want to urge the publi

victims in it to the mayes trailer in mississippi. police say 65-year-old mary mayes heard her son digging in her backyard the night of the killing. >> i called the investigators on saturday because the statements she was making was a concern. >> reporter: police believe the two girls are alive with mayes and police are thinking that mayes has changed his appearance and cut his long hair. jamie costello, abc2 news. >>> relief could be on the way for some struggling homeowners, bank of america has started mailing out letters to customers who may qualify to have their home loans reduced. more than00,000 -- than 200,000 customers could benefit. only mortgages owned by the bank will qualify. those owned by fannie mae and freddie mac will not qualify. >>> some twitter accounts may have been hacked. most of them are spam handled. there was a emergency posted online saying 55,000 accounts were come promeased. it also post lad link to a pasting site where it said the use are names and passwords for the account. twitter is looking into the sit

his sister is charged for her alleged role in helping adam mayes. first of all, bobby your thoughts on hearing that your former brother-in-law has been shot and is dead. >> all i'm worried about is that the children are safe. the rest is not a concern. thank you, god for letting the kids come home. >> your sister teresa had called you several days ago expressing her concern that adam mayes had killed -- had killed bobby -- >> jo ann and adrienne. >> explain what your sister said to you. >> she told me -- she told a family friend who had he had killed. and she just told me about the grave. >> your sister has been charged with first degree murder. what are your thoughts on that? >> i'm going to be honest. i'm overwhelmed right now. i don't know how to answer that. i'm just glad the kids are safe. >> i can understand that. sunny hostin, i mean legally this is done. he's dead. >> it's done for him as you mentioned. his wife has been charged with first degree murder. we know or believe that the two girls are okay. i don't know that we know all about the

we do know according to statements that were made by theresa mayes, the wife of adam mayes, the man who is suspected of carrying out the attack, she witnessed adam mayes murdering joanne baines and adrienne bains when this kidnapping ordeal began. it would appear they were very aware. and according to theresa mayes after their mother and older sister were murdered, they were all -- the two bodies and two young girls placed into a vehicle and driven from tennessee down into mississippi. so you can only imagine how horrific that would have been. >> now, theresa who's in custody has been charged with first-degree murder. did she drive the vehicle or did -- is it known what role she played in this or allegedly played? >> according to the statements, these are coming from the affidavits that authorities filed. originally she was charged with aggravated kidnapping and then first-degree murder as well. it was in the court documents filed at that time that her statements of witnessing the murder and driving the vehicle that carried the girls' bodies down into mississippi, she admitted to doing

three more people have been taken in custody for allegedly helping adam mayes evade police. he killed himself in the woods near alpine, mississippi earlier this week, as soon as policed closed in on him. next to him were the two sisters he kidnapped after killing their mother, and their older sister. authorities say the girls are still shaken. mayes' wife was charged with two counts of murder in the case. >>> jennifer hudson's former brother-in-law faces life without parole after a chicago jury found him guilty on three counts of first degree murder. william balfour killed hudson's brother, mother and 7-year-old nephew. jennifer hudson was the first of more than 80 witness to take the stand for the prosecution. >>> former police officer of killing a man in the bay area was back in court. he's asking to have his conviction overturned, served a year in prison for shooting oscar grant. the incident led to protests in the bay area, grant's family is upset they didn't know about the hearing this week. >> we're angered. we're hurt, and we're here to express that we felt that we we

we do know according to statements that were made by theresa mayes, the wife of adam mayes, the man who is suspected of carrying out the attack, she witnessed adam mayes murdering joann bain and adrienne bain in the garage of their home back on the night of april 27th when this kidnapping/murder ordeal began. so it would appear they were very aware. again, according to teresa mayes in statements she made to authorities, after their mother and older sister were murdered, they were all -- the two bodies and the two young girls -- placed into a vehicle and driven from tennessee down into mississippi. so you can only imagine how horrific that would have been. >> now, theresa who's in custody has been charged with first-degree murder. did she drive the vehicle or did she -- is it known what role she played in this, allegedly played? >> again, in the statements -- these are coming from the affidavits that authorities have filed. originally she was charged with aggravated kidnapping and then the next day, she was charged with first degree murder as well. it was in the court documents filed at

that's when mayes pulled out a gun. >> mr. mayes was given repeated warnings to show his hands. he did not. and he then shot himself in the head. >> reporter: 12-year-old alexandria bain and 8-year-old kyliyah, were dehydrated but unharmed and quickly rushed away to a memphis hospital as a precaution. a sheriff who first saw them said he told them it was going to be okay and gave them a big hug. >> we are very relieved at this event here tonight. we have two little girls that we can return to tennessee to their families. >> reporter: the girls are the sole survivors of a twisted ordeal. two weeks ago investigators say mayes killed their mother jo ann, and her eldest daughter, 14-year-old adrienne. at the bain's home in rural tennessee. according to court documents, mayes' wife teresa then helped kidnap the two surviving sisters and took them, along with their dead mother and sister, to mayes' home in mississippi. last weekend authorities discovered the victims' bod i goes in a shallow drive up behind mayes' house. >> we can't forget about jo ann and adrienne who did not deserve

we do also know that mayes is considered armed and dangerous. >> i know mayes is a longtime friend of the family. known them for years and years. so why suddenly did he supposedly snap according to police? do they have any idea? >> no indication at this point. she says the daughters may be his. is that a possibility? investigators certainly will be looking into that possibility. but right now they believe that the girls are alive with mayes and as you know, they arrested mayes' mother and also his ex-wife. >> that's just strange. that's just weird. why would they help this man kidnap this family? >> what we know at this point, mayes' mother told investigators that she did see her son digging on that property. we also know that theresa was involved in helping to drive that car from whiteville to guntown so that's why they are currently in custody and as you can imagine, investigators are asking them plenty of questions to try to find out where adam is. >> that's just so strange that the -- i don't know. i don't know. we'll just have to pray. we have a 1-800 number. can we put that back

they thought maybe she ran off with adam mayes. things changed when they found her abandoned car at the side of a dirt road. adam mayes was brought in for questioning. he then was let go. a couple of days later they went back to talk to him and he vanished. that's when he went to the property and they checked out the property of adam mayes and that's where they discovered the shallow grave. this is why there is a -- not quite nationwide but a regional manhunt taking place to try to find adam mayes. >> you mentioned perhaps she ran off with him. what was the relationship between mayes and the bain family? >> that's what makes this story so sad and also so very interesting. the fact that apparently adam mayes had a long time good relationship with this family. they were considered very, very close. he used to have the girls over at his place in mississippi for visits. he would travel with the family when they would go to arizona. in fact, the aunt of jo ann bain spoke to hln last night. this is how she described his feelings toward t

, the wife of adam mayes. bobbi, it's now confirmed that adam mayes is dead and that the two girls are safe. though dehydrated and obviously shaken by this experience. what are your thoughts on hearing that? >> i'm just glad they're alive. i would like to have seen adam face his charges and stay more accountable. he took the sissy way out. but i praise god that the girls are safe. that's all this matters. >> do you have any sense of -- i mean, what spurred all this, why he would have done this? >> i have no idea at all. >> and have you talked to your sister since she's been in custody, since she's been charged? >> no, they have not allowed her to have any phone calls. >> what are your thoughts on what your sister has been charged with? >> it's unreal. unreal. because my sister does not have the mental state. i mean, she has a mind like a 10-year-old. and i'm not defending her. she needs to stand accountable for her actions. but they need to do -- the whole investigation needs to be done. >> what kind of guy --

adam mayes is accused of murdering a mother and daughter two years ago and kidnapping two daughters. mark strausman reports. an intense multistate manhunt is under way. >> we believe adam mayes could be anywhere in the united states and we are extremely concerned for the safety of the girls. >> reporter: the fbi will continue its intensive search for adam mayes, one of the most wanted in america. he is expected of killing joanne baines and her 14-year- old daughter adrian in their home last month. and kidnapping 12-year-old alexandria,a and 8-year-old kayleah. mayes mother says he believed he was their father. >> my daughter said he lives, sleeps, eats and breathes, nothing but these two children. >> reporter: charges against mayes and his wife teresa, were upgraded to murder wednesday. teresa is seen here with the bane children, claims she saw the children killed in cold blood. both were directly part of the kidnapping of alexandria, and that she drove the youngest of the bane girls to mississippi. that's where mayes was seen last, caught on surveillance camera at a video store. >>

the search for mayes and bain's youngest daughters ended last night. a tip led law enforcement officials to a wooded area in northeast mississippi. >> an officer observed alexandria bain in a heavily wooded area approximately 100 yards behind the church. officers immediately issued commands to adam mayes to show his hands. mayes pulled a semi-automatic pistol from his waistband and shot himself in the head. >> he was pronounced dead at an area hospital. the two girls are not harmed, suffering from dehydration and poison ivy. they've been hospitalized for observation. >>> at least eight people were injured when an apparent tornado touched down in southeast texas. the twister hit the small town about 85 miles west of houston last night. a hospital lost part of its roof and 25 cars of a freight train were derailed. the injured were working at a fund-raiser at the local high school. >> our coach realized what was going on and he grabbed us all and stuck us in a closet to keep us safe. the press box at the football field was gone. so, all of that was just b

. >> we'll have more on the search for adam mayes. you're watching "cbs this morning." >> announcer: this portion of "cbs this morning" sponsored by kay jewelers. every kiss begins with kay. ♪ [ dad ] what's that? you got mommy a mother's day present? from where? whoa. nice. oh, i totally agree... ...she is the best mommy... ever. ♪ it's beautiful. [ male announcer ] the charmed memories collection at kay jewelers. each charm is hand-crafted in italy and with hundreds of charms to choose from, the possibilities are endless. create your own memories with charmed memories. one more reason kay is the number-one jewelry store in america. ♪ every kiss begins with kay [ son ] mom, computer's broke! where's i.t. mom? she quit. [ male announcer ] even with technology -- it's all you. that's why you've got us. get up to $200 dollars off select computers. staples that was easy. is to create it. [ female announcer ] now create a new future for your skin. only aveeno positively radiant has total soy, for a whole new level of radiance. it's

mayes is dead, however. elizabeth prann has more. >> reporter: two young sisters from tennessee along with that are abductor have been found they are alive but he is dead. >> i'm pleased to announce that earlier this evening, troopers with the mississippi highway safety patrol special operations group and the law enforcement arm of mississippi wildlife, fisheries and parks assigned to our fbi affect force rescued the girls. >> reporter: the discovery puts the nearly two-week multistate manhunt for 35-year-old fugitive adam mayes to an end. mayes is suspected in the murder of the girls' mother and elder sister. joanne and adrienne bain's bodies were found last week behind the home. maze and his wife theresa have been charged in their death. >> we actually believe that he killed joanne and adrienne at the home, put their bodies into the car and then took the other two the girl and drove the bodies and the little girl across the state line into mississippi where he then disposed of the bodies. >> reporter: maye

then mayes. >> we immediately issued commands to adam mayes to show his hand. mayes pulled a semiautomatic pistol from his waist band and shot himself in the head. >> emergency responders brought the fugitive back to life twice before he died at a local hospital. the girls were suffering from exposure, dehydration and poison ivy. they were taken into the hospital for treatment as a precaution. >>> still to come when 9news now continues, the washington redskins are celebrating a huge milestone. we're going to take you to the party when we come back. >> an operation to stop al qaeda from blowing up a u.s. airliner would coo have been compromised by leaks. i'm have that story. >>> american forces are going after the terrorist group that tried to bomb an american-bound airliner this week. the terrorists failed because a double agent infiltrated the group and foiled that attack. susan mcginnis has more. >> reporter: u.s. launched air strikes in yemen killed as many as seven militants. it was the second attack against al qaeda in the arabian peninsula in less than a

mayes may have cut their hair. with their lives in the balance, the manhunt is now focused on union county, mississippi, where the girls' mother and sister were found dead on saturday. the bodies of joann bain and her 14-year-old daughter adrienne were found in the backyard of a home linked to mayes. mayes is said to be a longtime family friend of the bains. tonight authorities have arrested his mother and his ex-wife. they're accused of helping him in the kidnapping. martin savidge joins me now. what's the latest on the search for the two girls? >> i think the biggest development has to be the arrests that have been made -- or at least that were announced today -- of the wife or the ex-wife, depends who you talk to, of adam mayes, who's the prime suspect in this case. she's 31-year-old teresa, and she's being held on $500,000 bond. she apparently has confessed to authorities that she drove, in essence, the getaway car that transported the bain family across state lines from tennessee, where they were abducted, to

one of them gave mayes the gun he used to kill himself. police found mayes and the two girls he kidnapped in the mississippi woods. he killed their mother and oldest daughter after kidnapping them in tennessee. mayes wife is charge with two counts of murder. >> my sister and his mother will carry the weight because people want justice and i understand, if my sister took part in this i want her to be punished but i want her fairly punished. >> the two sisters have been reunited with their family. >>> emotional but relieved, how an illinois state attorney describes the reaction of jennifer hudson and her family after her former brother-in-law, william balfour, was found guilty of murdering the singer's mother, brother and nephew, he will be sentenced to life without parole. the defense team will appeal. >>> anti-government protesters calling for regime change marched in syria the same day a bomb went off near a government office killing a guard. >>> human rights group reports 22 other people have been killed in violence across the country. c