But in the same sense, I always thought, "Well, it has to be.". GBI agent Gary Rothwell said GBI agents' reports included the names Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes in 2005. Marcus Harper: It was like a calling. Bo was facing a maximum 25-year sentence. Peter Van Sant: Why do you think investigators ignored you? . Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara. Ryan was born April 23, 1981. Funeral homes; Help and advice. The last witness in the case was GBI Agent Mitchell Posey, who was brought in to prove Duke wasnt lying in his 2017 recorded confession, "The question was How did you identify Tara? The answer was The pictures on the wall," Posey said, "Ryan is the one talking about the G&G in front of it. Maria Woods Harber: She was charismatic, determined, a beautiful personality. Bones that were so degraded, no official cause of death could be determined. Maria Woods Harber: Well, it's very emotional. Maria Woods Harber: She's been an inspiration. focused on the investigators who have worked the case over the years. But questions remained about discrepancies between Ryan's version of events and Bo's. But some things stuck out to Maria. I definitely didn't wanna settle down in small town America. Defense appeals delayed Ryan Dukes trial since the original 2019 start date. Two months later, in February 2007, McCullough says he called three police departments in Georgia including Ocilla, where he left a voice message saying: John McCullough: "This is John McCullough. Sympathy Ideas. "There was a profile that matched a toothbrush of Tara Grinstead and there was an unknown male profile," Hinkle said. John McCullough: Yeah and we were pretty close. "Ryan Duke, the man in that chair, confessed to the murder of Tara Grinstead," prosecutor Brad Rigby said. Jannis Paulk: So, I sat down with an agent and we just went through everything. A man named Ryan Duke was accused of the crime. Zion Baptist Church, 1012 Adams St. View the obituary at www.BEBrownCo.com. Marcus always maintained his innocence but remained under suspicion. Peter Van Sant: How did you and Bo Dukes meet? And the reason he knew she wasn't coming back, is because he had put load after load of wood on her body and burned her. Wide open space so the woods wouldnt catch on fire," Duke said while trying to find the location. Age. "I said, 'You need to confess. Ryan Dukes said he started to see Bo Dukes more often after he was discharged from the Army for being AWOL. Peter Van Sant: Was it an emotional moment for you to realize someone had been arrested after all that time? He pleaded not guilty. Peter Van Sant: Why would Ryan Duke have murdered Tara Grinstead? Prosecutors called two witnesses before dismissing the jury a lunchtime to debate how much of the Duke's confession could be shown. GBI agents have also said DNA matching both Duke and Grinstead was found on a latex glove discovered in her yard. A devoted husband and grandfather, Duane was born on May 1, 1950, in South Gate, California, the son of Edwin and Florann (Boisseau) Dukes. Ryan Duke testified he went to help Bo Dukes load wood into his truck and move Grinstead's body. Prosecutors do not expect to file murder charges against Bo Dukes. Not a one. Jannis Paulk: We shared that tip with the local sheriff's department. But there was more Brooke says Bo then admitted his own involvement in the crime, saying: Brooke Sheridan: "And I helped him burn her body.". Send Flowers. LAWYER: It sounds like you're saying you assumed it was handled properly? In 1999, Tara Grinstead won the Miss Tifton pageant, which landed her a spot at the 1999 Miss Georgia competition. According to Bo Dukes, the two men took Bo's pickup truck and drove out of town onto a highway and pulled off onto a dirt road leading to the pecan orchard that's owned by Bo Dukes' family. I'm not gonna shy away to the fact that I was I was bitter. Peter Van Sant: How many times did you call the GBI over what period of time and you still didn't get any . As for his alibi, Ryan claimed that he had been at his mobile home in Fitzgerald the entire night. Ryan Dukes. Garlan says after he reported this to Jannis Paulk, he was never formally interviewed by anyone from law enforcement. See the viral video from Bo Dukes' sentencing below: Georgia Supreme Court rules Ryan Duke can use state funds for defense in Grinstead case, Tara Grinstead case: Bo Dukes reports to prison for 25-year sentence, The trial was scheduled for October, but lawyers met this week and agreed to delay the case to spring 2022, Lent List: What is most often given up, and how you can find substitutes, Major water leak keeps Dublin City Hall closed, March kicks off by continuing the warm stretch, small rain chance. And it wasn't the only one overlooked. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mamie Rae. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. The talented signer was named Miss Tifton and competed in the Miss Georgia beauty pageant. That was after investigators finally reached out to John McCullough. That was the last time Ryan Duke said he saw Tara Grinstead's body. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Ryan was thus sentenced to 10 years behind bars, which he currently seems to be serving. They've lived so many years without being punished. From arguing that the glove with Ryans DNA was planted outside Taras house by Bo to him testifying it was the latter whod woken him up that night and admitted to killing Tara, the trial included it all. They think the community can heal, pointing the finger at Bo Dukes for the murder. Please contact your local Neptune Society office for cremation prices, and to learn more about our cremation service. Two years later, in March 2019, Bo was the first to go on trial. And I was like, "Yeah." And in this trial, Agent Gary Rothwell finally explained what happened with those tips. Ryan Duke alibi: Tara Grinstead murder suspect now says he was asleep Caption Continuing Coverage By Alexis Stevens, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution March 14, 2019 The man accused of killing a. Ryan Duke testified he "passed out" after a night of drinking before Tara Grinstead allegedly died. Just weeks after Tara vanished at a party in a pecan orchard, one of Jannis Paulk's employees told her that he had overheard two young men tell a disturbing story. More than a decade later, the GBI charged Duke -- her former student -- with killing her and hiding her body in a pecan orchard. Several agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation also took the stand. The state argues in 2017 Duke was swabbed, and his DNA positively matched that found on the glove. Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. But McCullough wasn't the only witness who gave details about Tara's death. I didnt know what else to do," Ryan said. He said, "I don't know why he did it.". Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. Search by Name. Over the past 47+ years, our experienced team has assisted families, their loved ones, and caregivers in carrying out final wishes more affordably, with dignity and respect. Prosecutors played that videotape of Bo's interview with the GBI. Finally, he cracked. Ray Dukes passed away on January 15, 2022 at the age of 37 in CHARLOTTE, North Carolina. Peter Van Sant: This was the man she thought she'd build a life with. So, he went to trial hoping jurors might show mercy for a man who had already confessed to his role in the crime. He was there with his brother, Stephen, and their friends, Bo Dukes and Ben McMahan. In cross-examination, Rothwell added that he takes responsibility for the GBI lapse. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. John McCullough: If there wasn't multiple police officers that were inside the courtroom on the day that I testified on the stand, I probably would have ripped him apart with my hands. On Friday, two key witnesses took the stand: the forensic biologist who tested the glove found at Tara Grinstead's home and the forensic anthropologist brought in who helped find Grinstead's buried remains. Incredibly, McCullough says, no one returned his calls. 5260 Daniel J. Enea, Manager. Bo Dukes shares details of what happened to Tara Grinstead with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Maria Woods Harber: My best friend, Tara Grinstead, was a beautiful person on the inside and the outside. AIKEN, SC - Kenneth Michael Dukes, 66, died Thursday, March 30, 2017 at his residence. GBI AGENT: So, you immediately see this and you're like "what in the hell did you do? the judge said. And everybody has to live with that," Superior Court Judge Bill Reinhardt said before giving out his sentence. A "panicked" Bo Dukes woke him up the following morning, Ryan Duke testified. A jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murder but guilty of concealing her body. Ryan worked at a plastics manufacturing plant, while Bo would occasionally work at his family's pecan farm. Oregan Residents: Please note that in the State of Oregon, Funeral Board Rule 830-040-0000(3) requires our trade name include the identification of our funeral activity or function. Witness Randy Hudson owned the pecan orchard where Grinstead's body was allegedly disposed. They said in court filings that Duke was asleep at home when Grinstead was killed. "Mr. Dukes, do you plan to invoke your 5th amendment right to every question?" But after he broke down to Brooke, she told Bo it was time to tell the truth. He was a graduate of Aiken High School and received his bachelors degree from USC Aiken. Tara was. Ryan Duke at his first court hearing after his arrest in February 2017, charged with Tara Grinstead's murder. As Jannis recalls, early on, suspicion focused on the men in Tara's life. What to do during a tornado: Where is your safe spot. He lived most his life in Aiken and worked as a procedures writer at the Savannah River . Gary Rothwell [2008]: It is one of the most extensive investigations undertaken by the GBI. Searching obituaries is a great place to start your family tree research. Neighbors knocked on her door but got no response. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. As such, in the State of Oregon Preneed Crematory Sales and Services are conducted under the trade name Neptune Cremation Service. Ryan Duke said he was afraid of Bo Dukes, who repeatedly told him not to talk about Tara Grinstead. While it might have not been explosive "smoking gun" testimony, it did paint a picture of the scene police officers were met with during a welfare check at the high school teachers home 17 years ago when she failed to show up to work on a particular Monday in October 2005. There was no other option. Ricou Browning, the stunt man who played the title character in underwater sequences of the 1954 classic "Creature from the Black Lagoon," died Monday at 93. Dukes invited McCullough to Ocilla to spend Christmas with his family. Investigators say Ryan confessed to killing Grinstead in a voluntary interview shortly before his arrest: "I used to break into people's houses, just to steal money. I can't imagine the loss of a child. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Brooke Sheridan: Ryan Woke him up and said, "I killed Tara Grinstead.". It was a year after Tara's disappearance. Before the sentencing, Connie Grinstead, Tara Grinstead's stepmother, told the judge that "for over 11 years we went to bed every night wondering where Tara was and every morning we woke up with the same question - where is she?". He recognized her from Irwin County High School, where he was a student, and she was teaching at the time. This program is not financed by or connected in any manner with any governmental agency or veteran's or other organization. Investigators say Ryan confessed to killing Grinstead. I don't remember everything clearly I was stealing from her purse. AGENT GARY ROTHWELL: It is something we should've followed up, but we we didn't. But back then, Bo denied everything. Her colleagues at the school where she worked called the Ocilla Police Department to check on the 11th-grade teachers home. DEFENSE [closing arguments]: Bo Dukes should be on trial for the murder of Tara Grinstead, not Ryan. But no one in Ocilla knew what had happened when Tara seemingly vanished after leaving that barbecue on Saturday night, October 22. Jurors heard the forensic analysis on that piece of evidence. For those who loved Tara Grinstead, Bo Dukes' 25-year sentence for covering up her death was only partial justice. Mike Dukes. And what she had to say implicated a man whose name had repeatedly been given to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Aiken SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare (www.letlovelive.org) or the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). Anthropologist Dr. Ashley Gooding was brought in by the GBI in 2017 to help dig and identify possible human remains in the pecan orchard Duke claimed to have burned and buried Grinstead's body. Friday, a jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and burglary connected to the death of Georgia beauty queen and teacher Tara Grinstead. Make a life-giving gesture. The defense argued that Ryan's former best friend, Bo Dukes, was the man responsible for Grinstead's death throughout the trial. She snuck up on me and I hit her. The GBI tested that glove and found not only Tara's DNA on it, but the DNA profile of an unknown male. Lawyers and the judge also met today in whats called a charging conference where they finalized the official charges that the jury will be presented. And the next month, Bo Dukes, who years earlier had sat in Tara's class was arrested and charged not with murder, but with concealing a death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators in is original GBI interview. Jannis Paulk, who knows the family, paints a different picture of Bo. Published by Mobile Register and Baldwin County from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023. BRYAN DUKES OBITUARY. I just got off the phone with another department that had didn't do sh.". Stephen S. Dukes, 61, of York Haven died Sunday, November 21, 2021 at Select Specialty Hospital, Camp Hill. he's very shut shut off emotions, feelings he doesn't talk about. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael. 2023 FOX Television Stations, jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and burglary, state and defense attorneys wrapped up their closing arguments. He claims he realized this after she was dead. Yet both these demands were denied by the court. "I hope Mr. Duke lives the rest of his life begging God for forgiveness every day from his dying breath," she said before asking the court to give him the maximum sentence. Of the six charges, Duke was found guilty of one count of concealing Grinstead's death. But what about that latex glove with Ryan's DNA on it found in Tara's front yard? Find an Obituary. The returned to the orchard once, where the ashes looked like a small campfire. 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