I'm so sick of this stealing from her purse. The trial of the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 16 years ago has been pushed back into 2022. The defense had previously asked the judge to dismiss the case, an action that was quickly declined. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. He claims he realized this after she was dead. Mobile Register and Baldwin County Homepage. That boyfriend was Marcus Harper, a former cop from Ocilla. PROSECUTION: The man in THAT chair, confessed to the murder of Tara Grinstead. Somebody has abducted her and holding her somewhere hostage. There was no other option. Updated on: May 24, 2022 / 10:33 AM Sending condolences & deepest condolences to the Dukes Family. Texas Residents: For additional information regarding prepaid funeral contracts, please visit the website www.prepaidfunerals.texas.gov which is maintained by the Texas Department of Banking. State and defense teams made their pitches to jurors and began examining witnesses. The funeral will follow at 11 oclock in the chapel with The Rev. It turned out that he had completed his education from the Irwin County High School, which is where Tara used to work, three years before she went missing, and they might have come in contact there. John McCullough: He was like, "yeah, do you remember that bulletin that you had asked me about with that girl on it?" In addition to his parents, Ryan was preceded in death by his brother, Kenneth Jason Dukes, paternal grandfather, E. Kenneth Dukes; maternal grandparents, David Leon and Mamie Rae Lundsford Heilig and an aunt, Cindy Dukes Darr. In 1999, Tara Grinstead won the Miss Tifton pageant, which landed her a spot at the 1999 Miss Georgia competition. However, when it came to corroborating, Stephen testified in Bo Dukes trial that he couldnt confirm any of it. Marcus Harper: It was like a calling. Texas FD #3523, #5075, #3185, #3349, #3705 John K. Dukes, Jr. Mar. Brooke Sheridan: It was something very dark and I I chalked it up to, you know, serving his time in the military. You need to own what you've done and confess," Sheridan told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant in 2017. He returned to the trailer, according to testimony, where Bo Dukes said he'd show him where Tara Grinstead's body was. Ryan Duke said he helped Bo Dukes load Grinstead's body onto a pile of wood, covered her with more wood and lit the pile on fire. The GBI was overwhelmed with tips at the time and this one slipped through the cracks. The defense argued that Ryan's former best friend, Bo Dukes, was the man responsible for Grinstead's death throughout the trial. Brooke Sheridan: We actually met on Tinder. And that's where she wanted to stay and where she wanted to be. She would never leave her kids. . Grinstead graduated from Middle Georgia College and began teaching at Irwin County High School in Ocilla in 1998. You need to own to what you've done and confess. I didn't know who I was staring at. The defense also called neighbors who provided testimony that supported a theory that Grinstead may have voluntarily left the home. That tip went nowhere. JOHN MCCULLOUGH: The exact location, he didn't tell me, but had made the comment of, you know, we took her to the middle of the pecan orchard and burned her body. Born on January 20, 1989 in Easton, Bryan is the son of Kathy Elburn Dukes . DEFENSE: We know the State hasn't brought a single witness to tell you it was on the ground before Monday morning. Bo Dukes is serving 25 years for concealing her death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. "Ryan did not kill Ms. Grinstead. They said in court filings that Duke was asleep at home when Grinstead was killed. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. 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. 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. Maria Woods Harber: And the next morning I got a call saying that I need to get to Ocilla. "Ryan Duke, the man in that chair, confessed to the murder of Tara Grinstead," prosecutor Brad Rigby said. View Obituaries Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home, Inc. and Shellhouse-Rivers Crematory Ryan Dukes August 23, 1974 - April 26, 2018. DEFENSE: What was his expression, his demeanor when that happened? Brooke Sheridan: I had never connected with somebody and had fun with somebody like I have with him. The defense argued the prosecution has no evidence tying Duke to the house that night and Duke's confession was made under the influence of medication. Peter Van Sant: And by Ryan saying to him, "Hey, buddy. In 2012 he was charged and convicted of stealing more than $150,000 worth of military supplies. There were billboards. "Mr. Dukes, do you plan to invoke your 5th amendment right to every question?" John McCullough: I'm glad somebody's finally listening. Superior Courts, Cordele Judicial Circuit. More than a decade later, the GBI charged Duke -- her former student -- with killing her and hiding her body in a pecan orchard. Sandra Lee Dukes Sandra Lee "flicka" Dukes passed away at home on January 27th 2019 under the care of Hospice and her loving family. Send Flowers . Mike Dukes. Ray Dukes passed away on January 15, 2022 at the age of 37 in CHARLOTTE, North Carolina. Brooke says she kept encouraging Bo to open up to talk about this dark subject that was destroying him. But McCullough was determined to get the truth out. Tara didn't bring home the Miss Georgia crown, but just competing was a huge achievement says Dana Wilder, who grew up in Ocilla. Ryan Dukes Obituary Remember Ryan Dukes. On the glove they not only identified Tara's DNA, but that of an unknown male. Ryan Duke is standing trial for Grinsteads murder. The state argues in 2017 Duke was swabbed, and his DNA positively matched that found on the glove. 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. But I think it's taken a lot of toll on them mentally and physically. Connie Grinstead argued that the family pleaded and begged for any news about Tara for years and that Duke's "silence was deafening.". Ryan was born April 23, 1981. My truck was Luminoled photographs were taken. And in this trial, Agent Gary Rothwell finally explained what happened with those tips. Tara's alarm clock was under her bed, and a bedside lamp was broken. He was a graduate of A Tara Faye Grinstead was the youngest child of Bill and Faye Grinstead, born in 1974. 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. He eventually went to court in 2022, with the central defense being hed given a false confession in 2017, partially owing to the fact he was afraid of his former friend Bo. Looking at Ryans life, there isnt much of criminal history. Prosecutors asked Rothwell why no one followed up on a tip naming Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes as suspects. We pray that people will remember that the defendant was not the victim. And she snuck up on me and I hit her. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. He is preceded in death by his. And she told them about her employee's tip three years earlier regarding Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke. Defense appeals delayed Ryan Dukes trial since the original 2019 start date. Ryan worked at a plastics manufacturing plant, while Bo would occasionally work at his family's pecan farm. Investigators chased down dozens of leads across the country, but tips emerged that led right back to the high school where Tara was a teacher and perhaps someone who had sat in her classroom. and that's nobody's business, but in this case, it made it tough. 5260 Daniel J. Enea, Manager. Neighbors knocked on her door but got no response. At his sentencing hearing, Tara's stepmother, Connie, expressed how Tara's family felt about Ryan Duke. And why the f- would you do it here on my family's pecan orchard? 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. Brooke Sheridan: I said, "You have to talk to me. Ryan Duke said he first started "hanging out" with Bo Dukes during his senior year of high school. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. 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. Marcus Harper: I received a phone call And the voice on the other end of the phone said, you know, "Brother, your 12 years of hell is over. Send a Card. John McCullough says he is still haunted by painful memories of being ignored by investigators. Ryan Duke testified he drove from Fitzgerald to Ocilla in an unsuccessful attempt to return Grinstead's wallet, and he left Bo Dukes in the trailer. But some things stuck out to Maria. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Ways to honor John Dukes's life and legacy. Ryan Duke testified he went to help Bo Dukes load wood into his truck and move Grinstead's body. Maria Woods Harber: She was absolutely elegant onstage. 83 Peacefully passed away on February 23, 2023. he's very shut shut off emotions, feelings he doesn't talk about. OCILLA, Ga. Editor's Note: The video in this story is archive footage from our coverage of the case in the mid-2010s. However, his lawyers, who are working pro-bono, claimed that even in that situation, he should get his due of the funds to ensure a fair trial. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. And this time, the whole world seemed to be listening. Peter Van Sant: How did you and Bo Dukes meet? A native and lifelong resident of Aiken County, Cindy was a daughter of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. John McCullough: Yeah, Tara Grinstead, and said, you know, "missing.". "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. Posey says Duke corrected the GBI agent over 20 times during his confession, and said he believes that is key to note. But in the same sense, I always thought, "Well, it has to be.". April 26, 2018 Aiken, South Carolina Set a Reminder for the Anniversary of Ryan's Passing. Marcus was often overseas, and though they had broken up by the fall of 2005, friends say Tara was distraught about the relationship ending. "(Bo Dukes) reaches down, he grabs her arm and flips her over," Ryan Duke said. 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. Visitation: Saturday, Feb. 18th from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour at Mt. The two men drove about 200 yards up the road to where Tara Grinstead's body had been placed. NEW ELLENTON, SC -- CYNTHIA SUSAN DUKES DARR, 52, died Sunday, October 9, 2011 at her residence. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. She was a member of Millbrook Baptist Church. Eventually, a breakthrough tip came around, and two men were arrested in relation to the Tara case. In total, there were more than 40 witnesses and 300 pieces of evidence presented in the case. He called the state's top law enforcement agency heading the investigation, the GBI. An Irwin County jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murdering Georgia teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead. But back then, Bo denied everything. Investigators said Grinsteads car was in the driveway when police arrived at the home. GARLAN LOTT: The statement that I recall was, 'We killed and burned her body.". "That was a presumption that we should have never, ever made, but it happened, and it's my fault," Rothwell said. I ran. "Any reason to continue this?" Ryan William Drakes Obituary. Jannis Paulk even created a website to help authorities collect information. And I think she was just trying to move on in a small town of Ocilla, everyone knew their situation. Now, it was Brooke's turn to be tormented by a terrible secret. But no one in Ocilla knew what had happened when Tara seemingly vanished after leaving that barbecue on Saturday night, October 22. He testified he could tell the body was a woman's, wearing a t-shirt and some type of jogging pants. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. I didnt know what else to do," Ryan said. His fellow soldier? The agent asks Bo his first reaction when he went to the orchard with Ryan. Anita Gattis said her sister's disappearance threw her family into "an out-of-control spiral" that they've never escaped. In closing, as Tara's family looked on, the prosecution held to their argument that Ryan had told the truth back in 2017. Prosecutors called friends and acquaintances of the Georgia teacher and beauty queen. It was reactionary. "I cant lie. ", Brooke Sheridan: He says, "I just want her family to know. Another video shown shows Duke leading investigators to where he says he dumped and burned her body. After the defense rested their case, the state got the last opportunity to present witnesses as a rebuttal. Maria says Tara was determined to live her dreams from a young age, competing in beauty pageants to help earn scholarship money for college. Yet hes still facing outstanding concealment charges in a neighboring Georgia county where Taras body had been burned. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. Share. Maria Woods Harber grew up with Tara. Dana Wilder: Ocilla was Tara's life. I can still see her standing at the door. Jannis Paulk: So, Bo was known in the community for being a little over the top, unfiltered. The state's line of questioning tried to show the jury that Ryan Duke is capable of lying. . Praying for your family have strength. An interesting turn of events came when Ryans 11-page confession, where hed detailed everything thatd transpired on that fateful evening, came to light. Forward to Family & Friends; Print; Contact Support; Upgrade; Death Certificates; Share This Obituary. Therefore, on May 20, 2022, the jury only found him guilty of concealing a death he was acquitted of every other count. A "panicked" Bo Dukes woke him up the following morning, Ryan Duke testified. Make a Memorial Donation . He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. Food has always been a go-to for people in mourning. Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara Grinstead's body at the pecan orchard, where the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found her remains years later. The alleged drug addict was arrested once for a DUI in 2010 but was released on bond. Not guilty of malice murder and he was acquitted of all charges relating to Tara's murder convicted only of concealing her death. But police noted that her purse and keys were missing. Ryan Duke Trial Day 7 Recap. Defense attorneys began to call witnesses of their own Monday when the state prosecutors rested their case after over a week of arguments. Pallbearers will be Ryan Dukes, Jeffery Dukes, Evan Darr, Zac Buckner, Chris McGee, Chad Polatty and James Whittle. But questions remained about discrepancies between Ryan's version of events and Bo's. Visit our Support Center. Cindy Susan Dukes Darr June 10, 1959 - October 9, 2011. It was part of town gossip that they had gotten into an argument after Marcus had come back to town earlier than expected that October. As Jannis recalls, early on, suspicion focused on the men in Tara's life. Ryan Duke's murder trial was scheduled to start Oct 4 in Irwin County, Georgia, but lawyers in the case met with Judge Bill Reinhardt Wednesday and agreed to delay the case due to rising COVID-19 . The two then went to a party. Speaking in court before Ryan Dukes' sentencing, Anita Gattis said her sister's disappearance threw her family into ''an out-of-control spiral'' that they've never escaped. As for his alibi, Ryan claimed that he had been at his mobile home in Fitzgerald the entire night. Bo Dukes who years earlier had sat in Tara Grinstead's class was arrested and charged not with murder, but with concealing a death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. 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