Published by Mobile Register and Baldwin County from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023. He is extremely intelligent. So, he went to trial hoping jurors might show mercy for a man who had already confessed to his role in the crime. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. The defense argued Duke was on pain pills and not in his right mind when he made the confession. She did not want to end it. Bryan Samuel Dukes, 30, passed away on November 22, 2019 as a result of a work-related accident. Superior Courts, Cordele Judicial Circuit. The defense said Ryan was under the influence of painkillers at the time, and only took the blame because he was afraid of Bo. Brooke Sheridan: I said, "You have to talk to me. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. Jurors also heard from a latent fingerprint examiner who came in 2017 to try to identify and confirm the prints found on a glove in Grinstead's yard. 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. 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. Ryan Duke testified he went to help Bo Dukes load wood into his truck and move Grinstead's body. Yet both these demands were denied by the court. Jannis, who ran a local web design company, became an expert on the case keeping a close watch since Tara was reported missing. Anita Gattis said her sister's disappearance threw her family into "an out-of-control spiral" that they've never escaped. She says the lawyers discussed pushing the trial into next March, but Judge Reinhardt hasn't signed an order confirming that. Peter Van Sant: What emotional impact does this have for you when you see this house? Jannis Paulk: She was dating, I think, more than people realized that she was dating. John McCullough: I have no idea. Ryan Duke said he thought Bo Dukes was playing a joke on him, until he saw her corpse. Year after year passed with no arrests. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://www.nationalcremation.com/location/irving- for the Drakes family. In Ryan's interview with the GBI, he said he had hit Tara, but Bo said Ryan told him otherwise: BO DUKES [GBI interview]: He jumped on her, while he was she was in bed and strangled her right there in her bed. Bo Dukes comes from a prominent family that owned a huge pecan orchard in the Ocilla area. She described the various DNA tests performed on the glove hoping to find clues, "It was about 90% unknown male and 10% Ms. Grinstead,". I ran. Maria Woods Harber: She was an excellent teacher. The state's witness called Grinstead's 79-year-old father, Billy Grinstead, to the stand, who broke down. A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mamie Rae. The door was locked. Both men are awaiting trial in a neighboring county on charges related to burning Tara's body. But questions remained about discrepancies between Ryan's version of events and Bo's. However, the family eventually hired a private investigator. He said he lied to the GBI agent that interviewed him about breaking into Grinstead's house and fatal striking and choking her. Both men were surprising suspects to the cops, who claimed that theyd never came up on the radar. Bo told them that he and Ryan had burned Taras body at the Hudson Pecan Company pecan orchard, and when the area was searched, some human bone fragments were found. In 2017, Brooke Sheridan came forward to the GBI saying that her boyfriend, Bo Dukes, told her that he had helped his friend, Ryan Duke, cover up Tara Grinstead's murder. None of the insurance products promoted at this sales event are endorsed by those organizations, all of which offer free advice to veterans about how to qualify and apply for benefits. They laid out the evidence collected at Grinsteads property just following her disappearance. Rothwell said the GBI never followed up after their names appeared in an investigative summary. Visitation: Saturday, Feb. 18th from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour at Mt. He's the uncle of Bo Dukes. And he said he threw his arms up just like this [shrugs her shoulders], "What are you gonna do?". Texas FD #3523, #5075, #3185, #3349, #3705 His fellow soldier? Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara. Ryan Duke said he wouldn't have recognized who it was if Bo Dukes hadn't told him. And it wasn't the only one overlooked. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Bo then gave his account of moving and then burning her body, which began on a Wednesday and took two days. Browse Atlanta Journal-Constitution obituaries, conduct other obituary searches, offer condolences/tributes, send flowers or create an online memorial. "That is a question that has bothered me for years," he said. Brooke Sheridan: Ryan Woke him up and said, "I killed Tara Grinstead.". Forward to Family & Friends; Print; Contact Support; Upgrade; Death Certificates; Share This Obituary. They said in court filings that Duke was asleep at home when Grinstead was killed. They argued Duke was not responsible for her death but solely helped Bo Dukes dispose of the body, alleging that Bo Dukes was the mastermind behind the crime. He denied that, but when asked why he lied to the GBI about killing Grinstead, Duke said, "I'm trying to make that right.". So, it's kind of crappy right now. 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. Sending my condolences to Mrs. Wendy and her sons. One witness, Heath Dykes, testified to having a relationship with Grinstead while his was married. Of the six charges, Duke was found guilty of one count of concealing Grinstead's death. 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. But I think it's taken a lot of toll on them mentally and physically. Ocilla Police Chief Billy Hancock called theGeorgia Bureau of Investigationto help. Brooke Sheridan: I said, "You need to confess. There was a 34-hour gap between when someone last saw her and when officers performed that welfare check on Monday morning. This is your truck, and this is your family's land," basically that was interpreted by Bo as a threat that we're partners now in this? The GBI tested that glove and found not only Tara's DNA on it, but the DNA profile of an unknown male. View The Obituary For Ryan Dukes of Aiken, South Carolina. My deepest condolences to my church family, may God give you all the strength and peace during your time of sorrow. "There was a profile that matched a toothbrush of Tara Grinstead and there was an unknown male profile," Hinkle said. And she was very distraught. I can't live with myself. I definitely didn't wanna settle down in small town America. And as they were driving around town, a billboard caught his eye. Connie Grinstead argued that the family pleaded and begged for any news about Tara for years and that Duke's "silence was deafening.". That was the last time Ryan Duke said he saw Tara Grinstead's body. And this time, the whole world seemed to be listening. The state focused on Ryan Duke's 2017 recorded confession to GBI agents. Example video title will go here for this video. Tara didn't bring home the Miss Georgia crown, but just competing was a huge achievement says Dana Wilder, who grew up in Ocilla. This DNA test was taken two years before defendant Ryan Dukes recorded confession. My truck was Luminoled photographs were taken. Back then, hardly anyone thought this case would ever be solved. I was a drug addict I'd been drinking. Q: Did you see Miss Grinstead's body after she died? Make a Memorial Donation . It took a jury less than an hour to convict Bo Dukes on all charges. DEFENSE: Mr. Duke, did you murder Tara Grinstead? Both had been students at Tara's high school. Jannis Paulk: So, I sat down with an agent and we just went through everything. Maria Woods Harber grew up with Tara. Soon after his arrest, Ryan Duke was indicted on the charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, burglary, and concealing the death of another, to all of which he pleaded not guilty. Duke is to be sentenced Monday. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Then, in 2017, a woman came forward with a remarkable story about her boyfriend but could it be trusted? McCullough, now a manager at a water company in Texas, had met Bo Dukes at Army boot camp in 2006. Visit our Support Center. He testified that Bo Dukes told him he had killed Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died. Another video shown portrayed Duke leading investigators to the pecan orchard he claims he took the lifeless body. Thanks to the loyal support of generations of families, we've now grown to 45 locations nationwide with continued expansion in the future. The agent asks Bo his first reaction when he went to the orchard with Ryan. Neighbors knocked on her door but got no response. Create an obituary. "Over the course of the last three weeks reliving this heinous act that Ryan Alexander Duke committed ripped open the wounds," Gattis told the court before calling Duke "evil," "sneaky dangerous," and a "vile human. Peter Van Sant: How did you and Bo Dukes meet? Tara's car was parked in the driveway. Who is he and where is he now? Bo Dukes is serving 25 years for concealing her death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. Bo Dukes shares details of what happened to Tara Grinstead with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. It was an opening like that. If convicted of murder, Duke faces an automatic sentence of life in prison. Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara Grinstead's body at the pecan orchard, where the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found her remains years later. It was somethin' I felt like, you know, I had to do. AGENT GARY ROTHWELL: It is something we should've followed up, but we we didn't. Marcus was often overseas, and though they had broken up by the fall of 2005, friends say Tara was distraught about the relationship ending. Our prayer and sympathy are with the Dukes family ,may you find peace through pray, doing your time of grief. And remember that latex glove found at the crime scene? A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. Ryan Duke came into the picture of the Tara Grinstead case when he was charged with her murder in 2017, twelve years after her sudden disappearance. Vicki Heilig Dukes. Maria Woods Harber: She was charismatic, determined, a beautiful personality. The defense had previously asked the judge to dismiss the case, an action that was quickly declined. Tara's cell phone was charging inside the house. 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. The talented signer was named Miss Tifton and competed in the Miss Georgia beauty pageant. And I think she was just trying to move on in a small town of Ocilla, everyone knew their situation. we have made an arrest.". Marcus Harper: It was like a calling. Maria Woods Harber: They've gotten away with it for this many years anyway. Bo told her they moved Tara's body to a pit, where it took two days to burn, destroying all evidence. Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. Survivors include his grandmother, Vera Ballentine Dukes; aunts, Cheri McGee (Wayne), Debbie Wallace (David), all of Aiken, Linda Tinney (Mel), Pepin, WI, Pamela Clark (Rick), Ridgeville, SC; uncle, Jeff Dukes (Debbie), Aiken. Bo was facing a maximum 25-year sentence. Duke also admitted to taking her purse and keys and leaving a glove at the residence. He said they had talked about getting together that Sunday, but Tara never answered her phone. He recognized her from Irwin County High School, where he was a student, and she was teaching at the time. Celebrate the life of Ryan Drakes, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information. Have for you when you see Miss Grinstead 's body after she.... # 3523, # 3349, # 3349, # 5075, #,! 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