ryan dukes obituary
No. Peter Van Sant: What were some of the theories as to what had happened to Tara? Tuesday, the witness list focused on the investigators who have worked the case over the years. Prosecutors do not expect to file murder charges against Bo Dukes. 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. Worried, he went to her house Sunday night and left the card after Tara didn't answer the doorbell. In cross-examination, Rothwell added that he takes responsibility for the GBI lapse. "That was a presumption that we should have never, ever made, but it happened, and it's my fault," Rothwell said. The jury heard the confession Duke made in 2017. Ryan Duke said he wouldn't have recognized who it was if Bo Dukes hadn't told him. I was a drug addict I'd been drinking. Tara was. Jannis Paulk even created a website to help authorities collect information. It was an opening like that. Bo then gave his account of moving and then burning her body, which began on a Wednesday and took two days. They think the community can heal, pointing the finger at Bo Dukes for the murder. For those who loved Tara Grinstead, Bo Dukes' 25-year sentence for covering up her death was only partial justice. Sending my condolences to Mrs. Wendy and her sons. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 83 Peacefully passed away on February 23, 2023. In an interview with the GBI, Bo Dukes said he was ready to end the secret he had kept for years, and went into detail. GBI AGENT: Of all the people, why Tara, what's the connection? . On March 1, 1969, he met Sandra Hageman on a . Jannis Paulk: There were people who believed she ran away. Expand the Memories and Condolences form. Somebody has abducted her and holding her somewhere hostage. 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. 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. And even when she no longer competed, Tara helped other women, like Dana, break into that world. The document claims that later, he used a payphone to see if shed pick up, and when she didnt, he was convinced that she was dead. He denied that, but when asked why he lied to the GBI about killing Grinstead, Duke said, "I'm trying to make that right.". Show Your Sympathy to the Family. The state argues in 2017 Duke was swabbed, and his DNA positively matched that found on the glove. John McCullough maintains he tried to get investigators a key tip in 2007 that could have cracked the case. AIKEN, SC MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. I am so sad to hear of the passing of John Dukes a co - worker and friend. Peter Van Sant: This really affects you, though, talking about this. The defense said Ryan was under the influence of painkillers at the time, and only took the blame because he was afraid of Bo. Ryan Duke said he was afraid of Bo Dukes, who repeatedly told him not to talk about Tara Grinstead. Jannis Paulk, who knows the family, paints a different picture of Bo. The agent asks Bo his first reaction when he went to the orchard with Ryan. At his sentencing hearing, Tara's stepmother, Connie, expressed how Tara's family felt about Ryan Duke. Maria Woods Harber: She would never do that. 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. First published on January 2, 2021 / 11:05 PM. AIKEN, SC - KENNETH MICHAEL DUKES, 66, died Thursday, March 30, 2017 at his residence. The defense also called neighbors who provided testimony that supported a theory that Grinstead may have voluntarily left the home. He lit her on fire. Two years later, in March 2019, Bo was the first to go on trial. Maria Woods Harber: I've had to come to a conclusion that I'm just gonna have to live the rest of my life not knowing. Both had been students at. Duke said he was on drugs at the time he broke into Grinstead's Ocilla home and doesnt remember how exactly he killed her. The jury was left to decide if they believed what Ryan said in 2017, or his new version of events. John McCullough: Yeah and we were pretty close. And this time, the whole world seemed to be listening. But police noted that her purse and keys were missing. 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.". A "panicked" Bo Dukes woke him up the following morning, Ryan Duke testified. After a few drinks, McCullough says Bo began talking about Tara. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant first reported on this story in 2008 almost three years after Tara Grinstead went missing. Peter Van Sant: This is the murder of Tara Grinstead and there seemed to be little interest, is that right? Your family's land." Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. They believe Ryan Duke was the killer. I ran. Bo confessed all of this to Brooke, who stuck with him. John McCullough: I would say from the year of 2007 until 2016 I would probably say I reached out nine or 10 times to the GBI. But questions remained about discrepancies between Ryan's version of events and Bo's. A DNA sample from Ryan Duke was a perfect match. 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. For years, Marcus Harper lived under a cloud some might say a thunderstorm of suspicion. 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. A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mam . He was a graduate of A John McCullough: Yeah, Tara Grinstead, and said, you know, "missing.". Bo Dukes is serving 25 years for concealing her death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. He admitted to helping his friend burn the body until, "it looked like it was all ash.". Now, it was Brooke's turn to be tormented by a terrible secret. Call Call. GBI AGENT: So, by Friday, there's nothing left? He pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Here's my number I'll do whatever has to happen for y'all to take me serious. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Peter Van Sant: The kind of guy you want to share a foxhole with, right? In his own recorded words, Duke walked GBI investigators through how he killed, burned and buried Tara Grinstead. Please join us in Loving, Sharing and Memorializing Ryan Dukes on this permanent online memorial. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. DEFENSE: What was his expression, his demeanor when that happened? Peter Van Sant: And what is it about him that you love? While Reinhardt acknowledged that Duke seemed remorseful on the stand, he pointed out Dukes' decision to not tell anyone had an impact on Grinstead's family and friends. Vicki Heilig Dukes. 1449 N Claiborne Ave New Orleans, LA KARLIN DUKES OBITUARY Karlin C. Dukes Sr., age 83, peacefully passed away surrounded by family on Monday, November 7, 2016. Dana Wilder: She just took me underneath her wing She taught me the ins and outs of interviews, hair and makeup, wardrobe. Send Flowers . There was a 34-hour gap between when someone last saw her and when officers performed that welfare check on Monday morning. Sign the Guest Book. Grief Support. Eventually, a breakthrough tip came around, and two men were arrested in relation to the Tara case. Tara Grinstead was a 30-year-old history teacher at the Irwin County High School in Ocilla, Georgia, when she was reported missing on October 24, 2005. Duke was convicted on the charge of Concealing a Death and was sentenced to the maximum punishment of . But after he broke down to Brooke, she told Bo it was time to tell the truth. Brooke says she kept encouraging Bo to open up to talk about this dark subject that was destroying him. TROY - Penny A. Ryan, 64 . But in the same sense, I always thought, "Well, it has to be.". 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. she was seeing other people. "Its been a 17-year nightmare for them," Irwin County District Attorney Bryce Johnson said. 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. Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. The defense was up first and focused on the inconsistencies in the state's presentation. "Mr. Dukes, do you plan to invoke your 5th amendment right to every question?" Peter Van Sant: How did you and Bo Dukes meet? Who you can trust with your life? She snuck up on me and I hit her. Grinstead, an Irwin County High School teacher, went missing in October 2005. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Tara Faye Grinstead was the youngest child of Bill and Faye Grinstead, born in 1974. A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mamie Rae. Brooke Sheridan: He said, "You've heard of the Tara Grinstead case?" A unique and . BO DUKES [GBI interview]: He told me that he had killed Tara Grinstead. DEFENSE: We know the State hasn't brought a single witness to tell you it was on the ground before Monday morning. Bo was sentenced to 25 years in prison. JOHN DUKES OBITUARY John Lewis Dukes John Lewis Dukes, 64 of Monroe, Louisiana, an automotive service writer, passed away Sunday, April 19, 2015. Produced by Alec Sirken and Lauren Clark. 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 numbers. Leave a memory or share a photo below to show your support. The funeral will follow at 11 oclock in the chapel with The Rev. 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. John McCullough: I can't explain it [emotional]. Praying for your family have strength. Bo Dukes told investigators his friend, Ryan Duke, confessed he had accidentally killed Grinstead and needed his truck to transfer her body. 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. AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. 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. GBI Agent Jason Shoudel was on the stand to testify. Make a Memorial Donation . Miriam Sealy, Tara Grinstead's school friend and childhood neighbor, fought back tears as she read a statement in front of the court. It was a year after Tara's disappearance. 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Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. It would be illegal for me to accept a fee for preparing that application on your behalf. In closing, as Tara's family looked on, the prosecution held to their argument that Ryan had told the truth back in 2017. I know who killed Tara Grinstead or had a part of it. His lawyers demanded the case be thrown out as the statute of limitations had already passed before asking for the trial to be moved to another venue in Irwin County. John K. Dukes, Jr. Mar. An Irwin County jury read not guilty verdicts on five o the six charges against Duke: malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and burglary. I mean, she had the biggest smile. 5260 Daniel J. Enea, Manager. Duke says he didnt know Grinstead other than the fact that she was a teacher at the high school. In May 2022, at the Ocilla courthouse just up the road from Tara's home, Ryan Duke's attorneys argued that the state had the wrong man. Jannis Paulk: It was Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. "That is a question that has bothered me for years," he said. OCILLA, Ga. Editor's Note: The video in this story is archive footage from our coverage of the case in the mid-2010s. It was reactionary. Ryan worked at a plastics manufacturing plant, while Bo would occasionally work at his family's pecan farm. Brooke Sheridan: That family's peace to me was more important than his freedom. Dr. Fred W. Andrea III officiating. Tara's alarm clock was under her bed, and a bedside lamp was broken. She and her older sister Anita grew up in the Georgia town of Hawkinsville. Maria Woods Harber: Yes. "We will always hate what this defendant did to Tara and to the people who loved her," she said. They've lived so many years without being punished. Peter Van Sant: This was the man she thought she'd build a life with. Dr. Fred W. Andrea III officiating. Maria Woods Harper: They've had a really hard time. Michael Dukes of Aiken, South Carolina April 10, 1950 - March 30, 2017. Ryan Duke said he first started "hanging out" with Bo Dukes during his senior year of high school. There was no other option. He said he lied to the GBI agent that interviewed him about breaking into Grinstead's house and fatal striking and choking her. Grinstead's best friend, sister, and step mother took to the stand to describe the pain they have felt since her 2005 disappearance. 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. Tara's family could do little but pray for a breakthrough. I'm so sick of this stealing from her purse. The Ocilla police were called and entered Tara's home, and right behind them was Maria. A devoted husband and grandfather, Duane was born on May 1, 1950, in South Gate, California, the son of Edwin and Florann (Boisseau) Dukes. the judge said. Jurors heard the forensic analysis on that piece of evidence. And Bo spent more than two years in federal prison. AIKEN, SC - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. that's where she set her roots. She wasn't wearing shoes. 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. "I have talked to other agents and reviewed the documents and come to a recollection of what happened, and that is not an excuse for what happened.". On that piece of evidence she and her sons of Concord,,. Is serving 25 years for concealing her death, hindering the apprehension of a child, tell everything. 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