Ryan said he was afraid Bo would hurt him or his family. Expand the Memories and Condolences form. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. I mean. And that's where she wanted to stay and where she wanted to be. I definitely didn't wanna settle down in small town America. No. "Ryan Duke, the man in that chair, confessed to the murder of Tara Grinstead," prosecutor Brad Rigby said. The defense questioned Duke about his life and relationship with Bo Dukes. Brooke Sheridan: He has a beautiful mind. . DEFENSE: What was his expression, his demeanor when that happened? Jannis, who ran a local web design company, became an expert on the case keeping a close watch since Tara was reported missing. It was somethin' I felt like, you know, I had to do. Posey says Duke corrected the GBI agent over 20 times during his confession, and said he believes that is key to note. Peter Van Sant: What did you see when you walked into her house? "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.". 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 has been sentenced to spend the next five years in prison for his part in concealing the death of Georgia teacher and former beauty queen Tara Grinstead. Ryan was born April 23, 1981. Our prayer and sympathy are with the Dukes family ,may you find peace through pray, doing your time of grief. Police found her car seat in position for someone taller, and police said they found an envelope with $100 in cash on the dashboard. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. The 2005 disappearance of Tara Grinstead beloved teacher and local beauty queen mystified the people of Ocilla, Georgia, like Jannis Paulk, who lived just around the corner from Tara. Grinstead's best friend, sister, and step mother took to the stand to describe the pain they have felt since her 2005 disappearance. Maria Woods Harber: My best friend, Tara Grinstead, was a beautiful person on the inside and the outside. Both men are awaiting trial in a neighboring county on charges related to burning Tara's body. 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. The jury saw pictures from Fitzgerald Farms, where agents searched for Grinstead's remains in 2017. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Jannis Paulk: She was dating, I think, more than people realized that she was dating. Searching obituaries is a great place to start your family tree research. The weight of what McCullough says Bo told him became unbearable. And for the first time, everyone heard Bo's own account when his GBI interview was played in court: BO DUKES [GBI video interview]: He told me he had killed Tara Grinstead. Prosecutors called friends and acquaintances of the Georgia teacher and beauty queen. GBI agents have also said DNA matching both Duke and Grinstead was found on a latex glove discovered in her yard. The morning started with testimony from Bill Barrs with the Ocilla Police Department, who was tasked with checking Grinsteads home. 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. Ryan was thus sentenced to 10 years behind bars, which he currently seems to be serving. New Jersey Residents: N.J. Lic. And the one we didn't want to think about was somebody killed her. 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. 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. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. Miriam Sealy, Tara Grinstead's school friend and childhood neighbor, fought back tears as she read a statement in front of the court. His former roommate and close friend was Ryan Duke. She did not want to end it. Jurors heard the forensic analysis on that piece of evidence. She had a lot of life ahead of her. 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. I'm so sick of this stealing from her purse. 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. Jannis Paulk: FindTara.com. I mean, she had the biggest smile. Police never called him a suspect, but Marcus was more closely investigated than anyone in the disappearance of his former girlfriend, Tara Grinstead. / CBS News, [This story previously aired on September 4, 2021. May the holy spirit comfort you in this time of bereavement. 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. There were billboards. On the glove they not only identified Tara's DNA, but that of an unknown male. 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. Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Bo Dukes is serving 25 years for concealing her death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. I don't like to come very often she loved this place. But back in 2005, authorities either missed or ignored a tip that may have solved the case. Tara's cell phone was charging inside the house. We are not authorized to file an initial application for Veterans' Aid and Attendance benefits on your behalf, or to represent you before the Board of Veterans' Appeals within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in any proceeding on any matter, including an application for that benefits. Maria Woods Harper: They've had a really hard time. Forward to Family & Friends; Print; Contact Support; Upgrade; Death Certificates; Share This Obituary. He then allegedly struck her with his fist and ran away. There was a 34-hour gap between when someone last saw her and when officers performed that welfare check on Monday morning. View Obituaries Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home, Inc. and Shellhouse-Rivers Crematory Ryan Dukes August 23, 1974 - April 26, 2018. They wanted the state to fund the expenses for people like private investigators and expert witnesses for Ryan. TROY - Penny A. Ryan, 64 . That was the last time Ryan Duke said he saw Tara Grinstead's body. But McCullough was determined to get the truth out. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. Investigators said Grinsteads car was in the driveway when police arrived at the home. 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 recalled that moment. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. AIKEN, SC MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. And in this trial, Agent Gary Rothwell finally explained what happened with those tips. Make a Memorial Donation . "I asked them what they thought happened to Tara, and they said they killed her and burned her," Latt said. Maria Woods Harber: Tara really did want to get back with Marcus. 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. Q: Did you see Miss Grinstead's body after she died? he's very shut shut off emotions, feelings he doesn't talk about. I built a message board because I thought that there was a good chance that whoever knew what had happened to her would potentially come and say something. I told him, you know, leave me alone . Bo was facing a maximum 25-year sentence. They said in court filings that Duke was asleep at home when Grinstead was killed. Looking at Ryans life, there isnt much of criminal history. Maria Woods Harber: So, when I came back out of the house, I saw right out from the front door, there was a latex glove. PROSECUTION: The man in THAT chair, confessed to the murder of Tara Grinstead. Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. 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. And she snuck up on me and I hit her. Following his wishes, there will be no. Share. Born on January 20, 1989 in Easton, Bryan is the son of Kathy Elburn Dukes . LAWYER: Any doubt in your mind, however, that you heard these two people laughing about killing and burning Tara Grinstead's body? Maria Woods Harber: She's been an inspiration. Prosecutors asked Rothwell why no one followed up on a tip naming Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes as suspects. Dr. Fred W. Andrea III officiating. Peter Van Sant: Why do you think investigators ignored you? Sign the Guest Book. Maria Woods Harber: This is where Tara Grinstead lived in 2005. The judge dismissed one of the jurors he says was sleeping throughout the trial. There was no other option. Hudson said at the time he thought the burn site was an innocent bonfire. 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). Send Flowers . Authorities couldn't explain either, and collected them as evidence the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, known as the GBI, was called in. Marcus Harper: What they're sayin' at the local grocery store, and at the local restaurants They don't think that it's gettin' to someone who's my family or my friend? 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). Ohio Residents: Neptune Society is affiliated with Okerwall Funeral Home. Two years later, in March 2019, Bo was the first to go on trial. It was now time at the trial for Bo's one-time Army buddy, John McCullough, to finally tell his story of Bo's confession. Superior Court Judge Bill Reinhardt said. Grinstead graduated from Middle Georgia College and began teaching at Irwin County High School in Ocilla in 1998. Born in Columbia, SC, Mike was a son of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. He lit her on fire. DEFENSE: Mr. Duke, did you murder Tara Grinstead? The state argues in 2017 Duke was swabbed, and his DNA positively matched that found on the glove. But McCullough wasn't the only witness who gave details about Tara's death. 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. Marcus always maintained his innocence but remained under suspicion. That's according to Lindsey Forshee, administrator for the Tift Judicial Circuit. The state's witness called Grinstead's 79-year-old father, Billy Grinstead, to the stand, who broke down. We pray that people will remember that the defendant was not the victim. But police noted that her purse and keys were missing. He is preceded in death by his. There are reports of him being put under suicide watch a few times, yet nothing too serious came out of the incidents. Bo told her they moved Tara's body to a pit, where it took two days to burn, destroying all evidence. Another former student, Bo Dukes, is now serving a 25-year prison sentence for lying to the GBI and helping Duke bury her body. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. By her front door, they found a business card from a police officer in a nearby town. 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. But there is no question that in her short and impactful life, Tara Grinstead touched people in rare ways even those who never met her, like John McCullough. Find an Obituary. Peter Van Sant: And what is it about him that you love? so, I talk to him, tell him everything I know. But again, as far as she knew, it went nowhere. Yet both these demands were denied by the court. I don't remember everything clearly. Ashley Hinkle, a forensic biologist with the State Crime Lab testified she swabbed the glove in June 2015. And he asked me to help him get rid of her body. In his own recorded words, Duke walked GBI investigators through how he killed, burned and buried Tara Grinstead. Bo then gave his account of moving and then burning her body, which began on a Wednesday and took two days. that's where she set her roots. For those who loved Tara Grinstead, Bo Dukes' 25-year sentence for covering up her death was only partial justice. Weeks later she called the GBI to turn in the boyfriend she loved. . 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. It was told to me when I was in Georgia. 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?". Rothwell said the GBI never followed up after their names appeared in an investigative summary. AIKEN, SC - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Peter Van Sant: Was it an emotional moment for you to realize someone had been arrested after all that time? BRYAN DUKES OBITUARY. Sympathy Ideas. ", Brooke Sheridan: He says, "I just want her family to know. And Bo spent more than two years in federal prison. Find the obituary of Sandra Lee Dukes (1958 - 2021) from Clayton, DE. "Approximately 20 bone fragments that could be considered human bones.". Ryan worked at a plastics manufacturing plant, while Bo would occasionally work at his family's pecan farm. 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The family will receive friends Thursday morning, May 3rd beginning at 10 oclock at Shellhouse Rivers Funeral Home. Blogs; Online will; Shop. Please contact your local Neptune Society office for cremation prices, and to learn more about our cremation service. It just wasn't what I wanted. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. Bones that were so degraded, no official cause of death could be determined. 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. The state focused on Ryan Duke's 2017 recorded confession to GBI agents. They burned her body. 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 . Another video shown shows Duke leading investigators to where he says he dumped and burned her body. Universal. But in the same sense, I always thought, "Well, it has to be.". Tara was. Tara's car was parked in the driveway. Not a one. 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. 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. No services are scheduled at this time. Grinstead, an Irwin County High School teacher, went missing in October 2005. John McCullough: He was like, "yeah, do you remember that bulletin that you had asked me about with that girl on it?" Of the six charges, Duke was found guilty of one count of concealing Grinstead's death. A unique and . PROSECUTOR OPENING: This case is about Bo's lies it's about Bo's concealment that his best friend, Ryan, had killed Tara Grinstead and then they both burn the body. "He said he killed Tara," Ryan Duke said. He looked like a person who was ready to do the right thing, but his testimony on the witness stand only seemed coached, well-rehearsed and sought self-serving benefits. Greg Kaplan, Phillip J. Tangel and Marcus Balsam are the editors. 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. Ryan Duke said he wouldn't have recognized who it was if Bo Dukes hadn't told him. Peter Van Sant: How many times did you call the GBI over what period of time and you still didn't get any . "Its been a 17-year nightmare for them," Irwin County District Attorney Bryce Johnson said. Dukes attorneys have said he made a false confession under the influence of drugs. GBI AGENT: So, you immediately see this and you're like "what in the hell did you do? He was a family friend married, with kids who would later testify that he and Tara were having an affair. 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. Need help? Jannis Paulk even created a website to help authorities collect information. Ryan's lawyers argued that gave Bo plenty of time to plant it. Another video shown portrayed Duke leading investigators to the pecan orchard he claims he took the lifeless body. focused on the investigators who have worked the case over the years. The Ocilla police were called and entered Tara's home, and right behind them was Maria. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://www.nationalcremation.com/location/irving- for the Drakes family. 2023 Neptune Society. we all wanted to do something that we could do to help There were flyers. Tara didn't bring home the Miss Georgia crown, but just competing was a huge achievement says Dana Wilder, who grew up in Ocilla. Duke said he was on drugs at the time he broke into Grinstead's Ocilla home and doesnt remember how exactly he killed her. But back then, Bo denied everything. He was a graduate of Aiken High School and received his bachelor's degree from USC Aiken. Truth out arrested after all that time may you find the Obituary Sandra... - April 26, 2018 ``, Brooke Sheridan: he says was sleeping throughout the trial were.! Shown shows Duke leading investigators to where he says he dumped and burned her, '' Irwin County High teacher... Was determined to get back with Marcus his fist and ran away jury saw pictures from Farms... 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