The two men drove about 200 yards up the road to where Tara Grinstead's body had been placed. Tillitski testified that Duke was sleep-deprived and there were drugs in his system when he confessed in 2017. Its a piece from the side here," Good said. On March 1, 1969, he met Sandra Hageman on a . Cind She and her older sister Anita grew up in the Georgia town of Hawkinsville. Prosecutors called friends and acquaintances of the Georgia teacher and beauty queen. The Ocilla police were called and entered Tara's home, and right behind them was Maria. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. As Jannis recalls, early on, suspicion focused on the men in Tara's life. Worried, he went to her house Sunday night and left the card after Tara didn't answer the doorbell. The GBI tested that glove and found not only Tara's DNA on it, but the DNA profile of an unknown male. 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. Gooding testified her team found finger, teeth and cranium bones in the area. "Mr. Dukes, do you plan to invoke your 5th amendment right to every question?" Peter Van Sant: This was the man she thought she'd build a life with. A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mam . Marcus Harper: She obviously wanted to get married. Who is he and where is he now? She wasn't wearing shoes. Jannis Paulk: FindTara.com. An Irwin County Probate judge declared Grinstead dead in absentia in December 2010. Peter Van Sant: This is the murder of Tara Grinstead and there seemed to be little interest, is that right? Anita Gattis said her sister's disappearance threw her family into "an out-of-control spiral" that they've never escaped. John McCullough: He was like, "yeah, do you remember that bulletin that you had asked me about with that girl on it?" GARLAN LOTT: The statement that I recall was, 'We killed and burned her body.". And she snuck up on me and I hit her. Duane Ray Dukes, age 70, of Bryan, Ohio, passed away on Sunday, December 27, 2020, in his home, surrounded by family, following a ten-month battle with cancer. Maria Woods Harber grew up with Tara. After the defense rested their case, the state got the last opportunity to present witnesses as a rebuttal. Dana Wilder: I never thought it was somebody from our community. The funeral will follow at 11 oclock in the chapel with The Rev. A "panicked" Bo Dukes woke him up the following morning, Ryan Duke testified. 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. In March 2019, Dukes was convicted of helping conceal Grinsteads death andsentenced to 25 years in prison. The defense called him to the stand and, with his attorney standing next to him, he responded to each question with, "Under the advice of my council, I will be invoking my 5th Amendment right not to provide testimony today.". NEW ELLENTON, SC -- CYNTHIA SUSAN DUKES DARR, 52, died Sunday, October 9, 2011 at her residence. Duke was convicted on the charge of Concealing a Death and was sentenced to the maximum punishment of . Witness Randy Hudson owned the pecan orchard where Grinstead's body was allegedly disposed. And that was corroborated. It took a jury less than an hour to convict Bo Dukes on all charges. Stephen S. Dukes, 61, of York Haven died Sunday, November 21, 2021 at Select Specialty Hospital, Camp Hill. I cried for days, couldn't sleep for days. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. I just got off the phone with another department that had didn't do sh.". View Obituaries Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home, Inc. and Shellhouse-Rivers Crematory Ryan Dukes August 23, 1974 - April 26, 2018. I can't live with myself. Ryan steeled himself before the verdict was read. Brooke Sheridan: He said, "That's something that only God and Ryan know." Dukes is in prison for concealing Grinstead's death. Could he betray his friend? A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified at apretrial hearing that Duke "spontaneously and unsolicited" confessedto killing Grinstead after breaking into her home to steal money for drugs. The defense argued Duke was on pain pills and not in his right mind when he made the confession. "What happened in this orchard was senseless" says Woods Harber of her best friend. "It was built out in the area where there just should not have been a fire," Hudson said. And what she had to say implicated a man whose name had repeatedly been given to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. she was seeing other people. In an exchange, the state asked Duke if he would lie when the stakes were high. Brooke Sheridan: I had never connected with somebody and had fun with somebody like I have with him. State and defense teams made their pitches to jurors and began examining witnesses. We pray that people will remember that the defendant was not the victim. I don't remember everything clearly. Prosecutors said Duke took law enforcement to the pecan orchard where he confessed to burning and dumping Grinstead's body. Ryan William Drakes Obituary. Yet hes still facing outstanding concealment charges in a neighboring Georgia county where Taras body had been burned. So that gave us a stronger indication that something bad had happened. Visitation: Saturday, Feb. 18th from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour at Mt. Of the six charges, Duke was found guilty of one count of concealing Grinstead's death. He is extremely intelligent. Visit our Support Center. But if you're ready for this Bo had already been interviewed by the GBI a year earlier in 2016. John K. Dukes, Jr. Mar. She was radiant. He will be replaced by one of the six alternates who also had been listening to the testimony. Tara didn't bring home the Miss Georgia crown, but just competing was a huge achievement says Dana Wilder, who grew up in Ocilla. 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. 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.". For twelve years, the cops and private investigators tried to uncover the truth and bring the case to its deserved conclusion, but nothing came of it. Sympathy Ideas. Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love. Aiken, SC RYAN DUKES OBITUARY Ryan Dukes Aiken, - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Peter Van Sant: How did you and Bo Dukes meet? I mean. Duke also admitted to taking her purse and keys and leaving a glove at the residence. That's according to Lindsey Forshee, administrator for the Tift Judicial Circuit. Let others know about your loved one's death. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. First published on January 2, 2021 / 11:05 PM. Grinstead graduated from Middle Georgia College and began teaching at Irwin County High School in Ocilla in 1998. But in the same sense, I always thought, "Well, it has to be.". Ryan admitted he was asked by Bo to help dispose of Tara's body in the orchard and moved her to the burn pile. Maria Woods Harber: They've gotten away with it for this many years anyway. Tara's alarm clock was under her bed, and a bedside lamp was broken. Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. DEFENSE: Mr. Duke, did you murder Tara Grinstead? Garlan says after he reported this to Jannis Paulk, he was never formally interviewed by anyone from law enforcement. 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Another video shown portrayed Duke leading investigators to the pecan orchard he claims he took the lifeless body. He could have at least told us that, but he didn't. Peter Van Sant: And what is it about him that you love? An Irwin County jury returned "Not Guilty" verdicts on five of the six charges Ryan Duke faced related to the disappearance and death of former Irwin County teacher Tara Grinstead, acquitting him of her 2005 murder on Friday, May 20, 2022. Ryan Duke said he decided to take the blame for Tara Grinstead's death in 2017 because he didn't think Bo Dukes would tell the truth. Marcus enlisted with the Army Rangers and spent time overseas. 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. 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. Blogs; Online will; Shop. Example video title will go here for this video. My condolences to the family. McCullough, now a manager at a water company in Texas, had met Bo Dukes at Army boot camp in 2006. Prosecutors do not expect to file murder charges against Bo Dukes. Another video shown shows Duke leading investigators to where he says he dumped and burned her body. For around 6 years, Tara Grinstead dated Marcus Harper, a former Ocilla cop who joined the Army Rangers. Find service information, send flowers, and leave memories and thoughts in the Guestbook for your loved one. But when he took the witness stand during his trial, he insisted he was innocent. This event is not sponsored by, or affiliated with, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the California Department of Veterans Affairs, or any other congressionally chartered or recognized organization of honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces of the United States, or any of their auxiliaries. 2023 Neptune Society. She had a lot of life ahead of her. 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. Eventually, a breakthrough tip came around, and two men were arrested in relation to the Tara case. And he said he threw his arms up just like this [shrugs her shoulders], "What are you gonna do?". "Ryan Duke, the man in that chair, confessed to the murder of Tara Grinstead," prosecutor Brad Rigby said. AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. Brooke Sheridan: I was felt like I was gonna be sick. 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. Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara. Looking at Ryans life, there isnt much of criminal history. Her colleagues at the school where she worked called the Ocilla Police Department to check on the 11th-grade teachers home. This DNA test was taken two years before defendant Ryan Dukes recorded confession. On Monday, the state rested its case, but not before calling GBI agents and a forensic specialist to the stand. Maria Woods Harber: She was such a good person She just didn't deserve it. Brooke Sheridan: Ryan Woke him up and said, "I killed Tara Grinstead.". I mean, she had the biggest smile. . In 2005, the disappearance of beloved high-school teacher Tara Grinstead sent shockwaves through the town of Ocilla, Georgia. Hudson said at the time he thought the burn site was an innocent bonfire. Ryan Duke, now clean-shaven and looking very different from his 2017 arrest, took the stand. The agent asks Bo his first reaction when he went to the orchard with Ryan. Duke said he never took Grinstead's belongings to police when he tried to return them. 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. Maria Woods Harber: My best friend, Tara Grinstead, was a beautiful person on the inside and the outside. "Its been a 17-year nightmare for them," Irwin County District Attorney Bryce Johnson said. 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. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. AIKEN, SC - Kenneth Michael Dukes, 66, died Thursday, March 30, 2017 at his residence. But McCullough was determined to get the truth out. . He wasn't sure who said what. He said they had talked about getting together that Sunday, but Tara never answered her phone. Years passed, and the GBI said Tara Grinsteads case never "turned cold." Leave a memory or share a photo below to show your support. 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. Show Your Sympathy to the Family. Marcus Harper: Somebody pulled me to the side, and they were like, "Listen, you know, there's been some things said bringin' up your military past, bringin' up how you're Trained to kill" . Marcus always maintained his innocence but remained under suspicion. She would never leave her kids. 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. 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. Then, more than 11 years after Tara disappeared, Brooke Sheridan came out of nowhere with her account about not only Bo Dukes but his friend Ryan Duke. Ryan Dukes Obituary Remember Ryan Dukes. Browning had been the last . The jury saw pictures from Fitzgerald Farms, where agents searched for Grinstead's remains in 2017. I know who killed Tara Grinstead or had a part of it. and that's nobody's business, but in this case, it made it tough. Here's my number I'll do whatever has to happen for y'all to take me serious. that's where she set her roots. He called the state's top law enforcement agency heading the investigation, the GBI. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant first reported on this story in 2008 almost three years after Tara Grinstead went missing. In cross-examination, Rothwell added that he takes responsibility for the GBI lapse. | All testimonials are written by persons unlicensed and not qualified to make funeral arrangements, embalm or conduct a funeral. An Irwin County jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murdering Georgia teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead. Peter Van Sant: What time did she go home? Peter Van Sant: Was it an emotional moment for you to realize someone had been arrested after all that time? The returned to the orchard once, where the ashes looked like a small campfire. If convicted of murder, Duke faces an automatic sentence of life in prison. LAWYER: It sounds like you're saying you assumed it was handled properly? Prosecutors played that videotape of Bo's interview with the GBI. Maria Woods Harber: And the next morning I got a call saying that I need to get to Ocilla. Who you can trust with your life? 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. focused on the investigators who have worked the case over the years. 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. The defense argued that Ryan's former best friend, Bo Dukes, was the man responsible for Grinstead's death throughout the trial. Bo told her they moved Tara's body to a pit, where it took two days to burn, destroying all evidence. He testified that Bo Dukes told him he had killed Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died. 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. Bo confessed all of this to Brooke, who stuck with him. He was a graduate of Aiken High School and received his bachelors degree from USC Aiken. Mobile Register and Baldwin County Homepage. Stunned as he was, McCullough was in a dilemma. John McCullough: He had told me that his friend accidentally strangled her and he needed help getting rid of the body so that way there was nothing to find. One witness, Heath Dykes, testified to having a relationship with Grinstead while his was married. There was no other option. Dukes attorneys have said he made a false confession under the influence of drugs. It was updated on August 20, 2022.]. AIKEN, SC - KENNETH MICHAEL DUKES, 66, died Thursday, March 30, 2017 at his residence. Year after year passed with no arrests. After a few drinks, McCullough says Bo began talking about Tara. I was a drug addict I'd been drinking. Ryan Duke had told investigators in 2017 he killed Tara Grinstead and helped burn her body. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Bo Dukes is serving 25 years for concealing her death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. GBI AGENT: Of all the people, why Tara, what's the connection? 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Food has always been a go-to for people in mourning. And it was about to get even more unsettled when at Ryan's murder trial he took the stand and recanted his confession, saying it was really Bo Dukes who killed Tara. And then, an important discovery. Peter Van Sant: Did he have names of who these two men were who claimed they had killed Tara? Bo says Ryan then repeated that a couple of days later. Ryan Dukes Aiken, - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Maria Woods Harber: She would never do that. 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. But some things stuck out to Maria. AIKEN, SC - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Jannis, who ran a local web design company, became an expert on the case keeping a close watch since Tara was reported missing. 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. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. The best poems for funerals, memorial services., and cards. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. A unique and . 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. Funeral Home Services for Ray are being provided by Alexander Funeral Home, Inc. - Charlotte. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. Vicki Heilig Dukes. It was very hard to grasp. He testified calmly, but inside was still seething at Bo. A search of Grinsteads home revealed some oddities: her cellphone was still connected to a charger by the nightstand, her keys and purse were missing and her bedside clock was on the floor and was six hours off. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. The defense argued the case is about power and influence, which their client lacks. Maria says Tara was determined to live her dreams from a young age, competing in beauty pageants to help earn scholarship money for college. A full skeleton. Jurors also heard voicemails left in the home. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://www.nationalcremation.com/location/irving- for the Drakes family. And why the f- would you do it here on my family's pecan orchard? Bo Dukes apologies to Tara Grinstead's family at his sentencing. John McCullough: I mean, nobody ever called me back, ever, even whenever I reached out to the GBI, which is the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. At night, Tara studied for a specialist degree in school administration, but other parts of her life hadn't come together as she'd hoped. But back then, Bo denied everything. Bo was facing a maximum 25-year sentence. We know who did," defense attorney John Merchant said. He admitted to helping his friend burn the body until, "it looked like it was all ash.". For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. Not guilty of malice murder and he was acquitted of all charges relating to Tara's murder convicted only of concealing her death. Rothwell said the GBI never followed up after their names appeared in an investigative summary. I'm so sick of this stealing from her purse. Finally, he cracked. 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