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. New Jersey Residents: N.J. Lic. Peter Van Sant: What were some of the theories as to what had happened to Tara? In closing, as Tara's family looked on, the prosecution held to their argument that Ryan had told the truth back in 2017. DEFENSE [closing arguments]: Bo Dukes should be on trial for the murder of Tara Grinstead, not Ryan. Lets find out. In his own recorded words, Duke walked GBI investigators through how he killed, burned and buried Tara Grinstead. Bo Dukes is serving 25 years for concealing her death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. They think the community can heal, pointing the finger at Bo Dukes for the murder. 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. Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. "We think the jury got it right, and we are very, very happy with the result," Defense Attorney Ashley Merchant said. ", BO DUKES: Yeah. 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. But questions remained about discrepancies between Ryan's version of events and Bo's. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. 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. Leave a memory or share a photo below to show your support. "That was a presumption that we should have never, ever made, but it happened, and it's my fault," Rothwell said. Send Flowers. Two years later, in March 2019, Bo was the first to go on trial. And as they were driving around town, a billboard caught his eye. Marcus Harper: She obviously wanted to get married. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. Dukes attorneys have said he made a false confession under the influence of drugs. 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. AIKEN, SC - Kenneth Michael Dukes, 66, died Thursday, March 30, 2017 at his residence. Ryan, Penny A. Brooke Sheridan: He said, "You've heard of the Tara Grinstead case?" You need to own to what you've done and confess. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. Duke says he didnt know Grinstead other than the fact that she was a teacher at the high school. her main goal was to win Miss Georgia or at least to get to Miss Georgia, and she did. Brooke Sheridan: We actually met on Tinder. That tip went nowhere. John McCullough maintains he tried to get investigators a key tip in 2007 that could have cracked the case. Call Call. Peter Van Sant: What emotional impact does this have for you when you see this house? Bo Dukes comes from a prominent family that owned a huge pecan orchard in the Ocilla area. The agent asks Bo his first reaction when he went to the orchard with Ryan. There were billboards. Peter Van Sant: One said she had clothes on, the other said she did not. I don't understand that, just a disregard of human life. Ray Dukes passed away on January 15, 2022 at the age of 37 in CHARLOTTE, North Carolina. April 26, 2018 Aiken, South Carolina Set a Reminder for the Anniversary of Ryan's Passing. McCullough said he called authorities but they never followed up. Peter Van Sant: This was the man she thought she'd build a life with. Bo Dukes told investigators his friend, Ryan Duke, confessed he had accidentally killed Grinstead and needed his truck to transfer her body. Peter Van Sant: And what is it about him that you love? 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. He went looking for her the night she disappeared and sparked the search for the woman when he alerted authorities the next day. Celebrate the life of Ryan Drakes, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information. 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. GARLAN LOTT: The statement that I recall was, 'We killed and burned her body.". And he said he threw his arms up just like this [shrugs her shoulders], "What are you gonna do?". Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Another was a former student who claimed he and Tara been secretly seeing each other. This DNA test was taken two years before defendant Ryan Dukes recorded confession. 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. 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. Tara Grinstead's father was in the courtroom on Tuesday while Ryan Duke was questioned. Ryan testified he had never even gone to Tara's house, and the glove was only discovered there on Monday by Tara's neighbors over a day after she went missing. Peter Van Sant: The kind of guy you want to share a foxhole with, right? 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. He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. The couple broke things off but stayed in touch. Maria Woods Harber grew up with Tara. 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 was born April 23, 1981. And that's where she wanted to stay and where she wanted to be. My truck was Luminoled photographs were taken. The defense argued the case is about power and influence, which their client lacks. 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. AIKEN, SC MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. For those who loved Tara Grinstead, Bo Dukes' 25-year sentence for covering up her death was only partial justice. He testified that Bo Dukes told him he had killed Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died. "It should be an opening when we cremated her. Peter Van Sant: How did you and Bo Dukes meet? View The Obituary For Ryan Dukes of Aiken, South Carolina. Anita Gattis said her sister's disappearance threw her family into "an out-of-control spiral" that they've never escaped. A jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murder but guilty of concealing her body. Jannis Paulk: That they had been at a party bragging about their involvement in Tara's disappearance and that ultimately, they had taken her body out to a pecan orchard and burn it in a firepit. Make a life-giving gesture. Connie Grinstead argued that the family pleaded and begged for any news about Tara for years and that Duke's "silence was deafening.". 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). A unique and . Investigators say Ryan confessed to killing Grinstead. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Two years later, in March 2019, he was the first to go on trial. Ryan said he was afraid Bo would hurt him or his family. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. More than a decade later, the GBI charged Duke -- her former student -- with killing her and hiding her body in a pecan orchard. Tara didn't bring home the Miss Georgia crown, but just competing was a huge achievement says Dana Wilder, who grew up in Ocilla. Dana Wilder: Ocilla was Tara's life. Sympathy Ideas. Additional Legal Information Regarding Veterans Offerings, CloseAdditional Legal Information Regarding Veterans Offerings, Subscribe to the 12 Weeks of Peace E-Newsletter, Subscribe to the Thinking Ahead E-Newsletter, A Guide to Cremation and Burial for Veterans, Unique Ways to Memorialize Cremation Ashes, A Complete Guide for When A Loved One Passes, The Essential Veteran Death Benefits and Memorialization Guide, California Residents Goods and Services Info. OCILLA, Ga. Editor's Note: The video in this story is archive footage from our coverage of the case in the mid-2010s. "Its been a 17-year nightmare for them," Irwin County District Attorney Bryce Johnson said. BRYAN DUKES OBITUARY. No. The state argues in 2017 Duke was swabbed, and his DNA positively matched that found on the glove. Bo confessed all of this to Brooke, who stuck with him. The defense argued that Ryan's former best friend, Bo Dukes, was the man responsible for Grinstead's death throughout the trial. The state says DNA later showed the glove did have his DNA on it. Dr. Fred W. Andrea III officiating. Browning had been the last . Find the obituary of Sandra Lee Dukes (1958 - 2021) from Clayton, DE. Another video shown shows Duke leading investigators to where he says he dumped and burned her body. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. They laid out the evidence collected at Grinsteads property just following her disappearance. Ryan Duke Trial Day 7 Recap. At his sentencing, Tara Grinstead's stepmother Connie addressed the court: CONNIE GRINSTEAD: He knew she wasn't ever coming back. But when questioned about her disappearance, he had an alibi and was never charged. Roland & Karol Kay Hoffman. He said they had talked about getting together that Sunday, but Tara never answered her phone. BO DUKES [GBI interview]: Again, I didn't believe him he asked me to come with him out to to the pecan orchard. "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. Both had been students at Tara's high school. Who you can trust with your life? You have funeral questions, we have answers. Jannis Paulk, who knows the family, paints a different picture of Bo. SHELLHOUSE RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC. ". He was a family friend married, with kids who would later testify that he and Tara were having an affair. May the holy spirit comfort you in this time of bereavement. DEFENSE: We know the State hasn't brought a single witness to tell you it was on the ground before Monday morning. Ryan Duke said he first started "hanging out" with Bo Dukes during his senior year of high school. By her front door, they found a business card from a police officer in a nearby town. In cross-examination, Rothwell added that he takes responsibility for the GBI lapse. Published by Mobile Register and Baldwin County from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023. Updated on: May 24, 2022 / 10:33 AM California Residents: California FD #1289, #1309, #1359, #2031 He said he lied to the GBI agent that interviewed him about breaking into Grinstead's house and fatal striking and choking her. But no one in Ocilla knew what had happened when Tara seemingly vanished after leaving that barbecue on Saturday night, October 22. The state went through photos and evidence, including a glove found at the home with the DNA of Grinstead and a man. ", GBI AGENT to BO DUKES: I'm gonna just kinda leave it open the floor to you, and just tell me about you knowing about Tara . He called the state's top law enforcement agency heading the investigation, the GBI. | All testimonials are written by persons unlicensed and not qualified to make funeral arrangements, embalm or conduct a funeral. Not guilty of malice murder and he was acquitted of all charges relating to Tara's murder convicted only of concealing her death. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. Mr. Dukes online guest book may be signed at www.shellhouseriversfuneralhome.com The family will receive friends from 6-8 PM Tuesday evening at SHELLHOUSE-RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, INC., 715 E. PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC Sign Guestbook Name: As such, in the State of Oregon Preneed Crematory Sales and Services are conducted under the trade name Neptune Cremation Service. Stephen S. Dukes, 61, of York Haven died Sunday, November 21, 2021 at Select Specialty Hospital, Camp Hill. Please contact your local Neptune Society office for cremation prices, and to learn more about our cremation service. Maria Woods Harber: She's been an inspiration. There was no other option. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. Peter Van Sant: Was it an emotional moment for you to realize someone had been arrested after all that time? And everybody has to live with that," Superior Court Judge Bill Reinhardt said before giving out his sentence. I don't remember everything clearly I was stealing from her purse. Bo Dukes stayed in a bedroom in a trailer they rented in Fitzgerald, Ryan Duke testified. The Associated Press contributed to this story. John McCullough: I have no idea. Ocilla Police Chief Billy Hancock called theGeorgia Bureau of Investigationto help. Following his wishes, there will be no. Maria Woods Harber: Well, it's very emotional. He admitted to helping his friend burn the body until, "it looked like it was all ash.". He recalled that moment. He's the uncle of Bo Dukes. It was updated on August 20, 2022.]. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. Bo Dukes apologies to Tara Grinstead's family at his sentencing. Rothwell said the GBI never followed up after their names appeared in an investigative summary. Maria Woods Harber: Yeah, she did. Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara. Your long suffering has been unimaginable. She could tell you anything to make you feel better. Obituary. 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. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as: names, dates, place of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships. A wonderful man to know and to work with ,he told me about a month ago that he was enjoying taking care of his grand children God Bless. Visitation: Saturday, Feb. 18th from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour at Mt. McCullough, now a manager at a water company in Texas, had met Bo Dukes at Army boot camp in 2006. Ryan Duke's attorneys believe their client's testimony was key in this case. At his sentencing hearing, Tara's stepmother, Connie, expressed how Tara's family felt about Ryan Duke. However, when it came to corroborating, Stephen testified in Bo Dukes trial that he couldnt confirm any of it. Jannis Paulk's former employee, Garlan Lott, told the court he had overheard that 2005 conversation between Ryan and Bo at a party in the same pecan orchard where Tara's body had been burned. A full skeleton. And the one we didn't want to think about was somebody killed her. He lit her on fire. And I was like, "Yeah." After college, Tara got a job at Ocilla's Irwin County high school, teaching 11th grade history. So that gave us a stronger indication that something bad had happened. 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.". Combined services will be held at Antioch M.B.C., 2033 W. Congress Ave. on Saturday March. Police found her car seat in position for someone taller, and police said they found an envelope with $100 in cash on the dashboard. He lived most his life in Aiken and worked as a procedures writer at the Savannah River . He lived most his life in Aiken and worked as a procedures writer at the Savannah River Site. 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. He graduated from Aiken High School in 1968 and was a . Duke said he never took Grinstead's belongings to police when he tried to return them. And she told them about her employee's tip three years earlier regarding Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke. DEFENSE: Mr. Duke, did you murder Tara Grinstead? They burned her body. In 2017, more than 11 years after Tara vanished, Brooke Sheridan came forward with a potential answer. John K. Dukes, Jr. Mar. Browse Troy local obituaries on Legacy.com. Stunned as he was, McCullough was in a dilemma. 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. GARLAN LOTT: I assumed it was handled by law enforcement, yes. That's according to Lindsey Forshee, administrator for the Tift Judicial Circuit. 2023 FOX Television Stations, jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and burglary, state and defense attorneys wrapped up their closing arguments. 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. Bones that were so degraded, no official cause of death could be determined. Sign up for service and obituary updates. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. 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. 83 Peacefully passed away on February 23, 2023. I'm not gonna shy away to the fact that I was I was bitter. "Its a portion of the human cranium. The family will receive friends Thursday morning, May 3rd beginning at 10 oclock at Shellhouse Rivers Funeral Home. 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. Ryan worked at a plastics manufacturing plant, while Bo would occasionally work at his family's pecan farm. Duke's attorneys also focused on what they say is no evidence or DNA from their client found instead Grinstead's home. Posey says Duke corrected the GBI agent over 20 times during his confession, and said he believes that is key to note. Prosecutors played that videotape of Bo's interview with the GBI. And he was like, 'I know what happened.". "I cant lie. I cried for days, couldn't sleep for days. What to do during a tornado: Where is your safe spot. 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. Down to about 20 fragments of bone. Sometime in the night, Bo and Ben left while he and Stephen were sleeping. With no hard evidence, authorities couldn't make an arrest. Tillitski testified that Duke was sleep-deprived and there were drugs in his system when he confessed in 2017. GBI AGENT: So, you immediately see this and you're like "what in the hell did you do? And it wasn't the only one overlooked. They've lived so many years without being punished. Then, there was Tara's ex-boyfriend, Marcus Harper. In April 1952, flicka was the 500th baby born at Paso Robles. It was an opening like that. The trial of the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 16 years ago has been pushed back into 2022. Ryan Duke, now clean-shaven and looking very different from his 2017 arrest, took the stand. The defense questioned Duke about his life and relationship with Bo Dukes. Published by Mobile Register and Baldwin County from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023. Another former student, Bo Dukes, is now serving a 25-year prison sentence for lying to the GBI and helping Duke bury her body. BO DUKES [GBI interview]: He told me that he had killed Tara Grinstead. But again, as far as she knew, it went nowhere. As their relationship evolved, Brooke sensed that something seemed to be eating away at Bo. 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. Somebody has abducted her and holding her somewhere hostage. Dana Wilder: As little girls, we looked up to her she was famous. Bo told her they moved Tara's body to a pit, where it took two days to burn, destroying all evidence. 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 trial comes after Bo Dukes, a high school friend of Ryan Duke, was convicted of concealing Grinstead's death, which led investigators to Ryan Duke. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Maria Woods Harber: Tara really did want to get back with Marcus. The funeral will follow at 11 oclock in the chapel with The Rev. Brooke Sheridan [emotional]: I kept thinking about her family and I couldn't sleep at night. And then, an important discovery. Expand the Memories and Condolences form. JOHN DUKES OBITUARY John Lewis Dukes John Lewis Dukes, 64 of Monroe, Louisiana, an automotive service writer, passed away Sunday, April 19, 2015. 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. They wanted the state to fund the expenses for people like private investigators and expert witnesses for Ryan. He pleaded not guilty. Forward to Family & Friends; Print; Contact Support; Upgrade; Death Certificates; Share This Obituary. Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love. Brooke Sheridan: Ryan looked at Bo and said, "It's your truck. Witness Randy Hudson owned the pecan orchard where Grinstead's body was allegedly disposed. 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. . On March 1, 1969, he met Sandra Hageman on a . 2023 Neptune Society. Jannis Paulk also spoke to the GBI in 2008 as the agency was reviewing the case. Eventually, a breakthrough tip came around, and two men were arrested in relation to the Tara case. Gary Rothwell [2008]: It is one of the most extensive investigations undertaken by the GBI. . 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). The day after Bo's confession, his one-time friend Ryan Duke was arrested. As for his alibi, Ryan claimed that he had been at his mobile home in Fitzgerald the entire night. It took a jury less than an hour to convict Bo Dukes on all charges. "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. Visit our Support Center. 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. I don't know. Ryan's lawyers argued that gave Bo plenty of time to plant it. Peter Van Sant: How many times did you call the GBI over what period of time and you still didn't get any . Ryan Duke testified he "passed out" after a night of drinking before Tara Grinstead allegedly died. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken County, Cindy was a daughter of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. 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 portrayed Duke leading investigators to the pecan orchard he claims he took the lifeless body. He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. 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. Find an Obituary. Visitation: Saturday, Feb. 18th from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour at Mt. The state and defense attorneys wrapped up their closing arguments earlier in the day. Maria Woods Harber: She was absolutely elegant onstage. Wide open space so the woods wouldnt catch on fire," Duke said while trying to find the location. An Irwin County jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murdering Georgia teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead. Hudson said at the time he thought the burn site was an innocent bonfire. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 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. He pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Duke is to be sentenced Monday. To the Dukes family, please know I am praying for you. Yet both these demands were denied by the court. "He actually made the motion in the interview and put his hands up like this mimicking how he held her body," GBI Agent Jason Shoudel said. Both had been students at. The returned to the orchard once, where the ashes looked like a small campfire. John McCullough: Yeah and we were pretty close. SHELLHOUSE RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC, Share your thoughts and memories with family and friends of Ryan, Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home, Inc. and Shellhouse-Rivers Crematory, Shellhouse Funeral Home/Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home/Shellhouse-Rivers Crematory. 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