Ryan Duke said he wouldn't have recognized who it was if Bo Dukes hadn't told him. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. SHELLHOUSE RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC. State and defense teams made their pitches to jurors and began examining witnesses. Peter Van Sant: What time did she go home? Ryan was born April 23, 1981. 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. Sending condolences & deepest condolences to the Dukes Family. her main goal was to win Miss Georgia or at least to get to Miss Georgia, and she did. After the defense rested their case, the state got the last opportunity to present witnesses as a rebuttal. Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. Jannis, who ran a local web design company, became an expert on the case keeping a close watch since Tara was reported missing. the judge said. The two men drove about 200 yards up the road to where Tara Grinstead's body had been placed. And what she had to say implicated a man whose name had repeatedly been given to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. Both had been students at. He is extremely intelligent. He recognized her from Irwin County High School, where he was a student, and she was teaching at the time. "That is a question that has bothered me for years," he said. The GBI tested that glove and found not only Tara's DNA on it, but the DNA profile of an unknown male. The trial of the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 16 years ago has been pushed back into 2022. 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. "We believe in Ryan and we believed in him the entire time.". 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. Brooke Sheridan: I had to tell some I had to tell. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. GARLAN LOTT: The statement that I recall was, 'We killed and burned her body.". Ryan then allegedly went back to her house to move her remains to the orchard using Bos truck. You need to own what you've done and confess," Sheridan told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant in 2017. Roland & Karol Kay Hoffman. Maria Woods Harber: She's been an inspiration. He was a family friend married, with kids who would later testify that he and Tara were having an affair. Duke is to be sentenced Monday. They found him guilty of one charge: concealing Grinstead's death. The weight of what McCullough says Bo told him became unbearable. Maria Woods Harber: My best friend, Tara Grinstead, was a beautiful person on the inside and the outside. 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.". He recalled that moment. Tillitski testified that Duke was sleep-deprived and there were drugs in his system when he confessed in 2017. she snuck up on me and I hit her. Not a one. 28, 1957 - Feb. 10, 2023 Mr. John K. Dukes, Jr. entered into eternal rest on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. Make a life-giving gesture. Ryan Duke Trial Day 7 Recap. Bo then gave his account of moving and then burning her body, which began on a Wednesday and took two days. Rumors swirled about that cop whose card was found at Tara's house. 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. 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. This DNA test was taken two years before defendant Ryan Dukes recorded confession. Born in Columbia, SC, Mike was a son of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. And that's where she wanted to stay and where she wanted to be. He said, "I don't know why he did it.". 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. 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 and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael. Jannis Paulk: It was Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke. He pleaded not guilty. Mobile Register and Baldwin County Homepage. 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.". Please join us in Loving, Sharing and Memorializing Ryan Dukes on this permanent online memorial. Prosecutors said Duke took law enforcement to the pecan orchard where he confessed to burning and dumping Grinstead's body. 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. 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. The family of Tara Grinstead got a chance to address the jury before the judge gave Ryan Duke a maximum sentence after he was found guilty of concealing the body of Tara Grinstead. But after he broke down to Brooke, she told Bo it was time to tell the truth. / CBS News, [This story previously aired on September 4, 2021. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. John McCullough says he is still haunted by painful memories of being ignored by investigators. 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. Jurors heard the forensic analysis on that piece of evidence. Ohio Residents: Neptune Society is affiliated with Okerwall Funeral Home. Tara's cell phone was charging inside the house. "Two men who had no regard for a beautiful, loving person took her life. I can't imagine the loss of a child. Miriam Sealy, Tara Grinstead's school friend and childhood neighbor, fought back tears as she read a statement in front of the court. And he was like, 'I know what happened.". John K. Dukes, Jr. Mar. He eventually went to court in 2022, with the central defense being hed given a false confession in 2017, partially owing to the fact he was afraid of his former friend Bo. He's the uncle of Bo Dukes. Tara was. BO DUKES: As far as I know, he didn't know her. He admitted to helping his friend burn the body until, "it looked like it was all ash.". An Irwin County jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murdering Georgia teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead. They believe Ryan Duke was the killer. Bones that were so degraded, no official cause of death could be determined. According to the court, Ryan Duke became ineligible for state funds when he chose to go with private attorneys rather than a public defender. Find the obituary of Sandra Lee Dukes (1958 - 2021) from Clayton, DE. Ways to honor John Dukes's life and legacy. A jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murder but guilty of concealing her body. McCullough, now a manager at a water company in Texas, had met Bo Dukes at Army boot camp in 2006. Peter Van Sant: And what is it about him that you love? 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. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. 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). Superior Courts, Cordele Judicial Circuit. GARLAN LOTT: I assumed it was handled by law enforcement, yes. Shoudel was the one who taped the confession. The defense argued that Ryan's former best friend, Bo Dukes, was the man responsible for Grinstead's death throughout the trial. You need to own to what you've done and confess. Ryan Duke said he was afraid of Bo Dukes, who repeatedly told him not to talk about Tara Grinstead. It was somethin' I felt like, you know, I had to do. AIKEN, SC - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Rothwell took the blame for the GBI assuming local law enforcement determined information indicating Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes as persons of interest were "unfounded." Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. "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. 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. 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. Duke was convicted on the charge of Concealing a Death and was sentenced to the maximum punishment of . "I know they are disappointed in the verdict today like we are.". BO DUKES [GBI interview]: He told me that he had killed Tara Grinstead. Need help? 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. Send a gift to a service or familys home. Ryan Duke said he didn't know what he was talking about or believe him at first. Peter Van Sant: This is the murder of Tara Grinstead and there seemed to be little interest, is that right? The talented signer was named Miss Tifton and competed in the Miss Georgia beauty pageant. But questions remained about discrepancies between Ryan's version of events and Bo's. He wasn't sure who said what. "It should be an opening when we cremated her. In March 2019, in a county courthouse about 30 miles from where beloved teacher and beauty pageant mentor Tara Grinstead was murdered, Bo Dukes went on trial on charges relating to covering up her death. We had search efforts like nothing you've ever seen. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. And I was like, "yeah." Its a piece from the side here," Good said. Peter Van Sant: What were some of the theories as to what had happened to Tara? In 2005, the disappearance of beloved high-school teacher Tara Grinstead sent shockwaves through the town of Ocilla, Georgia. 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. Universal. Thanks to the loyal support of generations of families, we've now grown to 45 locations nationwide with continued expansion in the future. 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. Ryan Duke was sentenced to 10 years in prison for concealing the death of Tara Grinstead. One of those always showing off and talking big and running his mouth. John McCullough: I can't explain it [emotional]. 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. McCullough wasn't ready for what Bo would say next. 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. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. In April 1952, flicka was the 500th baby born at Paso Robles. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. The two then went to a party. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://www.nationalcremation.com/location/irving- for the Drakes family. Published by Mobile Register and Baldwin County from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023. Ashley Hinkle, a forensic biologist with the State Crime Lab testified she swabbed the glove in June 2015. The defense called a psychologist, Dr. Christopher Tillitski, who evaluated Ryan Duke in 2019. And she was very distraught. His former roommate and close friend was Ryan Duke. If convicted of murder, Duke faces an automatic sentence of life in prison. The funeral will follow at 11 oclock in the chapel with The Rev. But I think it's taken a lot of toll on them mentally and physically. He lived most his life in Aiken and worked as a procedures writer at the Savannah River . It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. Jannis Paulk: So, Bo was known in the community for being a little over the top, unfiltered. And everybody has to live with that," Superior Court Judge Bill Reinhardt said before giving out his sentence. Following his wishes, there will be no. That's according to Lindsey Forshee, administrator for the Tift Judicial Circuit. And remember that latex glove found at the crime scene? Prosecutors played that videotape of Bo's interview with the GBI. I am so sorry. However, we had a glove, a latex glove that we couldn't explain. Ryan worked at a plastics manufacturing plant, while Bo would occasionally work at his family's pecan farm. 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