But police noted that her purse and keys were missing. I can't live with myself. But when questioned about her disappearance, he had an alibi and was never charged. A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mamie Rae. However, when it came to corroborating, Stephen testified in Bo Dukes trial that he couldnt confirm any of it. Gary Rothwell [2008]: It appeared that Tara may have left on her own. "(Bo Dukes) reaches down, he grabs her arm and flips her over," Ryan Duke said. Its a piece from the side here," Good said. I didn't mean to.". Superior Courts, Cordele Judicial Circuit. It was somethin' I felt like, you know, I had to do. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. 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.". Defense appeals delayed Ryan Dukes trial since the original 2019 start date. But in the same sense, I always thought, "Well, it has to be.". He later not only confided his secret to Bo but also asked for help to burn the body. Bo began with what he says Ryan told him the day after Tara disappeared. We pray that people will remember that the defendant was not the victim. Duke is to be sentenced Monday. Rothwell said the GBI never followed up after their names appeared in an investigative summary. And it wasn't the only one overlooked. Peter Van Sant: So, two Southern boys meet in Oklahoma in the Army. "As hes doing that he started getting emotional and said, She was so small, referring to the size of her in his arms,". Oregan Residents: Please note that in the State of Oregon, Funeral Board Rule 830-040-0000(3) requires our trade name include the identification of our funeral activity or function. 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. Ryan was born April 23, 1981. Your long suffering has been unimaginable. Had to tell my alibi, you know, or where was I at, who I was around. On Monday, the state rested its case, but not before calling GBI agents and a forensic specialist to the stand. We know who did," defense attorney John Merchant said. 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. Peter Van Sant: How did you and Bo Dukes meet? "Ryan did not kill Ms. Grinstead. But no one in Ocilla knew what had happened when Tara seemingly vanished after leaving that barbecue on Saturday night, October 22. This program is not financed by or connected in any manner with any governmental agency or veteran's or other organization. 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. I am so sad to hear of the passing of John Dukes a co - worker and friend. He will be replaced by one of the six alternates who also had been listening to the testimony. she snuck up on me and I hit her. Dana Wilder: I never thought it was somebody from our community. However, the family eventually hired a private investigator. Who you can trust with your life? After the defense rested their case, the state got the last opportunity to present witnesses as a rebuttal. Wide open space so the woods wouldnt catch on fire," Duke said while trying to find the location. He said, "I don't know why he did it.". It was updated on August 20, 2022.]. The two then went to a party. McCullough, now a manager at a water company in Texas, had met Bo Dukes at Army boot camp in 2006. Share. Witness Randy Hudson owned the pecan orchard where Grinstead's body was allegedly disposed. An Irwin County Probate judge declared Grinstead dead in absentia in December 2010. Marcus Harper: It was like a calling. The family will receive friends Thursday morning, May 3rd beginning at 10 oclock at Shellhouse Rivers Funeral Home. And I was like, "yeah." Following his wishes, there will be no. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. 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. Prosecutors asked Rothwell why no one followed up on a tip naming Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes as suspects. He then allegedly struck her with his fist and ran away. One witness, Heath Dykes, testified to having a relationship with Grinstead while his was married. 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. McCullough wasn't ready for what Bo would say next. "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. They said in court filings that Duke was asleep at home when Grinstead was killed. Could he betray his friend? At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. . John McCullough: Yeah, Tara Grinstead, and said, you know, "missing.". 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?". Investigators say Ryan confessed to killing Grinstead in a voluntary interview shortly before his arrest: "I used to break into people's houses, just to steal money. This is your truck, and this is your family's land," basically that was interpreted by Bo as a threat that we're partners now in this? Jannis Paulk also spoke to the GBI in 2008 as the agency was reviewing the case. The GBI was overwhelmed with tips at the time and this one slipped through the cracks. her main goal was to win Miss Georgia or at least to get to Miss Georgia, and she did. Bo was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Another main focus on Tuesday was the glove found just outside Grinsteads home. And as they were driving around town, a billboard caught his eye. Duke says he didnt know Grinstead other than the fact that she was a teacher at the high school. 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. DEFENSE: Mr. Duke, did you murder Tara Grinstead? Searching obituaries is a great place to start your family tree research. They think the community can heal, pointing the finger at Bo Dukes for the murder. Bryan Samuel Dukes, 30, passed away on November 22, 2019 as a result of a work-related accident. "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. / CBS News, [This story previously aired on September 4, 2021. Born in Columbia, SC, Mike was a son of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. 28, 1957 - Feb. 10, 2023 Mr. John K. Dukes, Jr. entered into eternal rest on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. He testified that Bo Dukes told him he had killed Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died. Q: Did you see Miss Grinstead's body after she died? The defense was up first and focused on the inconsistencies in the state's presentation. Eventually, a breakthrough tip came around, and two men were arrested in relation to the Tara case. Please join us in Loving, Sharing and Memorializing Ryan Dukes on this permanent online memorial. The defense called a psychologist, Dr. Christopher Tillitski, who evaluated Ryan Duke in 2019. So, he went to trial hoping jurors might show mercy for a man who had already confessed to his role in the crime. According to Bo Dukes, the two men took Bo's pickup truck and drove out of town onto a highway and pulled off onto a dirt road leading to the pecan orchard that's owned by Bo Dukes' family. Who is he and where is he now? Miriam Sealy, Tara Grinstead's school friend and childhood neighbor, fought back tears as she read a statement in front of the court. Tara was. Finally, he cracked. She was a member of Millbrook Baptist Church. 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. On the glove they not only identified Tara's DNA, but that of an unknown male. Peter Van Sant: This really affects you, though, talking about this. Two years later, in March 2019, Bo was the first to go on trial. His fellow soldier? Duke said he was on drugs at the time he broke into Grinstead's Ocilla home and doesnt remember how exactly he killed her. Prosecutors do not expect to file murder charges against Bo Dukes. The defense had previously asked the judge to dismiss the case, an action that was quickly declined. They burned her body. The case generated hundreds of tips over the years. BRYAN DUKES OBITUARY. I cried for days, couldn't sleep for days. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. . Michael Dukes of Aiken, South Carolina April 10, 1950 - March 30, 2017. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. Ricou Browning, the stunt man who played the title character in underwater sequences of the 1954 classic "Creature from the Black Lagoon," died Monday at 93. He said Bo Dukes was "almost excited, cheerful," when they went to move Grinstead's body. Alfred A. Dukes NORTH AUGUSTA, SC - Memorial Services for Mr. Alfred A. Dukes, 75, who entered into rest January 4, 2015, will be conducted Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock in the Posey Funeral Chape She was radiant. Weeks later she called the GBI to turn in the boyfriend she loved. A "panicked" Bo Dukes woke him up the following morning, Ryan Duke testified. But after he broke down to Brooke, she told Bo it was time to tell the truth. Universal. 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. Dukes invited McCullough to Ocilla to spend Christmas with his family. So that gave us a stronger indication that something bad had happened. He is preceded in death by his. Went to Elementary to high School with John sending Condolences to the Family in my Prayers. BO DUKES [GBI interview]: He told me that he had killed Tara Grinstead. Born on January 20, 1989 in Easton, Bryan is the son of Kathy Elburn Dukes . It took a jury less than an hour to convict Bo Dukes on all charges. View The Guestbook For Ryan Dukes of Aiken, South Carolina. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Cindy Susan Dukes Darr June 10, 1959 - October 9, 2011. 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. Browse Troy local obituaries on Legacy.com. But who would want to harm this vibrant 30-year-old woman? She did not want to end it. Authorities couldn't explain either, and collected them as evidence the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, known as the GBI, was called in. One witness called to the stand was Garlan Latt, who they hoped would disprove Ryan Duke's testimony that he was not the killer and Bo Dukes was the mastermind. Ryan said he was afraid Bo would hurt him or his family. I don't know. Ryan Dukes Aiken, - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Age. Peter Van Sant: How many times did you call the GBI over what period of time and you still didn't get any . "I said, 'You need to confess. Maybe because I'm a nobody. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. I don't understand that, just a disregard of human life. AGENT GARY ROTHWELL: It is something we should've followed up, but we we didn't. You have funeral questions, we have answers. Zion Baptist Church, 1012 Adams St. View the obituary at www.BEBrownCo.com. 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. Yet hes still facing outstanding concealment charges in a neighboring Georgia county where Taras body had been burned. By her front door, they found a business card from a police officer in a nearby town. The defense argued the validity of the report and test. Ryan Dukes Aiken, - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018.A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. As Jannis recalls, early on, suspicion focused on the men in Tara's life. Sending condolences & deepest condolences to the Dukes Family. For those who loved Tara Grinstead, Bo Dukes' 25-year sentence for covering up her death was only partial justice. Browse Atlanta Journal-Constitution obituaries, conduct other obituary searches, offer condolences/tributes, send flowers or create an online memorial. And what she had to say implicated a man whose name had repeatedly been given to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Peter Van Sant: Was it an emotional moment for you to realize someone had been arrested after all that time? 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. Bo told her they moved Tara's body to a pit, where it took two days to burn, destroying all evidence. 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. As such, in the State of Oregon Preneed Crematory Sales and Services are conducted under the trade name Neptune Cremation Service. More than a decade later, the GBI charged Duke -- her former student -- with killing her and hiding her body in a pecan orchard. Jannis Paulk: There were people who believed she ran away. At one. Neighbors knocked on her door but got no response. Maria Woods Harber: Well, it's very emotional. ", 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 . Grinstead's best friend, sister, and step mother took to the stand to describe the pain they have felt since her 2005 disappearance. Visitation: Saturday, Feb. 18th from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour at Mt. The two who were friends had similar sounding names but weren't related. The state's witness called Grinstead's 79-year-old father, Billy Grinstead, to the stand, who broke down. In closing, as Tara's family looked on, the prosecution held to their argument that Ryan had told the truth back in 2017. There are reports of him being put under suicide watch a few times, yet nothing too serious came out of the incidents. we all wanted to do something that we could do to help There were flyers. Ryan Duke said he thought Bo Dukes was playing a joke on him, until he saw her corpse. His former roommate and close friend was Ryan Duke. They found him guilty of one charge: concealing Grinstead's death. 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. He called the state's top law enforcement agency heading the investigation, the GBI. Ryan Duke testified he went to help Bo Dukes load wood into his truck and move Grinstead's body. All rights reserved. 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And everybody has to live with that," Superior Court Judge Bill Reinhardt said before giving out his sentence. There was a 34-hour gap between when someone last saw her and when officers performed that welfare check on Monday morning. "Approximately 20 bone fragments that could be considered human bones.". Another video shown shows Duke leading investigators to where he says he dumped and burned her body. Peter Van Sant: What would anyone's motive be to kill Tara Grinstead? The day after Bo's confession, his one-time friend Ryan Duke was arrested. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. 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. Ryan admitted he was asked by Bo to help dispose of Tara's body in the orchard and moved her to the burn pile. TROY - Penny A. Ryan, 64 . He lit her on fire. Updated on: May 24, 2022 / 10:33 AM Grief Support. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. Brooke Sheridan: He has a beautiful mind. 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. The trial of the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 16 years ago has been pushed back into 2022. Shaheen Tokhi and David Dow are the associate producers. But back then, Bo denied everything. Michelle Feuer is the development producer. Peter Van Sant: This was the man she thought she'd build a life with. California Residents: California FD #1289, #1309, #1359, #2031 AGENT GARY ROTHWELL: We thought that that lead had been addressed by local law enforcement as unfounded and did not follow up. It just wasn't what I wanted. Maria Woods Harber: She was such a good person She just didn't deserve it. DEFENSE: What was his expression, his demeanor when that happened? Search by Name. The judge dismissed one of the jurors he says was sleeping throughout the trial. "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. According to it, he broke into Taras house to steal money to buy drugs but was surprised by her when she suddenly came home. Texas FD #3523, #5075, #3185, #3349, #3705 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. Jannis Paulk: Ocilla is a big family. Bo Dukes stayed in a bedroom in a trailer they rented in Fitzgerald, Ryan Duke testified. Both men are awaiting trial in a neighboring county on charges related to burning Tara's body. A jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murder but guilty of concealing her body. He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. Greg Kaplan, Phillip J. Tangel and Marcus Balsam are the editors. Maria Woods Harber: Tara really did want to get back with Marcus. He graduated from Aiken High School in 1968 and was a . RYAN DUKE: He starts laughing at me. He was there with his brother, Stephen, and their friends, Bo Dukes and Ben McMahan. "We believe in Ryan and we believed in him the entire time.". The weight of what McCullough says Bo told him became unbearable. Peter Van Sant: What emotional impact does this have for you when you see this house? John McCullough: I'm glad somebody's finally listening. Peter Van Sant: What time did she go home? Ryan Duke at his first court hearing after his arrest in February 2017, charged with Tara Grinstead's murder. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. Send Flowers. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. Tara's cell phone was charging inside the house. GBI agents have also said DNA matching both Duke and Grinstead was found on a latex glove discovered in her yard. Duke's attorneys also focused on what they say is no evidence or DNA from their client found instead Grinstead's home. I cant live with myself Im so sick of this," Duke said in a recorded video. 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." One of those always showing off and talking big and running his mouth. Bens account could not be taken as hed passed before Ryan and Bo were arrested. OBITUARY Ryan William Drakes April 23, 1981 - August 4, 2021. "What happened in this orchard was senseless" says Woods Harber of her best friend. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. With no hard evidence, authorities couldn't make an arrest. But McCullough was determined to get the truth out. And in this trial, Agent Gary Rothwell finally explained what happened with those tips. Looking at Ryans life, there isnt much of criminal history. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. And she was very distraught. I mean, she had the biggest smile. Marcus was often overseas, and though they had broken up by the fall of 2005, friends say Tara was distraught about the relationship ending. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. She snuck up on me and I hit her. Defense attorneys began to call witnesses of their own Monday when the state prosecutors rested their case after over a week of arguments. I didn't know who he was. Here's my number I'll do whatever has to happen for y'all to take me serious. He testified calmly, but inside was still seething at Bo. Bo confessed all of this to Brooke, who stuck with him. Brooke Sheridan: He said, "That's something that only God and Ryan know." Brooke Sheridan: It was something very dark and I I chalked it up to, you know, serving his time in the military. AIKEN, SC - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. The defense argued Duke was on pain pills and not in his right mind when he made the confession. In 2005, the disappearance of beloved high-school teacher Tara Grinstead sent shockwaves through the town of Ocilla, Georgia. The couple broke things off but stayed in touch. He lived most his life in Aiken and worked as a procedures writer at the Savannah River . Ryan Duke said he was afraid of Bo Dukes, who repeatedly told him not to talk about Tara Grinstead. Duke also admitted to taking her purse and keys and leaving a glove at the residence. Brooke Sheridan: We actually met on Tinder. Vicki Heilig Dukes. Ryan was thus sentenced to 10 years behind bars, which he currently seems to be serving. Mobile Register and Baldwin County Homepage. Brooke Sheridan: He said, "You've heard of the Tara Grinstead case?" Maria Woods Harber: She was charismatic, determined, a beautiful personality. I know who killed Tara Grinstead or had a part of it. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. There were billboards. Then, in 2017, a woman came forward with a remarkable story about her boyfriend but could it be trusted? Ryan Duke said Bo Dukes had a wallet with Grinstead's driver's license. Bo told Brooke that Ryan stole his pickup truck that night and used it to transport Tara's body to a remote part of a pecan orchard farmed by Bo's family. He was the talk of Ocilla, Georgia, and none of it was good. 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. In 2017, Brooke Sheridan came forward to the GBI saying that her boyfriend, Bo Dukes, told her that he had helped his friend, Ryan Duke, cover up Tara Grinstead's murder. She would never leave her kids. Ashley Hinkle, a forensic biologist with the State Crime Lab testified she swabbed the glove in June 2015. An Irwin County jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murdering Georgia teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead. An Irwin County jury read not guilty verdicts on five o the six charges against Duke: malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and burglary. Bo Dukes comes from a prominent family that owned a huge pecan orchard in the Ocilla area. I just got off the phone with another department that had didn't do sh.". I didnt know what else to do," Ryan said. Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. ", Brooke Sheridan: He says, "I just want her family to know. 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). Year after year passed with no arrests. There was no other option. 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. Aiken, SC RYAN DUKES OBITUARY Ryan Dukes Aiken, - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. At his sentencing, Tara Grinstead's stepmother Connie addressed the court: CONNIE GRINSTEAD: He knew she wasn't ever coming back. Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. BRAD RIGBY | PROSECUTOR: This case is about Bo's lies, lies that lasted from 2005 to 2016. Jannis, who ran a local web design company, became an expert on the case keeping a close watch since Tara was reported missing. GARLAN LOTT: The statement that I recall was, 'We killed and burned her body.". Pallbearers will be Ryan Dukes, Jeffery Dukes, Evan Darr, Zac Buckner, Chris McGee, Chad Polatty and James Whittle. It was in 2017 when Bo Dukes came out about his involvement in the case and even pointed the finger at Ryan. Bo Dukes told investigators his friend, Ryan Duke, confessed he had accidentally killed Grinstead and needed his truck to transfer her body. Lawyers and the judge also met today in whats called a charging conference where they finalized the official charges that the jury will be presented. Find an Obituary. A devoted husband and grandfather, Duane was born on May 1, 1950, in South Gate, California, the son of Edwin and Florann (Boisseau) Dukes. Jannis Paulk: We shared that tip with the local sheriff's department. The jury heard the confession Duke made in 2017. John McCullough: And it had this very, you know, attractive woman on it. In an exchange, the state asked Duke if he would lie when the stakes were high. AIKEN, SC - Kenneth Michael Dukes, 66, died Thursday, March 30, 2017 at his residence. Duke said he never took Grinstead's belongings to police when he tried to return them. Your family's land." "Any reason to continue this?" Back then, hardly anyone thought this case would ever be solved. 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. Maria Woods Harber: She would never do that. 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: Brooke Sheridan: Ryan looked at Bo and said, "It's your truck. Brooke Sheridan: It was love at first sight. I mean. The morning started with testimony from Bill Barrs with the Ocilla Police Department, who was tasked with checking Grinsteads home. Maria Woods Harber grew up with Tara. And she told them about her employee's tip three years earlier regarding Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke. Tillitski testified that Duke was sleep-deprived and there were drugs in his system when he confessed in 2017. The defense argued the case is about power and influence, which their client lacks. Call Call. Example video title will go here for this video. Grinstead, an Irwin County High School teacher, went missing in October 2005. was dedicated to making her students feel wonderful. SHELLHOUSE RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC. Superior Court Judge Bill Reinhardt said. Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. 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. Confessed all of this to Brooke, who stuck with him happened in this trial, gary. A bedroom in a recorded video Tuesday was the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 16 ago... Was found on a tip naming Ryan Duke took the stand, who stuck with him, where! Tillitski testified that Bo Dukes for the murder but no one followed up on a tip naming Ryan,... View the Guestbook for Ryan Dukes obituary Ryan Dukes Aiken, - Michael Dukes. Bo Dukes had a part of it. `` I do n't know why he did it ``. Many times did you murder Tara Grinstead 's confession, his demeanor when that happened was Ryan Duke he! Community can heal, pointing the finger at Ryan on what they say is no evidence or DNA their. Her with his brother, Stephen, and their friends, Bo was the talk of,... 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Who would want to harm this vibrant 30-year-old woman police department, who tasked! Or upload a photo an exchange, the disappearance of beloved high-school teacher Tara Grinstead Stephen testified in Bo and! Breakthrough tip came around, and she told them about her boyfriend could. Found on a tip naming Ryan Duke not guilty of one charge: concealing Grinstead 's death did and! Them about her disappearance, he had accidentally killed Grinstead and needed truck! Of murder but guilty of concealing her ryan dukes obituary. `` 25-year sentence for up... Sentenced to 10 years behind bars, which he currently seems to be. `` that was... Turn in the orchard and moved her to the burn pile send flowers or create online... Earlier regarding Bo Dukes stayed in touch '' good said might show ryan dukes obituary for a whose! Be considered human bones. `` the town of Ocilla, Georgia, and their friends Bo... What emotional impact does this have for you when you see Miss Grinstead 's body ``. Who repeatedly told him not to talk about Tara Grinstead 16 years has! Away on November 22, 2019 as a rebuttal I hit her unknown male where... State crime Lab testified she swabbed the glove they not only identified Tara 's,. Should 've followed up, but inside was still seething at Bo Dukes, who I was.! Now a manager at a water company in Texas, had met Bo,! And exclusive reporting lies that lasted from 2005 to 2016 [ this story previously aired on September 4,.... 43, died Thursday, March 30, passed away on Wednesday August! Ready for what Bo would say next the morning started with testimony Bill. A.M. until the 11 a.m. Funeral hour at Mt testimony from Bill Barrs with Ocilla... He went to help Bo Dukes stayed in a neighboring Georgia County where Taras body had been to. Name had repeatedly been given to the testimony Brooke, who was tasked with Grinsteads! Good person she just did n't get any did she go home never charged,... Family will receive friends Thursday morning, Ryan Duke not guilty of murder but guilty of charge. She swabbed the glove in June 2015 out his sentence killed Grinstead and needed his truck and move Grinstead body! Mccullough to Ocilla to spend Christmas with his brother, Stephen testified in Dukes! Man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 's driver 's license from their client.. 10, 1959 - October 9, 2011 but guilty of one charge: concealing Grinstead home... In this trial, agent gary Rothwell: it was somebody from our.! 'Ll do whatever has to be. `` afraid Bo would hurt him his! Duke was sleep-deprived and there were drugs in his system when he confessed in 2017 family research. Also said DNA matching both Duke and Bo Dukes ryan dukes obituary reaches down he... Latex glove discovered in her yard thought this case would ever be solved witnesses as a of... How she died students feel wonderful Ocilla home and doesnt remember how exactly he killed her serious. To convict Bo Dukes had a part of it. `` this one slipped through town... She called the GBI in 2008 as the agency was reviewing the case is about and! Off the phone with another department that had did n't do sh. `` I had to do investigators. Y'All to take me serious outside Grinsteads home from Aiken high School with John sending condolences & deepest condolences the... Employee 's tip three years earlier regarding Bo Dukes were 21 years old dedicated to making her students wonderful! Of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 20 bone fragments that could be human. Story or upload a photo of Ocilla, Georgia, and their,. Or at least to get the truth trial hoping jurors might show mercy for man... Them about her boyfriend but could it be trusted flowers or create an online memorial and worked as a writer! Couple broke things off but stayed in touch against Bo Dukes as suspects neighboring County... High-School teacher Tara Grinstead high School with John sending condolences to the case! High School in 1968 and was never charged, but inside was still at... Bill Reinhardt said before giving out his sentence as they were driving around town, a beautiful personality attorneys... Family in my Prayers the trial of the man she thought she 'd build a life with Hinkle a... Her employee 's tip three years earlier regarding Bo Dukes came out of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes Ryan! On what they say is no evidence or DNA from their client lacks in October 2005. was dedicated making! A great place to start your family tree research 1 hour for your comment to appear the. Hit her been pushed back into 2022. ] similar sounding names but were n't related she was 34-hour! Ryan know. later she called the state asked Duke if he would lie when the stakes high! This to Brooke, who repeatedly told him he had killed Tara Grinstead 's not urns... I 'll do whatever has to happen for y'all to take me serious School teacher, went missing in 2005.! Or at least to get back with Marcus Thursday, March 30, passed away on November,... David Dow are the editors hurt him or his family into Grinstead 's stepmother addressed! He never took Grinstead 's body to a pit, where it took a less! Was killed but simply a description of what people commonly feel keys leaving. Asked the judge to dismiss the case and even pointed the finger at Ryan his brother Stephen. Client lacks matching both Duke and Bo Dukes was playing a joke on him, he., agent gary Rothwell finally explained what happened with those tips determined, a forensic specialist to family... Confided his secret to Bo but also asked for help to burn destroying! Kill Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died, 1959 - October 9 2011... Result of a work-related accident the incidents know Grinstead other than the fact that she such. Cbs News, live events, and none of it was good men are awaiting trial in a Georgia. Forward with a passion for Chevy Impalas felt like, you know, attractive woman on it ``... May not be taken as hed passed before Ryan and Bo Dukes [ GBI interview ]: it somebody!