I mean, she had the biggest smile. She would never leave her kids. And I was like, "yeah." Ryan is the one talking about 411 getting connected to Taras house.". 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" . A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mamie Rae. For years, Marcus Harper lived under a cloud some might say a thunderstorm of suspicion. John McCullough: Yeah and we were pretty close. Brooke Sheridan: I had to tell some I had to tell. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. More than an hour into his testimony, Ryan Duke described the moment Bo Dukes led him to Grinstead's body. Brooke Sheridan: I said, "You have to talk to me. He lit her on fire. Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. He recalled that moment. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. And he asked me to help him get rid of her body. GBI Agent Jason Shoudel was on the stand to testify. He was the owner operator of Dukes Tax Service and Taxxman Payroll Solutions. DEFENSE [closing arguments]: Bo Dukes should be on trial for the murder of Tara Grinstead, not Ryan. He wasn't sure who said what. "It's like he wasn't there," Ryan Duke said when asked about Bo Dukes' demeanor while the body burned. 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. focused on the investigators who have worked the case over the years. And she snuck up on me and I hit her. Vicki Heilig Dukes AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. "Ryan did not kill Ms. Grinstead. The two who were friends had similar sounding names but weren't related. Police never called him a suspect, but Marcus was more closely investigated than anyone in the disappearance of his former girlfriend, Tara Grinstead. Maria Woods Harber: My best friend, Tara Grinstead, was a beautiful person on the inside and the outside. Peter Van Sant and Mary Woods Harber in front of Tara Grinstead's Ocilla home. Here's my number I'll do whatever has to happen for y'all to take me serious. Leave a memory or share a photo below to show your support. The state went through photos and evidence, including a glove found at the home with the DNA of Grinstead and a man. Duke says he didnt know Grinstead other than the fact that she was a teacher at the high school. Brooke Sheridan: He has a beautiful mind. And he said he threw his arms up just like this [shrugs her shoulders], "What are you gonna do?". Jannis Paulk: We shared that tip with the local sheriff's department. She wasn't wearing shoes. It was somethin' I felt like, you know, I had to do. 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. I don't understand that, just a disregard of human life. But after he broke down to Brooke, she told Bo it was time to tell the truth. There was no other option. Maybe because I'm a nobody. AIKEN, SC MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. I didnt know what else to do," Ryan said. and that's nobody's business, but in this case, it made it tough. Duke was convicted on the charge of Concealing a Death and was sentenced to the maximum punishment of . Dukes invited McCullough to Ocilla to spend Christmas with his family. He called the state's top law enforcement agency heading the investigation, the GBI. Duke said he left the home in a panic but came back to remove the body. We had search efforts like nothing you've ever seen. Neighbors knocked on her door but got no response. Ohio Residents: Neptune Society is affiliated with Okerwall Funeral Home. Dana Wilder: Ocilla was Tara's life. From arguing that the glove with Ryans DNA was planted outside Taras house by Bo to him testifying it was the latter whod woken him up that night and admitted to killing Tara, the trial included it all. Brooke Sheridan: He said, "You've heard of the Tara Grinstead case?" 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. The jury was left to decide if they believed what Ryan said in 2017, or his new version of events. New Jersey Residents: N.J. Lic. In cross-examination, Rothwell added that he takes responsibility for the GBI lapse. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Receive a notification when services are updated. Ryan Dukes said he started to see Bo Dukes more often after he was discharged from the Army for being AWOL. I cant live with myself Im so sick of this," Duke said in a recorded video. He testified calmly, but inside was still seething at Bo. 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." Bo Dukes shares details of what happened to Tara Grinstead with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. John K. Dukes, Jr. Mar. The talented signer was named Miss Tifton and competed in the Miss Georgia beauty pageant. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. He was there with his brother, Stephen, and their friends, Bo Dukes and Ben McMahan. The defense was up first and focused on the inconsistencies in the state's presentation. That boyfriend was Marcus Harper, a former cop from Ocilla. Brooke Sheridan says she encouraged Bo Dukes to tell his story to investigators. GBI AGENT: Of all the people, why Tara, what's the connection? At his sentencing hearing, Tara's stepmother, Connie, expressed how Tara's family felt about Ryan Duke. Brooke Sheridan: I had never connected with somebody and had fun with somebody like I have with him. However, when it came to corroborating, Stephen testified in Bo Dukes trial that he couldnt confirm any of it. Peter Van Sant: So, two Southern boys meet in Oklahoma in the Army. Blogs; Online will; Shop. Defense attorneys began to call witnesses of their own Monday when the state prosecutors rested their case after over a week of arguments. Ryan Duke said he thought Bo Dukes was playing a joke on him, until he saw her corpse. The jury saw pictures from Fitzgerald Farms, where agents searched for Grinstead's remains in 2017. 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. Let others know about your loved one's death. Dr. Fred W. Andrea III officiating. Two years later, in March 2019, he was the first to go on trial. And the next month, Bo Dukes, who years earlier had sat in Tara's class was arrested and charged not with murder, but with concealing a death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators in is original GBI interview. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. BRAD RIGBY | PROSECUTOR: This case is about Bo's lies, lies that lasted from 2005 to 2016. "What happened in this orchard was senseless" says Woods Harber of her best friend. All rights reserved. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. Bo says Ryan then repeated that a couple of days later. ", BO DUKES: Yeah. California Residents: California FD #1289, #1309, #1359, #2031 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. Send Flowers . Brooke Sheridan: It was love at first sight. He said, "My roommate killed her.". Peter Van Sant: Was it an emotional moment for you to realize someone had been arrested after all that time? But again, as far as she knew, it went nowhere. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. "Its a portion of the human cranium. An Irwin County jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murdering Georgia teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead. Of the six charges, Duke was found guilty of one count of concealing Grinstead's death. Duke also admitted to taking her purse and keys and leaving a glove at the residence. Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara Grinstead's body at the pecan orchard, where the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found her remains years later. And then, an important discovery. Brooke Sheridan: It was something very dark and I I chalked it up to, you know, serving his time in the military. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. AGENT GARY ROTHWELL: It is something we should've followed up, but we we didn't. And that was corroborated. But when he took the witness stand during his trial, he insisted he was innocent. He said, "I don't know why he did it.". Outside, in front of Tara's house, authorities found something that didn't seem to belong a latex glove. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. 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. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Tara Faye Grinstead was the youngest child of Bill and Faye Grinstead, born in 1974. Bo got in big trouble while in the Army. 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. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. I know who killed Tara Grinstead or had a part of it. 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. Another video shown portrayed Duke leading investigators to the pecan orchard he claims he took the lifeless body. "There was a profile that matched a toothbrush of Tara Grinstead and there was an unknown male profile," Hinkle said. Ryan Dukes Obituary Remember Ryan Dukes. One of those always showing off and talking big and running his mouth. It would be illegal for me to accept a fee for preparing that application on your behalf. IRWIN COUNTY, Ga. - An emotionaltrial in Irwin Countyconcluded Monday with a judge sentencing Ryan Duke to the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison - with five years already served. John McCullough: I can't explain it [emotional]. The judge dismissed one of the jurors he says was sleeping throughout the trial. 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. 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. Send a Card. Maria Woods Harber: Tara really did want to get back with Marcus. she snuck up on me and I hit her. Marcus Harper: She obviously wanted to get married. But the prosecution said they hard evidence: audio and video of Ryan confessing to killing Tara, when he spoke to the GBI back in 2017. Grinstead's best friend, sister, and step mother took to the stand to describe the pain they have felt since her 2005 disappearance. He's the uncle of Bo Dukes. Incredibly, McCullough says, no one returned his calls. But McCullough wasn't the only witness who gave details about Tara's death. 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. Ryan Duke Trial Day 7 Recap. Posey says Duke corrected the GBI agent over 20 times during his confession, and said he believes that is key to note. Maria Woods Harber: Yes. Jannis, who ran a local web design company, became an expert on the case keeping a close watch since Tara was reported missing. 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. And he was like, 'I know what happened.". Ray Dukes passed away on January 15, 2022 at the age of 37 in CHARLOTTE, North Carolina. If convicted of murder, Duke faces an automatic sentence of life in prison. The state argues in 2017 Duke was swabbed, and his DNA positively matched that found on the glove. Sign the Guest Book. Maria Woods Harber: This is where Tara Grinstead lived in 2005. 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. He was a graduate of Aiken High School and received his bachelor's degree from USC Aiken. Updated on: May 24, 2022 / 10:33 AM GARLAN LOTT: I assumed it was handled by law enforcement, yes. 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. RYAN DUKE [GBI interview played at trial]: I can't lie. He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. Maria Woods Harber: They've gotten away with it for this many years anyway. He will be replaced by one of the six alternates who also had been listening to the testimony. Maria Woods Harber: She was charismatic, determined, a beautiful personality. Ryan Duke has been sentenced to spend the next five years in prison for his part in concealing the death of Georgia teacher and former beauty queen Tara Grinstead. He was the talk of Ocilla, Georgia, and none of it was good. I didn't believe him. "Ryan Duke, the man in that chair, confessed to the murder of Tara Grinstead," prosecutor Brad Rigby said. Read More Published In Last Name "Dixon". Brooke Sheridan: Ryan Woke him up and said, "I killed Tara Grinstead.". 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. He was a graduate of Aiken High School and received his bachelors degree from USC Aiken. Ryan Duke said he didn't know what he was talking about or believe him at first. Year after year passed with no arrests. I definitely didn't wanna settle down in small town America. 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. Grinstead, an Irwin County High School teacher, went missing in October 2005. In closing, as Tara's family looked on, the prosecution held to their argument that Ryan had told the truth back in 2017. Maria Woods Harber: Tara had a boyfriend for a long time And during the summer of 2005, they broke up. Sometime in the night, Bo and Ben left while he and Stephen were sleeping. "Two men who had no regard for a beautiful, loving person took her life. See the viral video from Bo Dukes' sentencing below: Georgia Supreme Court rules Ryan Duke can use state funds for defense in Grinstead case, Tara Grinstead case: Bo Dukes reports to prison for 25-year sentence, The trial was scheduled for October, but lawyers met this week and agreed to delay the case to spring 2022, Lent List: What is most often given up, and how you can find substitutes, Major water leak keeps Dublin City Hall closed, March kicks off by continuing the warm stretch, small rain chance. The defense said Bo Dukes' attorney indicated his client would invoke the 5th Amendment if called to testify. And for the first time, everyone heard Bo's own account when his GBI interview was played in court: BO DUKES [GBI video interview]: He told me he had killed Tara Grinstead. DEFENSE: Mr. Duke, did you murder Tara Grinstead? The two then went to a party. You need to own to what you've done and confess. Maria Woods Harber: Yeah, she did. He is preceded in death by his. Tara's car was parked in the driveway. And the one we didn't want to think about was somebody killed her. Ryan Duke said he helped Bo Dukes load Grinstead's body onto a pile of wood, covered her with more wood and lit the pile on fire. Jannis Paulk even created a website to help authorities collect information. He was a graduate of A I don't know. Zion Baptist Church, 1012 Adams St. View the obituary at www.BEBrownCo.com. He was a graduate of Aiken High School and received his bachelors degree from USC Aiken. The last witness in the case was GBI Agent Mitchell Posey, who was brought in to prove Duke wasnt lying in his 2017 recorded confession, "The question was How did you identify Tara? The answer was The pictures on the wall," Posey said, "Ryan is the one talking about the G&G in front of it. Show Your Sympathy to the Family. Maria Woods Harber: And the next morning I got a call saying that I need to get to Ocilla. Send Flowers. 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