ryan dukes obituary

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. Police never called him a suspect, but Marcus was more closely investigated than anyone in the disappearance of his former girlfriend, Tara Grinstead. He said they had talked about getting together that Sunday, but Tara never answered her phone. Brooke Sheridan: He said, "That's something that only God and Ryan know." Neptune Society is the largest provider of affordable cremation services in the nation. In 2017, more than 11 years after Tara vanished, Brooke Sheridan came forward with a potential answer. Another was a former student who claimed he and Tara been secretly seeing each other. Aiken, SC RYAN DUKES OBITUARY Ryan Dukes Aiken, - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Wide open space so the woods wouldnt catch on fire," Duke said while trying to find the location. Ray Dukes passed away on January 15, 2022 at the age of 37 in CHARLOTTE, North Carolina. In an exchange, the state asked Duke if he would lie when the stakes were high. 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. 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 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. Funeral Home Services for Ray are being provided by Alexander Funeral Home, Inc. - Charlotte. Bo confessed all of this to Brooke, who stuck with him. Zion Baptist Church, 1012 Adams St. View the obituary at www.BEBrownCo.com. DEFENSE [closing arguments]: Bo Dukes should be on trial for the murder of Tara Grinstead, not Ryan. Let others know about your loved one's death. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. Ryan worked at a plastics manufacturing plant, while Bo would occasionally work at his family's pecan farm. Peter Van Sant: This really affects you, though, talking about this. "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. McCullough wasn't ready for what Bo would say next. I can't imagine the loss of a child. Brooke Sheridan: He said, "You've heard of the Tara Grinstead case?" John McCullough maintains he tried to get investigators a key tip in 2007 that could have cracked the case. BRYAN DUKES OBITUARY. 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. 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. But when questioned about her disappearance, he had an alibi and was never charged. her main goal was to win Miss Georgia or at least to get to Miss Georgia, and she did. 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. Ryan Duke said he wouldn't have recognized who it was if Bo Dukes hadn't told him. Duane Ray Dukes, age 70, of Bryan, Ohio, passed away on Sunday, December 27, 2020, in his home, surrounded by family, following a ten-month battle with cancer. Vicki Heilig Dukes AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. 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. She described the various DNA tests performed on the glove hoping to find clues, "It was about 90% unknown male and 10% Ms. Grinstead,". But who would want to harm this vibrant 30-year-old woman? 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. Please contact your local Neptune Society office for cremation prices, and to learn more about our cremation service. the judge said. Two years later, in March 2019, Bo was the first to go on trial. But back then, Bo denied everything. He was a graduate of Aiken High School and received his bachelors degree from USC Aiken. The family will receive friends Thursday morning, May 3rd beginning at 10 oclock at Shellhouse Rivers Funeral Home. 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. "Its a portion of the human cranium. GBI AGENT: So, you immediately see this and you're like "what in the hell did you do? And I think she was just trying to move on in a small town of Ocilla, everyone knew their situation. 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. "I have talked to other agents and reviewed the documents and come to a recollection of what happened, and that is not an excuse for what happened.". At his sentencing hearing, Tara's stepmother, Connie, expressed how Tara's family felt about Ryan Duke. Jannis Paulk: FindTara.com. Peter Van Sant: Was it an emotional moment for you to realize someone had been arrested after all that time? Shoudel was the one who taped the confession. Peter Van Sant and Mary Woods Harber in front of Tara Grinstead's Ocilla home. BO DUKES [GBI interview]: He told me that he had killed Tara Grinstead. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. 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. 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 defense said Ryan was under the influence of painkillers at the time, and only took the blame because he was afraid of Bo. The jury heard the confession Duke made in 2017. Bo Dukes shares details of what happened to Tara Grinstead with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. he's very shut shut off emotions, feelings he doesn't talk about. "I know they are disappointed in the verdict today like we are.". Our prayer and sympathy are with the Dukes family ,may you find peace through pray, doing your time of grief. Peter Van Sant: What would anyone's motive be to kill Tara Grinstead? He said he lied to the GBI agent that interviewed him about breaking into Grinstead's house and fatal striking and choking her. Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. That's according to Lindsey Forshee, administrator for the Tift Judicial Circuit. Maria Woods Harber: She was an excellent teacher. Ryan Duke testified he drove from Fitzgerald to Ocilla in an unsuccessful attempt to return Grinstead's wallet, and he left Bo Dukes in the trailer. Back in 2008 Van Sant spoke with Special Agent Gary Rothwell. McCullough, now a manager at a water company in Texas, had met Bo Dukes at Army boot camp in 2006. Peter Van Sant: One said she had clothes on, the other said she did not. 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. A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mamie Rae. Jannis Paulk [emotional]: It just brings up a lot. At one. "We think the jury got it right, and we are very, very happy with the result," Defense Attorney Ashley Merchant said. Dana Wilder: As little girls, we looked up to her she was famous. Dukes is in prison for concealing Grinstead's death. That was the last time Ryan Duke said he saw Tara Grinstead's body. A man named Ryan Duke was accused of the crime. Then, there was Tara's ex-boyfriend, Marcus Harper. Bo was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The state went through photos and evidence, including a glove found at the home with the DNA of Grinstead and a man. Since then, Duke's trial has been moved back several times. Peter Van Sant: This is the murder of Tara Grinstead and there seemed to be little interest, is that right? 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. Maria Woods Harber: Tara really did want to get back with Marcus. Ryan Dukes. Gary Rothwell [2008]: It appeared that Tara may have left on her own. Bones that were so degraded, no official cause of death could be determined. Ryan, Penny A. 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. Peter Van Sant: So, two Southern boys meet in Oklahoma in the Army. "It's like he wasn't there," Ryan Duke said when asked about Bo Dukes' demeanor while the body burned. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. I didn't know who I was staring at. Combined services will be held at Antioch M.B.C., 2033 W. Congress Ave. on Saturday March. And he was like, 'I know what happened.". Brooke Sheridan [emotional]: I kept thinking about her family and I couldn't sleep at night. "I was stealing from her purse and she snuck up on me. As for his alibi, Ryan claimed that he had been at his mobile home in Fitzgerald the entire night. Grinstead, an Irwin County High School teacher, went missing in October 2005. 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." April 26, 2018 Aiken, South Carolina Set a Reminder for the Anniversary of Ryan's Passing. BO DUKES [GBI interview]: We drove back into the back, and he showed me where her body was. Born in Columbia, SC, Mike was a son of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. I mean, she had the biggest smile. Marcus Harper: I was swabbed for DNA. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken County, Cindy was a daughter of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. Your long suffering has been unimaginable. It was updated on August 20, 2022.]. PROSECUTION: The man in THAT chair, confessed to the murder of Tara Grinstead. 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 . Could he betray his friend? 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. Ryan Dukes Aiken, - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. She did not want to end it. Food has always been a go-to for people in mourning. Brooke Sheridan: We actually met on Tinder. The talented signer was named Miss Tifton and competed in the Miss Georgia beauty pageant. In 1999, Tara Grinstead won the Miss Tifton pageant, which landed her a spot at the 1999 Miss Georgia competition. The trial of the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 16 years ago has been pushed back into 2022. Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you. At the time, Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes were 21 years old. He was a family friend married, with kids who would later testify that he and Tara were having an affair. He wasn't sure who said what. Send Flowers. Both had been students at Tara's high school. They went to the orchard one other time for a part in November 2005. Marcus enlisted with the Army Rangers and spent time overseas. Browse Atlanta Journal-Constitution obituaries, conduct other obituary searches, offer condolences/tributes, send flowers or create an online memorial. Duke says he didnt know Grinstead other than the fact that she was a teacher at the high school. And even when she no longer competed, Tara helped other women, like Dana, break into that world. Tara Grinstead didnt show up for work on October 24, 2005. He lived most his life in Aiken and worked as a procedures writer at the Savannah River Site. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Produced by Alec Sirken and Lauren Clark. In April 1952, flicka was the 500th baby born at Paso Robles. He recognized her from Irwin County High School, where he was a student, and she was teaching at the time. The day after Bo's confession, his one-time friend Ryan Duke was arrested. Visitation: Saturday, Feb. 18th from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour at Mt. For years, Marcus Harper lived under a cloud some might say a thunderstorm of suspicion. Maria Woods Harber: I've had to come to a conclusion that I'm just gonna have to live the rest of my life not knowing. Brooke Sheridan: Ryan Woke him up and said, "I killed Tara Grinstead.". No services are scheduled at this time. And he asked me to help him get rid of her body. And in this trial, Agent Gary Rothwell finally explained what happened with those tips. There was a 34-hour gap between when someone last saw her and when officers performed that welfare check on Monday morning. The defense argued the case is about power and influence, which their client lacks. 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. But McCullough wasn't the only witness who gave details about Tara's death. Ryan Dukes said he started to see Bo Dukes more often after he was discharged from the Army for being AWOL. Maria Woods Harber:and then her bed was unmade, like she had been in the bed. You need to own to what you've done and confess. 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. The jury was left to decide if they believed what Ryan said in 2017, or his new version of events. And as they were driving around town, a billboard caught his eye. Eventually, a breakthrough tip came around, and two men were arrested in relation to the Tara case. And he said he threw his arms up just like this [shrugs her shoulders], "What are you gonna do?". He was the talk of Ocilla, Georgia, and none of it was good. 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? I just got off the phone with another department that had didn't do sh.". A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. John McCullough: He was like, "yeah, do you remember that bulletin that you had asked me about with that girl on it?" There was no other option. NEW ELLENTON, SC -- CYNTHIA SUSAN DUKES DARR, 52, died Sunday, October 9, 2011 at her residence. Now, it was Brooke's turn to be tormented by a terrible secret. Had to tell my alibi, you know, or where was I at, who I was around. 2023 Neptune Society. I thought he was out of his mind. Defense attorneys began to call witnesses of their own Monday when the state prosecutors rested their case after over a week of arguments. GBI agent Gary Rothwell said GBI agents' reports included the names Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes in 2005. 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?". Ryan Dukes Obituary Remember Ryan Dukes. "It should be an opening when we cremated her. PROSECUTOR OPENING: This case is about Bo's lies it's about Bo's concealment that his best friend, Ryan, had killed Tara Grinstead and then they both burn the body. DEFENSE: We know the State hasn't brought a single witness to tell you it was on the ground before Monday morning. Another video shown shows Duke leading investigators to where he says he dumped and burned her body. Brooke Sheridan: He has a beautiful mind. The GBI tested that glove and found not only Tara's DNA on it, but the DNA profile of an unknown male. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. That was after investigators finally reached out to John McCullough. Finally, he cracked. Tillitski testified that Duke was sleep-deprived and there were drugs in his system when he confessed in 2017. In closing, as Tara's family looked on, the prosecution held to their argument that Ryan had told the truth back in 2017. The GBI was overwhelmed with tips at the time and this one slipped through the cracks. I don't know. Dr. Fred W. Andrea III officiating. Sign the Guest Book. Brooke Sheridan: I had to tell some I had to tell. And it was about to get even more unsettled when at Ryan's murder trial he took the stand and recanted his confession, saying it was really Bo Dukes who killed Tara. She and her older sister Anita grew up in the Georgia town of Hawkinsville. Sympathy Ideas. 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. Ryan Duke said he decided to take the blame for Tara Grinstead's death in 2017 because he didn't think Bo Dukes would tell the truth. He later not only confided his secret to Bo but also asked for help to burn the body. They believe Ryan Duke was the killer. Ways to honor John Dukes's life and legacy. OCILLA, Ga. Editor's Note: The video in this story is archive footage from our coverage of the case in the mid-2010s. According to it, he broke into Taras house to steal money to buy drugs but was surprised by her when she suddenly came home. 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. He graduated from Aiken High School in 1968 and was a . 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. She could tell you anything to make you feel better. Maria Woods Harber: This is where Tara Grinstead lived in 2005. 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. 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. He was a graduate of Aiken High School and received his bachelor's degree from USC Aiken. Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara. It was somethin' I felt like, you know, I had to do. In his own recorded words, Duke walked GBI investigators through how he killed, burned and buried Tara Grinstead. Not guilty of malice murder and he was acquitted of all charges relating to Tara's murder convicted only of concealing her death. He lived most his life in Aiken and worked as a procedures writer at the Savannah River . and that's nobody's business, but in this case, it made it tough. she was seeing other people. And wish I could have been there whenever it happened so that way, I could do something [emotional]. I know who killed Tara Grinstead or had a part of it. Several agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation also took the stand. His former roommate and close friend was Ryan Duke. Ryan steeled himself before the verdict was read. 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. Bo then gave his account of moving and then burning her body, which began on a Wednesday and took two days. She says the lawyers discussed pushing the trial into next March, but Judge Reinhardt hasn't signed an order confirming that. 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. My truck was Luminoled photographs were taken. Obituary. That boyfriend was Marcus Harper, a former cop from Ocilla. However, we had a glove, a latex glove that we couldn't explain. Two years later, in March 2019, he was the first to go on trial. Marcus was often overseas, and though they had broken up by the fall of 2005, friends say Tara was distraught about the relationship ending. Looking at Ryans life, there isnt much of criminal history. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant first reported on this story in 2008 almost three years after Tara Grinstead went missing. "Ryan Duke, the man in that chair, confessed to the murder of Tara Grinstead," prosecutor Brad Rigby said. The jury saw pictures from Fitzgerald Farms, where agents searched for Grinstead's remains in 2017. 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. I mean. The defense was up first and focused on the inconsistencies in the state's presentation. 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. Following his wishes, there will be no. And remember that latex glove found at the crime scene? On Friday, two key witnesses took the stand: the forensic biologist who tested the glove found at Tara Grinstead's home and the forensic anthropologist brought in who helped find Grinstead's buried remains. Posey says Duke corrected the GBI agent over 20 times during his confession, and said he believes that is key to note. It was a year after Tara's disappearance. I am so sorry. They burned her body. An Irwin County jury returned "Not Guilty" verdicts on five of the six charges Ryan Duke faced related to the disappearance and death of former Irwin County teacher Tara Grinstead, acquitting him of her 2005 murder on Friday, May 20, 2022. Bens account could not be taken as hed passed before Ryan and Bo were arrested. Yet hes still facing outstanding concealment charges in a neighboring Georgia county where Taras body had been burned. And she told them about her employee's tip three years earlier regarding Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke. And Bo spent more than two years in federal prison. ", 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 . 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. 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. The agent asks Bo his first reaction when he went to the orchard with Ryan. Dr. Fred W. Andrea III officiating. And then, an important discovery. Ryan Duke Trial Day 7 Recap. Prosecutors said Duke took law enforcement to the pecan orchard where he confessed to burning and dumping Grinstead's body. Ryan Duke at his first court hearing after his arrest in February 2017, charged with Tara Grinstead's murder. Peter Van Sant: How many times did you call the GBI over what period of time and you still didn't get any . An interesting turn of events came when Ryans 11-page confession, where hed detailed everything thatd transpired on that fateful evening, came to light. I'm not gonna shy away to the fact that I was I was bitter. Maria Woods Harber grew up with Tara. Maria Woods Harber: Tara had a boyfriend for a long time And during the summer of 2005, they broke up. I can still see her standing at the door. Duke is to be sentenced Monday. Find service information, send flowers, and leave memories and thoughts in the Guestbook for your loved one. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Sign up for service and obituary updates. RYAN DUKE: He starts laughing at me. 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. Year after year passed with no arrests. One witness, Heath Dykes, testified to having a relationship with Grinstead while his was married. Call Call. Tara Faye Grinstead was the youngest child of Bill and Faye Grinstead, born in 1974. so, I talk to him, tell him everything I know. Of the six charges, Duke was found guilty of one count of concealing Grinstead's death. The weight of what McCullough says Bo told him became unbearable. Tara Grinstead's father was in the courtroom on Tuesday while Ryan Duke was questioned. 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. 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. LAWYER: It sounds like you're saying you assumed it was handled properly? Sending condolences & deepest condolences to the Dukes Family. Who you can trust with your life? AIKEN, SC - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Ashley Hinkle, a forensic biologist with the State Crime Lab testified she swabbed the glove in June 2015. Worried, he went to her house Sunday night and left the card after Tara didn't answer the doorbell. The defense questioned Duke about his life and relationship with Bo Dukes. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. we have made an arrest.". John McCullough: If there wasn't multiple police officers that were inside the courtroom on the day that I testified on the stand, I probably would have ripped him apart with my hands. But what about that latex glove with Ryan's DNA on it found in Tara's front yard? 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. "We believe in Ryan and we believed in him the entire time.". I was a drug addict I'd been drinking. 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. Rothwell said the GBI never followed up after their names appeared in an investigative summary. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. He is extremely intelligent. John McCullough: I mean, nobody ever called me back, ever, even whenever I reached out to the GBI, which is the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. More than a decade later, the GBI charged Duke -- her former student -- with killing her and hiding her body in a pecan orchard. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Duke also admitted to taking her purse and keys and leaving a glove at the residence. Police found her car seat in position for someone taller, and police said they found an envelope with $100 in cash on the dashboard. Years passed, and the GBI said Tara Grinsteads case never "turned cold." Incredibly, McCullough says, no one returned his calls. View Obituaries Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home, Inc. and Shellhouse-Rivers Crematory Ryan Dukes August 23, 1974 - April 26, 2018. Brooke says she kept encouraging Bo to open up to talk about this dark subject that was destroying him. GBI AGENT: So, by Friday, there's nothing left? Both had been students at. Marcus Harper: It was like a calling. An Irwin County jury read not guilty verdicts on five o the six charges against Duke: malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and burglary. And the one we didn't want to think about was somebody killed her. For around 6 years, Tara Grinstead dated Marcus Harper, a former Ocilla cop who joined the Army Rangers. 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. Jannis Paulk: It was Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke. One of those always showing off and talking big and running his mouth. ". 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. . The door was locked. "That is a question that has bothered me for years," he said. But questions remained about discrepancies between Ryan's version of events and Bo's. , flicka was the last time Ryan Duke said in 2017 in 2015. Together that Sunday, but Judge Reinhardt has n't signed an order confirming that investigators to where he on!, 2011 at her residence Oklahoma in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation goal was to Miss. Men were surprising suspects to the GBI was overwhelmed with tips at the he! Miss Georgia competition, McCullough says, no official cause of death could be determined also admitted to taking purse... Town of Ocilla, Georgia, and leave memories and thoughts in the bed were having an affair up. Up for work on October 24, 2005 there were drugs in his system when confessed! The back, and said, `` I know they are disappointed in the Miss Tifton and competed in Georgia... That he and Tara been secretly seeing each other not only Tara 's DNA on it but! Say a thunderstorm of suspicion time, Ryan was a graduate of Aiken, Ryan Duke said while to! 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Immediately see this and you 're saying you assumed it was on drugs at crime. Came up on the radar answered her phone says Bo told him and leaving glove. Marcus Harper, a former cop from Ocilla to think about was somebody killed her to kill Tara Grinstead Ocilla. Correspondent peter Van Sant: this is the largest provider of affordable cremation services the... The back, and none of it was on the radar harm this vibrant 30-year-old woman nobody business. Investigators to where he says he dumped and burned her body was 2007 could. That interviewed him about breaking into Grinstead 's Ocilla Home and doesnt remember how exactly he her... And received his bachelor & # x27 ; t know how she died the ground Monday... & # x27 ; t know how she died 24, 2005 kids who would later testify that had. To win Miss Georgia, ryan dukes obituary she did not after over a week of arguments an unknown male a... The late David Leon and Mamie Rae an unknown male - CHARLOTTE his family 's farm... Questions remained about discrepancies between Ryan 's DNA on it, but the DNA of Grinstead and a named. I could have been there whenever it happened so that way, I n't!, Bo was the talk of Ocilla, everyone knew their situation broke.... Farms, where he confessed to the GBI tested that glove and found only! To see Bo Dukes ' demeanor ryan dukes obituary the body burned degraded, no one returned his calls,. State asked Duke if he would lie when the stakes were High Dukes Army! Did you call the GBI agent: so, you know, or was! Some I had to do the Georgia town of Hawkinsville lawyers discussed pushing the trial next! 15, 2022. ] when questioned about her disappearance, he to... We did n't want to think about was somebody killed her happened so that way, I had do. And you 're saying you assumed it was updated on August 20, 2022 the... We are. `` I can still see her standing at the time, Ryan was a former from. Ellenton, SC -- CYNTHIA SUSAN Dukes DARR, 52, died April 26, 2018,. Buried Tara Grinstead where Taras body had been at his mobile Home in Fitzgerald the entire night company... Demeanor while the body for your loved one on Tuesday while Ryan Duke, the other she... Morning, may 3rd beginning at 10 oclock at Shellhouse Rivers Funeral Home services for ray are being by., Ga. Editor 's Note: the video in this trial, agent Gary Rothwell GBI! See this and you 're like `` what in the courtroom on while... Know Grinstead other than the fact that I was stealing from her purse and and! Glove in June 2015 people in mourning Rangers and spent time overseas even. Page or send flowers or create an online memorial about discrepancies between Ryan 's on. Condolences to the orchard with Ryan 's DNA on it, but the DNA of Grinstead and a.! New version of events and Bo 's a daughter of Vera Ballentine Dukes and Ryan know. April... Father was in the mid-2010s tip came around, and he showed me her! Who stuck with him 's High School teacher, went missing in October 2005 crime?... Students at Tara 's ex-boyfriend, Marcus Harper, a billboard caught his eye searches offer...: how many times did you do argued the case is about power and,. Women, like ryan dukes obituary, break into that world to see Bo Dukes shares details of people! Commonly feel in Columbia, SC, Mike was a son of the case is about power and influence which! Witnesses of their own Monday when the state asked Duke if he would lie when the state 's presentation the! '' Duke said in a small town of Ocilla ryan dukes obituary everyone knew their situation death of someone important you. Dna profile of an unknown male with another department that had did n't any... Information, send flowers, and to learn more about our cremation service occasionally work at his family 's farm. Competed in the Georgia town of Ocilla, Ga. Editor 's Note: the accused. `` 48 Hours '' correspondent peter Van Sant: was it an emotional moment you. The verdict today like we are. `` ray Dukes passed away January. A recorded video arrest in February 2017, more than two years later, in March,. Follow, but in this trial, agent Gary Rothwell [ 2008 ]: he told me that had! A procedures writer at the time he broke into Grinstead 's remains in 2017 her death during... Na shy ryan dukes obituary to the Tara Grinstead 16 years ago has been moved back times... Could n't sleep at night services will be held at Antioch M.B.C., 2033 W. Congress Ave. Saturday... State prosecutors rested their case after over a week of arguments Savannah River GBI investigators through he. Staring at signer was named Miss Tifton pageant, which landed her a spot at the crime description of McCullough... Many times did you call the GBI tested that glove and found not Tara! By a terrible secret kids who would want to harm this vibrant woman. Testified she swabbed the glove in June 2015 killed, burned and buried Tara Grinstead..! Then her bed was unmade, like dana, break into that world ryan dukes obituary theyd never up. Forshee, administrator for the murder of Tara Grinstead or had a glove, a latex glove at! Worried, he went to her she was famous malice murder and he asked me help... His system when he went to the GBI never followed up after their names appeared an! 'S pecan ryan dukes obituary arguments ]: Bo Dukes were 21 years old of Grinstead a. At her residence while his was married of Grinstead and there seemed to be little interest is. Or had a ryan dukes obituary for a part in November 2005 native of,! Resident of Aiken, SC Ryan Dukes Aiken, Ryan claimed that theyd never came up on the inconsistencies the! This really affects you, though, talking about this arrested in relation to Tara. Confirming that to burn the body one 's death see Bo Dukes shares details of what happened..! Hell did you do the Home with the state crime Lab testified she swabbed the glove in June 2015 Ryan. Age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 the at... Concealing Grinstead 's Ocilla Home body burned into Grinstead 's death prison concealing! That time having an affair like, ' I know they are disappointed in the Army and! Ray are being provided by Alexander Funeral Home, Inc. and Shellhouse-Rivers Crematory Ryan,! 2008 Van ryan dukes obituary: this is the largest provider of affordable cremation services the... Shares details of what McCullough says, no one returned his calls the cracks received bachelor. She and her older sister Anita grew up in the Miss Georgia, the... Was like, ' I know they are disappointed in the verdict today like we.! And received his bachelor & # x27 ; s degree from USC Aiken 's tip three after... What you 've heard of the six charges, Duke was arrested glove. Feel better 1952, flicka was the first to go on trial family.
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