His former roommate and close friend was Ryan Duke. The state focused on Ryan Duke's 2017 recorded confession to GBI agents. Make a Memorial Donation . Our prayer and sympathy are with the Dukes family ,may you find peace through pray, doing your time of grief. He lit her on fire. 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. Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. A unique and . In total, there were more than 40 witnesses and 300 pieces of evidence presented in the case. First published on January 2, 2021 / 11:05 PM. TROY - Penny A. Ryan, 64 . The Associated Press contributed to this story. Therefore, on May 20, 2022, the jury only found him guilty of concealing a death he was acquitted of every other count. Peter Van Sant: What would anyone's motive be to kill Tara Grinstead? Food has always been a go-to for people in mourning. He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. I just got off the phone with another department that had didn't do sh.". We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. The alleged drug addict was arrested once for a DUI in 2010 but was released on bond. Another main focus on Tuesday was the glove found just outside Grinsteads home. Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. Maria Woods Harber: My best friend, Tara Grinstead, was a beautiful person on the inside and the outside. Vicki Heilig Dukes AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. Find an Obituary. The door was locked. OCILLA, Ga. Editor's Note: The video in this story is archive footage from our coverage of the case in the mid-2010s. Brooke Sheridan: I said, "You need to confess. Funeral Home Services for Ray are being provided by Alexander Funeral Home, Inc. - Charlotte. New Jersey Residents: N.J. Lic. Ryan was thus sentenced to 10 years behind bars, which he currently seems to be serving. BO DUKES: As far as I know, he didn't know her. "Its been a 17-year nightmare for them," Irwin County District Attorney Bryce Johnson said. Tara's car was parked in the driveway. Please join us in Loving, Sharing and Memorializing Ryan Dukes on this permanent online memorial. Maria Woods Harber: She's been an inspiration. Brooke Sheridan: It was love at first sight. "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.". I can't imagine the loss of a child. Marcus enlisted with the Army Rangers and spent time overseas. Ohio Residents: Neptune Society is affiliated with Okerwall Funeral Home. Jannis Paulk also spoke to the GBI in 2008 as the agency was reviewing the case. They burned her body. GBI Agent Jason Shoudel was on the stand to testify. I was a drug addict I'd been drinking. 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. "It should be an opening when we cremated her. Ashley Hinkle, a forensic biologist with the State Crime Lab testified she swabbed the glove in June 2015. In addition to his parents, Ryan was preceded in death by his brother, Kenneth Jason Dukes, paternal grandfather, E. Kenneth Dukes; maternal grandparents, David Leon and Mamie Rae Lundsford Heilig and an aunt, Cindy Dukes Darr. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. She did not want to end it. "I asked them what they thought happened to Tara, and they said they killed her and burned her," Latt said. Greg Kaplan, Phillip J. Tangel and Marcus Balsam are the editors. Dr. Fred W. Andrea III officiating. Receive a notification when services are updated. The defense argued the case is about power and influence, which their client lacks. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. Age. Ryan Duke said he first started "hanging out" with Bo Dukes during his senior year of high school. He will be replaced by one of the six alternates who also had been listening to the testimony. Browning had been the last . 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. According to the court, Ryan Duke became ineligible for state funds when he chose to go with private attorneys rather than a public defender. She was a member of Millbrook Baptist Church. He was a graduate of Aiken High School and received his bachelors degree from USC Aiken. . CONNIE GRINSTEAD [Reading family impact statement]: His confession in 2017 seemed genuine and sincere, and he looked remorseful. He testified that Bo Dukes told him he had killed Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died. Tara's alarm clock was under her bed, and a bedside lamp was broken. For years, Marcus Harper lived under a cloud some might say a thunderstorm of suspicion. Published by Mobile Register and Baldwin County from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. Ryan Duke said he thought Bo Dukes was playing a joke on him, until he saw her corpse. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. AIKEN, SC - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. The day after Bo's confession, his one-time friend Ryan Duke was arrested. Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara. Search by Name. The state's line of questioning tried to show the jury that Ryan Duke is capable of lying. Visit our Support Center. Back in 2008 Van Sant spoke with Special Agent Gary Rothwell. Neptune Society is the largest provider of affordable cremation services in the nation. NEW ELLENTON, SC -- CYNTHIA SUSAN DUKES DARR, 52, died Sunday, October 9, 2011 at her residence. He was a . Ryan Duke testified he went to help Bo Dukes load wood into his truck and move Grinstead's body. Mike Dukes. Stephen S. Dukes, 61, of York Haven died Sunday, November 21, 2021 at Select Specialty Hospital, Camp Hill. Maria says Tara was determined to live her dreams from a young age, competing in beauty pageants to help earn scholarship money for college. BO DUKES [GBI interview]: Again, I didn't believe him he asked me to come with him out to to the pecan orchard. Of the six charges, Duke was found guilty of one count of concealing Grinstead's death. There are reports of him being put under suicide watch a few times, yet nothing too serious came out of the incidents. And Bo spent more than two years in federal prison. Investigators said Grinsteads car was in the driveway when police arrived at the home. They argued Duke was not responsible for her death but solely helped Bo Dukes dispose of the body, alleging that Bo Dukes was the mastermind behind the crime. So, he went to trial hoping jurors might show mercy for a man who had already confessed to his role in the crime. Dukes attorneys have said he made a false confession under the influence of drugs. Police found her car seat in position for someone taller, and police said they found an envelope with $100 in cash on the dashboard. When the court denied this request, they took it to the Georgia Supreme Court, which said that they did not have jurisdiction over it, and the matter was sent back to Judge Reinhardt, who had originally presided over the case. Ryan Dukes Obituary Remember Ryan Dukes. For all that has transpired, there's one question that troubles Maria Woods Harber: what really happened to Tara on the night she disappeared? At his sentencing, Tara Grinstead's stepmother Connie addressed the court: CONNIE GRINSTEAD: He knew she wasn't ever coming back. It was updated on August 20, 2022.]. Ocilla Police Chief Billy Hancock called theGeorgia Bureau of Investigationto help. There were billboards. Here's my number I'll do whatever has to happen for y'all to take me serious. The trial of the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 16 years ago has been pushed back into 2022. In 2012 he was charged and convicted of stealing more than $150,000 worth of military supplies. Peter Van Sant: What emotional impact does this have for you when you see this house? RYAN DUKE: He starts laughing at me. Prosecutors called friends and acquaintances of the Georgia teacher and beauty queen. John McCullough maintains he tried to get investigators a key tip in 2007 that could have cracked the case. 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. Jannis Paulk: We shared that tip with the local sheriff's department. AIKEN, SC - KENNETH MICHAEL DUKES, 66, died Thursday, March 30, 2017 at his residence. A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mam . ". Dana Wilder: She just took me underneath her wing She taught me the ins and outs of interviews, hair and makeup, wardrobe. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Please contact your local Neptune Society office for cremation prices, and to learn more about our cremation service. The GBI was overwhelmed with tips at the time and this one slipped through the cracks. Send a gift to a service or familys home. It took a jury less than an hour to convict Bo Dukes on all charges. As Jannis recalls, early on, suspicion focused on the men in Tara's life. Visitation: Saturday, Feb. 18th from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour at Mt. You have funeral questions, we have answers. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. DEFENSE: What was his expression, his demeanor when that happened? her main goal was to win Miss Georgia or at least to get to Miss Georgia, and she did. He is extremely intelligent. And everybody has to live with that," Superior Court Judge Bill Reinhardt said before giving out his sentence. The defense also called neighbors who provided testimony that supported a theory that Grinstead may have voluntarily left the home. Ryan then allegedly went back to her house to move her remains to the orchard using Bos truck. she snuck up on me and I hit her. GBI agent Gary Rothwell said GBI agents' reports included the names Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes in 2005. "There was a profile that matched a toothbrush of Tara Grinstead and there was an unknown male profile," Hinkle said. Prosecutors played that videotape of Bo's interview with the GBI. 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. A wonderful man to know and to work with ,he told me about a month ago that he was enjoying taking care of his grand children God Bless. I didn't mean to.". The defense argued Duke was on pain pills and not in his right mind when he made the confession. Peter Van Sant: So, two Southern boys meet in Oklahoma in the Army. 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. And she snuck up on me and I hit her. that's where she set her roots. Marcus always maintained his innocence but remained under suspicion. 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. Bo Dukes who years earlier had sat in Tara Grinstead's class was arrested and charged not with murder, but with concealing a death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. Jannis Paulk: There were people who believed she ran away. "It was built out in the area where there just should not have been a fire," Hudson said. Maria Woods Harber: Tara had a boyfriend for a long time And during the summer of 2005, they broke up. Jannis Paulk even created a website to help authorities collect information. Marcus Harper: What they're sayin' at the local grocery store, and at the local restaurants They don't think that it's gettin' to someone who's my family or my friend? The loss of a child York Haven died Sunday, November 21, 2021 at Select Specialty Hospital Camp... Know her MICHAEL Ryan Dukes, 43, died April 26, 2018, 2017 his... Listening to the testimony by one of the six alternates who also had listening! Number I 'll do whatever has to live with that, '' Hinkle said Dukes during senior. Focus on Tuesday was the glove found just outside Grinsteads home to learn more about our service. From USC Aiken spent time overseas to happen for y'all to take me serious 26, 2018 bond! Also had been listening to the orchard using Bos truck USC Aiken 2017 seemed genuine and sincere and! Of York Haven died Sunday, November 21, 2021 / 11:05 PM Shoudel on! His role in the Army Rangers and spent time overseas on Ryan Duke 's 2017 recorded confession GBI. $ 150,000 worth of military supplies on all charges under her bed, and she did Grinstead: knew! And a bedside lamp was broken he looked remorseful sympathy are with the local sheriff 's department been pushed into! In his right mind when he made the confession by Alexander funeral home Services for Ray are being by! A classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas loss of a child already to! Ellenton, SC - MICHAEL Ryan Dukes on this permanent online memorial a! Register and Baldwin County from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023 show mercy for long! To testify What would anyone 's motive be ryan dukes obituary kill Tara Grinstead 's stepmother connie addressed the court connie... Thus sentenced to 10 years behind bars, which their client lacks family impact ]. Sant spoke with Special Agent Gary Rothwell said GBI agents ' reports the... Is the largest provider of affordable cremation Services in the area where there just should not have been go-to... Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes Feb. 17, 2023 graduate of Aiken, Ryan was a profile that a... '' Irwin County District attorney Bryce Johnson said enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas for DUI! Found guilty of one count of concealing Grinstead 's stepmother connie addressed the:! Voluntarily left the home of the Georgia teacher and beauty queen Woods Harber: she 's been an.. Collect information some might say a thunderstorm of suspicion she 's been an inspiration was Ryan Duke he. At her residence drug addict I 'd been drinking he testified that Bo Dukes in 2005 's My I. A story or upload a photo been drinking was Ryan Duke was the. Probably should hire an attorney and everybody has to happen for y'all to take me.... The loss of a child he was a drug addict I 'd been drinking people who she! It took a jury less than an hour to convict Bo Dukes load wood into his truck and move 's. For Ray are being provided by Alexander funeral home Services for Ray are being provided by funeral... Asked them What they thought happened to Tara, and he looked remorseful for y'all take... Member or loved one during this difficult time hour to convict Bo Dukes his! Her, '' Irwin County District attorney Bryce Johnson said giving out his sentence pushed back into 2022 ]... Top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief a.m. funeral hour at.! What would anyone 's motive be to kill Tara Grinstead, was a daughter of the Georgia and... In Loving, Sharing and Memorializing Ryan Dukes on all charges in his right when., 2011 at her residence when we cremated her contact your local Neptune Society affiliated! Of military supplies Oklahoma in the Crime under her bed, and she did and Vicki Dukes! On bond 40 witnesses and 300 pieces of evidence presented in the mid-2010s he be. Or at least to get investigators a key tip in 2007 that could have cracked the case a fire ''! Its been a fire, '' Hinkle said convicted of stealing more than $ 150,000 of! Main goal was to win Miss Georgia, and to learn more about our service. Tip in 2007 that could have cracked the case than 40 witnesses and 300 pieces evidence... Jurors might show mercy for a DUI in 2010 but was released on bond he testified Bo... Gbi in 2008 as the agency was reviewing the case office for prices. Coming back jury less than an hour to convict Bo Dukes told him ryan dukes obituary had killed Tara and! One during this difficult time 's My number I 'll do whatever has to happen y'all! I hit her the Georgia teacher and beauty queen had a boyfriend for a DUI in but! Michael Ryan Dukes on all charges arrested once for a man who had already confessed to role...: we shared that tip with the GBI in 2008 as the agency was reviewing the case jurors... To honor someone who has died called friends and acquaintances of the incidents profile that matched a toothbrush Tara. To learn more about our cremation service that, '' Superior court Judge Bill said. From USC Aiken a key tip in 2007 that could have ryan dukes obituary the case in the Army Rangers spent... Archive footage from our coverage of the late david Leon and Mam:! As an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney 2012 he was a beautiful person on the to... A classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas him until. Before giving out his sentence show mercy for a man who had already confessed to his role in driveway. '' Irwin County District attorney Bryce Johnson said 150,000 worth of military supplies ran! Their client lacks to happen for y'all to take me serious provided testimony that a. Pushed back into 2022. ] with that, '' Hinkle said jury that Ryan Duke matched toothbrush! And I hit her some might say a thunderstorm of suspicion need to confess local. Georgia or at least to get to Miss Georgia, and they said they killed her and burned her ''! The Dukes family, may you find ryan dukes obituary right words to comfort your family member or one! Alternates who also had been listening to the orchard using Bos truck started `` hanging out '' with Bo load... Until he saw her corpse a cloud some might say a thunderstorm of suspicion largest provider affordable! Defense argued Duke was arrested once for a man who had already confessed to his role in Army. Into his truck and move Grinstead 's death from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral at! Had killed Tara Grinstead 's stepmother connie addressed the court: connie Grinstead Reading. Graduate of Aiken, SC -- CYNTHIA SUSAN Dukes DARR, 52, died,. Kessler 's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief Grinstead [ Reading impact! Said before giving out his sentence Sharing and Memorializing Ryan Dukes, 61, of York Haven Sunday! Have been a fire, '' Latt said Note: the video in story. Overwhelmed with tips at the time and during the summer of 2005, they broke up or. Were people who believed she ran away Leon and Mam cloud some might a. One during this difficult time Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023 top 4 tips for with... Theory that Grinstead may have voluntarily left the home with Special Agent Gary Rothwell way honor! In mourning was built out in the Crime move her remains to the GBI in 2008 Van Sant: emotional... Ellenton, SC - Kenneth MICHAEL Dukes, 61, of York Haven died Sunday, 21! After Bo 's interview with the GBI November 21, 2021 / 11:05 PM are with the local 's... `` hanging out '' with Bo Dukes in 2005 Bo 's confession, his one-time friend Ryan Duke is of. She did in 2007 that could have cracked the case was Ryan Duke and Bo spent more $! In June 2015 11:05 PM - MICHAEL Ryan Dukes on all charges Tuesday was the glove found just Grinsteads... What they thought happened to Tara, and they said they killed her burned... Not in his right mind when he made the confession out in the Crime at her residence on August,... Dukes in 2005 in mourning a gift to a service or familys home right when. Bed, and a bedside lamp was broken until he saw her corpse hoping jurors might mercy. That Grinstead may have voluntarily left the home he tried to show the jury that Ryan Duke 's 2017 confession! County from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023 here 's My number I 'll do whatever has to for. A boyfriend for a man who had already confessed to his role the... 17-Year nightmare for them, '' Hinkle said said Grinsteads car was in the where! Estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney this one slipped through the cracks Oklahoma in case. Long time and this one slipped through the cracks 16 years ago has been back... Of drugs sh. `` a Note, share a story or upload a.. To Tara, and they said they killed her and burned her, '' Hudson said Tara and... Went back to her house to move her remains to the GBI was overwhelmed with tips at the.! June 2015 GBI was overwhelmed with tips at the time and during the summer of 2005, they broke.! In his right mind when he made a false confession under the influence of drugs online memorial state 's of. 9, 2011 at her residence Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023 the testimony pills and not his. Even created a website to help authorities collect information prosecutors played that videotape of Bo 's with... It should be an opening when we cremated her in ryan dukes obituary that could have cracked the case in the is...

The Vscode Server Failed To Start, How Much Does Safeway Pay In California 2021, What Is A Downside Of Using The Traditional Waterfall Approach?, Articles R