Interment will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. So, he went to trial hoping jurors might show mercy for a man who had already confessed to his role in the crime. Ryan Duke took the stand Tuesday and immediately denied murdering Grinstead, claiming he didn't know how she died. 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. 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. Marcus enlisted with the Army Rangers and spent time overseas. He said Bo Dukes was "almost excited, cheerful," when they went to move Grinstead's body. The agent asks Bo his first reaction when he went to the orchard with Ryan. "Approximately 20 bone fragments that could be considered human bones.". Brooke Sheridan: Ryan looked at Bo and said, "It's your truck. 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." Food has always been a go-to for people in mourning. 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. we all wanted to do something that we could do to help There were flyers. 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. "(Bo Dukes) reaches down, he grabs her arm and flips her over," Ryan Duke said. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. View The Obituary For Ryan Dukes of Aiken, South Carolina. The best poems for funerals, memorial services., and cards. They believe Ryan Duke was the killer. Gary Rothwell [2008]: It is one of the most extensive investigations undertaken by the GBI. And the one we didn't want to think about was somebody killed her. He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. Create an obituary. The two then went to a party. 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). More than a decade later, the GBI charged Duke -- her former student -- with killing her and hiding her body in a pecan orchard. 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. An Irwin County jury read not guilty verdicts on five o the six charges against Duke: malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and burglary. Ryan Duke's attorneys believe their client's testimony was key in this case. Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love. May the holy spirit comfort you in this time of bereavement. Bo says Ryan then repeated that a couple of days later. Brooke Sheridan: I was felt like I was gonna be sick. The defense questioned Duke about his life and relationship with Bo Dukes. His fellow soldier? Duke is to be sentenced Monday. Maria Woods Harber: Well, it's very emotional. SMITHLAND -- D.V. 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. Not guilty of malice murder and he was acquitted of all charges relating to Tara's murder convicted only of concealing her death. The returned to the orchard once, where the ashes looked like a small campfire. Michelle Feuer is the development producer. "We will always hate what this defendant did to Tara and to the people who loved her," she said. Garlan says after he reported this to Jannis Paulk, he was never formally interviewed by anyone from law enforcement. But again, as far as she knew, it went nowhere. Sometime in the night, Bo and Ben left while he and Stephen were sleeping. GBI agent Gary Rothwell said GBI agents' reports included the names Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes in 2005. It was told to me when I was in Georgia. Maria Woods Harber: She would never do that. I cried for days, couldn't sleep for days. Ryan Duke testified he saw Tara. The jury heard the confession Duke made in 2017. 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. And I was like, "Yeah." Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. 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. John McCullough: I'm glad somebody's finally listening. Bo got in big trouble while in the Army. A man named Ryan Duke was accused of the crime. 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. Another former student, Bo Dukes, is now serving a 25-year prison sentence for lying to the GBI and helping Duke bury her body. He testified that Bo Dukes told him he had killed Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died. He recognized her from Irwin County High School, where he was a student, and she was teaching at the time. Ryan worked at a plastics manufacturing plant, while Bo would occasionally work at his family's pecan farm. You have funeral questions, we have answers. Police found her car seat in position for someone taller, and police said they found an envelope with $100 in cash on the dashboard. Both had been students at. It was very hard to grasp. Year after year passed with no arrests. LAWYER: Any doubt in your mind, however, that you heard these two people laughing about killing and burning Tara Grinstead's body? The defense said Bo Dukes' attorney indicated his client would invoke the 5th Amendment if called to testify. Bo Dukes stayed in a bedroom in a trailer they rented in Fitzgerald, Ryan Duke testified. Prosecutors said Duke took law enforcement to the pecan orchard where he confessed to burning and dumping Grinstead's body. A date was set to start Ryan Dukes trial, but a hitch came when his lawyers filed an emergency appeal to halt it. He was there with his brother, Stephen, and their friends, Bo Dukes and Ben McMahan. Ryan then allegedly went back to her house to move her remains to the orchard using Bos truck. He admitted to helping his friend burn the body until, "it looked like it was all ash.". Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. JOHN DUKES OBITUARY John Lewis Dukes John Lewis Dukes, 64 of Monroe, Louisiana, an automotive service writer, passed away Sunday, April 19, 2015. The door was locked. For all that has transpired, there's one question that troubles Maria Woods Harber: what really happened to Tara on the night she disappeared? Nearly 12 years after Tara's disappearance, on February 23, 2017, Ryan Duke appeared in court, charged with Tara's murder. Browse Troy local obituaries on Legacy.com. "We believe in Ryan and we believed in him the entire time.". On March 1, 1969, he met Sandra Hageman on a . And it wasn't the only one overlooked. 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. 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" . Tara's alarm clock was under her bed, and a bedside lamp was broken. Funeral homes; Help and advice. I didn't believe him. A native of Concord, NC, Vicki was a daughter of the late David Leon and Mam . AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. "I know they are disappointed in the verdict today like we are.". Then, there was Tara's ex-boyfriend, Marcus Harper. But questions remained about discrepancies between Ryan's version of events and Bo's. Peter Van Sant: What emotional impact does this have for you when you see this house? 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. Peter Van Sant: Did he have names of who these two men were who claimed they had killed Tara? He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. Tuesday, the witness list focused on the investigators who have worked the case over the years. Peter Van Sant: Why do you think investigators ignored you? Sandra Lee Dukes Sandra Lee "flicka" Dukes passed away at home on January 27th 2019 under the care of Hospice and her loving family. Funeral Home Services for Ray are being provided by Alexander Funeral Home, Inc. - Charlotte. we have made an arrest.". He recalled that moment. Miriam Sealy, Tara Grinstead's school friend and childhood neighbor, fought back tears as she read a statement in front of the court. But who would want to harm this vibrant 30-year-old woman? Peter Van Sant: The kind of guy you want to share a foxhole with, right? focused on the investigators who have worked the case over the years. My deepest condolences to my church family, may God give you all the strength and peace during your time of sorrow. GBI Agent Jason Shoudel was on the stand to testify. A devoted husband and grandfather, Duane was born on May 1, 1950, in South Gate, California, the son of Edwin and Florann (Boisseau) Dukes. 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. That boyfriend was Marcus Harper, a former cop from Ocilla. The state says DNA later showed the glove did have his DNA on it. He is preceded in death by his. It was in 2017 when Bo Dukes came out about his involvement in the case and even pointed the finger at Ryan. Expand the Memories and Condolences form. A "panicked" Bo Dukes woke him up the following morning, Ryan Duke testified. Maria Woods Harber grew up with Tara. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Posey says Duke corrected the GBI agent over 20 times during his confession, and said he believes that is key to note. 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. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. 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. so, I talk to him, tell him everything I know. And she told them about her employee's tip three years earlier regarding Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke. At his sentencing, Tara Grinstead's stepmother Connie addressed the court: CONNIE GRINSTEAD: He knew she wasn't ever coming back. 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. 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. The defense called a psychologist, Dr. Christopher Tillitski, who evaluated Ryan Duke in 2019. Updated on: May 24, 2022 / 10:33 AM I don't remember everything clearly I was stealing from her purse. Eventually, a breakthrough tip came around, and two men were arrested in relation to the Tara case. Prosecutors called two witnesses before dismissing the jury a lunchtime to debate how much of the Duke's confession could be shown. He wasn't sure who said what. Prosecutors called friends and acquaintances of the Georgia teacher and beauty queen. I didn't know who he was. ", Duke's attorney's argued that he had been a "model prisoner" for five years while "waiting patiently for his day in court.". You need to own what you've done and confess," Sheridan told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant in 2017. Ryan Duke testified he "passed out" after a night of drinking before Tara Grinstead allegedly died. 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. Michael Dukes of Aiken, South Carolina April 10, 1950 - March 30, 2017. New Jersey Residents: N.J. Lic. "I cant lie. He was a family friend married, with kids who would later testify that he and Tara were having an affair. Another was a former student who claimed he and Tara been secretly seeing each other. Both had been students at Tara's high school. They found him guilty of one charge: concealing Grinstead's death. What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative? It would be illegal for me to accept a fee for preparing that application on your behalf. Yet hes still facing outstanding concealment charges in a neighboring Georgia county where Taras body had been burned. The judge dismissed one of the jurors he says was sleeping throughout the trial. 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. DEFENSE: We know the State hasn't brought a single witness to tell you it was on the ground before Monday morning. He could have at least told us that, but he didn't. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. There was a 34-hour gap between when someone last saw her and when officers performed that welfare check on Monday morning. 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