Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Bo began with what he says Ryan told him the day after Tara disappeared. Who is he and where is he now? I ran. And the reason he knew she wasn't coming back, is because he had put load after load of wood on her body and burned her. We know who did," defense attorney John Merchant said. Incredibly, McCullough says, no one returned his calls. Sign up for service and obituary updates. After a few drinks, McCullough says Bo began talking about Tara. "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. She did not want to end it. Maria Woods Harber: She was charismatic, determined, a beautiful personality. He said, "My roommate killed her.". Vicki Heilig Dukes AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. Tara Grinstead didnt show up for work on October 24, 2005. 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. Investigators said Grinsteads car was in the driveway when police arrived at the home. 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. Ryan was thus sentenced to 10 years behind bars, which he currently seems to be serving. And she told them about her employee's tip three years earlier regarding Bo Dukes and Ryan Duke. Peter Van Sant: One said she had clothes on, the other said she did not. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. focused on the investigators who have worked the case over the years. Another was a former student who claimed he and Tara been secretly seeing each other. Let others know about your loved one's death. he's very shut shut off emotions, feelings he doesn't talk about. Tara Faye Grinstead was the youngest child of Bill and Faye Grinstead, born in 1974. The defense argued the case is about power and influence, which their client lacks. However, the family eventually hired a private investigator. Peter Van Sant: This was the man she thought she'd build a life with. 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. The state says DNA later showed the glove did have his DNA on it. Stunned as he was, McCullough was in a dilemma. 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. Ways to honor John Dukes's life and legacy. But back in 2005, authorities either missed or ignored a tip that may have solved the case. I don't remember everything clearly I was stealing from her purse. The Associated Press contributed to this story. He was a graduate of A Peter Van Sant: Was it an emotional moment for you to realize someone had been arrested after all that time? He was a classic muscle car enthusiast with a passion for Chevy Impalas. we all wanted to do something that we could do to help There were flyers. April 26, 2018 Aiken, South Carolina Set a Reminder for the Anniversary of Ryan's Passing. The Ocilla police were called and entered Tara's home, and right behind them was Maria. 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. The trial comes after Bo Dukes, a high school friend of Ryan Duke, was convicted of concealing Grinstead's death, which led investigators to Ryan Duke. ", 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 . Tara's alarm clock was under her bed, and a bedside lamp was broken. Browse Troy local obituaries on Legacy.com. Superior Courts, Cordele Judicial Circuit. By her front door, they found a business card from a police officer in a nearby town. 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. Bo then gave his account of moving and then burning her body, which began on a Wednesday and took two days. Year after year passed with no arrests. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. He testified that Bo Dukes told him he had killed Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died. "That was a presumption that we should have never, ever made, but it happened, and it's my fault," Rothwell said. The day after Bo's confession, his one-time friend Ryan Duke was arrested. And then, an important discovery. 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: This really affects you, though, talking about this. He is extremely intelligent. Authorities couldn't explain either, and collected them as evidence the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, known as the GBI, was called in. A DNA sample from Ryan Duke was a perfect match. Peter Van Sant: What would anyone's motive be to kill Tara Grinstead? AIKEN, SC MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. That tip went nowhere. She described the various DNA tests performed on the glove hoping to find clues, "It was about 90% unknown male and 10% Ms. Grinstead,". BO DUKES [GBI interview]: He told me that he had killed Tara Grinstead. Bo got in big trouble while in the Army. Jannis Paulk: She was dating, I think, more than people realized that she was dating. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. Gooding testified her team found finger, teeth and cranium bones in the area. "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. Posey says Duke corrected the GBI agent over 20 times during his confession, and said he believes that is key to note. I don't remember everything clearly. 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. LAWYER: Any doubt in your mind, however, that you heard these two people laughing about killing and burning Tara Grinstead's body? I didn't mean to.". The defense was up first and focused on the inconsistencies in the state's presentation. 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. Ryan Dukes Obituary Remember Ryan Dukes. "We will always hate what this defendant did to Tara and to the people who loved her," she said. On Monday, the state rested its case, but not before calling GBI agents and a forensic specialist to the stand. 28, 1957 - Feb. 10, 2023 Mr. John K. Dukes, Jr. entered into eternal rest on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. Your long suffering has been unimaginable. He denied that, but when asked why he lied to the GBI about killing Grinstead, Duke said, "I'm trying to make that right.". At one. Duke says he didnt know Grinstead other than the fact that she was a teacher at the high school. Ryan, Penny A. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. DEFENSE: We know the State hasn't brought a single witness to tell you it was on the ground before Monday morning. 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. Grief Support. Combined services will be held at Antioch M.B.C., 2033 W. Congress Ave. on Saturday March. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Send Flowers. May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. I don't understand that, just a disregard of human life. 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. 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. 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. Shaheen Tokhi and David Dow are the associate producers. He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. The judge dismissed one of the jurors he says was sleeping throughout the trial. However, when it came to corroborating, Stephen testified in Bo Dukes trial that he couldnt confirm any of it. Police found her car seat in position for someone taller, and police said they found an envelope with $100 in cash on the dashboard. This event is not sponsored by, or affiliated with, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the California Department of Veterans Affairs, or any other congressionally chartered or recognized organization of honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces of the United States, or any of their auxiliaries. The state went through photos and evidence, including a glove found at the home with the DNA of Grinstead and a man. And why the f- would you do it here on my family's pecan orchard? Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. John K. Dukes, Jr. Mar. DEFENSE: Mr. Duke, did you murder Tara Grinstead? If convicted of murder, Duke faces an automatic sentence of life in prison. Ryan Dukes. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at https://www.nationalcremation.com/location/irving- for the Drakes family. Peter Van Sant: Why do you think investigators ignored you? Maria Woods Harber: So, when I came back out of the house, I saw right out from the front door, there was a latex glove. The returned to the orchard once, where the ashes looked like a small campfire. But after he broke down to Brooke, she told Bo it was time to tell the truth. Not guilty of malice murder and he was acquitted of all charges relating to Tara's murder convicted only of concealing her death. The weight of what McCullough says Bo told him became unbearable. Jannis Paulk: We shared that tip with the local sheriff's department. My deepest condolences to my church family, may God give you all the strength and peace during your time of sorrow. Hudson said at the time he thought the burn site was an innocent bonfire. The two then went to a party. Another video shown portrayed Duke leading investigators to the pecan orchard he claims he took the lifeless body. Ryan Duke's attorneys believe their client's testimony was key in this case. Ray Dukes passed away on January 15, 2022 at the age of 37 in CHARLOTTE, North Carolina. 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. Ryan Duke is standing trial for Grinsteads murder. John 3:16 Sending love and prayers for the Duke family! Peter Van Sant: The kind of guy you want to share a foxhole with, right? Bo Dukes is serving 25 years for concealing her death, hindering the apprehension of a criminal, and lying to investigators. "Its been a 17-year nightmare for them," Irwin County District Attorney Bryce Johnson said. Expand the Memories and Condolences form. Peter Van Sant: How many times did you call the GBI over what period of time and you still didn't get any . Born in Columbia, SC, Mike was a son of Vera Ballentine Dukes and the late Ernest Kenneth Dukes. Shoudel was the one who taped the confession. Peter Van Sant: And what is it about him that you love? the judge said. You need to own to what you've done and confess. Maria Woods Harber: She's been an inspiration. And wish I could have been there whenever it happened so that way, I could do something [emotional]. GBI AGENT: Of all the people, why Tara, what's the connection? Tara's car was parked in the driveway. I can't live with myself. Texas FD #3523, #5075, #3185, #3349, #3705 Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. I didnt know what else to do," Ryan said. Ryan Duke said he didn't know what he was talking about or believe him at first. . "I cant lie. I mean, she had the biggest smile. Search by Name. 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. Peter Van Sant: What did you see when you walked into her house? AIKEN, SC - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. The family will receive friends Thursday morning, May 3rd beginning at 10 oclock at Shellhouse Rivers Funeral Home. She and her older sister Anita grew up in the Georgia town of Hawkinsville. Gary Rothwell [2008]: It is one of the most extensive investigations undertaken by the GBI. He graduated from Aiken High School in 1968 and was a . No services are scheduled at this time. Went to Elementary to high School with John sending Condolences to the Family in my Prayers. Brooke Sheridan: He said, "You've heard of the Tara Grinstead case?" Ryan Duke, now clean-shaven and looking very different from his 2017 arrest, took the stand. Peter Van Sant: This is the murder of Tara Grinstead and there seemed to be little interest, is that right? Send Flowers . LAWYER: It sounds like you're saying you assumed it was handled properly? Celebrate the life of Ryan Drakes, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information. 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.". Bo Dukes apologies to Tara Grinstead's family at his sentencing. So, it's kind of crappy right now. Jannis Paulk: There were people who believed she ran away. Back then, hardly anyone thought this case would ever be solved. Create an obituary. Down to about 20 fragments of bone. Eventually, a breakthrough tip came around, and two men were arrested in relation to the Tara case. And this time, the whole world seemed to be listening. 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. Dana Wilder: Ocilla was Tara's life. Police never called him a suspect, but Marcus was more closely investigated than anyone in the disappearance of his former girlfriend, Tara Grinstead. "I was stealing from her purse and she snuck up on me. After college, Tara got a job at Ocilla's Irwin County high school, teaching 11th grade history. The alleged drug addict was arrested once for a DUI in 2010 but was released on bond. "It's like he wasn't there," Ryan Duke said when asked about Bo Dukes' demeanor while the body burned. Sometime in the night, Bo and Ben left while he and Stephen were sleeping. He had an alibi, but the whispers continued. He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. Q: Did you see Miss Grinstead's body after she died? Find the obituary of Sandra Lee Dukes (1958 - 2021) from Clayton, DE. Please contact your local Neptune Society office for cremation prices, and to learn more about our cremation service. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. 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