As for his alibi, Ryan claimed that he had been at his mobile home in Fitzgerald the entire night. Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. SHELLHOUSE RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC. GBI AGENT: Of all the people, why Tara, what's the connection? A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. I thought he was out of his mind. Funeral homes; Help and advice. And I was like, "Yeah." Jurors heard the forensic analysis on that piece of evidence. Tara Grinstead didnt show up for work on October 24, 2005. 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. I don't understand that, just a disregard of human life. "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.". A search of Grinsteads home revealed some oddities: her cellphone was still connected to a charger by the nightstand, her keys and purse were missing and her bedside clock was on the floor and was six hours off. Bo told her they moved Tara's body to a pit, where it took two days to burn, destroying all evidence. 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. But there was more Brooke says Bo then admitted his own involvement in the crime, saying: Brooke Sheridan: "And I helped him burn her body.". It was very hard to grasp. Ryan then allegedly went back to her house to move her remains to the orchard using Bos truck. Leave a memory or share a photo below to show your support. The GBI was overwhelmed with tips at the time and this one slipped through the cracks. Visit our Support Center. OBITUARY Ryan William Drakes April 23, 1981 - August 4, 2021. Bo Dukes comes from a prominent family that owned a huge pecan orchard in the Ocilla area. He testified that Bo Dukes told him he had killed Tara Grinstead but Ryan did not know how she died. Maria Woods Harper: They've had a really hard time. her main goal was to win Miss Georgia or at least to get to Miss Georgia, and she did. In his own recorded words, Duke walked GBI investigators through how he killed, burned and buried Tara Grinstead. I mean, she had the biggest smile. Bo confessed all of this to Brooke, who stuck with him. AIKEN, SC MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. And he asked me to help him get rid of her body. 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. The funeral will follow at 11 oclock in the chapel with The Rev. An Irwin County jury found Ryan Duke not guilty of murdering Georgia teacher and beauty queen Tara Grinstead. I didn't mean to.". Ryan was thus sentenced to 10 years behind bars, which he currently seems to be serving. However, when it came to corroborating, Stephen testified in Bo Dukes trial that he couldnt confirm any of it. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. A native and lifelong resident of Aiken, Ryan was a son of the late Kenneth Michael Dukes and Vicki Heilig Dukes. They've lived so many years without being punished. And as they were driving around town, a billboard caught his eye. He could have at least told us that, but he didn't. It took a jury less than an hour to convict Bo Dukes on all charges. I cant live with myself Im so sick of this," Duke said in a recorded video. Both men are awaiting trial in a neighboring county on charges related to burning Tara's body. So, it's kind of crappy right now. I didn't know who I was staring at. Jannis Paulk: So, Bo was known in the community for being a little over the top, unfiltered. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Searching obituaries is a great place to start your family tree research. She says the lawyers discussed pushing the trial into next March, but Judge Reinhardt hasn't signed an order confirming that. Visitation: Saturday, Feb. 18th from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral hour at Mt. The defense said Ryan was under the influence of painkillers at the time, and only took the blame because he was afraid of Bo. Obituary. "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant first reported on this story in 2008 almost three years after Tara Grinstead went missing. | All testimonials are written by persons unlicensed and not qualified to make funeral arrangements, embalm or conduct a funeral. "I was stealing from her purse and she snuck up on me. She wasn't wearing shoes. "It should be an opening when we cremated her. Duke said he left the home in a panic but came back to remove the body. And it wasn't the only one overlooked. Jannis Paulk: She was dating, I think, more than people realized that she was dating. Maria Woods Harber: She was such a good person She just didn't deserve it. 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. 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. The trial of the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 16 years ago has been pushed back into 2022. DEFENSE: What was his expression, his demeanor when that happened? Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you. Dukes attorneys have said he made a false confession under the influence of drugs. In closing, as Tara's family looked on, the prosecution held to their argument that Ryan had told the truth back in 2017. 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. Let others know about your loved one's death. 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. He lit her on fire. He said Bo Dukes admitted to killing her. Marcus was often overseas, and though they had broken up by the fall of 2005, friends say Tara was distraught about the relationship ending. Ryan Duke at his first court hearing after his arrest in February 2017, charged with Tara Grinstead's murder. "There were some days that the heartache was so great we could barely even function," she said. They said in court filings that Duke was asleep at home when Grinstead was killed. Example video title will go here for this video. You need to own what you've done and confess," Sheridan told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant in 2017. Mike Dukes. Defense appeals delayed Ryan Dukes trial since the original 2019 start date. Celebrate the life of Ryan Drakes, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information. "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. The talented signer was named Miss Tifton and competed in the Miss Georgia beauty pageant. And everybody has to live with that," Superior Court Judge Bill Reinhardt said before giving out his sentence. Ricou Browning, the stunt man who played the title character in underwater sequences of the 1954 classic "Creature from the Black Lagoon," died Monday at 93. Maria Woods Harber: She's been an inspiration. What to do during a tornado: Where is your safe spot. Not guilty of malice murder and he was acquitted of all charges relating to Tara's murder convicted only of concealing her death. But some things stuck out to Maria. It was told to me when I was in Georgia. 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 . I was a drug addict I'd been drinking. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Bo then gave his account of moving and then burning her body, which began on a Wednesday and took two days. The weight of what McCullough says Bo told him became unbearable. The defense was up first and focused on the inconsistencies in the state's presentation. Could he betray his friend? 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. Hudson said at the time he thought the burn site was an innocent bonfire. Somebody has abducted her and holding her somewhere hostage. Maria Woods Harber: Well, it's very emotional. Maria Woods Harber grew up with Tara. Prosecutors do not expect to file murder charges against Bo Dukes. ", Brooke Sheridan: He says, "I just want her family to know. Bo Dukes apologies to Tara Grinstead's family at his sentencing. I'm so sick of this stealing from her purse. Then, in 2017, a woman came forward with a remarkable story about her boyfriend but could it be trusted? And remember that latex glove found at the crime scene? Both had been students at. Published by Mobile Register and Baldwin County from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17, 2023. That was the last time Ryan Duke said he saw Tara Grinstead's body. Please contact your local Neptune Society office for cremation prices, and to learn more about our cremation service. My condolences to the family. AIKEN, SC - MICHAEL RYAN DUKES, 43, died April 26, 2018. Another former student, Bo Dukes, is now serving a 25-year prison sentence for lying to the GBI and helping Duke bury her body. Jannis Paulk: There were people who believed she ran away. Tara Grinstead's father was in the courtroom on Tuesday while Ryan Duke was questioned. I was high. He said, "My roommate killed her.". On Sunday, Tara's mom called her several times, but Tara didn't answer. He pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial. Maria Woods Harber: She was charismatic, determined, a beautiful personality. Ryan Duke testified he went to help Bo Dukes load wood into his truck and move Grinstead's body. While it might have not been explosive "smoking gun" testimony, it did paint a picture of the scene police officers were met with during a welfare check at the high school teachers home 17 years ago when she failed to show up to work on a particular Monday in October 2005. Vicki Heilig Dukes AIKEN, SC - Vicki Heilig Dukes, 65, died Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. View The Obituary For Ryan Dukes of Aiken, South Carolina. He is preceded in death by his. ", 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 . 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. I can't imagine the loss of a child. Therefore, on May 20, 2022, the jury only found him guilty of concealing a death he was acquitted of every other count. The defense argued the case is about power and influence, which their client lacks. 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. A devoted husband and grandfather, Duane was born on May 1, 1950, in South Gate, California, the son of Edwin and Florann (Boisseau) Dukes. Peter Van Sant: And by Ryan saying to him, "Hey, buddy. 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. Ryan William Drakes, age 40, of DeSoto passed away on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. I know who killed Tara Grinstead or had a part of it. the judge said. Bo Dukes shares details of what happened to Tara Grinstead with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. There are reports of him being put under suicide watch a few times, yet nothing too serious came out of the incidents. Gary Rothwell [2008]: It is one of the most extensive investigations undertaken by the GBI. Died April 26, 2018 1981 - August 4, 2021 case is power. Wood into his truck and move Grinstead 's murder convicted only of concealing her death:... 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