GA - TRIAL OF Ryan Alexander Duke & Bo Dukes - Tara Grinstead, 29, Ocilla, 22 Oct 2005 *Guilty/Not Guilty*

[Niner]

for Thursday, May 12th - Day 4

Here's a few I found.


Phil Holloway™
@PhilHollowayEsq
·
6h
Big day today in the #TaraGrinstead trial. The state will play the alleged confession of #RyanDuke -with a lot of redactions. Lead GBI agent Shoudel will be on the stand most of the day. The defense says the "confession" is a false and co-conspirator Bo Dukes is the real killer


Inexplicably, part of the GBI's interview with #RyanDuke in the #TaraGrinstead investigation was not recorded


Lead Case agent Shoudel describes how Bo Dukes showed him where #TaraGrinstead was cremated out in a pecan orchard


Sadly, the "bonfire in the orchard" - which was actually in a stand of pine trees - was known to local law enforcement in 2005 but the GBI never followed up on as part of the #TaraGrinstead investigation, at least not until podcast and other media attention brought pressure ~2016


GBI Agent Shoudel tells #TaraGrinstead suspect #RyanDuke that his "confession" will bring closure to thousands of people including Tara's family. That remains to be seen, however


link: https://twitter.com/PhilHollowayEsq

 

[Seattle1]

Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson

This has been making me crazy trying to find the answer to if #RyanDuke was ever in #TaraGrinstead's class. He tells agent Shoudel that she was never his teacher.
7:45 AM · May 12, 2022

@cathyrusson

Shoudel asks #RyanDuke if he ever had a relationship with #TaraGrinstead, "ever mess around?" He says no. Shoudel asks if Duke had Tara as a teacher. He said NO, he didn't have her a teacher but she was a teacher at the high school he went to.
7:44 AM · May 12, 2022

 

[Niner]

For Thursday, 5/12/22 - Day 4


Nina
@AlreadyGonePod
·
4h
Jason Shoudel GBI

Jason Shodel (sp?) called to the stand -

we are about to get into the audio of the confession

sound is much clearer today!

Did Bo feed the GBI this entire line of questioning?

video of confession/interview is next and the sound is not good. Lots of background interference

yes, yes we are sitting in a silent courtroom watching 2017 Ryan Duke write things down

Ryan wasn't mirandized until he was in custody - after he admitted to murder - was not free to leave

Ryan and his defense team are seated near the jury as the video plays. You can't see them on TV but they are still here. No video near jury for their safety/privacy.

Court has adjourned for lunch and I am out of thecourt room until Monday morning. I will have more updates for you as I get them in the meanwhile


link: https://twitter.com/AlreadyGonePod

 

[Seattle1]

@PhilHollowayEsq

Inexplicably, part of the GBI's interview with #RyanDuke in the #TaraGrinstead investigation was not recorded




6:21 AM · May 12, 2022·

 

[scubadvr99]

So after years of people smearing the reputations of the victim, Tara Grinstead, and many more, we find out that she was murdered by someone breaking in her house to steal her purse. She surprised him and was killed. It’s time for society to quit smearing and blaming the victim.

 

[Seattle1]

@PhilHollowayEsq

Big day today in the #TaraGrinstead trial. The state will play the alleged confession of #RyanDuke -with a lot of redactions. Lead GBI agent Shoudel will be on the stand most of the day. The defense says the "confession" is a false and co-conspirator Bo Dukes is the real killer




4:02 AM · May 12, 2022·

 

[MTW2011]

Wow. So the Defense got GBI agent to admit she asked them to do DNA/semen/blood/etc testing on the blanket/comforter, and for them to investigate some "issues involving Bo"...he admitted he told her that he needed supervisor approval to do that follow-up. She asked for them to test all of that against Ryan, and none of it matched Ryan, he admitted he thinks that was "correct".

He then admitted he didn't think there was ever any follow-up on that. She also brought up the timing of him talking and his confession and how only some of their conversations were not recorded. He admitted he told Bo to talk to Ryan that night, and she tried asking him about the timing of Ryan offering up some details that may have only been able to come from Bo himself....but he would not go near that and would only say "that would be speculation" as to if someone talked to him before he talked to the GBI agent.

Defense also brought up the door lock, and a previous witness's testimony about her always locking her door with it. State kept trying to object to her "mischaracterizations of the evidence" and then trying "hearsay" but most were overruled so far. Defense is trying hard, understandably so, to try and paint the investigation as sloppy/not thorough/etc.

 

[BeckyF]

Is anyone watching this trial on the Law and Crime network?

 

[MTW2011]

Yikes for the State. Defense got GBI agent to admit that any notion of a credit card was brought up first by him and not by Ryan.

She also got him to admit that yes the recording did not start until they were in the investigation room. Defense was citing timelines and asking when he arrived at their station vs. when the recording started and what happened in the in-btwn time period that was not recorded. GBI agent said it was nothing about the case and was only "pleasantries" between them.

If I had to guess right now, with the specificity she was asking him what time Ryan arrived, I feel as if this will come up again, especially since the agent seemed to answer with a small window of time and couldn't recall the exact time but it "wasn't long before the recording started". What if they had surveillance footage or something that shows when exactly he arrived? What if they can show this window of time was longer than just some brief "pleasantries"?

Also towards the end of today she brought up Ryan mentioning he took a "pain pill" that day and (seems like the Defense may argue he was impaired in some way), why they had to talk that day when the investigation had been going on for 12 years already? He would not say it could be a different day and that they were not able to wait but rather he couched her questioning by saying "he was already there, I thought it was a good time". Seems like the Defense is already laying a good groundwork for a false confession plus a sloppy investigation = enough reasonable doubt. I am so eager to see more of this trial and I am curious what others think. With so many things going on these days it seems like maybe not many WSers are following this trial in depth. I've been trying to bounce btwn this and Nancy Brophy trial.

 

[Seattle1]

Seems like the Defense is already laying a good groundwork for a false confession plus a sloppy investigation = enough reasonable doubt.

^^rsbm
I've long believed that the "confession" by RD is not his own words but statements put to him by LE. But I also believe BD was the killer and RD used to help him disappear Tara's body. JMO

 

[momrids6]

The power in that town is far more than just Bo's family, imo

 

[HanniBJeter]

Ryan seemed perfectly clear headed during his confession. I hope he’s found guilty.

 

[Niner]

Additional tweets for Thurs. May 12th - Day 4

Not too sure to the order of these tweets...


Phil Holloway™
@PhilHollowayEsq
·
10h
Right out of the gate on cross, Agent Shoudel of the GBI admits his focus on #RyanDuke in the #TaraGrinstead investigation is predicated on information provided by Bo Dukes who is convicted of lying about his own role in this sad saga

Attorney Ashleigh Merchant gets GBI Agent Shoudel - the lead investigator in the #TaraGrinstead trial - to admit he failed to follow his official state training on interview techniques when talking to #RyanDuke

The defense claims the alleged confession is a false confession

BOOM!: The #RyanDuke defense gets the lead GBI #TaraGrinstead case agent to admit that convicted felonious liar, Bo Dukes, could possibly have given Ryan Duke the so-called "guilty knowledge" that supposedly "only the killer would know" - that could be enough for reasonable doubt

Defense in #TaraGrinstead trial continues to score major points in getting the lead GBI agent to admit that significant parts of the alleged confession do not match the other evidence in the case - and to admit that false confessions are real!

The Defense in #TaraGrinstead trial gets the lead GBI agent to concede there is no PHYSICAL evidence to prove she was murdered in Irwin County

And in a BOMBSHELL revelation, the defense gets GBI Agent Shoudel to admit that convicted liar and accused sexual predator BO DUKES cannot be excluded as the donor of a 3rd DNA sample on the infamous latex glove in the #TaraGrinstead case

The testimony was that Bo Dukes could not be eliminated as the donor of that third sample.



link: https://twitter.com/PhilHollowayEsq

 

[Niner]

Friday, May 13th:
*Trial continues (Day 5) (@ 9am ET) - GA - Tara Faye Grinstead (29) (Oct. 22, 2005, Ocilla, still missing) – *Ryan Alexander Duke (21 @ time of crime/33/now 38) arrested (2/23/17), indicted (4/2017) & arraigned (5/4/17) with 2 counts of felony murder & 1 count of malice murder, aggravated assault, burglary & concealing death of another. Plead not guilty. Held without bail.
Trial began on 5/2/22 with jury selection. Trial began on 5/9/22. 12 jurors & 6 alternates.
Court hearings from 10/13/17 thru 4/28/22 & Jury selection Day 1-3 (5/3 to 5/5/22) & Trial Day 1-3 (5/9 to 5/11/22) reference post #475 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...d-29-ocilla-22-oct-2005-arrest.430005/page-24
5/12/22 Thursday, Trial Day 4: State witness: GBI Agent Lead investigator Jason Shoudel.
for more info see post #480 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...d-29-ocilla-22-oct-2005-arrest.430005/page-24
GBI Agent Jason Shoudel continued.
for more info see post #481, 482, 486, 488 & 492 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...d-29-ocilla-22-oct-2005-arrest.430005/page-25
Trial continues on Friday, 5/13/22.
Accomplice:
*Bo Dukes: Found guilty (3/21/19) and sentenced to 25 years. 10/22/20 Update: A hearing set for 11/24/20, in Wilcox County for Dukes. The judge will consider Dukes' request for a new trial.

 

[Nina Michigan]

I am at home (after 11 days away!) and not in court today. I'll be back at it in Ocilla on Monday

 

[Niner]

Here's a few tweets - for Friday, May 13 - Day 5

Phil Holloway™
@PhilHollowayEsq
·
3h
Expect more info from a DNA expert on the 3rd DNA profile on the infamous latex glove in the #TaraGrinstead case. Yesterday defense got GBI Agent Shoudel to admit that alternate suspect Bo Dukes could not be eliminated as donor. Today we may learn more about Bo Dukes & the glove

I suspect more to come on the glove today! Who else - if anyone - other than Bo Dukes cannot be eliminated as the donor of the 3rd DNA profile on the #TaraGrinstead glove?

The #TaraGrinstead defense team asks Judge Reinhardt to admonish the DA about rolling her eyes and shaking her head to the jury during defense cross examination - fireworks to start the day!

Oof! Now the defense in #TaraGrinstead trial gets GBI DNA Expert to admit they changed their internal policies and testing protocols to re-test samples to try to exclude Bo Dukes from the infamous latex glove-and still he can't be excluded. Very damning, makes them appear biased

DNA Expert gives more info on the infamous latex glove in #TaraGrinstead case-says there were in fact 3 DNA profiles. One was Tara's, one Ryan's, the 3rd..could it have been Bo Dukes? Yes, Bo Dukes can't be eliminated

BOMBSHELL! Bo is the ONLY one who can't be eliminated!

link: https://twitter.com/PhilHollowayEsq



Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
2h
Today starts out with the defense asking the judge to admonish the prosecutor in front of the jury. Defense says during cross-exam of Shoudel yesterday prosecutor Hart looked right at the jury and was shaking her head.

DNA: Forensic biologist testifies on the inside of the glove was 10% #TaraGrinstead DNA and 90% #RyanDuke DNA. On the outside of the glove it was around 50/50 of the two but there is a 3rd profile on the outside of the glove that makes up about 5%.

DNA: There are 50 locations along the DNA strand and the minor profile (3rd dna profile on the glove) only appeared at 2 locations per testimony by forensic biologist.

DNA: Comforter from #TaraGrinstead bed. Blood and semen stain. Blood is Grinstead's, semen is Heath Dykes.


DNA: Forensic biologist cannot include or exclude Bo Dukes as the minor contributor to the glove.

NOTE: Bo Dukes told police that #RyanDuke killed #TaraGrinstead then enlisted his help in the burning of her body. The defense wants to point the finger at Bo Dukes as the actual killer with Ryan Duke helping with the burning.

DNA: Prosecutor asks forensic biologist about possible transfer DNA if #RyanDuke was driving Bo Dukes truck - could Bo's DNA transfer to Ryan from the steering wheel. Answer is yes.

The forensic anthropolist that examined the human bone fragments discovered in the #TaraGrinstead case has taken the stand.

link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson


I was hoping either one of these people would have given the name of the DNA person & now the anthropolist.

Anyone catch their names? TIA if you did!

 

[Seattle1]

I was hoping either one of these people would have given the name of the DNA person & now the anthropolist.

Anyone catch their names? TIA if you did!

The first witness to the stand is Ashley Hinkle, a GBI Forensic Biologist. Hart deemed Hinkle as an "expert" witness. Hinkle is testifying about DNA testing from 2005 and 2015 on the latex glove found at the scene of Grinstead's home. She walked the court through her process of examining the glove.

[..]

The next witness to the stand is LT Darin Meadows, Juvenile investigations Houston County Sheriff's Office.
In 2005, Meadows was a Digital Forensics Analyst. He helped the GBI pull information from devices.

Meadows spoke to his experience and training as an analyst. Merchant deemed Lt. Meadows as an "expert" witness.

Meadows says he previously searched Grinstead's cell phone but did not find any information in relation to Duke and Dukes. He also examined two of Tara's home computers and a work computer.

The Third witness to the stand is Dr. Alice Gooding, Forensic Anthropologist State of Georgia at Large.
Gooding is responsible for finding skeletal remains. She was a consultant at Ben Hill County, a search location for the body of Tara Grinstead.

Gooding was presented with images of bone fragments found. Fragments included toe, finger, elbow, tooth, spinal vertebrae, and cranium pieces. The fragments were found in different units.

Tara Grinstead's bone fragments presented to jury on day 5 of trial

Court resumed Friday morning in Irwin County for the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead nearly sixteen years ago. Ryan Duke, a former student of Grinstead's, is pleading not guilty to malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, burglary, and concealing a death in connection to her...

wfxl.com

 

[Niner]

Thank you for the names @Seattle1 ! Much appreciated.

edited: wonder why neither of the tweeters mentioned Lt. Meadows??

 

[Niner]

Last of the tweets.

Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
1h
Dr. Gooding verifies the human bone fragments she found had been burned. She also says they have not been identifeid as #TaraGrinstead because there's no way to extract DNA from them. She knows they are human (and they were extracted from site where bonfires were in 05)

Court is adjourned for the day. The state has 2 final witnesses but each of them were not available until Monday. The state is expected to rest on Monday.

link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson

 

[Niner]

Monday, May 16th:
*Trial continues (Day 6) (@ 9am ET) - GA - Tara Faye Grinstead (29) (Oct. 22, 2005, Ocilla, still missing) – *Ryan Alexander Duke (21 @ time of crime/33/now 38) arrested (2/23/17), indicted (4/2017) & arraigned (5/4/17) with 2 counts of felony murder & 1 count of malice murder, aggravated assault, burglary & concealing death of another. Plead not guilty. Held without bail.
Trial began on 5/2/22 with jury selection. Trial began on 5/9/22. 12 jurors & 6 alternates.
Court hearings from 10/13/17 thru 4/28/22 & Jury selection Day 1-3 (5/3 to 5/5/22) & Trial Day 1-4 (5/9 to 5/12/22) reference post #493 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...d-29-ocilla-22-oct-2005-arrest.430005/page-25
5/13/22 Friday, Trial Day 5: State witnesses: GBI DNA forensic biologist Ashley Hinkle, Lt. Darin Meadows, a deputy at the juvenile investigations Houston County Sheriff's Office. In 2005, Meadows was a Digital Forensics Analyst. He helped the GBI pull information from devices. Dr. Alice Gooding, Forensic Anthropologist State of Georgia at Large. She was a consultant in Ben Hill County during a search for the body of Tara at Fitzgerald Farms.
for more info see post #495, 496 & 498 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...d-29-ocilla-22-oct-2005-arrest.430005/page-25
Trial continues on Monday, 5/16/22.
Accomplice:
*Bo Dukes: Found guilty (3/21/19) and sentenced to 25 years. 10/22/20 Update: A hearing set for 11/24/20, in Wilcox County for Dukes. The judge will consider Dukes' request for a new trial.