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A Georgia appeals court has dismissed charges against two men convicted of covering up Tara Grinstead's death, ruling the statute of limitations expired. Their prior convictions for concealing her body remain.
An image of Tara Grinstead displayed on a billboard in Ocilla, Ga. (AP File Photo)
UPDATED: Mar 2, 2025 21:22 IST
In a major legal decision, a Georgia appeals court has dismissed pending charges against two men convicted of hiding the death of Tara Grinstead, a high school teacher whose 2005 disappearance remained a mystery for over a decade. The court ruled that prosecutors waited too long to bring charges, allowing the statute of limitations to expire.
What did the court rule?
The Georgia Court of Appeals found that law enforcement had probable cause to arrest Ryan Duke and Bo Dukes as early as November 2005. That’s when a witness told police at a party that the men had admitted to killing Grinstead and burning her body in a pecan orchard. Despite this tip, police didn’t make arrests until 2017.
According to Georgia law, prosecutors had four years from the time they had probable cause to press charges. While officials argued the timeline started in 2017-- when the men confessed—the court disagreed, ruling that the clock had started in 2005. As a result, the charges in Ben Hill County were deemed too late.
Who was Grinstead?
Grinstead, a 30-year-old beauty queen and high school teacher, was last seen in Ocilla, Georgia, in October 2005. Despite extensive searches, her body was never fully recovered. Her face loomed large on a billboard seeking tips in her disappearance until arrests were made in February 2017.
Investigators found bone fragments in the pecan grove where Duke claimed they burned her remains, but DNA tests were inconclusive.
What happened to Duke and Dukes?
The dismissal only applies to the newer charges. Both men are still serving prison sentences:
Ryan Duke was convicted in 2022 of concealing Grinstead’s death but acquitted of murder. He is serving a 10-year sentence. Bo Dukes was convicted in 2019 for his role in covering up the crime and lying to police. He is serving 25 years in prison.(With input from Associated Press)
Published By:
indiatodayglobal
Published On:
Mar 2, 2025
