Ryan Duke trial – Haunting details about beauty queen Tara Grinstead’s murder revealed as suspect found not guilty

RYAN Duke has been found not guilty on all but one count connected to beauty queen Tara Grinstead's 2005 murder.

A jury in Georgia cleared Duke on all charges but convicted him of concealing a death after he made a shocking allegation on the stand.

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Duke blamed a friend, Bo Dukes, for Tara Grinstead's murder and is facing up to 10 years in prison at his sentencing hearing.

The suspects are not related despite having similar surnames.

Grinstead, 30, was an ex-pageant queen and Georgia high school teacher who was last seen alive leaving a cookout in October 2005.

Her death remained a mystery until 2017 when former Irwin County High School best friends Duke and Bo allegedly bragged about their involvement in Grinstead’s death within weeks of her disappearance.

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During Duke’s trial, his defense attorney told jurors it was Bo who killed Grinstead.

Duke testified that his confession to police at the time was false.

He claimed Bo woke him up at the mobile home where they lived in 2005 and said he had killed Grinstead and showed him the teacher’s purse and wallet.

Duke claimed he lied to investigators because Bo had already killed one person and he was afraid, he testified.

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FINGER-POINTING

In February 2017, a tipster - who claimed to be Bo's girlfriend at the time - told officials he had allegedly been involved in Grinstead’s disappearance.

After speaking to investigators, Bo pointed the finger at his so-called best friend, blaming him for the murder.

When investigators came looking for Duke, Ocilla Police Department officials claimed he confessed to the killing within 90 seconds of being questioned.

“I don’t feel like I deserve to be free to breathe,” Duke allegedly penned in a written confession.

Georgia investigators also claim Duke admitted to breaking into Grinstead's home in October 2005, looking to steal money to buy drugs.

He was startled when Grinstead appeared behind him and he hit and killed her, he allegedly told police.

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Duke led investigators to a pecan orchard where he said he and Bo burned the former school teacher's body.

A week later, Bo was also arrested and charged. He reportedly confessed to investigators that he didn't kill Grinstead but helped dispose of her body.

Duke was charged with Grinstead's killing, while Bo was charged with concealing the ex-beauty queen's death.

In March 2019, Bo was sentenced to 25 years in prison for concealing Grinstead’s death.

On Friday, a jury acquitted Duke of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and burglary on Friday. However, he was found guilty of concealing a death.

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TRAGIC END

Haunting details of beauty queen's murder revealed as suspect found not guilty

Though her body has never been found, investigators matched Grinstead’s DNA to bone fragments recovered in the area where Duke told investigators he and Bo had burned her.

No suspects have been convicted for Grinstead's death.