Ryan Duke's trial began on May 9, 2022. It was a trial that would be much more complicated

than that of his former friend and roommate, Bo Duke's. While Bo was charged and convicted

of lying to the GBI, hindering the arrest of Ryan Duke, and concealing the death of 30

year old Tara Grinstead, Ryan Duke was going to be tried for Tara's murder.

Bo had told multiple witnesses, including the GBI, that Ryan had taken his truck, gone

to Tara's house, and killed her, and then Bo had helped him burn her body. And when Ryan

was brought in to speak with the GBI, he told them a similar story. He said that on the

night of Saturday, October 22, 2005, he had broken into Tara's house, had been looking

for money for drugs, and when Tara confronted him, he struck her, killing her. He then

fled the scene, went home and retrieved a quilt and some gloves, returned in Bo's

truck and transferred her body to a pecan orchard, owned by Bo's family. Bo then helped

him burn it. From the outside, it might seem pretty cut and dry, and like Tara's loved

ones might actually find out what exactly happened to her. But prior to trial, Ryan's

attorney said that Ryan's confession wasn't true, and that he had made those statements

while on pain medication and out of fear. Perhaps the trial wouldn't be so cut and dry

after all. This is Jillian, and in partnership with Law and Crime, you are listening to Court

Junkie, episode 206 Part 2. In her opening statements to the jury,

prosecutor J.D. Hart told them that Ryan Duke actually confessed to killing Tara Grinstead

in three ways. In his interview with GBI agents, by physically writing out in detail how

he says he murdered her, and by displaying what's called guilty knowledge. She said he talked

about things in that interview that only the killer could have known, like a 4-1-1 call

that was made to Tara's house on that Sunday morning. Ryan had told the GBI agent that

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