Pre-trial hearing to decide admissibility of DNA testing in Tara Grinstead case

IRWIN CO., GA (WALB) - WALB has been told there will be a pre-trial “Harper” hearing Thursday in the case against Ryan Duke in the Tara Grinstead case.

Duke is charged in Irwin County with one count of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of burglary and one count of concealing a death in the 2005 death of Grinstead.

Officials told WALB on Monday, that the hearing on Thursday will determine if TrueAllele DNA evidence will be admissible in Duke’s trial, which is set to begin on April 1.

Duke’s “Harper” hearing is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m.

There is a pre-trial motions hearing also scheduled for Duke on Wednesday in Irwin County. It is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m.

Ryan Duke’s co-defendant, Bo Dukes, was charged and found guilty in Wilcox County on March 21 for two counts of giving false statement, one count of hindering the apprehension or punishment of a criminal and one count of concealing a death for lying to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation during a 2016 interview.

Bo Dukes is also charged in Ben Hill County for concealing a death in the Grinstead case for helping burn Grinstead’s body in a pecan orchard. There will be a calendar call Wednesday for his Ben Hill County case.

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