OCILLA, Ga. — Tuesday marked the second day of testimony in the trial of Ryan Duke, the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead. All day, jurors heard from the first investigators at Grinstead’s home after she didn’t show up to work on a Monday in Oct. 2005.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from court was the evidence found at her home back in 2005, or rather the evidence investigators couldn’t find.
In Oct. 2005, on the day Grinstead was reported missing, GBI Special Agent Jeff Roesler and Ocilla police officer Bill Barrs say they looked at all the doors and windows in her home.
“There was no sign of forced entry. There could have been a struggle, there could not have been a struggle… there’s no way for me to tell,” said Roesler.
This is important because Duke is charged with burglary and he reportedly confessed to digging through Grinstead’s purse in her home right before she was murdered.
Roesler says they saw a candle knocked over on its side, a tilted lampshade, and a comforter with a light amount of blood on it. Investigators could NOT determine whether it was connected to Grinstead’s death.
Agents testified they collected six prints from the home eligible for comparison in 2005. The prosecution says they're planning to bring up experts who will testify on whether they match Duke's.
Investigators also testified that friends of Grinstead were in and out of the home while officers were working the scene. They included Dana Harper, the stepmom of one of Grinstead’s exes.
She said she touched the answering machine while she was in the home. Roesler says he found no sign anyone had cleaned the crime scene.
“I’ve worked scenes before in my past that people have used bleach, all types of chemicals, mops… really bloody scenes. They made efforts to try to clean that up, that’s pretty easy to see,” said Roesler.
Investigators also searched Grinstead’s car. GBI agent Franklin Weathersby testified he collected 117 swabs from her car in Dec. 2005 – nearly two months after she vanished.
The problem was the car sat unsupervised at her home for at least part of the time. Investigators did not know who had been in or out of the car. Her next-door neighbor had her car detailed sometime after Grinstead disappeared, making it difficult for investigators to collect anything.
Much of the afternoon’s testimony centered around phone calls to Grinstead’s home. Jurors heard calls from Tara’s mom, sister, and Perry Police Capt. Heath Dykes. There was also a call from a payphone in downtown Ocilla.
The state says Ryan Duke made that call. Prosecutors say Duke killed Grinstead, left her house, then called it to see if anyone was there before he went to pick up the body.
The GBI says in Feb. 2017, Duke confessed to agents that he made that call. Prosecutor J.D. Hart says the GBI decided not to release information to the public about the phone call so they could use that fact to confirm their suspect. She says the call is one reason they believe the killer was Ryan Duke.
The defense did not cross-examine any witnesses about the pay phone call.
You can rewatch the second day of testimony here: