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Trial of Tara Grinstead's accused killer delayed due to COVID surge

The trial was scheduled for October, but lawyers met this week and agreed to delay the case to spring 2022

OCILLA, Ga. — Editor's Note: The video in this story is archive footage from our coverage of the case in the mid-2010s.

The trial of the man accused of killing Tara Grinstead 16 years ago has been pushed back into 2022.

Ryan Duke's murder trial was scheduled to start Oct 4 in Irwin County, Georgia, but lawyers in the case met with Judge Bill Reinhardt Wednesday and agreed to delay the case due to rising COVID-19 numbers.

That's according to Lindsey Forshee, administrator for the Tift Judicial Circuit.

She says the lawyers discussed pushing the trial into next March, but Judge Reinhardt hasn't signed an order confirming that.

Grinstead, an Irwin County High School teacher, went missing in October 2005.

More than a decade later, the GBI charged Duke -- her former student -- with killing her and hiding her body in a pecan orchard. Since then, Duke's trial has been moved back several times.

Another former student, Bo Dukes, is now serving a 25-year prison sentence for lying to the GBI and helping Duke bury her body.

See the viral video from Bo Dukes' sentencing below:

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

Georgia Supreme Court rules Ryan Duke can use state funds for defense in Grinstead case

Tara Grinstead case: Bo Dukes reports to prison for 25-year sentence

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