Grinstead Ocilla News Today

Sentencing begins at 9:30 a.m. Monday. Ryan Duke could face up to 10 years in prison, but has already served five years since he was incarcerated in 2017.

The jury has found Ryan Duke only guilty of concealing the death and not guilty of murdering Georgia teacher and former beauty queen Tara Grinstead.

After eight days of testimony from witnesses, the 12 men and woman of the jury will begin deliberations on whether Ryan Duke is guilty or innocent of murdering Tara Grinstead.

Ryan Duke took the stand yesterday to claim that the other man arrested for the death of Tara Grinstead was the mastermind behind her killing. “I was prepared to take the blame for something I did not do.”

With the state resting its case, now Ryan Duke's defense attorneys have begun to call their own witnesses to the stand in hopes he will be found not guilty of murder teacher and former beauty queen Tara Grinstead.

The state is close to resting its case and turn control over to the defense as the trial of Ryan Duke for the murder of Tara Grinstead continues.

Yesterday, the jury heard Ryan Duke confess that he killed and burned the body of Tara Grinstead, telling GBI agents "I can't lie. I can't live with myself"