Ryan Duke’s sentencing: ‘Up and Vanished’ covers the beginning and end of his murder trial in Season 4
“Up and Vanished” covered Tara Grinstead’s case in season 1. Grinstead was a well-liked, high school history teacher in Ocilla, Georgia who disappeared in 2005. The podcast drew nationwide attention to this case that ran cold for years. New leads and stories were followed, and in 2017, there were major breaks in the case. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrested 2 suspects for Grinstead’s murder. There were criminal proceedings, and Ryan Duke stood trial in May 2022.
Duke’s trial is where season 4 begins. Start each season, covering a different missing persons case, from the first episode to hear the complete investigations unfold. If you are interested in learning more about Grinstead’s case from season 1, we’d recommend streaming that season first. But, feel free to dive right into the first episode this season, since host Payne Lindsey and the team recap what has happened since 2017. The following episodes share trial updates less than an hour each, as the team returns to Ocilla for Duke’s trial.
In 2017, Duke admitted he broke into Grinstead’s home and killed her. Duke told the GBI that he burned her body and brought them to the crime scene. A latex glove with DNA was found on Grinstead’s front yard, so the police force had DNA since 2005, but they were unable to link it to anyone.
Duke would receive a life sentence for murder if convicted. In 2019, Duke’s friend, Bo Dukes, was convicted for his hand in moving and burning Grinstead’s body. Dukes received a 25-year prison sentence.
In this series, Payne hits the ground running to investigate each case, and his team interviews people for answers. Season 2 covered Kristal Reisinger’s disappearance in 2016, a young mother and Colorado resident who vanished one month after moving to a new community. This case has been reopened.
Season 3 investigates Ashley Loring Heavyrunner’s disappearance in June 2017. The 20-year-old Indigenous woman lived at Montana’s Blackfeet Nation Indian Reservation. Payne learned about some strange occurrences and odd behavior leading up to Ashley’s disappearance, and several clues begin to unravel.
“Up and Vanished” is presented by Tenderfoot TV. Starting this May, tune in for updates on Ryan Duke’s trial.
Discover
