Bo Dukes, co-defendant in Tara Grinstead's death, indicted in second rape case

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — One of two men accused in the death of a South Georgia teacher has been indicted in a separate 2017 rape case, according to the Houston County District Attorney's Office.

Bo Dukes, currently serving prison time for his role in Tara Grinstead's death, allegedly raped and sodomized a woman at knifepoint on Jan. 19, 2017, his indictment states. Weeks after the alleged sexual assault, Dukes was linked to Grinstead's 2005 death.

The latest indictment adds to the list of criminal troubles for Dukes, who was convicted in March after the Grinstead case's first trial, which took place in Wilcox County. Dukes was charged in Wilcox because that's where investigators initially interviewed him and where he lied to police.

[READ MORE: Bo Dukes found guilty of lying to authorities in cover up of Tara Grinstead's body]

After a four-day trial, it took a Wilcox jury less than an hour to convict Dukes on four counts, including two counts of making a false statement, hindering the apprehension of a criminal and concealing the death of another. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

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But Dukes, 35, still awaits trial in Irwin County, where Grinstead lived and taught high school history until she disappeared. Grinstead, 30, was last seen leaving a party in October 2005. A massive search was launched to find the former beauty queen, but the case remained cold for more than 11 years.

In February 2017, the GBI charged Ryan Alexander Duke with murder after he confessed to investigators — a confession he now claims was false. Days later, Dukes was also charged. Prosecutors believe Duke killed Grinstead and Dukes helped dispose of her body. An Irwin County trial date has not yet been scheduled because of Duke's appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court over funding.

While out on bond, Dukes allegedly sexually assaulted two women this year on New Year's Day in Warner Robbins, according to police. Dukes then fled the area, and was the subject of a massive five-day manhunt before U.S. marshals located him.

Dukes' January 2019 arrest violated terms of his pretrial release for a separate federal case.

Dukes, who served in the U.S. Army, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in 2013 for a scheme to have Department of Defense property shipped to his home in Savannah. He was sentenced to federal prison and released in October 2015, but failed to pay $130,000 restitution and complete 40 hours of community service required for his supervised release, according to court filings.

[READ MORE: Defense team asks state to pay for legal experts in Tara Grinstead case]

Dukes is currently serving time at Central State Prison in Bibb County, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.

This article was written by Alexis Stevens, with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Cox Media Group