Suspect in beauty queen’s death sought for New Year’s Day rape in Georgia, police say

Bo Dukes, right, had been charged with helping dispose of the body of onetime beauty queen Tara Grinstead, who vanished from her home in the southwest Georgia town of Ocilla in 2005. He is being sought on rape charges from New Year’s Day. (AP)

A suspect in the death of a South Georgia teacher and beauty queen missing since 2005 is now being sought on rape charges from New Year’s Day, authorities said.

WALB says Bo Dukes, 34, is wanted on charges of rape, aggravated sodomy, false imprisonment and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for a Jan. 1 encounter, according to the Warner Robins Police Department.

Police said Dukes brought two women to his home with a firearm and under the threat of violence.

Dukes last was seen wearing a red shirt and blue jeans in a 2013 white Kia Sorento, The vehicle tag: PFP1116.

Police said Dukes has made suicidal threats, and is known to have a drug and alcohol history.

Dukes had been charged with helping dispose of the body of onetime beauty queen Tara Grinstead, who vanished from her home in the southwest Georgia town of Ocilla in 2005.

In June 2017, Dukes was indicted on charges including concealing a death, tampering with evidence and hindering apprehension of a criminal.

Grinstead, 30, an Irwin County High School teacher and former beauty queen, was last seen Oct. 22, 2005, when she left a cookout and said she was going straight home.

Two days later, she was reported missing when she didn’t show up to teach history.

Her house was found locked, with her cellphone inside. Her dog and cat were home and her car sat in the driveway. But Grinstead’s purse and keys were gone.

A latex glove — the type worn by police officers and medical workers — was found in her front yard.

Grinstead’s disappearance was the focus of the podcast “Up and Vanished.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.