Joseph Edward Duncan
Joseph Edward Duncan | |
---|---|
Washington (confessed) | |
Date apprehended | July 2, 2005 |
Imprisoned at | United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute |
Joseph Edward Duncan III (February 25, 1963 – March 28, 2021)
During his incarceration, authorities connected Duncan with the unsolved murders of Anthony Martinez in California and two girls in Seattle, which all occurred when Duncan was on parole from 1994 to 1997. In all, Duncan was convicted in Idaho for kidnapping and murdering the three victims in Coeur d'Alene, for which he was given six life sentences:
Duncan died on March 28, 2021, at the age of 58, as a result of a terminal brain tumor.[7]
Early life and criminal history
Joseph Edward Duncan III was born in Fort Liberty, North Carolina, on February 25, 1963. He was the fourth of five children born to Joseph Edward Duncan Jr and Lillian Mae Duncan. He had three older sisters and a younger brother. Duncan's father was in the United States Army, and because of this the family moved from city to city both within the U.S. and abroad, changing locations every year or two until the elder Duncan retired to Tacoma, Washington when the younger was around 12 years old. Duncan's mother was described as a domineering woman, but although he claimed after being arrested in 1980 to have been abused as a child, his younger brother disputed this. Duncan's parents split up in 1979, and would divorce in 1983. His sisters soon left the household all at once and Duncan remained behind with his mother, while his brother went to live with their father after some time. His father would later remarry, giving Duncan a stepfamily. Duncan attended Lakes High School but did not graduate.
Duncan had a long history as a violent
In 1980, Duncan stole a number of guns from a neighbor and
In March 2005, Duncan was charged with the July 3, 2004, molestation of two boys at a playground in
Idaho murders and kidnappings
On May 16, 2005, authorities discovered the bodies of Brenda Groene, 40; her boyfriend, Mark McKenzie, 37; and her son, Slade Groene, 13,
Seven weeks later, in the early morning hours of July 2, 2005, Shasta was seen at a Denny's restaurant in Coeur d'Alene in the company of an unknown man. A waitress, manager, and two customers at the restaurant recognized the girl from media reports. They surreptitiously called police and positioned themselves to prevent the man from leaving.[20] Police officers arrived at the restaurant and arrested the man, later identified as Duncan, without incident.[20] Shasta identified herself to a waitress at the restaurant and to authorities, and was taken to Kootenai Medical Center for medical treatment and to be reunited with her father.[14] Coeur d'Alene police, meanwhile, detained Duncan on kidnapping charges and on his outstanding federal warrant.[14]
When Shasta was found without Dylan, authorities held little hope of finding the boy alive. Police asked the public for tips, specifically with respect to sightings of the stolen red Jeep Cherokee with Missouri license plates that Duncan was driving at the time of his arrest.[21] Authorities discovered that Duncan had rented the car in Minnesota and never returned it. A gas station employee in Kellogg, Idaho, about 40 miles (64 km) east of Coeur d'Alene, recognized the vehicle as one that had stopped at her station hours before Duncan was arrested.[21] The employee suspected the girl wandering around the station might have been Shasta, but did not confront her as nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The employee and her manager notified authorities after reviewing surveillance camera footage and identifying Duncan and Shasta in the video.[21]
On July 4, 2005, investigators found human remains at a remote makeshift campsite in the
Groene family murders
Much of what is known about the murders of the Groene family was revealed by Shasta Groene herself. According to Shasta's police interview, Duncan killed her mother, older brother, and her mother's fiancé, and then kidnapped her and her brother, driving away with them in the stolen Jeep Cherokee.
Shasta told investigators her mother came into Dylan’s and her room and woke them up. Her mother said “someone is in the house” and they went into the living room, where she saw Duncan wearing black gloves and holding a gun. Duncan tied her mother's hands with nylon
Shasta also told investigators how Dylan was murdered. Duncan insisted that his death was an accident. Initially, Shasta was standing on the other side of Duncan's Jeep when she heard a loud boom. She then ran to the other side of the Jeep and saw Dylan lying on the ground screaming. Duncan was apparently digging through a clear plastic box looking for beer, when a shotgun that was also kept in the box went off, hitting Dylan in the stomach. Shasta said that she then saw Duncan put the shotgun to Dylan's head and pull the trigger, but it failed to fire. While Dylan begged Duncan not to kill him, Duncan reloaded the shotgun, put it back to the boy's head and pulled the trigger;[24] Dylan was killed instantly. According to Shasta, Duncan then started crying and told her that he only killed him to put him out of his misery. A public memorial service was held for Dylan on July 16, 2005, which would have been his tenth birthday, at Real Life Ministries.
Shasta reported that Duncan nearly killed her days after killing Dylan. She said that he gave her the choice to be killed either by strangulation or with a gun. Shasta chose the former, and Duncan proceeded to wrap a rope around her neck and tightly pull it, causing Shasta to start suffocating. However, she was able to summon enough breath to beg Duncan to stop, using his nickname "Jet", and he immediately did. He then asked her if she would like to meet his mother, to which she responded yes, and the two drove back towards Coeur d'Alene and stopped at the Denny's restaurant where Shasta was rescued.[25]
Other crimes
Duncan's arrest led the FBI to launch a nationwide review of unsolved missing child cases. He was implicated as a possible suspect in several crimes that occurred between 1994 and 1997, when he was on parole, and between 2000 and 2005, when he was free from prison. Although he was cleared as a suspect in some cases, authorities in California and Washington had enough evidence to believe Duncan had committed unsolved murders in their jurisdictions.
Anthony Martinez
On April 4, 1997, 10-year-old Anthony Michael Martinez was playing with friends in the front yard of his home in
In July 2005, bloggers noticed similarities between Duncan and the composite sketch in the Martinez case, as well as between Duncan's vehicle and the one Martinez's assailant was driving.
Sammiejo White and Carmen Cubias
After her rescue, Shasta told investigators that Duncan had told her about other crimes he had committed, including the Martinez murder and the 1996 murders of Sammiejo White, aged 11, and her half-sister Carmen Cubias, aged 9,[26] who both vanished on July 6, 1996, after leaving the Crest Motel in Seattle. Their skeletal remains were found on February 10, 1998, in Bothell, Washington.[27] Duncan confessed to beating the two young girls to death.[26]
Trials
Duncan had been convicted in three courts: in Idaho district court, for the kidnapping and murders of Brenda and Slade Groene and Mark McKenzie; the United States District Court for the District of Idaho, for the kidnapping of Shasta and Dylan Groene, the murder of Dylan Groene, and other crimes; and a California superior court, for the kidnapping and murder of Anthony Martinez.
Idaho
Duncan first appeared in a
On October 16, 2006, shortly after
Federal
On January 18, 2007, Duncan was indicted by a federal grand jury in Coeur d'Alene on ten counts of "kidnapping, kidnapping resulting in death, aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, and sexual exploitation of a child resulting in death," and other crimes related to illegal firearm possession and vehicle theft.[32][33] He was arraigned the following day at a federal court in Boise, where a judge ordered Duncan to stand trial the following March.[32] Duncan's defense attorneys immediately requested a postponement,[32] which was granted the week the trial was originally scheduled to begin; a new trial date was set for January 22, 2008.[34]
On December 3, 2007, Duncan pleaded guilty to all ten charges against him.[35] As a condition of the agreement, Shasta Groene would not have to testify in the penalty phase of the trial. Due to a gag order, other details of the plea agreement were not released.[35]
Jury selection for the penalty phase for Duncan's federal trial began on April 14, 2008. During jury selection, Duncan dismissed his attorneys and chose to represent himself. His attorneys objected, asserting he was not competent to do so, and requested a formal hearing as to the issue. The district court ordered an evaluation of Duncan to determine his competence, and accepted the evaluator's conclusion that he was competent to proceed without counsel.[36]
On August 27, 2008, after three hours of deliberation, the jury recommended the death penalty, and the judge imposed three death sentences for "kidnapping resulting in death, sexual exploitation of a child resulting in death, and use of a firearm in a violent crime resulting in death," all related to the death of Dylan Groene.[37] On November 3, 2008, Duncan was sentenced to an additional three consecutive terms of life without parole in federal prison for kidnapping Shasta Groene and for sexually abusing Shasta and Dylan.[31]
Duncan's standby counsel filed a notice of
Beginning in September 2012, Duncan was incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute in Indiana.[39] On December 6, 2013, a federal judge ruled that he was mentally competent when he gave up the right to appeal his death sentence.[40] Psychiatrists working with the prosecution diagnosed Duncan with pedophilia, sadistic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder with narcissistic traits, but maintained that he was legally sane.[41]
A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled on March 27, 2015, that a district judge correctly determined that Duncan was mentally competent when he waived his right to appeal his death sentence.
On February 28, 2017, a Petition for Writ of
California
On January 18, 2007, the same day Duncan was indicted in federal court, Riverside County officials announced that he was charged with Martinez's murder.[32] Despite attempts by Riverside County officials to extradite Duncan to California, including an appeal by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Duncan's federal trial proceeded. He was eventually extradited to California on January 24, 2009, five months after being sentenced to death by the federal court.[45]
On March 15, 2011, Duncan pleaded guilty to Martinez's murder, and was sentenced to two life terms on April 5, 2011.[46] As part of a plea deal, the sentence came without the possibility of parole or right to appeal.[3][47] Although Duncan could have faced a separate death sentence in addition to the ones he had already been sentenced to in federal court, Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach justified the life sentence by stating that he had consulted with the Martinez family who wanted closure in the case and that "the federal system will kill him long before the state of California would have seriously considered it."[3]
"The Fifth Nail" and "Fifth Nail Revelations"
Prior to his arrest for murder, Duncan maintained a personal website, titled "The Fifth Nail".
After being imprisoned, Duncan maintained a Blogspot website titled "Joseph E. Duncan III returns to the web from Federal death row to expose the meaning of the Fifth Nail".[49] All the content on the site was posted by someone using the pseudonym Silenced, who presumably received letters from Duncan to post on the site on his behalf.
John Adams, Duncan's public defender in Kootenai County, and prosecutor Bill Douglas declined to comment on the possibility that Duncan was blogging from prison. Inmates do not have access to the internet, and while outgoing letters are scanned for requests for contraband or for help in planning an escape, they are not read word for word.[50]
Aftermath
The jurors who imposed the death penalty on Duncan were offered counseling in order for them to cope with the horrific evidence they had to see during the trial.
Petition for Slade and Dylan's law
In 2016, Shasta Groene (then 19 years old) started a petition called Slade and Dylan's law in honor of her two brothers whom Duncan had murdered.
Imprisonment
Duncan was imprisoned on federal death row at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana. Through his Blogspot, he gave updates on his life from inside prison and described what life was like for him on federal death row. According to him, he rarely interacted with other death row prisoners and actively chose not to speak with them or engage in conversation, claiming he did not really socialize with anyone at all. He would only speak to other prisoners when required to do so. Despite this, he claimed to have never received trouble from other inmates and to have only received harassment on a few occasions from a handful of prison guards.[53]
In July 2019, the United States federal government announced that they would be resuming executions after a nearly two-decade hiatus.[54] Duncan claimed he was "relieved" to hear this news, as in his opinion, being executed via lethal injection would be a much "better" and "cleaner" way to die than dying of natural causes in prison, which is what he feared the most. He claimed he was worried that the government would never get around to executing him. Duncan said of the five federal prisoners selected for execution (Lezmond Mitchell, Wesley Purkey, Daniel Lee, Alfred Bourgeois, and Dustin Honken)[55] that he was acquainted with four of them but would call none of them his friend. He claimed everyone on federal death row would be "better off" if they were executed.[56]
Death
In October 2020, Duncan underwent brain surgery after he was diagnosed with glioblastoma. He declined any treatment and rejected chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Medical staff at the Federal Bureau of Prisons estimated he had between six and twelve months left to live.[57] He died on March 28, 2021, at the age of 58.[58] His body was cremated.
See also
- Kidnapping of Jayme Closs (2018), during which Jake Patterson confessed to murdering a family in order to kidnap the 13-year-old girl
- List of serial killers in the United States
References
- ^ "Convicted serial killer who murdered 10-year-old Beaumont boy 24 years ago dies in Indiana". Riverside County District Attorney. March 28, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ Boone, Rebecca (August 28, 2008). "Duncan sentenced to death". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Idaho killer Duncan pleads guilty to 1997 California - murder". KOMO-TV. March 15, 2011. Archived from the original on March 18, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
- ^ a b Maben, Scott (October 24, 2016). "Shasta Groene wants sex offenders to spend life behind bars". The Spokesman-Review.
- ^ Brodwater, Taryn (October 17, 2006). "Duncan admits guilt". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ Cuniff, Meghann; Russell, Betzy Z. (August 28, 2008). "Joseph Duncan sentenced to die". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ Luck, Melissa (March 28, 2021). "'The sun is a little brighter today': Serial killer Joseph Duncan is dead". KXLY. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ^ Roesler, Richard (July 6, 2005). "Duncan's History: By age 17 he fit definition of a sexual psychopath". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ a b "My intent is to harm...then die". The Spokesman-Review. July 3, 2005. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Probation records reveal Duncan's travels". The Spokesman-Review. August 4, 2005. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ "Fargo businessman helped Idaho suspect make bail". The Seattle Times. July 12, 2005. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
- ^ Hagengruber, James (July 10, 2005). "25 trouble-free years end". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Martin, Jonathan; Mike Carter (February 17, 2006). "Duncan tied to boy's slaying". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved January 16, 2006.
- ^ a b c Drumheller, Susan (July 4, 2005). "Investigation turns to Dylan". The Spokesman-Review. Seattle, Washington: Cowles Company. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ Geranios, Nicholas K. (March 31, 2006). "Shasta Groene celebrates slain brother's birthday in former home". The Montana Standard. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ a b Salvi, Pooja (March 29, 2021). "Who was Joseph Edward Duncan? Serial killer, 58, who slaughtered Idaho family and tortured boy, dies on death row". MEAWW.com. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "Dylan Groene's funeral set for day boy would have turned 10". The Spokesman-Review. July 15, 2005. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ Bowerman, Mary (October 30, 2015). "Survivor of a brutal kidnapping moving on 10 years later". USA Today. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
- ^ Drumheller, Susan; Curless, Erica (May 20, 2005). "Victims in CdA homicide were bludgeoned". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ a b Hagengruber, James; Drumheller, Susan (July 3, 2005). "Tense late-night drama ends quietly, safely". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ a b c Drumheller, Susan (July 5, 2005). "Western Montana remains are likely those of Dylan". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ a b Shors, Benjamin (July 11, 2005). "Remains are Dylan's". The Spokesman-Review. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
- ^ "Tapes show Duncan with kids at campsite". The Spokesman-Review. August 16, 2008.
- ^ a b Russell, Betsy Z. (August 20, 2008). "Duncan alternately kind, cruel, Shasta says". The Spokesman-Review.
- True Crime Daily. January 9, 2019. Archivedfrom the original on December 14, 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c "Killings of three other children recounted". The Spokesman-Review. August 26, 2008.
- ^ "Timeline of events linked to Joseph Edward Duncan". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. January 24, 2007.
- ^ a b Drumheller, Susan (July 14, 2005). "Duncan hears his charges". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington: Cowles Company. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
- ^ a b Brodwater, Taryn (February 24, 2006). "Duncan trial delayed again". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington: Cowles Company. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Brodwater, Taryn (October 17, 2006). "Duncan admits guilt". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington: Cowles Company. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
- ^ News Corp. November 4, 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Russell, Betsy Z. (January 20, 2007). "Duncan lawyer to seek delay". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington: Cowles Company. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
- ^ "U.S. v. Duncan, Case No. CR07-23-N-EJL | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ Brodwater, Taryn (March 23, 2007). "Duncan's next trial set for January". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington: Cowles Company. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
- ^ a b Russell, Betsy Z. (December 7, 2007). "Shasta won't need to testify". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington: Cowles Company. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
- ^ a b c "United States v. Joseph E. Duncan, III" (PDF). United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. July 11, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ Russell, Betsy Z.; Cuniff, Meghann (August 28, 2008). "Joseph Duncan sentenced to die". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
- ^ Cole, David (July 12, 2011). "Duncan's sentence questioned". Bonner County Daily Bee. Sandpoint, Idaho: Hagadone News Network. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ Inmate Locator, Federal Bureau of Prisons: Joseph Edward Duncan #12561-023. Retrieved on March 21, 2016.
- ^ Russell, Betsy Z. (December 6, 2013). "Judge's ruling clears way for Joseph Duncan's execution". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
- ^ Russell, Betsy Z. (December 7, 2013). "Serial killer Joseph Duncan is mentally competent, federal judge rules". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington: Cowles Company. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
- ^ Russell, Betsy (March 28, 2015). "Judge rejects Joseph Duncan's death penalty appeal". Spokesman .com. The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Maben, Scott (March 2, 2016). "Supreme Court denies Duncan appeal in 2005 kidnapping, murder of Dylan Groene". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington: Cowles Company. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Duncan v. USA". PacerMonitor .com. PacerMonitor. June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Child killer, Joseph Duncan, extradited to California". Boise, Idaho: KBOI. January 23, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
- ^ Devall, Cheryl (April 5, 2011). "Joseph Duncan gets life in prison for California killing". KPCC. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
- ^ McMillan, Rob (March 15, 2011). "Cold case plea deal brings IE family justice". Los Angeles: KABC-TV. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
- ^ Wired News. Retrieved August 22, 2008.
- ^ "The Fifth Nail Exposed: Introductions". Blogspot.
- ^ "Duncan may be getting blog out". The Spokesman-Review. January 25, 2006.
- ^ Russell, Betsy Z.; Roesler, Richard (August 29, 2008). "Duncan jurors offered counseling". The Spokesman-Review.
- ^ Russell, Betsy Z. (August 22, 2008). "Jury sees abuse videos". The Spokesman-Review.
- ^ "The Fifth Nail Exposed: Chronicles | Day-To-Day On Federal Death Row (For Me)". Blogspot. July 16, 2020.
- ^ Benner, Katie (July 25, 2019). "U.S. to Resume Capital Punishment for Federal Inmates on Death Row". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 11, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
- ^ Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas (July 25, 2019). "These Are the 5 Men the Federal Government Plans to Execute". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 11, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
- ^ "The Fifth Nail Exposed: Chronicles | Time To Die; Or Not?". Blogspot. August 26, 2019.
- Seattle Times. March 8, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ Spells, Alta; Maxouris, Christina (March 29, 2021). "Serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan dies". CNN. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- Dwyer, Kevin; Jure Fiorillo (2006). True Stories of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. ISBN 0-425-21735-3.
External links
- Duncan investigation, trial, sentencing Archived May 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine – a collection of The Spokesman-Review articles on the Groene case
- Blogging the Fifth Nail, subject's weblog