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May sixteenth, two thousand five. The Groween family home sat
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peacefully along the shores of Lake cur De Lien, Idaho. Inside,
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Brenda Groane was getting her children ready for bed, thirteen
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year old Slade, nine year old Dillon, and eight year
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old Shasta. Her boyfriend Mark mac ckenzie was watching television
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in the living room. It was a typical Sunday evening
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for what appeared to be a normal American family, but
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some one was watching them from the darkness outside. Joseph
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Edward Duncan had been surveiling the house for hours, studying
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their routines and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
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He carried with him zip ties, weapons, and twenty seven
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years of experience as a predator who had been hunting
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children since he was fifteen years old. At some point
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during the night, Duncan made his move. He entered the
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house while the family slept, transforming their safe haven into
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a house of horrors in a matter of minutes. When
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morning came, three members of the Groween family would be
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dead to death with a hammer in their own home.
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Two children would be gone, vanished without a trace, into
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the wilderness, with a man whose capacity for evil knew
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no bounds. The discovery of the crime scene would launch
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one of the largest man hunts in Idaho history. But
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what investigators didn't know was that they were hunting someone
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who had been perfecting his methods for decades, leaving a
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trail of murdered children across multiple states while the system
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failed repeatedly to stop him. The growing Family massacre was
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not Duncan's first crime, and it would not be his last.
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It was simply the moment when his decades of violence
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finally came to light, revealing a predator whose reign of
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terror had lasted far longer than anyone could have imagined.
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If you're interested in true crime cases that reveal the
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darkest aspects of human nature, make sure to subscribe and
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hit the notification bell. Today's case will take you deep
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into one of the most disturbing criminal minds in modern
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American history. Joseph Edward Duncan the Third was born on
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February twenty fifth, nineteen sixty three, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
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He entered the world as the fourth of five children
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in what appeared to be a typical military family. His father,
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Joseph Duncan Junior, served in the United States Army, which
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meant the family moved frequently, a lifestyle that would become
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a defining characteristic of Duncan's early years. The Duncan household
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was far from stable, with his father's military commitments requiring
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constant relocation. The family packed up and moved every year
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or two, never allowing the children to establish lasting friendships
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or feel rooted in any community. They lived not only
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across different states within America, but also at military bases abroad,
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creating a nomadic existence that left little room for normalcy.
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Duncan's mother, Lilian May, was described by those who knew her,
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as a domineering woman whom maintained strict control over the household.
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The family dynamic was tense, with Duncan caught between an
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absent military father and an overbearing mother. By the time
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Duncan was twelve years old, his father retired from the
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army and the family finally settled into Coma, Washington, but
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the damage to the family structure was already done. The
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instability at home became more pronounced as Duncan entered his
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teenage years. His parents marriage began to crumble, leading to
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their separation in nineteen seventy nine and eventual divorce. In
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nineteen eighty three, the family unit that had never been
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particularly strong completely fell apart. Duncan's three older sisters left
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home all at once, abandoning the toxic environment and leaving
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Duncan alone with his controlling mother. His younger brother eventually
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went to live with their father, who had remarried and
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started a new life with a step family. Duncan attended
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Lake's High School in Tacoma, but struggled academically and socially.
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He never graduated, and his educational failures seemed to mirror
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the chaos in his personal life. Teachers and classmates would
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later describe him as a loner who had difficulty forming
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meaningful relationships with his peers. It was during this tumultuous
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period of family breakdown and social isolation that Duncan began
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exhibiting the warning signs that would define his adult life.
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In nineteen seventy eight, at just fifteen years old, he
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committed his first recorded sexual offense, a violent crime that
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would set the pattern for decades of escalating predatory behavior.
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The crime was shocking in its brutality and calculation. Duncan
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approached a nine year old boy and using a gun
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to threaten him, committed rape. This wasn't the impulsive act
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of a confused teenager. It was a deliberate, planned assault
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that demonstrated a level of violence and sexual deviance that
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terrified investigators. When Duncan was arrested the following year for
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stealing a car, the full scope of his crisriminal behavior
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began to emerge. During therapy sessions at the juvenile detention facility,
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Duncan revealed information that stunned mental health professionals. He claimed
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to have bound and sexually assaulted six boys prior to
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his arrest. Even more disturbing, he estimated that by age sixteen,
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he had raped thirteen younger boys. These revelations painted a
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picture of a teenager who had already developed into a
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sophisticated predator. His crimes weren't random acts of violence. They
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followed a clear pattern of targeting vulnerable children, using weapons
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to control them, and escalating from assault to sexual violence
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with calculated precision. In nineteen eighty, Duncan's criminal behavior escalated dramatically.
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He stole several guns from a neighbour's home, a crime
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that demonstrated both his growing boldness and his understanding that
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firearms gave him power over his victims. Armed with these
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stolen weapons, he abducted a fourteen year old boy and
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subjected him to a sexual assault at gunpoint. This crime
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marked a significant escalation in Duncan's criminal pattern. Not only
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was he using increasingly sophisticated methods to control his victims,
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but he was also targeting older children and using more
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extreme violence. The courts recognized the serious nature of his
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crimes and sentenced him to twenty years in prison, a
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substantial sentence for someone who was still technically a teenager himself. However,
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Duncan would not serve his full sentence. After fourteen years
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behind bars, he was released on parole in nineteen ninety four.
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The decision to grant him parole would prove to be
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a fatal mistake that would cost multiple innocent lives over
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the following years. Upon his release, Duncan moved to the
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Seattle area, where he was supposed to be under strict
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parole supervision. The conditions of his parole required him to
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register as a sex offender, maintain stable housing, and report
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regularly to a parole officer. However, the supervision system failed
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to adequately monitor someone with his history of extreme violence
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and sexual predation. Duncan lived in several different locations around Seattle,
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never staying in one place long enough to establish a
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pattern that might have made him easier to track. This
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nomadic lifestyle, combined with inadequate parole supervision, gave him the
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freedom to continue his predatory behavior without detection. In nineteen
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ninety six, while still on parole, Duncan committed what investigators
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now believe were his first murders. On July sixth, nineteen
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ninety six, two young girls, eleven year old Sammiejo White
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and her nine year old half sister, Carmen Cubius, disappeared
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from the Crest Motel in Seattle, where they had been
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staying with family. The girls had been playing outside the
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motel when they vanished without a trace. Their disappearance launched
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a massive search effort involving local police, FBI agents, and
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hundreds of volunteers who combed the Seattle area looking for
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any sign of the missing children. For nearly two years,
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the fate of Sammiejo and Carmen remained a mystery. Then,
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on February tenth, nineteen ninety eight, hikers in Bothel, Washington,
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made a grisly discovery. Hidden in a remote wooded area,
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they found the skeletal remains of two children. Dental records
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confirmed that these were the remains of the white and
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cubious girls, who had been dead for over a year
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and a half. The condition of the remains made it
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difficult for investigators to determine exactly how the girls had died,
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but evidence suggested they had been victims of extreme violence.
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The case went cold, joining the growing number of unsolved
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child murders that plagued law enforcement agencies across the Pacific Northwest.
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What investigators didn't know at the time was that Duncan
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had beaten both girls to death, a method of killing
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that would become his signature in future crimes. He had
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lured them away from the motel, transported them to the
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remote location, and murdered them before disposing of their bodies
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in the woods. The Seattle murders represented a significant escalation
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in Duncan's criminal behaviour. He had moved from sexual assault
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to murder, demonstrating that his capacity for violence had no limits.
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The fact that he was able to commit these crimes
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while on parole revealed serious flaws in the supervision system
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that was supposed to protect the public from dangerous offenders
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like him. Duncan's parole period continued to provide him with
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opportunities to hunt for victims across multiple states. In April
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nineteen ninety seven, he traveled to California, where he would
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claim his next victim in a crime that demonstrated his
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evolving methods of luring children. Ten year old Anthony Martinez
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was playing with friends in the front yard of his
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home in Beaumont, California, on April fourth, nineteen ninety seven,
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when a stranger approached the group. The man appeared friendly
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and non threatening as he asked the children if they
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could help him find his missing cat. It was a
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classic predator tactic, using a s seemingly innocent request to
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gain access to potential victims. When the children refused to
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help search for the fictional cat, Duncan's demeanor changed instantly.
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He grabbed Martinez at knife point, demonstrating the same pattern
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of using weapons to control his victims that he had
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employed in his earlier crimes. Before the other children could
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react or call for help, Duncan threw Martinez into his
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vehicle and drove away. The abduction launched a massive two
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week search effort. Law enforcement agencies across southern California joined
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the search, while Martinez's family and community volunteers distributed flyers
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and organized search parties. Local media coverage kept the story
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in the public eye, but despite the extensive efforts, no
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trace of Anthony Martinez could be found. On April nineteenth,
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nineteen ninety seven, the search came to a tragic end.
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Martinez's body was discovered in Indio, California, nude and in
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an advanced state of decomposition. The condition of the remains
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told a horrific story of what the young boy had
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endured before his death. Evidence showed that he had been
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sexually assaulted and bound with duct tape before being killed.
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Investigators collected physical evidence from the crime scene, including a
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partial finger print from the duct tape used to bind Martinez.
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They also created a composite sketch based on descriptions provided
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by the children who had witnessed the abduction. However, despite
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these leads, the case eventually went cold as investigators were
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unable to identify a suspect. The Martinez murder demonstrated Duncan's
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ability to operate across state lines and his growing confidence
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in his ability to avoid capture. He had successfully abducted, assaulted,
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and murdered a child in broad daylight, then disposed of
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the body in a way that delayed its discovery for
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two weeks. The crime showed a level of planning and
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calculation that marked him as an extremely dangerous predator. Duncan
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Whe's freedom came to an end in nineteen ninety seven
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when he was arrested in Missouri for violating the terms
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of his parole. The specific violation that led to his
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arrest was relatively minor, but it was enough to send
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him back to prison for the remainder of his original sentence.
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The return to incarceration may have prevented additional crimes during
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the late nineteen nineties, but it also gave Duncan time
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to reflect on his methods and plan for his eventual release.
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Prison records from this period show that he maintained his
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manipulative nature, presenting himself as a model prisoner while likely
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planning his future crimes. On July fourteenth, two thousand, Duncan
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was released from prison with time off for good behavior.
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He had served his sentence and was no longer on parole,
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which meant he had more freedom to move around without supervision.
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He relocated to Fargo, North Dakota, perhaps hoping that a
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change of environment would help him avoid the temptations that
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had led to his previous crimes. However, Duncan's move to
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North Dakota did not represent a genuine attempt at rehabilitation. Instead,
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it appeared to be a strategic decision to locate himself
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in an area where he might be less likely to
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be recognized or connected to his past crimes. The sparse
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population and rural nature of the region may have appealed
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to him as a place where he could potentially find
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victims without attracting the attention of law enforcement. For nearly
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five years, Duncan managed to avoid arrest during this period.
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Investigators believe he may have committed additional crimes that have
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never been solved. His ability to remain undetected for so
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long demonstrated his evolution as a predator who had learned
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from his past mistakes and become more sophisticated in his methods.
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Duncan's period of freedom came to an end in July
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two thousand four, when he committed a crime that would
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ultimately lead investigators to connect him with some of the
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most horrific murders in American criminal history. On July third,
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two thousand and four, at a playground in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota,
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Duncan approached two young boys and molested them. The crime
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occurred in broad daylight at a public playground, a location
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that demonstrated Duncan's growing boldness and his belief that he
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could commit crimes without consequence. The playground setting also revealed
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his sophisticated understanding of where to find vulnerable children and
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how to approach them without initially arousing suspicion. The boys
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reported the incident to adults, who immediately contacted law enforcement.
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Police launched an investigation that quickly identified Duncan as the
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primary suspect. However, the case moved slowly through the legal system,
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and Duncan remained free for months while investigators built their case.
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In March two thousand and five, nearly eight months after
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the original incident, Duncan was finally charged with the molestation
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of the two boys. The delay in filing charges would
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prove to be a critical factor in the tragedy that
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was about to unfold. On April fifth, two thousand five,
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Duncan appeared before a Becker County judge for his initial
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court appearance. The judge set bail at fifteen thousand dollars,
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a relatively modest amount considering Duncan's extensive criminal history and
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the serious nature of the charges against him. A local
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business man who had become acquainted with Duncan helped him
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post bail. This decision, made by someone who likely had
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no knowledge of Duncan's true criminal history, provided him with
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the freedom he needed to flee the jurisdiction and avoid prosecution.
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Duncan took advantage of his freedom by skipping bail and
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disappearing completely. On June first, two thousand five, a federal
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warrant was issued for his arrest for unlawful flight to
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avoid prosecution. However, by that time, Duncan had already begun
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planning what would become his most notorious and devastating crime.
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On the evening of May fifteenth, two thousand five, Duncan
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began surveillance of a family home along Lake Curdleen outside
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the city of cur Dealen, Idaho. The house belonged to
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Brenda Groane, of forty year old single mother who lived
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there with her children and her boyfriend, Mark Mackenzie. The
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grown family appeared to live a quiet, normal life in
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their lakeside community. Brenda worked to support her children, thirteen
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year old Slade, nine year old Dillon, and eight year
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old Shasta. Her boyfriend, thirty seven year old Mark mackenzie,
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had become a father figure to the children and was
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planning to marry Brenda. Duncan spent time observing the family's routines,
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learning their schedules, and identifying the best time to strike.
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This surveillance period demonstrated the calculated nature of his planning
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and his patients in waiting for the optimal moment to
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commit his crimes. In the early morning hours of May sixteenth,
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two thousand five, Duncan put his plan into action. He
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approached the Growen home under cover of darkness, armed with
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weapons and prepared for violence. What happened next would be
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described by survivor ving victim Shasta Groan as one of
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the most terrifying nights imaginable. According to Shasta's later testimony,
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her mother came into the bedroom she shared with Dylan
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and woke them up with urgent words, someone is in
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the house. The family moved into the living room, where
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they encountered Duncan, wearing black gloves and holding a gun.
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Duncan immediately took control of the situation, using the intimidation
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tactics he had perfected over years of criminal activity. He
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bound Brenda's hands with nylon zip ties, then did the
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same to Mark McKenzie and thirteen year old Slade. The
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use of restraints showed his preparation and his understanding of
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how to control multiple victims. Simultaneously, Shasta and Dylan were
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removed from the house and placed on the lawn outside,
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where they waited in terror as Duncan returned to the
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house to deal with the three bound victims. From their
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position outside, the children could hear multiple thumping sounds coming
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from inside their home, sounds that would haunt Shasta for
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the rest of her life. At one point during the attack,
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Slade managed to break free from his restraints and staggered
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toward the entrance of the house, lightly trying to escape
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or get help. However, Duncan caught him before he could
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get away and brought him back inside to continue the assault.
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Duncan used a hammer to beat all three victims to death.
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Brenda Groan, Mark mac Kenzie, and thirteen year old Slade Grown.
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The brutality of the attacks was extreme, with each victim
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suffering multiple blunt force traumer injuries to the head. The
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medical examiner would later determine that the cause of death
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for all three was blunt trauma to the head. After
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completing the murders, Duncan returned to collect Shasta and Dylan,
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loading them into a stolen red jeep Cherokee with Missouri
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license plates. As they drove away from the house, Duncan
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told the terrified children that he had beaten their family
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members to death with a hammer, information that would later
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prove crucial in his prosecution. Duncan drove the two kidnapped
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children to remote locations where he held them captive for
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forty seven days. During this period, he repeatedly sexually assaulted
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and tortured both children while moving between different camp sites
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to avoid detection. The first location was a makeshift camp
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site in a remote area of the Lolo National Forest
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near Saint Regis, Montana. Duncan had chosen this location specifically
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because of its isolation. It was far from populated areas
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and unlikely to be discovered by hikers. Or forest rangers.
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At the camp site, Duncan subjected both children to systematic
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abuse that included physical torture, sexual assault, and psychological torment.
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He used various methods to maintain control over them, including
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threats of violence and manipulation tactics designed to make them compliant.
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Shasta would later testify that Duncan told her detailed stories
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about how he had killed her family members. He described
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using the hammer to beat them to death, providing graphic
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details that served both to traumatize her further and to
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reinforce his control over her through fear. The abuse continued
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as Duncan moved the children to a second camp site,
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maintaining his pattern of staying mobile to avoid capture. Throughout
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this period, he documented some of his crimes on video,
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creating evidence that would later be used in his prosecution,
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but was so disturbing that it traumatized everyone who was
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forced to view it during legal proceedings. After holding both
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children captive for several weeks, Duncan made the decision to
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kill nine year old Dylan grown The murder occurred at
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the remote Montana campsite and was witnessed by Dylan's eight
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year old sister, Shasta, adding another layer of trauma to
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her already horrific ordeal. According to Shasta's account, Duncan initially
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claimed that Dylan's death was accidental. He told her that
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he was looking through a clear plastic box for beer
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when a shotgun that was also stored in the box
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accidentally discharged hit Dylan in the stomach. However, the true
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horror of what happened next revealed Duncan's calculated cruelty. After
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Dylan was wounded by the initial shot, Duncan made the
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deliberate decision to finish killing him. He placed the shotgun
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against Dylan's head and pulled the trigger, but the weapon
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failed to fire. As Dylan begged for his life, pleading
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with Duncan not to kill him, Duncan reloaded the shotgun
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and placed it against the boy's head again. This time,
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when he pulled the trigger, the weapon fired and Dylan
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was killed instantly. After killing Dylan, Duncan attempted to justify
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his actions to Shasta by claiming that he had only
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killed the boy to put him out of his misery.
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This explanation was clearly a lie designed to manipulate Shasta
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and potentially reduce her resistance to his continued control over her.
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Duncan disposed of Dylan's body at the remote camp site,
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where it would remain hidden for several days. The isolation
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of the location meant that the murder went undetected, allowing
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Duncan to continue holding Shasta captive while authorities searched for
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both children. Several days after murdering Dylan, Duncan came close
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to killing Shasta as well. In what appeared to be
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a moment of sadistic control, he gave her a choice
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about how she would die, either by strangulation or by
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being shot. Faced with this impossible choice, Shasta chose strangulation,
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perhaps hoping it might be less painful or that she
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might have some chance of survival. Duncan proceeded to wrap
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a rope around her neck and pull it tight, causing
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her to begin suffocating. As Shasta lost consciousness and began
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to die, she somehow summoned enough breath to call Duncan
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by his nickname Jet and beg him to stop. For
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reasons that remain unclear, Duncan immediately released the rope and
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stopped the strangulation attempt. This moment represented a crucial turning
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point in Shasta's captivity. Rather than completing her murder, Duncan
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instead asked her if she would like to meet his mother.
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When she responded yes, he made the decision to return
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towards civilization, a decision that would ultimately lead to his capture.
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The fact that Duncan spared Shasta's life after coming so
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close to killing her suggests that his decision making was
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becoming increasingly erratic. Whether this was due to psychological breakdown,
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a desire for human contact, or some other factor, his
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choice to keep her alive and return to populated areas
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provided law enforcement with the opportunity they needed to rescue
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her and arrest him. In the early morning hours of
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July second, two thousand five, Duncan drove Shasta to a
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Denny's restaurant in kur De Lean, Idaho. His decision to
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take her to such a public place suggested that he
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may have been suffering from a psychological breakdown or that
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he had decided to surrender himself. When they entered the
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restaurant around two a m. Duncan appeared calm and ordered
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food as if nothing was wrong. However, the restaurant's staff
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immediately recognized Shasta from the extensive media coverage of her
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disappearance forty seven days earlier. The waitress who served them
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later described the moment of recognition as terrifying and surreal.
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She had to maintain her composure while serving someone she
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knew was a kidnapping victim, or while the person responsible
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for her captivity sat just feet away. The restaurant staff
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00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:29.200
moved with remarkable professionalism and courage. They positioned themselves strategically
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00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:32.839
around the restaurant to prevent Duncan from leaving, while one
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person slipped away to call police. Their quick thinking and
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00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:41.480
coordinated response prevented what could have been another tragedy. Within minutes,
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police cars surrounded the Denny's restaurant. Officers entered the building
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and arrested Duncan without incident, a moment that ended forty
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seven days of terror for Shasta and brought closure to
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one of the most intensive man hunts in Idaho history.
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Shasta identified herself to the restaurant staff and authorities, confirming
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what they already knew from her appearance. She was immediately
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00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:07.400
taken to Coutenai Medical Center for medical treatment and was
401
00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:11.000
eventually reunited with her father, who had spent nearly seven
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00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:14.960
weeks not knowing if his daughter was alive or dead.
403
00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:19.200
Duncan's arrest opened the door to a massive investigation that
404
00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:24.759
would eventually connect him to multiple unsolved murders across several states.
405
00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:28.759
The FBI launched a nationwide review of cold cases involving
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missing children, looking for patterns that might match Duncan's methods
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00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:37.119
and timeline. The investigation into Dylan's murder led authorities to
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the remote camp site in Montana where Duncan had held
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the children captive. On July fourth, two thousand five, investigators
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00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:48.920
found human remains at the makeshift campsite in the Lolo
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National Forest near Saint Regis, Montana. The remains were sent
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00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:57.160
to the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for DNA testing.
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The analysis confirmed what investigators feared. These were the remains
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of nine year old Dylan Grown. The discovery marked the
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end of any hope that Dylan might have survived his captivity.
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As investigators processed the crime scene, they uncovered evidence of
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the systematic abuse that had taken place at the camp site.
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The physical evidence supported Shasta's accounts of the torture and murder.
419
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She had witnessed during her captivity. The investigation also revealed
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the sophisticated planning that had gone into Duncan's crimes. He
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had carefully chosen remote locations, prepared supplies in advance, and
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developed methods for controlling his victims that demonstrated years of
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experience as a predator. While Duncan was being held in Idaho,
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00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:47.079
investigators in other states began examining their own cold cases
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00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:52.079
for potential connections. The similarity between Duncan's methods and unsolved
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00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:57.119
crimes in California and Washington State led to renewed investigations
427
00:26:57.160 --> 00:27:01.400
into cases that had been dormant for years. In California,
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00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:06.920
investigators reviewing the Anthony Martinez case noticed striking similarities between
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Duncan's appearance and the composite sketch that had been created
430
00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:14.160
in nineteen ninety seven. They also noted that the vehicle
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Duncan had been driving when arrested was similar to the
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00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:20.960
one witnesses had described in the Martinez case. The breakthrough
433
00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:24.240
came when forensic experts were able to match the partial
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00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:29.400
fingerprint found on duct tape from Martinez's body to Duncan's prints.
435
00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:33.720
This physical evidence provided the definitive link that connected Duncan
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00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:38.160
to the nineteen ninety seven murder in California, FBI agents
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interviewed Duncan about the Martinez case on July nineteen, two
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thousand five. During this interview, Duncan confessed to the murder,
439
00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:50.920
describing it as revenge against society again for sending him
440
00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:55.039
back to jail for a probation violation. This confession provided
441
00:27:55.119 --> 00:27:58.519
insight into Duncan's mindset and his view of his crimes
442
00:27:58.559 --> 00:28:03.079
as justified retaliation against a system he felt had wronged him.
443
00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:06.359
Duncan also confessed to the nineteen ninety six murders of
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Sammiejo White and Carmen Cubius in Seattle, providing details that
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00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:15.079
only the killer could have known. These confessions finally brought
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00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:17.880
closure to families who had waited nearly a decade for
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00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:22.119
answers about their children's deaths. Duncan faced prosecution in three
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00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:27.599
different jurisdictions, Idaho State Court, Federal court, and California State Court.
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Each jurisdiction had different charges and different potential penalties, creating
450
00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:37.000
a complex legal process that would span several years. The
451
00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:41.000
Idaho state prosecution focused on the murders of Brenda Grone,
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Slade Grown, and Mark McKenzie, as well as the kidnapping
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of Shasta and Dylan. Duncan was charged with three counts
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of first degree murder and three counts of first degree kidnapping. Initially,
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00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:57.400
prosecutors planned to seek the death penalty, but Duncan's attorneys
456
00:28:57.400 --> 00:29:01.279
were able to negotiate a plea bargain. On October sixteenth,
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two thousand and six, Duncan pleaded guilty to all state
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charges against him. He was immediately sentenced to three consecutive
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00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:12.359
life sentences without the possibility of parole for the kidnapping charges.
460
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The sentencing for the murder charges was delayed pending the
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outcome of his federal trial, with the understanding that if
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he didn't receive the death penalty in federal court, he
463
00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:26.200
would return to Idaho for a potential death penalty phase
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on the state murder charges. The federal case focused on
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crimes that crossed state lines, including the kidnapping of Shasta
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and Dylan Groene and the murder of Dylan. On January eighteenth,
467
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two thousand seven, Duncan was indicted by a federal grand
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jury on ten counts, including kidnapping, kidnapping resulting in death,
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aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, and sexual exploitation of
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a child resulting in death. The federal charges carried the
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possibility of the death penalty, making this the most serious
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prosecution Duncan faced. The case was complicated by the horrific
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nature of the evidence, including video recordings that Duncan had
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made of his abuse of the children. On December third,
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00:30:11.599 --> 00:30:15.599
two thousand seven, Duncan pleaded guilty to all ten federal
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charges against him. During the penalty phase, Duncan made the
477
00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:24.720
unusual decision to dismiss his attorneys and represent himself. This
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00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:28.079
decision concerned the court as it raised questions about his
479
00:30:28.200 --> 00:30:33.440
mental competency, but psychological evaluations determined that he was competent
480
00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:38.319
to proceed without counsel. On August twenty seventh, two thousand eight,
481
00:30:38.759 --> 00:30:42.680
after three hours of deliberation, the federal jury recommended the
482
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:46.839
death penalty for Duncan. The judge imposed three death sentences
483
00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:50.880
for kidnapping resulting in death, sexual exploitation of a child
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00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:53.599
resulting in death, and use of a firearm in a
485
00:30:53.640 --> 00:30:59.319
violent crime resulting in death, all related to Dylan Groene's murder. Additionally,
486
00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:02.839
On Novement third, two thousand and eight, Duncan was sentenced
487
00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:06.440
to three consecutive terms of life without parole for kidnapping
488
00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:10.440
Shasta and for the sexual abuse of both children. These
489
00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:13.720
sentences ensured that, even if his death sentences were overturned
490
00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:17.240
on appeal, he would never be released from prison. The
491
00:31:17.319 --> 00:31:20.799
jury members who imposed the death penalty were offered counseling
492
00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:22.960
to help them cope with the evidence they had been
493
00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:26.720
forced to review during the trial. The evidence included a
494
00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:31.279
thirty three minute video of Duncan torturing and sexually abusing Dylan,
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00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:34.720
footage so disturbing that it traumatized everyone who viewed it.
496
00:31:35.400 --> 00:31:38.359
During one portion of the video evidence, Duncan could be
497
00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:41.640
heard shouting at Dylan, the devil is here, boy, the
498
00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:45.319
devil himself. The devil likes to watch children suffer and cry.
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00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:49.680
These words provided a chilling insight into Duncan's mindset and
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00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:53.279
his apparent enjoyment of his victim's suffering. On the same
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00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:57.119
day Duncan was indicted in federal court, Riverside County officials
502
00:31:57.160 --> 00:31:59.640
announced that he was also charged with the murder of
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00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:05.240
Anthony Martinez. Despite attempts by California authorities to extradite him immediately,
504
00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:10.640
Duncan's federal trial took precedence. Duncan was eventually extradited to
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00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:15.160
California on January twenty fourth, two thousand nine, five months
506
00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:19.960
after receiving his federal death sentences. On March fifteenth, twenty eleven,
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00:32:20.279 --> 00:32:23.799
he pleaded guilty to Martinez's murder and was sentenced to
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00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:28.680
two life terms without the possibility of parole. The California
509
00:32:28.759 --> 00:32:32.000
sentence came without the right to appeal as part of
510
00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:35.000
a plea deal that provided closure for the Martinez family.
511
00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:40.160
Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach justified not seeking an
512
00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:44.240
additional death sentence by stating that the federal system will
513
00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:46.640
kill him long before the state of California would have
514
00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:51.000
seriously considered it. Before his arrest, Duncan had maintained a
515
00:32:51.039 --> 00:32:55.559
personal website called The Fifth Nail. The name was derived
516
00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:58.400
from Christian law about a fifth nail that was supposedly
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00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:01.799
hidden by Romans after to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
518
00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:06.359
Duncan adopted this imagery for his online presence, where he
519
00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:09.440
denied being a pedophile and claimed to have been sexually
520
00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:14.039
abused as a child. After his imprisonment, Duncan continued his
521
00:33:14.119 --> 00:33:18.720
online presence through a blogspot website titled Joseph E. Duncan
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00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:22.119
three Returns to the Web from Federal Death Row to
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00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:25.559
expose the meaning of the Fifth Nail. The content was
524
00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:29.519
posted by someone using the pseudonyms Silenced, who presumably received
525
00:33:29.559 --> 00:33:33.079
letters from Duncan and published them on his behalf. The
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00:33:33.079 --> 00:33:37.279
blog provided disturbing insights into Duncan's mindset and his lack
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00:33:37.319 --> 00:33:40.519
of remorse for his crimes. He used the platform to
528
00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:44.440
continue manipulating public perception and to maintain contact with the
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00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:48.960
outside world despite his imprisonment. Duncan was held at the
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00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:53.720
United States Penitentiary in Terry Ote, Indiana, on federal death Row.
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00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:56.720
Through his blog, he described life in the prison and
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00:33:56.799 --> 00:34:00.599
his interactions with other death row inmates. According to Duncan's
533
00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:04.119
own accounts, he rarely spoke with other prisoners and actively
534
00:34:04.200 --> 00:34:07.480
chose not to engage in conversation with them. He claimed
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00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:10.280
to prefer isolation and said he only spoke to other
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00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:14.159
inmates when required to do so by prison officials. When
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00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:17.480
the federal government announced in July twenty nineteen that it
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00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:21.800
would resume executions after a nearly twenty year hiatus. Duncan
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00:34:21.880 --> 00:34:24.559
claimed to be relieved by the news. He stated that
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00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:28.039
he preferred execution by lethal injection to dying of natural
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00:34:28.079 --> 00:34:31.559
causes in prison, which he said he feared more. Duncan
542
00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:33.880
claimed to be acquainted with four of the five federal
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00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:38.159
prisoners initially selected for execution, but said he would not
544
00:34:38.280 --> 00:34:42.320
call any of them friends. He expressed the opinion that
545
00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:45.719
everyone on federal death row would be better off if
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00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:50.119
they were executed. In twenty sixteen, Shasta, grone than nineteen
547
00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:53.719
years old, started a petition called Slade and Dillon's Law
548
00:34:54.119 --> 00:34:57.360
in honor of her murdered brothers. The petition called for
549
00:34:57.400 --> 00:35:00.440
convicted sex offenders to never be released from in prison,
550
00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:04.480
effectively reducing the three strike rule for violent sex offenders
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00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:09.440
to one strike. The petition gained significant support, ultimately collecting
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00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:14.119
over fifty one thousand signatures before it closed. Shasta's advocacy
553
00:35:14.119 --> 00:35:17.719
work represented her effort to prevent other families from experiencing
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00:35:17.760 --> 00:35:22.519
the tragedy that had destroyed her own family. Through her advocacy,
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00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:26.519
Shasta demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience in the face of
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00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:31.159
unimaginable trauma. Her efforts to change the legal system showed
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00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:34.400
her commitment to protecting other children from predators like Duncan.
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00:35:35.400 --> 00:35:40.360
In October twenty twenty, Duncan was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an
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00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:44.840
aggressive form of brain cancer. Medical staff estimated that he
560
00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:48.719
had between six and twelve months to live. Duncan declined
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00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:54.360
all treatment options, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. On March
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00:35:54.400 --> 00:35:57.880
twenty eighth, twenty twenty one, Joseph Edward Duncan, the Third
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00:35:58.400 --> 00:36:01.000
died at the age of fifty eight, bringing to an
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00:36:01.079 --> 00:36:04.280
end one of the most horrific criminal careers in American history.
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00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:08.079
His death meant that his death sentences would never be
566
00:36:08.159 --> 00:36:11.079
carried out, but it also ensured that he could never
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harm another child. Duncan's body was cremated, marking the final
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00:36:16.199 --> 00:36:18.880
chapter in a life that had caused immeasurable pain and
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suffering to dozens of victims and their families across multiple
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states and spanning more than two decades. The Duncan case
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00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:30.719
revealed serious flaws in the parole and supervision systems that
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00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:34.519
allowed a dangerous predator to remain free for years while
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00:36:34.559 --> 00:36:39.119
committing horrific crimes. His ability to move between states and
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00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:43.199
avoid detection. Highlighted the need for better coordination between law
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00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:48.039
enforcement agencies. The case also demonstrated the importance of public
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00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:52.280
awareness and quick action by citizens. The restaurant staff who
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00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:56.800
recognized Chaster and contacted police showed how ordinary people can
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00:36:56.840 --> 00:37:01.000
play a crucial role in stopping dangerous criminals. For Shasta Gron,
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the case represents both unimaginable trauma and remarkable survival. Her
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00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:10.639
courage in testifying against Duncan and her later advocacy work
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00:37:11.079 --> 00:37:13.559
have helped bring some measure of justice and may help
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00:37:13.559 --> 00:37:18.400
prevent future tragedies. The investigation into Duncan's crimes helped solve
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00:37:18.519 --> 00:37:21.760
multiple cold cases and brought closure to families who had
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00:37:21.760 --> 00:37:26.199
waited years for answers. However, investigators believe he may have
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00:37:26.199 --> 00:37:30.519
committed additional crimes that remain unsolved, meaning some families may
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00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:33.599
never know what happened to their loved ones. The Duncan
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00:37:33.639 --> 00:37:36.400
case serves as a reminder of the evil that exists
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00:37:36.440 --> 00:37:39.719
in the world and the importance of protecting society's most
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00:37:39.800 --> 00:37:44.719
vulnerable members, our children. It also demonstrates the dedication of
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00:37:44.800 --> 00:37:49.079
law enforcement professionals who work tirelessly to bring dangerous criminals
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00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:53.119
to justice, even when their crimes seemed too horrible to comprehend.
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00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:56.280
Joseph Edward Duncan the Third was more than just a
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00:37:56.400 --> 00:38:00.000
serial killer. He was a predator who destroyed countless lives
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00:38:00.079 --> 00:38:03.000
over the course of decades. His death marked the end
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00:38:03.039 --> 00:38:05.800
of a reign of terror that had lasted far too long,
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00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:09.039
but the scars he left behind will never fully heal.
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00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:13.119
The case of Joseph Edward Duncan the Third remains one
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00:38:13.119 --> 00:38:16.840
of the most disturbing in American criminal history. If this
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00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:20.239
video has impacted you, please take a moment to subscribe
600
00:38:20.239 --> 00:38:22.559
to our channel and share it with others who are
601
00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:26.559
interested in understanding the darkest aspects of human nature. Your
602
00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:30.079
support helps us continue to tell these important stories and
603
00:38:30.159 --> 00:38:33.360
honor the memory of the victims. Thank you for watching,
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00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:34.840
and we'll see you in the next case.
1
00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:04.280
May sixteenth, two thousand five. The Groween family home sat
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00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:08.320
peacefully along the shores of Lake cur De Lien, Idaho. Inside,
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00:00:08.439 --> 00:00:11.679
Brenda Groane was getting her children ready for bed, thirteen
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00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:14.480
year old Slade, nine year old Dillon, and eight year
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00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:18.359
old Shasta. Her boyfriend Mark mac ckenzie was watching television
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00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:21.039
in the living room. It was a typical Sunday evening
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00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:24.320
for what appeared to be a normal American family, but
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some one was watching them from the darkness outside. Joseph
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00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:31.719
Edward Duncan had been surveiling the house for hours, studying
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their routines and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
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He carried with him zip ties, weapons, and twenty seven
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00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:42.200
years of experience as a predator who had been hunting
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00:00:42.280 --> 00:00:45.399
children since he was fifteen years old. At some point
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00:00:45.479 --> 00:00:48.799
during the night, Duncan made his move. He entered the
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house while the family slept, transforming their safe haven into
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00:00:52.439 --> 00:00:55.759
a house of horrors in a matter of minutes. When
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00:00:55.799 --> 00:00:58.840
morning came, three members of the Groween family would be
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00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:01.960
dead to death with a hammer in their own home.
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Two children would be gone, vanished without a trace, into
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00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:09.040
the wilderness, with a man whose capacity for evil knew
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no bounds. The discovery of the crime scene would launch
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00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:16.400
one of the largest man hunts in Idaho history. But
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00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:19.840
what investigators didn't know was that they were hunting someone
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00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:23.239
who had been perfecting his methods for decades, leaving a
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trail of murdered children across multiple states while the system
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failed repeatedly to stop him. The growing Family massacre was
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not Duncan's first crime, and it would not be his last.
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It was simply the moment when his decades of violence
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00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:43.040
finally came to light, revealing a predator whose reign of
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00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:45.920
terror had lasted far longer than anyone could have imagined.
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If you're interested in true crime cases that reveal the
32
00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:54.040
darkest aspects of human nature, make sure to subscribe and
33
00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:57.680
hit the notification bell. Today's case will take you deep
34
00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:00.840
into one of the most disturbing criminal minds in modern
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00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:06.040
American history. Joseph Edward Duncan the Third was born on
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February twenty fifth, nineteen sixty three, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
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He entered the world as the fourth of five children
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00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:17.680
in what appeared to be a typical military family. His father,
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00:02:17.879 --> 00:02:21.879
Joseph Duncan Junior, served in the United States Army, which
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00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:25.319
meant the family moved frequently, a lifestyle that would become
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00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:29.879
a defining characteristic of Duncan's early years. The Duncan household
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00:02:29.960 --> 00:02:33.719
was far from stable, with his father's military commitments requiring
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00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:37.680
constant relocation. The family packed up and moved every year
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00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:41.439
or two, never allowing the children to establish lasting friendships
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00:02:41.800 --> 00:02:45.080
or feel rooted in any community. They lived not only
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00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:49.360
across different states within America, but also at military bases abroad,
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00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:53.960
creating a nomadic existence that left little room for normalcy.
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Duncan's mother, Lilian May, was described by those who knew her,
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as a domineering woman whom maintained strict control over the household.
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00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:06.439
The family dynamic was tense, with Duncan caught between an
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00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:10.319
absent military father and an overbearing mother. By the time
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00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:13.479
Duncan was twelve years old, his father retired from the
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00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:17.439
army and the family finally settled into Coma, Washington, but
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00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:20.719
the damage to the family structure was already done. The
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00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:24.560
instability at home became more pronounced as Duncan entered his
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00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:29.159
teenage years. His parents marriage began to crumble, leading to
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00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:32.240
their separation in nineteen seventy nine and eventual divorce. In
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00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:35.560
nineteen eighty three, the family unit that had never been
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particularly strong completely fell apart. Duncan's three older sisters left
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home all at once, abandoning the toxic environment and leaving
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00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:49.479
Duncan alone with his controlling mother. His younger brother eventually
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00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:52.360
went to live with their father, who had remarried and
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00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:55.879
started a new life with a step family. Duncan attended
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00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:59.639
Lake's High School in Tacoma, but struggled academically and socially.
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00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:04.080
He never graduated, and his educational failures seemed to mirror
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00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:07.879
the chaos in his personal life. Teachers and classmates would
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00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:11.360
later describe him as a loner who had difficulty forming
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00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:15.520
meaningful relationships with his peers. It was during this tumultuous
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00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:19.959
period of family breakdown and social isolation that Duncan began
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00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:23.839
exhibiting the warning signs that would define his adult life.
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00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:28.120
In nineteen seventy eight, at just fifteen years old, he
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00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:32.079
committed his first recorded sexual offense, a violent crime that
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00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:35.519
would set the pattern for decades of escalating predatory behavior.
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The crime was shocking in its brutality and calculation. Duncan
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approached a nine year old boy and using a gun
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00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:46.319
to threaten him, committed rape. This wasn't the impulsive act
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of a confused teenager. It was a deliberate, planned assault
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00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:53.399
that demonstrated a level of violence and sexual deviance that
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terrified investigators. When Duncan was arrested the following year for
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00:04:57.639 --> 00:05:00.759
stealing a car, the full scope of his crisriminal behavior
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00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:05.439
began to emerge. During therapy sessions at the juvenile detention facility,
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Duncan revealed information that stunned mental health professionals. He claimed
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00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:13.279
to have bound and sexually assaulted six boys prior to
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00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:17.639
his arrest. Even more disturbing, he estimated that by age sixteen,
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00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:22.040
he had raped thirteen younger boys. These revelations painted a
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00:05:22.040 --> 00:05:24.920
picture of a teenager who had already developed into a
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00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:30.160
sophisticated predator. His crimes weren't random acts of violence. They
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00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:34.279
followed a clear pattern of targeting vulnerable children, using weapons
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00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:37.839
to control them, and escalating from assault to sexual violence
90
00:05:37.879 --> 00:05:43.680
with calculated precision. In nineteen eighty, Duncan's criminal behavior escalated dramatically.
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00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:47.240
He stole several guns from a neighbour's home, a crime
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00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:51.000
that demonstrated both his growing boldness and his understanding that
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00:05:51.079 --> 00:05:54.759
firearms gave him power over his victims. Armed with these
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00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:58.439
stolen weapons, he abducted a fourteen year old boy and
95
00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:02.439
subjected him to a sexual assault at gunpoint. This crime
96
00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:06.959
marked a significant escalation in Duncan's criminal pattern. Not only
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00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:10.639
was he using increasingly sophisticated methods to control his victims,
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00:06:11.160 --> 00:06:14.480
but he was also targeting older children and using more
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00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:18.800
extreme violence. The courts recognized the serious nature of his
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00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:22.480
crimes and sentenced him to twenty years in prison, a
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00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:27.480
substantial sentence for someone who was still technically a teenager himself. However,
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00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:31.839
Duncan would not serve his full sentence. After fourteen years
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00:06:31.879 --> 00:06:35.399
behind bars, he was released on parole in nineteen ninety four.
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The decision to grant him parole would prove to be
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00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:42.120
a fatal mistake that would cost multiple innocent lives over
106
00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:45.920
the following years. Upon his release, Duncan moved to the
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00:06:45.959 --> 00:06:48.800
Seattle area, where he was supposed to be under strict
108
00:06:48.839 --> 00:06:52.480
parole supervision. The conditions of his parole required him to
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00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:56.920
register as a sex offender, maintain stable housing, and report
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00:06:57.000 --> 00:07:01.639
regularly to a parole officer. However, the supervision system failed
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00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:05.240
to adequately monitor someone with his history of extreme violence
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00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:09.959
and sexual predation. Duncan lived in several different locations around Seattle,
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00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:12.759
never staying in one place long enough to establish a
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pattern that might have made him easier to track. This
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nomadic lifestyle, combined with inadequate parole supervision, gave him the
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freedom to continue his predatory behavior without detection. In nineteen
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ninety six, while still on parole, Duncan committed what investigators
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now believe were his first murders. On July sixth, nineteen
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ninety six, two young girls, eleven year old Sammiejo White
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and her nine year old half sister, Carmen Cubius, disappeared
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from the Crest Motel in Seattle, where they had been
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staying with family. The girls had been playing outside the
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motel when they vanished without a trace. Their disappearance launched
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a massive search effort involving local police, FBI agents, and
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hundreds of volunteers who combed the Seattle area looking for
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any sign of the missing children. For nearly two years,
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the fate of Sammiejo and Carmen remained a mystery. Then,
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on February tenth, nineteen ninety eight, hikers in Bothel, Washington,
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made a grisly discovery. Hidden in a remote wooded area,
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they found the skeletal remains of two children. Dental records
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confirmed that these were the remains of the white and
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cubious girls, who had been dead for over a year
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and a half. The condition of the remains made it
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difficult for investigators to determine exactly how the girls had died,
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but evidence suggested they had been victims of extreme violence.
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The case went cold, joining the growing number of unsolved
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child murders that plagued law enforcement agencies across the Pacific Northwest.
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What investigators didn't know at the time was that Duncan
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had beaten both girls to death, a method of killing
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that would become his signature in future crimes. He had
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lured them away from the motel, transported them to the
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remote location, and murdered them before disposing of their bodies
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in the woods. The Seattle murders represented a significant escalation
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in Duncan's criminal behaviour. He had moved from sexual assault
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to murder, demonstrating that his capacity for violence had no limits.
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The fact that he was able to commit these crimes
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while on parole revealed serious flaws in the supervision system
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that was supposed to protect the public from dangerous offenders
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like him. Duncan's parole period continued to provide him with
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opportunities to hunt for victims across multiple states. In April
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nineteen ninety seven, he traveled to California, where he would
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claim his next victim in a crime that demonstrated his
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evolving methods of luring children. Ten year old Anthony Martinez
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was playing with friends in the front yard of his
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home in Beaumont, California, on April fourth, nineteen ninety seven,
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when a stranger approached the group. The man appeared friendly
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and non threatening as he asked the children if they
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could help him find his missing cat. It was a
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classic predator tactic, using a s seemingly innocent request to
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gain access to potential victims. When the children refused to
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help search for the fictional cat, Duncan's demeanor changed instantly.
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He grabbed Martinez at knife point, demonstrating the same pattern
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of using weapons to control his victims that he had
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employed in his earlier crimes. Before the other children could
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react or call for help, Duncan threw Martinez into his
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vehicle and drove away. The abduction launched a massive two
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week search effort. Law enforcement agencies across southern California joined
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the search, while Martinez's family and community volunteers distributed flyers
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and organized search parties. Local media coverage kept the story
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in the public eye, but despite the extensive efforts, no
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trace of Anthony Martinez could be found. On April nineteenth,
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nineteen ninety seven, the search came to a tragic end.
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Martinez's body was discovered in Indio, California, nude and in
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an advanced state of decomposition. The condition of the remains
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told a horrific story of what the young boy had
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endured before his death. Evidence showed that he had been
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sexually assaulted and bound with duct tape before being killed.
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Investigators collected physical evidence from the crime scene, including a
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partial finger print from the duct tape used to bind Martinez.
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They also created a composite sketch based on descriptions provided
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by the children who had witnessed the abduction. However, despite
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these leads, the case eventually went cold as investigators were
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unable to identify a suspect. The Martinez murder demonstrated Duncan's
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ability to operate across state lines and his growing confidence
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in his ability to avoid capture. He had successfully abducted, assaulted,
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and murdered a child in broad daylight, then disposed of
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the body in a way that delayed its discovery for
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two weeks. The crime showed a level of planning and
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calculation that marked him as an extremely dangerous predator. Duncan
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Whe's freedom came to an end in nineteen ninety seven
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when he was arrested in Missouri for violating the terms
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of his parole. The specific violation that led to his
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arrest was relatively minor, but it was enough to send
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him back to prison for the remainder of his original sentence.
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The return to incarceration may have prevented additional crimes during
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the late nineteen nineties, but it also gave Duncan time
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to reflect on his methods and plan for his eventual release.
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Prison records from this period show that he maintained his
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manipulative nature, presenting himself as a model prisoner while likely
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planning his future crimes. On July fourteenth, two thousand, Duncan
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was released from prison with time off for good behavior.
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He had served his sentence and was no longer on parole,
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which meant he had more freedom to move around without supervision.
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He relocated to Fargo, North Dakota, perhaps hoping that a
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change of environment would help him avoid the temptations that
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had led to his previous crimes. However, Duncan's move to
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North Dakota did not represent a genuine attempt at rehabilitation. Instead,
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it appeared to be a strategic decision to locate himself
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in an area where he might be less likely to
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be recognized or connected to his past crimes. The sparse
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population and rural nature of the region may have appealed
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to him as a place where he could potentially find
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victims without attracting the attention of law enforcement. For nearly
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five years, Duncan managed to avoid arrest during this period.
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Investigators believe he may have committed additional crimes that have
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never been solved. His ability to remain undetected for so
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long demonstrated his evolution as a predator who had learned
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from his past mistakes and become more sophisticated in his methods.
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Duncan's period of freedom came to an end in July
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two thousand four, when he committed a crime that would
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ultimately lead investigators to connect him with some of the
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most horrific murders in American criminal history. On July third,
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two thousand and four, at a playground in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota,
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Duncan approached two young boys and molested them. The crime
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occurred in broad daylight at a public playground, a location
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that demonstrated Duncan's growing boldness and his belief that he
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could commit crimes without consequence. The playground setting also revealed
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his sophisticated understanding of where to find vulnerable children and
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how to approach them without initially arousing suspicion. The boys
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reported the incident to adults, who immediately contacted law enforcement.
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Police launched an investigation that quickly identified Duncan as the
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primary suspect. However, the case moved slowly through the legal system,
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and Duncan remained free for months while investigators built their case.
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In March two thousand and five, nearly eight months after
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the original incident, Duncan was finally charged with the molestation
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of the two boys. The delay in filing charges would
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prove to be a critical factor in the tragedy that
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was about to unfold. On April fifth, two thousand five,
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Duncan appeared before a Becker County judge for his initial
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court appearance. The judge set bail at fifteen thousand dollars,
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a relatively modest amount considering Duncan's extensive criminal history and
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the serious nature of the charges against him. A local
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business man who had become acquainted with Duncan helped him
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post bail. This decision, made by someone who likely had
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no knowledge of Duncan's true criminal history, provided him with
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the freedom he needed to flee the jurisdiction and avoid prosecution.
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Duncan took advantage of his freedom by skipping bail and
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disappearing completely. On June first, two thousand five, a federal
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warrant was issued for his arrest for unlawful flight to
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avoid prosecution. However, by that time, Duncan had already begun
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planning what would become his most notorious and devastating crime.
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On the evening of May fifteenth, two thousand five, Duncan
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began surveillance of a family home along Lake Curdleen outside
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the city of cur Dealen, Idaho. The house belonged to
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Brenda Groane, of forty year old single mother who lived
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there with her children and her boyfriend, Mark Mackenzie. The
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grown family appeared to live a quiet, normal life in
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their lakeside community. Brenda worked to support her children, thirteen
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year old Slade, nine year old Dillon, and eight year
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old Shasta. Her boyfriend, thirty seven year old Mark mackenzie,
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had become a father figure to the children and was
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planning to marry Brenda. Duncan spent time observing the family's routines,
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learning their schedules, and identifying the best time to strike.
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This surveillance period demonstrated the calculated nature of his planning
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and his patients in waiting for the optimal moment to
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commit his crimes. In the early morning hours of May sixteenth,
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two thousand five, Duncan put his plan into action. He
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approached the Growen home under cover of darkness, armed with
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weapons and prepared for violence. What happened next would be
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described by survivor ving victim Shasta Groan as one of
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the most terrifying nights imaginable. According to Shasta's later testimony,
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her mother came into the bedroom she shared with Dylan
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and woke them up with urgent words, someone is in
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the house. The family moved into the living room, where
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they encountered Duncan, wearing black gloves and holding a gun.
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Duncan immediately took control of the situation, using the intimidation
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tactics he had perfected over years of criminal activity. He
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bound Brenda's hands with nylon zip ties, then did the
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same to Mark McKenzie and thirteen year old Slade. The
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use of restraints showed his preparation and his understanding of
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how to control multiple victims. Simultaneously, Shasta and Dylan were
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removed from the house and placed on the lawn outside,
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where they waited in terror as Duncan returned to the
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house to deal with the three bound victims. From their
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position outside, the children could hear multiple thumping sounds coming
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from inside their home, sounds that would haunt Shasta for
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the rest of her life. At one point during the attack,
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Slade managed to break free from his restraints and staggered
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toward the entrance of the house, lightly trying to escape
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or get help. However, Duncan caught him before he could
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get away and brought him back inside to continue the assault.
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Duncan used a hammer to beat all three victims to death.
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Brenda Groan, Mark mac Kenzie, and thirteen year old Slade Grown.
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The brutality of the attacks was extreme, with each victim
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suffering multiple blunt force traumer injuries to the head. The
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medical examiner would later determine that the cause of death
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for all three was blunt trauma to the head. After
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completing the murders, Duncan returned to collect Shasta and Dylan,
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loading them into a stolen red jeep Cherokee with Missouri
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license plates. As they drove away from the house, Duncan
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told the terrified children that he had beaten their family
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members to death with a hammer, information that would later
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prove crucial in his prosecution. Duncan drove the two kidnapped
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children to remote locations where he held them captive for
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forty seven days. During this period, he repeatedly sexually assaulted
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and tortured both children while moving between different camp sites
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to avoid detection. The first location was a makeshift camp
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site in a remote area of the Lolo National Forest
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near Saint Regis, Montana. Duncan had chosen this location specifically
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because of its isolation. It was far from populated areas
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and unlikely to be discovered by hikers. Or forest rangers.
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At the camp site, Duncan subjected both children to systematic
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abuse that included physical torture, sexual assault, and psychological torment.
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He used various methods to maintain control over them, including
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threats of violence and manipulation tactics designed to make them compliant.
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Shasta would later testify that Duncan told her detailed stories
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about how he had killed her family members. He described
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using the hammer to beat them to death, providing graphic
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details that served both to traumatize her further and to
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reinforce his control over her through fear. The abuse continued
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as Duncan moved the children to a second camp site,
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maintaining his pattern of staying mobile to avoid capture. Throughout
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this period, he documented some of his crimes on video,
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creating evidence that would later be used in his prosecution,
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but was so disturbing that it traumatized everyone who was
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forced to view it during legal proceedings. After holding both
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children captive for several weeks, Duncan made the decision to
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kill nine year old Dylan grown The murder occurred at
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the remote Montana campsite and was witnessed by Dylan's eight
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year old sister, Shasta, adding another layer of trauma to
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her already horrific ordeal. According to Shasta's account, Duncan initially
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claimed that Dylan's death was accidental. He told her that
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he was looking through a clear plastic box for beer
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when a shotgun that was also stored in the box
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accidentally discharged hit Dylan in the stomach. However, the true
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horror of what happened next revealed Duncan's calculated cruelty. After
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Dylan was wounded by the initial shot, Duncan made the
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deliberate decision to finish killing him. He placed the shotgun
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against Dylan's head and pulled the trigger, but the weapon
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failed to fire. As Dylan begged for his life, pleading
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with Duncan not to kill him, Duncan reloaded the shotgun
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and placed it against the boy's head again. This time,
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when he pulled the trigger, the weapon fired and Dylan
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was killed instantly. After killing Dylan, Duncan attempted to justify
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his actions to Shasta by claiming that he had only
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killed the boy to put him out of his misery.
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This explanation was clearly a lie designed to manipulate Shasta
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and potentially reduce her resistance to his continued control over her.
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Duncan disposed of Dylan's body at the remote camp site,
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where it would remain hidden for several days. The isolation
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of the location meant that the murder went undetected, allowing
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Duncan to continue holding Shasta captive while authorities searched for
353
00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:10.160
both children. Several days after murdering Dylan, Duncan came close
354
00:22:10.200 --> 00:22:13.079
to killing Shasta as well. In what appeared to be
355
00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:16.279
a moment of sadistic control, he gave her a choice
356
00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:19.920
about how she would die, either by strangulation or by
357
00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:24.960
being shot. Faced with this impossible choice, Shasta chose strangulation,
358
00:22:25.480 --> 00:22:28.279
perhaps hoping it might be less painful or that she
359
00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:32.200
might have some chance of survival. Duncan proceeded to wrap
360
00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:34.839
a rope around her neck and pull it tight, causing
361
00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:38.599
her to begin suffocating. As Shasta lost consciousness and began
362
00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:42.000
to die, she somehow summoned enough breath to call Duncan
363
00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:45.920
by his nickname Jet and beg him to stop. For
364
00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:49.799
reasons that remain unclear, Duncan immediately released the rope and
365
00:22:49.880 --> 00:22:54.440
stopped the strangulation attempt. This moment represented a crucial turning
366
00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:58.880
point in Shasta's captivity. Rather than completing her murder, Duncan
367
00:22:58.920 --> 00:23:01.200
instead asked her if she would like to meet his mother.
368
00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:05.240
When she responded yes, he made the decision to return
369
00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:09.480
towards civilization, a decision that would ultimately lead to his capture.
370
00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:12.799
The fact that Duncan spared Shasta's life after coming so
371
00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:16.160
close to killing her suggests that his decision making was
372
00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:21.119
becoming increasingly erratic. Whether this was due to psychological breakdown,
373
00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:24.759
a desire for human contact, or some other factor, his
374
00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:27.880
choice to keep her alive and return to populated areas
375
00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:31.599
provided law enforcement with the opportunity they needed to rescue
376
00:23:31.640 --> 00:23:34.839
her and arrest him. In the early morning hours of
377
00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:38.319
July second, two thousand five, Duncan drove Shasta to a
378
00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:42.440
Denny's restaurant in kur De Lean, Idaho. His decision to
379
00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:45.119
take her to such a public place suggested that he
380
00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:48.359
may have been suffering from a psychological breakdown or that
381
00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:51.599
he had decided to surrender himself. When they entered the
382
00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:55.880
restaurant around two a m. Duncan appeared calm and ordered
383
00:23:55.920 --> 00:24:00.240
food as if nothing was wrong. However, the restaurant's staff
384
00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:04.359
immediately recognized Shasta from the extensive media coverage of her
385
00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:08.480
disappearance forty seven days earlier. The waitress who served them
386
00:24:08.599 --> 00:24:13.240
later described the moment of recognition as terrifying and surreal.
387
00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:16.720
She had to maintain her composure while serving someone she
388
00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:20.319
knew was a kidnapping victim, or while the person responsible
389
00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:24.519
for her captivity sat just feet away. The restaurant staff
390
00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:29.200
moved with remarkable professionalism and courage. They positioned themselves strategically
391
00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:32.839
around the restaurant to prevent Duncan from leaving, while one
392
00:24:32.839 --> 00:24:36.440
person slipped away to call police. Their quick thinking and
393
00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:41.480
coordinated response prevented what could have been another tragedy. Within minutes,
394
00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:45.920
police cars surrounded the Denny's restaurant. Officers entered the building
395
00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:49.599
and arrested Duncan without incident, a moment that ended forty
396
00:24:49.599 --> 00:24:52.680
seven days of terror for Shasta and brought closure to
397
00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:55.599
one of the most intensive man hunts in Idaho history.
398
00:24:56.200 --> 00:25:00.559
Shasta identified herself to the restaurant staff and authorities, confirming
399
00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:04.039
what they already knew from her appearance. She was immediately
400
00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:07.400
taken to Coutenai Medical Center for medical treatment and was
401
00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:11.000
eventually reunited with her father, who had spent nearly seven
402
00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:14.960
weeks not knowing if his daughter was alive or dead.
403
00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:19.200
Duncan's arrest opened the door to a massive investigation that
404
00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:24.759
would eventually connect him to multiple unsolved murders across several states.
405
00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:28.759
The FBI launched a nationwide review of cold cases involving
406
00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:32.559
missing children, looking for patterns that might match Duncan's methods
407
00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:37.119
and timeline. The investigation into Dylan's murder led authorities to
408
00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:40.480
the remote camp site in Montana where Duncan had held
409
00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:45.599
the children captive. On July fourth, two thousand five, investigators
410
00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:48.920
found human remains at the makeshift campsite in the Lolo
411
00:25:49.079 --> 00:25:53.240
National Forest near Saint Regis, Montana. The remains were sent
412
00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:57.160
to the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for DNA testing.
413
00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:02.119
The analysis confirmed what investigators feared. These were the remains
414
00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:05.920
of nine year old Dylan Grown. The discovery marked the
415
00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:09.039
end of any hope that Dylan might have survived his captivity.
416
00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:13.720
As investigators processed the crime scene, they uncovered evidence of
417
00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:17.519
the systematic abuse that had taken place at the camp site.
418
00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:21.359
The physical evidence supported Shasta's accounts of the torture and murder.
419
00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:25.759
She had witnessed during her captivity. The investigation also revealed
420
00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:29.680
the sophisticated planning that had gone into Duncan's crimes. He
421
00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:33.880
had carefully chosen remote locations, prepared supplies in advance, and
422
00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:37.920
developed methods for controlling his victims that demonstrated years of
423
00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:42.519
experience as a predator. While Duncan was being held in Idaho,
424
00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:47.079
investigators in other states began examining their own cold cases
425
00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:52.079
for potential connections. The similarity between Duncan's methods and unsolved
426
00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:57.119
crimes in California and Washington State led to renewed investigations
427
00:26:57.160 --> 00:27:01.400
into cases that had been dormant for years. In California,
428
00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:06.920
investigators reviewing the Anthony Martinez case noticed striking similarities between
429
00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:10.640
Duncan's appearance and the composite sketch that had been created
430
00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:14.160
in nineteen ninety seven. They also noted that the vehicle
431
00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:17.119
Duncan had been driving when arrested was similar to the
432
00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:20.960
one witnesses had described in the Martinez case. The breakthrough
433
00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:24.240
came when forensic experts were able to match the partial
434
00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:29.400
fingerprint found on duct tape from Martinez's body to Duncan's prints.
435
00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:33.720
This physical evidence provided the definitive link that connected Duncan
436
00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:38.160
to the nineteen ninety seven murder in California, FBI agents
437
00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:42.279
interviewed Duncan about the Martinez case on July nineteen, two
438
00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:46.839
thousand five. During this interview, Duncan confessed to the murder,
439
00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:50.920
describing it as revenge against society again for sending him
440
00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:55.039
back to jail for a probation violation. This confession provided
441
00:27:55.119 --> 00:27:58.519
insight into Duncan's mindset and his view of his crimes
442
00:27:58.559 --> 00:28:03.079
as justified retaliation against a system he felt had wronged him.
443
00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:06.359
Duncan also confessed to the nineteen ninety six murders of
444
00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:11.200
Sammiejo White and Carmen Cubius in Seattle, providing details that
445
00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:15.079
only the killer could have known. These confessions finally brought
446
00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:17.880
closure to families who had waited nearly a decade for
447
00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:22.119
answers about their children's deaths. Duncan faced prosecution in three
448
00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:27.599
different jurisdictions, Idaho State Court, Federal court, and California State Court.
449
00:28:28.200 --> 00:28:33.119
Each jurisdiction had different charges and different potential penalties, creating
450
00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:37.000
a complex legal process that would span several years. The
451
00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:41.000
Idaho state prosecution focused on the murders of Brenda Grone,
452
00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:44.839
Slade Grown, and Mark McKenzie, as well as the kidnapping
453
00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:48.640
of Shasta and Dylan. Duncan was charged with three counts
454
00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:53.599
of first degree murder and three counts of first degree kidnapping. Initially,
455
00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:57.400
prosecutors planned to seek the death penalty, but Duncan's attorneys
456
00:28:57.400 --> 00:29:01.279
were able to negotiate a plea bargain. On October sixteenth,
457
00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:04.240
two thousand and six, Duncan pleaded guilty to all state
458
00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:08.119
charges against him. He was immediately sentenced to three consecutive
459
00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:12.359
life sentences without the possibility of parole for the kidnapping charges.
460
00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:16.680
The sentencing for the murder charges was delayed pending the
461
00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:19.880
outcome of his federal trial, with the understanding that if
462
00:29:19.880 --> 00:29:22.960
he didn't receive the death penalty in federal court, he
463
00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:26.200
would return to Idaho for a potential death penalty phase
464
00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:30.039
on the state murder charges. The federal case focused on
465
00:29:30.119 --> 00:29:33.279
crimes that crossed state lines, including the kidnapping of Shasta
466
00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:38.440
and Dylan Groene and the murder of Dylan. On January eighteenth,
467
00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:42.000
two thousand seven, Duncan was indicted by a federal grand
468
00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:47.519
jury on ten counts, including kidnapping, kidnapping resulting in death,
469
00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:51.920
aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, and sexual exploitation of
470
00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:57.079
a child resulting in death. The federal charges carried the
471
00:29:57.119 --> 00:30:00.480
possibility of the death penalty, making this the most serious
472
00:30:00.519 --> 00:30:04.640
prosecution Duncan faced. The case was complicated by the horrific
473
00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:08.440
nature of the evidence, including video recordings that Duncan had
474
00:30:08.440 --> 00:30:11.519
made of his abuse of the children. On December third,
475
00:30:11.599 --> 00:30:15.599
two thousand seven, Duncan pleaded guilty to all ten federal
476
00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:19.599
charges against him. During the penalty phase, Duncan made the
477
00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:24.720
unusual decision to dismiss his attorneys and represent himself. This
478
00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:28.079
decision concerned the court as it raised questions about his
479
00:30:28.200 --> 00:30:33.440
mental competency, but psychological evaluations determined that he was competent
480
00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:38.319
to proceed without counsel. On August twenty seventh, two thousand eight,
481
00:30:38.759 --> 00:30:42.680
after three hours of deliberation, the federal jury recommended the
482
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:46.839
death penalty for Duncan. The judge imposed three death sentences
483
00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:50.880
for kidnapping resulting in death, sexual exploitation of a child
484
00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:53.599
resulting in death, and use of a firearm in a
485
00:30:53.640 --> 00:30:59.319
violent crime resulting in death, all related to Dylan Groene's murder. Additionally,
486
00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:02.839
On Novement third, two thousand and eight, Duncan was sentenced
487
00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:06.440
to three consecutive terms of life without parole for kidnapping
488
00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:10.440
Shasta and for the sexual abuse of both children. These
489
00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:13.720
sentences ensured that, even if his death sentences were overturned
490
00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:17.240
on appeal, he would never be released from prison. The
491
00:31:17.319 --> 00:31:20.799
jury members who imposed the death penalty were offered counseling
492
00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:22.960
to help them cope with the evidence they had been
493
00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:26.720
forced to review during the trial. The evidence included a
494
00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:31.279
thirty three minute video of Duncan torturing and sexually abusing Dylan,
495
00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:34.720
footage so disturbing that it traumatized everyone who viewed it.
496
00:31:35.400 --> 00:31:38.359
During one portion of the video evidence, Duncan could be
497
00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:41.640
heard shouting at Dylan, the devil is here, boy, the
498
00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:45.319
devil himself. The devil likes to watch children suffer and cry.
499
00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:49.680
These words provided a chilling insight into Duncan's mindset and
500
00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:53.279
his apparent enjoyment of his victim's suffering. On the same
501
00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:57.119
day Duncan was indicted in federal court, Riverside County officials
502
00:31:57.160 --> 00:31:59.640
announced that he was also charged with the murder of
503
00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:05.240
Anthony Martinez. Despite attempts by California authorities to extradite him immediately,
504
00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:10.640
Duncan's federal trial took precedence. Duncan was eventually extradited to
505
00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:15.160
California on January twenty fourth, two thousand nine, five months
506
00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:19.960
after receiving his federal death sentences. On March fifteenth, twenty eleven,
507
00:32:20.279 --> 00:32:23.799
he pleaded guilty to Martinez's murder and was sentenced to
508
00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:28.680
two life terms without the possibility of parole. The California
509
00:32:28.759 --> 00:32:32.000
sentence came without the right to appeal as part of
510
00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:35.000
a plea deal that provided closure for the Martinez family.
511
00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:40.160
Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach justified not seeking an
512
00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:44.240
additional death sentence by stating that the federal system will
513
00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:46.640
kill him long before the state of California would have
514
00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:51.000
seriously considered it. Before his arrest, Duncan had maintained a
515
00:32:51.039 --> 00:32:55.559
personal website called The Fifth Nail. The name was derived
516
00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:58.400
from Christian law about a fifth nail that was supposedly
517
00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:01.799
hidden by Romans after to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
518
00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:06.359
Duncan adopted this imagery for his online presence, where he
519
00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:09.440
denied being a pedophile and claimed to have been sexually
520
00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:14.039
abused as a child. After his imprisonment, Duncan continued his
521
00:33:14.119 --> 00:33:18.720
online presence through a blogspot website titled Joseph E. Duncan
522
00:33:19.119 --> 00:33:22.119
three Returns to the Web from Federal Death Row to
523
00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:25.559
expose the meaning of the Fifth Nail. The content was
524
00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:29.519
posted by someone using the pseudonyms Silenced, who presumably received
525
00:33:29.559 --> 00:33:33.079
letters from Duncan and published them on his behalf. The
526
00:33:33.079 --> 00:33:37.279
blog provided disturbing insights into Duncan's mindset and his lack
527
00:33:37.319 --> 00:33:40.519
of remorse for his crimes. He used the platform to
528
00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:44.440
continue manipulating public perception and to maintain contact with the
529
00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:48.960
outside world despite his imprisonment. Duncan was held at the
530
00:33:49.079 --> 00:33:53.720
United States Penitentiary in Terry Ote, Indiana, on federal death Row.
531
00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:56.720
Through his blog, he described life in the prison and
532
00:33:56.799 --> 00:34:00.599
his interactions with other death row inmates. According to Duncan's
533
00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:04.119
own accounts, he rarely spoke with other prisoners and actively
534
00:34:04.200 --> 00:34:07.480
chose not to engage in conversation with them. He claimed
535
00:34:07.519 --> 00:34:10.280
to prefer isolation and said he only spoke to other
536
00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:14.159
inmates when required to do so by prison officials. When
537
00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:17.480
the federal government announced in July twenty nineteen that it
538
00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:21.800
would resume executions after a nearly twenty year hiatus. Duncan
539
00:34:21.880 --> 00:34:24.559
claimed to be relieved by the news. He stated that
540
00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:28.039
he preferred execution by lethal injection to dying of natural
541
00:34:28.079 --> 00:34:31.559
causes in prison, which he said he feared more. Duncan
542
00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:33.880
claimed to be acquainted with four of the five federal
543
00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:38.159
prisoners initially selected for execution, but said he would not
544
00:34:38.280 --> 00:34:42.320
call any of them friends. He expressed the opinion that
545
00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:45.719
everyone on federal death row would be better off if
546
00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:50.119
they were executed. In twenty sixteen, Shasta, grone than nineteen
547
00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:53.719
years old, started a petition called Slade and Dillon's Law
548
00:34:54.119 --> 00:34:57.360
in honor of her murdered brothers. The petition called for
549
00:34:57.400 --> 00:35:00.440
convicted sex offenders to never be released from in prison,
550
00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:04.480
effectively reducing the three strike rule for violent sex offenders
551
00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:09.440
to one strike. The petition gained significant support, ultimately collecting
552
00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:14.119
over fifty one thousand signatures before it closed. Shasta's advocacy
553
00:35:14.119 --> 00:35:17.719
work represented her effort to prevent other families from experiencing
554
00:35:17.760 --> 00:35:22.519
the tragedy that had destroyed her own family. Through her advocacy,
555
00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:26.519
Shasta demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience in the face of
556
00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:31.159
unimaginable trauma. Her efforts to change the legal system showed
557
00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:34.400
her commitment to protecting other children from predators like Duncan.
558
00:35:35.400 --> 00:35:40.360
In October twenty twenty, Duncan was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an
559
00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:44.840
aggressive form of brain cancer. Medical staff estimated that he
560
00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:48.719
had between six and twelve months to live. Duncan declined
561
00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:54.360
all treatment options, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. On March
562
00:35:54.400 --> 00:35:57.880
twenty eighth, twenty twenty one, Joseph Edward Duncan, the Third
563
00:35:58.400 --> 00:36:01.000
died at the age of fifty eight, bringing to an
564
00:36:01.079 --> 00:36:04.280
end one of the most horrific criminal careers in American history.
565
00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:08.079
His death meant that his death sentences would never be
566
00:36:08.159 --> 00:36:11.079
carried out, but it also ensured that he could never
567
00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:16.119
harm another child. Duncan's body was cremated, marking the final
568
00:36:16.199 --> 00:36:18.880
chapter in a life that had caused immeasurable pain and
569
00:36:18.880 --> 00:36:23.159
suffering to dozens of victims and their families across multiple
570
00:36:23.159 --> 00:36:27.119
states and spanning more than two decades. The Duncan case
571
00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:30.719
revealed serious flaws in the parole and supervision systems that
572
00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:34.519
allowed a dangerous predator to remain free for years while
573
00:36:34.559 --> 00:36:39.119
committing horrific crimes. His ability to move between states and
574
00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:43.199
avoid detection. Highlighted the need for better coordination between law
575
00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:48.039
enforcement agencies. The case also demonstrated the importance of public
576
00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:52.280
awareness and quick action by citizens. The restaurant staff who
577
00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:56.800
recognized Chaster and contacted police showed how ordinary people can
578
00:36:56.840 --> 00:37:01.000
play a crucial role in stopping dangerous criminals. For Shasta Gron,
579
00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:06.920
the case represents both unimaginable trauma and remarkable survival. Her
580
00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:10.639
courage in testifying against Duncan and her later advocacy work
581
00:37:11.079 --> 00:37:13.559
have helped bring some measure of justice and may help
582
00:37:13.559 --> 00:37:18.400
prevent future tragedies. The investigation into Duncan's crimes helped solve
583
00:37:18.519 --> 00:37:21.760
multiple cold cases and brought closure to families who had
584
00:37:21.760 --> 00:37:26.199
waited years for answers. However, investigators believe he may have
585
00:37:26.199 --> 00:37:30.519
committed additional crimes that remain unsolved, meaning some families may
586
00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:33.599
never know what happened to their loved ones. The Duncan
587
00:37:33.639 --> 00:37:36.400
case serves as a reminder of the evil that exists
588
00:37:36.440 --> 00:37:39.719
in the world and the importance of protecting society's most
589
00:37:39.800 --> 00:37:44.719
vulnerable members, our children. It also demonstrates the dedication of
590
00:37:44.800 --> 00:37:49.079
law enforcement professionals who work tirelessly to bring dangerous criminals
591
00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:53.119
to justice, even when their crimes seemed too horrible to comprehend.
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Joseph Edward Duncan the Third was more than just a
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serial killer. He was a predator who destroyed countless lives
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over the course of decades. His death marked the end
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of a reign of terror that had lasted far too long,
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but the scars he left behind will never fully heal.
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The case of Joseph Edward Duncan the Third remains one
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of the most disturbing in American criminal history. If this
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video has impacted you, please take a moment to subscribe
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to our channel and share it with others who are
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interested in understanding the darkest aspects of human nature. Your
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00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:30.079
support helps us continue to tell these important stories and
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honor the memory of the victims. Thank you for watching,
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and we'll see you in the next case.
