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Duncan did it all, investigators say Posted: Thursday, Jul 07, 2005 - 08:22:16 am PDT By DAVE TURNER Staff writer
Police believe Dylan Groene is dead COEUR d'ALENE -- Joseph Edward Duncan III committed the triple homicide and child abductions near Wolf Lodge Bay, authorities said Wednesday."At this time and according to the evidence in hand, (investigators) believe Joseph Duncan is the only person responsible for these crimes," said Kootenai County sheriff's Capt. Ben Wolfinger. Asked if that means Duncan is the sole suspect in the beating deaths of Brenda Kay Groene, 40, her son Slade Groene, 13, and live-in boyfriend Mark Edward McKenzie, 37, as well as the abduction of Groene children Shasta, 8, and Dylan, 9, Wolfinger reiterated: "All of the crimes involved here."
"I think there's a sense of relief, a sense of 'we got the right guy.'" In an interview with detectives, Shasta said Duncan was the only man involved since she and Dylan were bound and taken from their home late May 15 or early May 16. On Tuesday, Duncan, 42, a level-3 sex offender from Fargo, N.D., was formally charged with two counts of first-degree kidnapping of Shasta and Dylan and ordered held without bail. Level 3 is considered the highest risk to reoffend. Both counts carry a potential death sentence if he's convicted. Wolfinger would not say if investigators still believe the victims knew their killer, as they reported that likelihood earlier in the case. "We'll wait until all of the evidence is in and see if there are any ties to the family," he said. "We're going to base it on fact." In her interview with detectives, Shasta Groene said she never met Duncan before, and Shasta's father, Steve Groene, said he's never heard of him. Shasta was rescued early Saturday morning when staff and patrons at the Coeur d'Alene Denny's restaurant saw her sitting at a table with Duncan and called police. Authorities said they believe Dylan is dead. They expect DNA tests of human remains found at a rural campsite in western Montana on Monday will confirm their theory. Results of those tests could be back late today. As far as the filing of additional charges, Wolfinger said he had no specific date for filing information linking Duncan to the killings to the prosecutor's office. Meanwhile, chief deputy prosecutor Lansing Haynes said no new charges are likely to be filed in the case in the immediate future. "We want to make sure the investigation is as complete as it can be," he said. "When we have the scientific evidence back, we'll make a determination about any more charges at that time." Steve Groene said Shasta was doing well Wednesday. He thanked "the community, and even the nation," and the staff and patrons at Denny's, for calling police and returning his only daughter to him. "Those people are heroes," he said. He said Shasta is upbeat and healthy "and really glad to be home." She is still at Kootenai Medical Center, although her medical condition is not known. Groene said the family will continue to hold out hope the remains in Montana are not those of his youngest son, until he is told by authorities it is certain. Groene, who did not take questions from reporters, also made a plea for stronger sexual predator laws. "This needs to stop here," he said. "People like this should not be allowed out" of custody. He said it's "totally unacceptable" for level-3 offenders to be returned to the community. "People need to get on their congressmen, their senators, even the president," he said. "This needs to change." Groene said he thinks there's more that can be done to control that level of offender. "There's no excuse." He also took to task those legal officials whose decisions put high-risk offenders back on the street. "That needs to change," he said. "If they can't do their jobs, we need to put people in there who can do the job." Wolfinger said Duncan's preliminary hearing on the kidnapping charges is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. July 19 in front of Magistrate Benjamin Simpson. Prosecutors can also opt to convene a grand jury to hear the evidence outside the view of the public, without a chance for the defense to question witnesses. Because of her role in the case, Shasta would likely be a prime witness. Haynes said because those proceedings are secret, he could not discuss whether prosecutors plan to seat a grand jury in place of a preliminary hearing. If a grand jury were to hand up an indictment, Duncan's case would go directly to 1st District Court. Meanwhile, Wolfinger said Duncan's lawyer, chief deputy public defender Lynn Nelson, has made it clear there will be no jailhouse media interviews with his client. A public defender's office source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said not only is Duncan not speaking with reporters, he's not saying a word to investigators either. Shortly after his Saturday morning arrest, Wolfinger said Duncan invoked his right to remain silent. The public defender's office was appointed on Tuesday afternoon. It was also not known if Nelson, in the light of the heavy media attention of the case, would seek to have the trial moved from Kootenai County in the event his client is bound over for trial. Dave Turner can be reached at 664-8176, ext. 2009 or at dturner@cdapress.com.
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