Topics
Joseph Duncan
Summary
Joseph Edward Duncan III is the murderer and kidnapper who attacked a Wolf Lodge Bay family in May 2005.
Kootenai County deputies discovered three dead on May 16, 2005. Brenda Groene, 40; her fiance Mark McKenzie, 37; and her son, Slade Groene, 13, were bludgeoned to death. An Amber Alert was issued the next day for Brenda Groene’s two youngest children, 9-year-old Dylan Groene and 8-year-old Shasta Groene.
The murders and children’s disappearance launched the biggest investigative effort in Kootenai County’s history, at one point involving more than 100 FBI personnel and more than 80 investigators from several other agencies.
Shortly before 2 a.m. on July 2, Shasta was recognized by workers and patrons at the Denny’s in Coeur d’Alene, and her kidnapper, Duncan, was arrested without incident.
Duncan, 42 at the time, was a federal fugitive and a Tacoma native who had spent much of his adult life in Washington state prisons for sex crimes against children. He was on the run from a child molestation charge in Minnesota when he drove past the Groene home on Interstate 90 east of Coeur d’Alene and spotted Shasta and Dylan playing outside.
Over the July 4 weekend, investigators found Dylan Groene’s remains at a campsite near St. Regis, Mont.
On Oct. 16, 2005, Duncan pleaded guilty to three counts of kidnapping and three counts of murder in the deaths of Brenda Groene, Mark McKenzie and Slade Groene. He was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for the kidnappings. The sentences for the murders were undecided, pending federal prosecution.
More than two years later, after numerous legal delays and psychiatric evaluations, Duncan acted as his own lawyer as he pleaded guilty to 10 federal counts, including the kidnapping of the two children and Dylan’s murder, on Dec. 3, 2007.
On Aug. 27, 2008, a federal jury sentenced Duncan to death. The decision ended the state’s earlier case, with a judge imposing three more life sentences for those murders. Later, Duncan was given three more life sentences, for a total of nine, for his federal crimes.
Duncan pleaded guilty in the death of Anthony Martinez, a 10-year-old California boy, adding his 10th life sentence on March 15, 2011. Duncan has also been linked to the 1996 slayings of two young half-sisters in Seattle.
Key people
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Joseph Duncan
Joseph Edward Duncan III is the murderer and kidnapper who attacked an Idaho family in May 2005. Duncan was 42 at the time, was a federal fugitive and a Tacoma native who had spent much of his adult life in Washington state prisons for sex crimes against children. On Dec. 3, 2007, after numerous legal delays and psychiatric evaluations, Duncan acted as his own lawyer as he pleaded guilty to 10 federal counts, including the kidnapping of the two children and Dylan Grone’s murder.
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Brenda Groene
Brenda Groene, 40, was found at her home by Kootenai County deputies on May 16, 2005, bludgeoned to death, along with her fiance Mark McKenzie; and her son, 13-year-old Slade Groene. Her 9-year-old son Dylan Groene and 8-year-old daughter Shasta Groene were kidnapped by Joseph Duncan.
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Mark McKenzie
Mark McKenzie, 37, was found by Kootenai County deputies May 16, 2005, bludgeoned to death, along with his fiancee, Brenda Groene, 40; and her son, Slade Groene, 13, were bludgeoned to death.
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Steve Groene
Steve Groene is the father of Shasta Groene. His sons, Dylan and Slade Groene and his ex-wife, Brenda Groene, were killed in 2005 by Joseph Dundan. Shasta was kidnapped and was found two months later.
Key places
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Wolf Lodge Bay
Latest updates in this topic
Shock still fresh
They were ghastly crimes in a tranquil area near Coeur d’Alene. Three dead, bludgeoned with a hammer in their home. Two children missing. No leads or apparent motive.
‘It affects you. My wife, it affects her a lot’
It’s May again and the grass has grown high along Bob Hollingsworth’s driveway. A year ago – last Mother’s Day weekend – the 73-year-old real estate broker hired a neighbor …
Duncan doesn’t want Shasta to take witness stand
Steve Groene has made it clear he doesn’t want his daughter to have to take the stand and face the man accused of murdering her two brothers, her mother and …
Groene plea reaches feds
A request by the father of Shasta Groene to drop the possibility of the death penalty in the state murder trial of Joseph Edward Duncan III also has reached the …
School may get plaque for Dylan
Shasta Groene thinks it’s a great idea to have a plaque memorializing her slain brother on the playground at Fernan Elementary School, her father said Monday. Steve Groene persuaded Coeur …
Groene backs life sentence
Steve Groene has asked for the death penalty case to be withdrawn against the man accused of kidnapping his daughter and murdering his two sons last year, Kootenai County Prosecutor …
Catching up with Steve Groene
KIRKLAND – The man glanced at the stacks of petitions and hesitated. Automatic life in prison for certain sex crimes? “It seems a little harsh,” he said.
Washington yard sales to fund ‘Dylan’s Law’
Facing a July deadline for a quarter-million signatures, proponents of a “one-strike” law for sex offenders are holding six yard sales across the state Saturday. “We need the support of …
Playground piece would honor Dylan
Dylan Groene may be memorialized with a piece of playground equipment at Fernan Elementary School. The school’s principal has been contacted by a North Carolina man who wants to raise …
States get tougher on sex offenders
OLYMPIA – Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire signed on Monday more than a dozen changes toughening sex offender laws, many prompted by lawmakers’ revulsion over child rapist Joseph Duncan’s alleged attacks …
Deadline looms for suit over Duncan’s release
DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – A deadline for serving Becker County with a lawsuit over the release of accused kidnapper and killer Joseph E. Duncan III is approaching, but the county …
County watching Duncan case costs
Kootenai County commissioners have asked Joseph Duncan’s public defender to get pre-approval for all expenses related to the triple-homicide case. They made the request in a memo to Public Defender …
Relatives want death penalty for Duncan
The families of homicide victims Brenda Groene, her son Slade and her boyfriend, Mark McKenzie, said Monday they want the death penalty to stay on the table in the trial …
Duncan trial delayed again
Joseph Duncan’s triple-murder trial has been postponed until Oct. 16. “No one wants to try this case twice, including me,” 1st District Judge Fred Gibler said Thursday in granting Duncan’s …
Duncan trial delay has risks
If suspected killer Joseph Duncan gets his triple-homicide trial postponed, it could be a double-edged sword for his legal team. The extension would give Duncan’s lawyers more time to prepare …
Prosecutors protest delay of Duncan trial
Prosecutors are asking 1st District Judge Fred Gibler to consider the impact another delay in the trial of Joseph Edward Duncan III might have on Shasta Groene. Shasta, 9, is …
Sex-crimes measures pass Senate
BOISE – The state Senate on Monday unanimously passed two bills meant to stiffen penalties against sex offenders after several high-profile crimes against children in Idaho in 2005 prompted cries …
Response to child molesters: SMAC’M
Tamara Cougar wants Idaho to be as unattractive as possible – at least to sex offenders. She plans to put the message on coffee cups, T-shirts, bumper stickers and even …
In letter signed ‘Duncan,’ author says he’s ‘not crazy’
Joseph Duncan’s attorneys are fighting to use the insanity defense in his upcoming triple-murder trial. But in a recent letter believed to be from the suspect, Duncan apparently says he’s …
Four sex offender bills advance
BOISE – Four bills aimed at toughening sex offender laws in Idaho were unanimously approved for introduction by a House committee Wednesday, including one to require electronic monitoring and lifetime …
Duncan’s defender asks for later trial date
Kootenai County Public Defender John Adams says he needs more time to prepare a defense for homicide suspect Joseph Duncan. Adams asked Wednesday that Duncan’s triple-murder trial be rescheduled no …
Duncan’s mail logs released
Joseph Duncan has sent more than 60 letters from jail to people including relatives, a former neighbor and a doctor who once told a parole board he thought Duncan wasn’t …
Outside jury for Duncan trial opposed
Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas is using the trial of the man who murdered an Idaho State Police trooper to support his argument that an outside jury isn’t needed to …
Duncan may be getting blog out
Homicide suspect Joseph Duncan may be blogging from his Coeur d’Alene jail cell with the help of an anonymous correspondent. The person posting Duncan’s writings on the Internet is doing …
Duncan visitors include doctors, psychologists
Joseph Edward Duncan has been visited 240 times since he was booked into the Kootenai County Jail six months ago, but apparently not a single family member has come to …
Duncan lawyer wants return of insanity defense
Accused killer Joseph Edward Duncan’s mental state should be considered in his defense, a move that would overturn nearly a quarter-century of Idaho law, his lawyer argued in a motion …
Duncan wants new trial venue
“Massive pretrial publicity” and community hostility mean murder suspect Joseph Edward Duncan III cannot get a fair trial in Kootenai County, his attorneys said Tuesday in applying for a change …
Judge to decide if Shasta will testify
Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas is deferring to the judge to decide if a hearing is needed to determine whether Shasta Groene is capable of testifying against accused killer Joseph …
Sex victims say tough not enough
OLYMPIA – Mark Lunsford, a Florida man whose 9-year-old daughter Jessica was abducted and killed last summer, begged Democratic lawmakers on Thursday to toughen the new sex offender penalties they’re …
Prosecutor says Shasta shouldn’t face Duncan
Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas is asking that Shasta Groene be allowed to testify against Joseph Duncan without facing the accused killer in a courtroom. The girl, now 9, is …
States eye tougher sex laws
BOISE – Any registered sex offender who commits a second sex crime would get a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison under legislation being proposed by Idaho Attorney …
Victims’ estates sue over Duncan’s release
The estates of two people who prosecutors allege were killed by Joseph Edward Duncan III sued Becker County, Minn., on Monday for releasing the registered sex offender a few weeks …