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
Auction site listed supposed Duncan letter
A letter purportedly sent by convicted sex offender Joseph Edward Duncan III was listed on an Internet auction site that specializes in selling items related to serial killers. The letter …
Man pleads innocent in sex offender killings
BELLINGHAM – A man charged with two counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the killings of two registered sex offenders has pleaded innocent in Whatcom County Superior Court, the prosecutor’s …
Duncan may face child porn charges
Joseph Edward Duncan may face several federal charges for felonies he allegedly committed in Montana while holding Dylan and Shasta Groene captive, including production of child pornography, the Idaho U.S. …
Four who helped save Shasta share reward
Up until the early morning hours of July 2, Phillip “Nick” Chapman, Chris Donlan, Amber Deahn and Linda Olson were four ordinary people. The kind of people you might see …
Predators’ brains a key for researchers
For months, anyone could follow the epic struggle in the mind of Joseph Edward Duncan III — live, on the Internet. “It is a battle between me and my demons,” …
‘Oprah’ gets Groenes – minus Shasta
The Groene family is sharing its story with Oprah Winfrey. Family spokeswoman Wendy Price said the family has agreed to avoid discussing details of the show, which they expect will …
Attorney wants statements held back
The attorney for murder suspect Joseph Edward Duncan III is asking the court to suppress statements that Duncan allegedly made during jailhouse interviews in late July. Public Defender John Adams …
Duncan’s extradition will wait
Joseph Edward Duncan won’t be extradited to Minnesota to face charges for a July 2004 assault on two children at a Minnesota playground until after the state of Idaho finishes …
Sex offenders without addresses throw notification system for a loop
OLYMPIA – Washington’s long-standing policy of notifying neighbors when a high-risk sex offender moves in has spawned a growing number of homeless sex offenders who are much harder to track, …
Duncan silent on charges
Suspected serial killer Joseph E. Duncan III didn’t utter a word Tuesday, even as a judge informed him he could face the death penalty if convicted of murdering a North …
Duncan will enter plea today
COEUR d’ALENE – With the number of child slayings in which he is considered a suspect increased to six, registered sex offender Joseph Edward Duncan III will enter a plea …
Schools to check visitors against sex offender lists
Coeur d’Alene’s 10 elementary schools will begin checking visitors and volunteers against sex offender registries from 42 states beginning this fall. The Coeur d’Alene School Board on Monday approved the …
Police add patrols as students arrive
College students better mind their driving this weekend. The Washington State Patrol is conducting emphasis patrols Friday through Sunday in anticipation of students heading to Washington State University and the …
Duncan lawyer stops cop interviews
Any new jailhouse revelations are unlikely to come from Joseph E. Duncan III until after his trial on murder and kidnapping charges. Shortly after Duncan was arrested July 1 in …
Duncan had details on slain Seattle girls
Within days of his arrest last month, North Idaho multiple-murder suspect Joseph Edward Duncan III implicated himself in the 1996 deaths of two Seattle girls during a conversation with FBI …
New judge picked for Duncan case
First District Judge Fred Gibler has been assigned to Kootenai County’s biggest criminal case after fellow Judge John Mitchell was disqualified by the Kootenai County prosecutor. The prosecutor filed a …
Duncan encrypted data on computer
Three days before police say he murdered an Idaho family, Joseph Duncan bragged online about an encrypted, tell-all journal that wouldn’t be broken into for decades. He figured technology would …
Duncan waives preliminary hearing
Joseph Edward Duncan III, who is accused of kidnapping and murdering members of a Coeur d’Alene-area family in May, waived his preliminary hearing Friday. Duncan will face an arraignment next, …
Duncan may have more victims
Investigators are now reviewing unsolved missing children cases nationwide for possible links to kidnapping and murder suspect Joseph Edward Duncan III. Typically, the arrest of a violent sexual predator would …
Probation records reveal Duncan’s travels
After being paroled in 1994, sex offender Joseph Duncan traveled throughout the Seattle area and to several states. Here, based on state probation records, are some of Duncan’s movements: “Sept. …
Washington looks to toughen sex-offense laws
OLYMPIA – Frustrated by a sex offender’s alleged attack and slaying of the Groene family in North Idaho, Washington state legislators are considering tougher laws. Some are calling for a …
Sheriff rewards Shasta’s rescuers
Two Denny’s employees were rewarded Thursday for their role in the rescue of Shasta Groene earlier this month, but her father thinks another rescuer was shortchanged and is considering giving …
KMC workers disciplined for viewing records
Four workers at Kootenai Medical Center were disciplined recently for violating Shasta Groene’s privacy, after they viewed her medical records even though they weren’t part of her medical team. The …
Stupidity, ego, may explain why suspects stayed in region
John Tuggle walked into a convenience store on Wednesday, past his own wanted poster hanging on the door, to ask a clerk behind the counter about packaged hotdogs. After Tuggle …
Groene case inspiring adults to discuss abuse with children
The recent murder and kidnapping case in Coeur d’Alene’s back yard depressed children’s advocate Tinka Schaffer, but she also saw an opportunity in the accompanying publicity to help teach children …
Worst molesters unsupervised
BOISE – Idaho’s sex offender law has a major gap – it methodically identifies the worst, most violent offenders who are most likely to reoffend, but then allows them to …
Region struggles to cope with crimes
Sitting at the end of the bar in the American Legion Post 149 in Athol, manager Shirley Hyke doesn’t know what North Idaho is coming to. The brutal killings and …
Duncan’s prison file reveals skilled liar, sexual deviant
OLYMPIA – Shortly after Joseph Edward Duncan III’s initial release from prison, his therapist and parole officer clashed over the appropriateness of the sex life he adopted as part of …
Duncan tried to get child porn in prison
OLYMPIA – State prison records released Monday show that Joseph Edward Duncan III, as a prison inmate in Walla Walla, protested when officials there prevented him from receiving a publication …
Tough task for Duncan defense
John Adams and Lynn Nelson appear to have a thankless job. The two criminal defense attorneys are representing Joseph E. Duncan III, the 42-year-old sex offender who’s facing multiple murder …
Bikers rally around Shasta
It was a mechanized thunderstorm that lasted more than six hours on the Idaho-Washington border. Bikers, saddled on more than 500 Harley-Davidsons, converged Sunday at a small bar in Stateline …
Diverse crowd mourns Dylan
On a day that should have been filled with presents and bike rides, a grieving family and community laid Dylan James Groene to rest. It would have been his 10th …