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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

  • Wolf Lodge Bay

Latest updates in this topic


  • 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 …


  • Psychic used in Groene search

    Just days before Shasta Groene was found, the lead detective in the case began working with a psychic investigator hired by the girl’s father. Shasta was found before tips that …


  • Duncan inspires sex-law changes

    OLYMPIA – Convicted child rapist Joseph Duncan spends his days in a jail cell now, but his presence will be felt in Olympia in January. Duncan’s case revolted and angered …


  • Duncan’s lawyers get 3 extra months

    Joseph Edward Duncan’s attorneys have been given three more months to prepare a defense for the suspected murderer. Public defender John Adams said his office needed more time to sort …


  • Duncan’s attorneys want to push back trial date

    Joseph Duncan’s attorneys are asking for more time to prepare for their client’s murder and kidnapping trial. Public defender John Adams has filed a motion to vacate the scheduled Jan. …


  • Brother says Duncan was planning to turn self in

    Convicted sex offender Joseph Edward Duncan III was trying to return 8-year-old abduction victim Shasta Groene when he was captured with the girl in a restaurant, Duncan’s brother told a …


  • Attorneys agree: No video copy

    Attorneys came to an agreement Wednesday that will prevent copies from being made of pornographic videos that Joseph Edward Duncan allegedly made as he held Dylan and Shasta Groene at …


  • Duncan’s attorneys split over videos

    Lawyers for sex offender Joseph Edward Duncan III are split over whether to press for copies of child-porn videos involving Duncan’s alleged victims, Duncan’s federal public defender said Saturday. While …


  • Douglas forsakes fight over e-mails

    Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas dropped his opposition Friday to the release of hundreds of e-mails exchanged between himself and a former employee, saying he no longer wants the distraction …


  • Douglas fights videos’ duplication

    Duplicating videos that Joseph Duncan allegedly made would jeopardize an ongoing state and federal child pornography investigation, Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas said Thursday. Douglas, in a new legal brief, …


  • Family wants investigation of Duncan in death

    FARGO, N.D. – The family of a Montana man who was found dead near Devils Lake three years ago is asking the FBI to investigate whether convicted sex offender Joseph …


  • Prosecutors: Don’t copy videos for Duncan defense

    Prosecutors are asking 1st District Judge Fred Gibler to reconsider his order that graphic videos seized as part of the murder and kidnapping investigation into suspected serial killer Joseph Edward …


  • Fuhrman got no help from police

    The FBI said Friday that law enforcement never escorted Mark Fuhrman to Montana crime scenes where Joseph Edward Duncan III allegedly held two young kidnapping victims. Duncan’s defense team raised …


  • Transcripts detail murder, kidnapping case

    Court transcripts unsealed Friday shed more light on how authorities believe Joseph Edward Duncan III murdered three members of a Coeur d’Alene family – and about the weeks that he …


  • Duncan used kids to make porn videos

    Suspected serial killer Joseph Duncan used his young captives to produce child pornography videos, authorities acknowledged for the first time Wednesday. The disclosure came amid heated confrontations between prosecutors and …


  • Victim’s brother files tort claim

    COEUR D’ALENE – The brother of a man who was killed with his girlfriend and her son has filed a $500,000 tort claim accusing a Minnesota judge and prosecutor of …


  • Oprah airs Groene story

    Oprah Winfrey has had it with sex offenders being released from prison only to abduct, abuse and even commit murder. Shasta Groene’s story out of Kootenai County was the last …


  • Oprah set to share Groene tragedy

    “Kidnapped by a Pedophile: The Shasta Groene Tragedy” is the title of today’s “Oprah Winfrey Show.” Steve Groene, father of the 8-year-old kidnapping victim from Coeur d’Alene, was interviewed by …


  • Grateful community hails a hero

    Amber Deahn pinned a fading yellow ribbon to her shirt Wednesday afternoon – a yellow ribbon that was just recently taken off a Beaumont, Calif., woman’s fridge and addressed to …