Joseph Edward Duncan

Joseph E. Duncan III is a sex offender and mass murderer. This story is different than other articles about sex offenders killers, in that Joseph E. Duncan III recorded many of his disturbing thoughts, even to the extent of becoming a sex offender advocate working for the repeal of sex offender law. He published his ideas on the Internet before an astonished public. For perhaps the first time, a broader audience composed of average citizens and professionals alike could peer into the inner workings of a man's life that went terribly wrong and that may have ultimately taken the lives of four other innocent individuals.

Reference to the self-chosen title, "Fifth Nail" is also the URL for the website owned and maintained by Joseph Edward Duncan III. According to lore, in addition to the four nails used to pierce the body of Jesus Christ as he was hung upon the cross, there was a fifth nail that was taken away and hid by Gypsies. Duncan, after learning of this story adopted the name for his own website and blog. The website owned and operated by Joseph Duncan depicted his day to day ramblings as well as his descriptions of conflicts or complications arising out of his sex offender status. Together with his many years of incarceration, Duncan expressed his feelings of persecution. Persecution is also a well documented stage in the cycle of sexual assault (see, "Cycle of Sexual Assualt" below).

The now famous blog Duncan created makes direct inference to his current involvements in an ongoing kidnap/murder case. Investigators are also considering the possibility that a "Minnesota girl" mentioned in his online diary could be related to another minor who is listed as missing. Joseph Duncan's online website, "The Fifth Nail" advocates for sex offenders and contained material that called for the legal reform law aimed at sex offenders, calling them, "State Sanctioned Discrimination." Joseph Duncan was particularly angered by the requirement for sex offenders to participate in a public registry. Criminologists and psychiatric researchers are studying the blog to better understand the mind and behaviors of a mass murderer/sex offender. Through this case, members of society may achieve a better understanding and working knowledge of the assault cycle.

Biography

A repeat, violent Level III Sex Offender with a long wrap sheet. Joseph E. Duncan III committed his first sexual assault when he preyed upon a five-year-old boy when he himself was the age of twelve. One of five children born into a military family in Fort Bragg, N.C., Duncan moved frequently when he was growing up. The high school dropout often felt lonely and displaced, particularly after his parents’ divorce in 1979.

Duncan served most of his adult life incarcerated just outside Tacoma, Washington, USA. His biological mother is a resident of the same State. Once released, he relocated to North Dakota and attended North Dakota State University in the city of Fargo. He was working to complete a degree in computer science and would have graduated with a BA in May of 2005. Duncan worked as a Teacher's Assistant at Edmonds Community College were he taught students introductory programming courses. He also worked on several software development projects for both North Dakota State University and a firm known as, "iCat Corporation." Duncan used his computer skills to create and maintain his own website and blog. His blog, "The Blogging of the Fifth Nail" describes many of his troubling thoughts and hinted at the crimes he either was or soon would be involved in.

Joe also frequented at least one Korean personals website where he displayed a photo of himself and advertised his interests in, "...something more than just sex."

While he was a resident of North Dakota, Duncan was taking karate lessons through North Dakota State University.

Criminal History

Duncan’s criminal justice records demonstrate a history of inflicting violence and sexual torture upon others, particularly young boys. Once he began sexually offending, the seriousness of his crimes have escalated. Several attempts to reform or heal him of his criminality have failed. He constantly undermined treatment measures and refused to comply with therapists and law enforcement officials. Duncan's behaviors and mode of operation was diagnosed in 1980 as consistent with an antisocial personality disorder and a sexual deviance. This information was published in a previous edition of the Seattle Times.

Current Charges

(3)Counts of First-Degree Murder; (3)Counts of First-Degree Kidnapping.

Involvement in the Groene Case

Joseph E. Duncan III appeared in court on Tuesday July 6, 2005 during his arraignment on (2) counts of first-degree kidnapping in connection with the recent disappearance of Idaho residents, Shasta age nine and Dylan Groene age eight. Duncan missed a court appearance in the State of Minnesota, USA to face charges of failure to register properly as a sex offender. Earlier court documents indicated the intent of the kidnapping charges were to rape, seriously injure or commit a lewd and lascivious act on a child under 16 years old. Idaho prosecutors later dropped the kidnapping charges in lieu of Federal Prosecutors who would apply a clearer and more stringent law addressing a kidnapping case that involves moving a minor victim across state lines with intent to sexually assault.

Crime Investigators believe Duncan was involved in the May 2005 murders of Brenda Groene, 40, Slade Groene, 13, and Mark McKenzie, 37. According to Shasta Groen's report, family members were tied up and then she and her brother were removed from the family's home and placed into a 2000 Jeep Cherokee.

A camera in a convenience store, approximately forty miles outside of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, recorded Shasta wandering the aisles while Duncan read a newspaper. Later on, in the early morning hours of July 2, 2005, Shasta Groene was found in Duncan's custody. The two had entered a Denny's restaurant in Coeur d'Alene. A quick thinking waitress recognized Duncan from a "Wanted" poster containing his photo posted earlier in Denny's establishment. The waitress, Amber Deahn, worked with her manager to delay the suspect and contact local police. Ms. Deahn was asked to prepare a small milkshake for Shasta. She told the pair waiting in one of her booths that staff were having difficulties with the machine but that they should be able to get the mixer to work so that the milk shake could be made. The waitress then brought a large size milk shake to the table rather than the small size that had been ordered. These measures were successful as police were outside the restaurant in the parking area making a positive ID on the stolen rental car {2000 Jeep Cherokee} that also displayed stolen Missouri State license plates.

Police later entered the restaurant and arrested Joseph Duncan, removing 9-year old Shasta to a local hospital for observation and care. Shasta Groene is now in the custody of her biological father. Before leaving the crime scene and while being held in the arms of Amber Deahn, Shasta told the waitress, "I want to see my Daddy."

Shasta described the incident when she and her brother were removed from their home. She told investigators her mother called her into the living room, from her bedroom where she had been sleeping, and she saw Duncan wearing black gloves and holding a gun. She went on to say that her captor put nylon zip ties on the hands of her mother, her mother's boyfriend and an older brother. Dylan and Shasta were removed from the house and placed inside the stolen rental car. While she waited with her brother, she heard her mother's boyfriend scream out and then saw her older brother bloodied and staggering away from the entrance to the home. Further investigation of Shasta has revealed that both she and her brother Dylan were removed to other locations where they were repeatedly raped and molested during the six weeks of their captivity. The young girl indicated that they drove long distances and had stayed in various campgrounds while Duncan bragged of having beaten family members to death with a hammer.

Remains of a body consistent with the morphology of Dylan Groene were located in a remote and heavily forested area in the state of Montana. The victim's body was analyzed for a DNA match. It is now known that the body found was in fact that of 8 year old Dylan Groene.

External Links

• "Jet Duncan" - Website on Joseph E. Duncan III
• "Blogging the Fifth Nail" - Duncan's personal blog
• Google News search for Joseph Duncan