Detectives testify, jury sees videos of investigation into death of infant

By Dennis McCaslin - Editor and Publisher

The trial of Rachael Dukes, a Van Buren woman charged with the death of her infant son in 2024, continued on Thursday, in Crawford County, Dukes is facing charges of first-degree murder and multiple counts of introducing a controlled substance into the body of another person, to which she has pleaded not guilty.

On Thursday, Detective Jason Wing and former Van Buren Detective Ray Allen took the stand, providing details of the methamphetamine investigation tied to the case. Their testimony focused on the steps taken by law enforcement following the death of Dukes’ three-month-old son, Greyson Ray Strickland, on March 30, 2024.

The court also viewed body camera footage from two separate police visits to Dukes’ home, which captured her evolving statements. Initially, Dukes claimed there had been no methamphetamine in the house for several months. Later, she suggested that a witness, Ashley Morse, might have brought the drugs into the home.

Ultimately, Dukes confessed on a third video to having methamphetamine in her possession on the day of Greyson’s death.

Court documents state that the investigation began after Greyson was found unresponsive. Dukes told police she had fed him a bottle and put him to bed, discovering the next morning that he was no longer breathing.

Despite attempts by neighbors and paramedics to revive him, he was pronounced dead at Baptist Health Hospital in Van Buren. A toxicology report revealed methamphetamine and amphetamine in the infant’s system, and the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory confirmed the presence of methamphetamine in the bottle he was fed.

Dukes initially denied knowing how the drugs entered her son’s system but later admitted to police that some methamphetamine she was holding had accidentally fallen into the bottle.

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Further evidence came from a search of Dukes’ phone, which uncovered instances of drug use and purchases. She reportedly acknowledged using and buying methamphetamine while her son was alive. An autopsy also identified a non-fatal skull fracture, which Dukes attributed to an accidental fall during a diaper change.

According to Justia, Arkansas law defines first-degree murder (Arkansas Code § 5-10-102) as a crime that could lead to life imprisonment without parole if intent is proven. The additional charges of introducing a controlled substance, classified as a Class Y felony, carry potential sentences of 10 to 40 years or life.

The prosecution must demonstrate that Dukes acted knowingly or purposefully, while her defense team, public defenders Arron Glass and Ashley James, contends that her actions, though tied to addiction and inconsistent statements, do not constitute murder.

Dukes remains in custody at the Crawford County Detention Center on a $150,000 bond.