Evil Lives Here is examining the disturbing crimes of James Robert “Bob” Duke, who killed his wife, Liana Mae Duke, and his young son, Erik Duke, at the Flaming Gorge Reservoir near Green River, Wyoming.
On August 10, 1996, Duke contacted the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Department, claiming his wife, 22-year-old Liana, and 5-year-old Erik had fallen off a cliff.
Duke told the cops that he had gone back to his car for a drink when he heard Liana scream. He supposedly rushed back to the cliff edge and saw his wife and son’s battered remains below.
The police officers were suspicious of Duke and noted how he didn’t appear upset that his family had just been killed. However, despite their suspicions, the deaths were ruled an accident. Duke pocketed $60,000 from their life insurance policies.
In 1999, Duke’s longtime friend Roger Brauberger went to the police, claiming Duke had offered him money to kill his parents, Larry and Roberta Duke. He also said that a few years previously, Duke had asked him to kill Liana and Erik.
Duke and Brauberger had been close friends since childhood, but Brauberger had seemingly decided his conscience couldn’t let his friend get away with murder. He later said he was haunted after helping to carry Erik’s coffin at the funeral.
Police taped Bob Duke plotting to have his parents killed
The Green River PD teamed up with the Sweetwater County Sheriff and the FBI to arrest Duke. Brauberger agreed to tape three conversations where he and Duke discussed how he and Duke’s brother, Mike Duke, would kill Larry and Roberta Duke. The Duke brothers had decided to kill their parents and cash in their life insurance policies.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelDuke was arrested before his third conversation with Brauberger was completed.
Brauberger had tried but failed to get Duke to confess to killing Liana and Erik on tape; however, Brauberger alleged that he had previously said, “I’ve done family before, and I didn’t like it.”
The case against Duke was bolstered when his ex-girlfriend Crystal Robinson testified that they had an affair, and when she asked him why he didn’t divorce Liana, he said he wanted a way out that didn’t involve paying life support.
Bob Duke serving life in prison for murder of Liana and Erik Duke
Eventually, Duke was convicted of killing Liana and Erik and was also found guilty of soliciting theirs and his parents’ murders. He was given six life sentences.
Duke continued to maintain his innocence, claiming he was only joking in the recorded conversations.
On his conviction, Duke spoke about accusations that he had shown no grief for his family, stating, “I am sorry that my grief did not meet the expectations of the public. But my thoughts are my thoughts.” The killer added, “If I had anything to hide, I would have accepted a plea bargain and avoided going to trial.”
Prosecutor Harold Moneyhun later spoke about how he hated Duke and was badly affected by the case. Moneyhun said, “Maybe it was because there was a child involved. Maybe it was because the case was so old and Duke seemed so arrogant, and I just felt like he had gotten away with it for so long.”
Evil Lives Here airs Sundays at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery.