Duncan's grandmother speaks out about his death

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Duncan family told FOX10 News Joshua Duncan was a young man with special needs, and he was beginning to find some independence just before his death.

Duncan's grandmother said you could have found her grandson at the Cleveland House in Saraland every Thursday. It's a social center for people with special needs.

The Cleveland House Director, Robert McGgee, said Duncan would spend his time playing golf or bingo when he was there.

"I've taken it upon myself to cut out the word 'Josh' and put it on the Christmas tree, and it's in his memory," said McGhee.

Family and friends are desperate to find out what exactly happened to Duncan. Authorities believe Dennis Hicks was the last person to see Duncan alive.

Hicks is the man the Mobile County Sheriff's Office named a person of interest in Duncan's case. Authorites arrested Hicks November 30 for violating his parole. He is being questioned about Duncan's death.

Hicks served 25 years for a 1979 double homicide in Wayne county, Mississippi. Duncan's family said they didn't know of his criminal history until recently.

Hicks told authorites they got into an argument the day Duncan disappeared and that Duncan then left for a walk. Dorothy Hudson, Duncan's grandmother, said it doesn't make sense to her.

"Hicks said, 'Well, we got into a confrontation and left.' Joshua gets into confortations with people - that was part of his handicap - but when he walked off, he would have gone to a phone and would have said, 'Nana, come get me,'" said Hudson.

If Joshua did go for a walk, or if there was an conflict between the two, Hudson still wonders why he didn't come home that night.

"He could have come right by my house, put Joshua out and said, 'We were having a conflict. Go to your grandmother. I'll talk to you later.' All he had to do is bring him back to my house," said Hudson.

Duncan's family said they didn't know of Hicks' criminal history until recently.