Grandfather from Tennessee recently walked away from an Arkansas state park with a yellow diamond discovery
Finding gems in public parks remains a rare draw in a handful of U.S. destinations, and Arkansas is one of the best-known places where visitors can legally keep what they find. That played out at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, where a grandfather from Tennessee recently left with a 3.81-carat yellow diamond. Arkansas State Parks said the discovery was recorded on June 26, 2024.
A notable find at Crater of Diamonds State Park
Arkansas State Parks confirmed that David DeCook of Stewart County, Tennessee, found the 3.81-carat diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park on June 26. The agency said DeCook spotted the gem on top of the ground while visiting the 37.5-acre search area with his family. Park staff later identified it as a brownish yellow diamond and said it was the largest registered by a park visitor in 2024 at that point.
The park said DeCook named the gem the Duke Diamond after his dog, Duke. According to Arkansas State Parks, visitors at the Murfreesboro site regularly search the eroded surface for diamonds, quartz, garnet, and other minerals. The 3.81-carat size put this find among the more notable discoveries publicly announced by the park this year.
What the discovery means in Arkansas
The confirmed details are limited to the park’s announcement, but the location is clear. The diamond was found at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, which is the only Arkansas state park where the public can search for diamonds and keep them, according to Arkansas State Parks. The agency has not released additional personal details beyond identifying DeCook as a grandfather from Tennessee.
What is also known is that the park tracks and registers significant finds made by visitors. Arkansas State Parks said weather conditions such as rainfall can improve surface visibility, though the agency did not tie this specific June 26 find to a single storm event. No broader change in park operations or search rules was announced alongside DeCook’s discovery.
Why finds like this keep drawing travelers
Crater of Diamonds State Park has long attracted regional tourism because of its keep-what-you-find policy. Arkansas State Parks says the search field sits on the eroded surface of a volcanic crater, which is why diamonds are still discovered there by visitors. That geology, rather than any recent operational change, explains why travelers from neighboring states including Tennessee continue to visit the park.
For travelers and Arkansas residents, the practical takeaway is straightforward. Visitors to the Murfreesboro park can still search the 37.5-acre field under existing park rules, and noteworthy finds continue to be registered by staff when they occur. In this case, Arkansas State Parks confirmed that a Tennessee visitor left with a 3.81-carat yellow diamond, adding another recorded discovery to the park’s 2024 log.
