Demerest "Duke" Buchanan is the son of Kevin Buchanan and LeeAnn Demerest. On the rebound from a failed romance with Stephanie Hobart, Kevin becomes involved with LeeAnn. They sleep together and LeeAnn becomes pregnant; Kevin finds out in 1992, and he and LeeAnn elope. Their son Duke is born in 1992, but their marriage crumbles over her closeness with Jason Webb. Kevin and LeeAnn divorce, and at one point in the fierce custody battle LeeAnn insists Duke is Max Holden's son. LeeAnn ultimately leaves town for Texas with Duke in 1993.