Tara Lynn Grant
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Tara Lynn Grant (1973-February 9, 2007) was a woman from Washington Township, Michigan who was allegedly murdered by her husband, Stephen Grant, in February 2007. Her case gained large attention, both in Michigan and the United States.
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[edit] The Case
On February 14, 2007 Stephen Grant notified the Macomb County Sheriff's office in Macomb County Michigan to report that his wife, Tara Lynn Grant was missing.[1] After interviewing Grant, authorities discovered a period of 5 days had lapsed between the time Grant had last seen his wife and when he notified police of her disappearance. Grant explained it was not the first time his wife had disappeared and, therefore, he didn't immediately notify police. Grant told police that on the evening of February 9, 2007 he had overheard his wife talking with someone on the phone, telling them, "I'll meet you at the end of the driveway". Grant said he saw his wife get into a dark colored vehicle which then drove off. He told police he had not seen or heard from his wife since that evening.
Throughout the investigation, Stephen Grant made numerous television appearances, at times accusing authorities of harassment. The day after reporting his wife missing, Grant was stopped by police and arrested for driving on a suspended license. Grant accused the police of using the traffic arrest solely as an excuse to take him into custody and question him about his wife's disappearance. Police vehemently denied the accusation.
Authorities, working diligently around the clock, were able to bring the search for Tara Lynn Grant to a close in just over 2 weeks. On March 2, 2007 a search warrant was executed at the Grant home in Washington Township and a portion of her dismembered body was discovered in the garage. An arrest warrant for open murder was immediately issued for Stephen Grant. On March 4, 2007, after tracking a cell phone call made to his sister, Grant was located in northern Michigan's Wilderness State Park. He was found to be suffering from weather related injuries and, after being taken into custody, he was airlifted to an area hospital. According to authorities, Grant gave a complete and detailed confession saying he had strangled his wife before dismembering her body. An autopsy performed by the Macomb County coroner's office confirmed strangulation as the cause of Tara Lynn Grant's death and determined she was likely killed on February 9, 2007.
Stephen Grant is currently being held without bond in the Macomb County Jail.
[edit] Stephen Grant's Disappearance and Capture
According to police, Stephen Grant was less than cooperative with them throughout their investigation. He refused to answer questions. However, he did agree to take a polygraph test, as long as it was administered by someone other than the police. On March 2, 2007, police executed a search warrant at the home of Stephen and Tara Grant in Washington Township Michigan. A human torso, believed to be that of Tara Grant, was found in the garage. An open murder arrest warrant was immediately issued for Stephen Grant. Grant, however, was nowhere to be found. He had fled the area in a pick up truck he borrowed from an unsuspecting friend. On March 4, 2007, a cell phone call Grant made to his sister was tracked and he was located 280 miles away in Emmet County, Michigan. With the assistance of a United States Coast Guard helicopter crew, he was pursued and captured by local, state, and federal authorities while hiding in the Wilderness State Park. Clad only in pants, shirt, and socks in the frigid northern Michigan weather, Grant was suffering from minor frostbite and hypothermia at the time of his capture.[2] He was taken into custody and airlifted to Northern Michigan Hospital where he was hospitalized for a brief period of time. According to authorities, during his hospitalization Grant gave a full confession, explaining in detail how he had first fought with Tara Grant before strangling her.[3][4] He said he then took the body to a family owned tool and die shop where it was dismembered. He said he then took the remains to nearby Stony Creek Metro Park[5] in Shelby Township and disposed of the body parts there. However, upon learning that police would soon be conducting a search in that area, Grant returned to the Metro Park and recovered the torso of Tara Grant. He returned home and hid the remains in black plastic garbage bags in the garage.
To date, Stephen Grant has not provided authorities with a motive for the alleged murder of his wife. He was released from Northern Michigan Hospital and was transported back to Macomb County by a convoy of Sheriff Deputies. On March 6, 2007 Grant was formally charged with count one homicide, murder in the first degree that is premeditated and with count two disinterment and/or mutilation of a dead body. The charge of count one homicide in the first degree that is premeditated is punishable by life in prison. The charge of disinterment, dismemberment, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a $5,000 fine or both.
[edit] Media Coverage
Grant's murder has gained strong media coverage, in Michigan as well as the entire United States. During the search, Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel told the public that he would hold a press conference each day during the search, until Tara was eventually found. After Stephen Grant's arrest, the story was featured on Larry King Live and Court TV.
On March 12th, 2007 the defense request for a gag order was rejected. [6]
[edit] References
- ^ Who is Tara Grant? (online). The Detroit News (February 24, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
- ^ Stephen Grant Hospitalized With Frostbite, Hypothermia. online. WDIV Detroit (March 5, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
- ^ Finally, he admits it: Grant faces 1st-degree murder charge (online). The Detroit News (March 6, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
- ^ Michigan man reportedly confesses to killing, dismembering wife (online). The Associated Press (March 5, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
- ^ Esparza, Santiago (March 10, 2007). Hundreds gather at Stony Creek Metropark to remember Tara (online). The Detroit News. Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
- ^ Gag Order Denied In Grant Case (online). WDIV Detroit (March 12, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-13.
