Stephen Grant

Case record: Stephen Grant

Timeline

• February 14, 2007 — Stephen Grant contacted the Macomb County sheriff's department and said he had not seen his 34-year-old wife, Tara Lynn Grant, since they argued February 9 about her frequent business trips overseas.
• February 9, 2007 — Stephen Grant and Tara Grant argued in their household about her frequent business trips overseas.
• February 9, 2007 — Tara Lynn Grant was last seen.
• Five days later (date not specified) — Stephen Grant reported Tara Grant missing.
• March 2, 2007 — After allowing deputies with a search warrant inside his home, Stephen Grant borrowed a friend's pickup truck and drove away; deputies found Tara Grant's torso in a container in the garage.
• February 21, 2007 (interview referenced; date of interview stated) — In an interview, Stephen Grant said he'd rather his wife were with another man "than come to any harm." He also said detectives warned him he was "the No. 1 suspect; the husband always is."
• Friday (date not specified; referenced in relation to the search and discovery) — Police found what authorities believed to be Tara Grant's torso in the garage of the couple's Washington Township, Michigan home.
• Friday night (date not specified; referenced in relation to his disappearance) — Stephen Grant remained missing after unlocking his house for deputies to execute their search warrant.
• Sunday, March 4, 2007 (found; date and time stated in report text) — Officials announced the capture of Stephen Grant after a manhunt; he was found in Emmet County at 6:50 a.m. inside the Wilderness State Park in northern Michigan, and officials said he was being treated for hypothermia and frostbite.
• Sunday, March 4, 2007 (hospital briefing; date and day referenced) — A hospital representative gave a briefing on Sunday afternoon about Stephen Grant's condition, which was described as improved from serious to stable.
• December 21, 2007 — Stephen Grant was found guilty of second degree murder.
• February 21, 2008 — Stephen Grant was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
• At sentencing (date not specified beyond sentencing date) — The judge called his actions “demonic, manipulative, barbaric and dishonest,” and he received additional years for mutilating the body to run concurrently with the longer sentence.

Background

Stephen Grant was a man whose case involved the murder and dismemberment of his wife, Tara Grant.

Tara Lynn Grant was an operations manager for a large construction firm and was later described as a systems manager whose job often took her overseas. Tara Grant worked for Washington Group International; she was employed as a manager in the San Juan office.

Stephen Grant and Tara Grant had two children, a 7-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy. Alicia Standerfer, Tara Grant's sister, described the children struggling with the loss of their mother at the hands of their father.

Stephen Grant reported Tara Grant missing after they argued February 9 about her frequent business trips overseas.

The offence

Stephen Grant was found guilty of second degree murder of his wife, Tara Grant, on December 21, 2007.

During the investigation and trial, authorities described a sequence in which Stephen Grant choked his wife, Tara, to death, then cut up her corpse in a machine shop.

Prosecutors had originally sought a first-degree murder conviction, but the jury found second-degree murder.

Grant was also charged with the murder and dismemberment of Tara Grant and received six to 10 years for mutilating the body.

Investigation

Police discovered what they believed to be Tara Grant's torso and other body parts in and around the couple's house in Washington Township, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.

Macomb County Medical Examiner Daniel Spitz said investigators turned over a thin, female torso that had been dismembered with "some type of sharp instrument." Spitz also said, "There doesn't appear to be any overt injuries besides dismemberment," and that DNA testing and other procedures would be done.

Investigators searched for other body parts beyond the torso. Hackel said investigators and search crews recovered more body parts, and later statements indicated remains were uncovered in Stony Creek Metropark.

Investigators turned over a thin, female torso and later conducted other procedures including DNA testing.

A jury heard testimony from the Grants' nanny, who said she had sex with Grant the night before he strangled his wife.

Recovery and searching

Deputies with a search warrant inside Grant's home recovered what authorities believed to be Tara Grant's torso in a container in the garage.

Officials picked up Grant's trail by tracking cell phone calls that led them to Wilderness State Park, more than 200 miles north. Stephen Grant was found hiding outdoors.

Authorities also searched areas including Stony Creek Metropark and searched roads near Stoney Creek Beach for more clues.

Hackel said there was not a legal basis to detain Grant until after the torso was found.

Hackel said detectives did not know if Tara Lynn Grant was killed in her home.

Arrest and capture

Stephen Grant was arrested in Bliss Township, Michigan at the Wilderness State Park in northern Michigan, some 225 miles from his home.

Officials announced the capture of Stephen Grant following a massive manhunt. The report described him being found in Emmet County at 6:50 a.m. Sunday inside the Wilderness State Park.

Local and federal law enforcement agencies found Stephen Grant inside the Wilderness State Park. Officials airlifted him to Northern Michigan Hospital for health concerns. A hospital representative briefed Sunday afternoon that Stephen Grant was being treated for hypothermia and frostbite, and that his condition had improved from serious to stable.

The hospital representative reported that Stephen Grant had been awake and alert and was being cooperative with hospital staff. Stephen Grant was expected to remain in the hospital at least one more day until his condition improved.

Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel said: "He wll be brought back here to answer charges in the murder of his wife Tara Lynn Grant."

Stephen Grant called his sister around 5 p.m. on Saturday to check on his children and police traced that call to northern Michigan, according to Hackel. Officials said they believed Stephen Grant was “hiding out” in a cabin, but he was found outdoors.

The yellow Dodge truck that Stephen Grant was last seen driving was located.

Trial

A jury found Stephen Grant guilty in December of second-degree murder.

Prosecutors sought a first-degree murder conviction, but the jury could not unanimously agree that Grant's actions were premeditated.

The defense was seeking a sentence of 15 to 25 years.

During the trial, the jury heard a graphic, three-hour recorded confession Grant gave while being treated for frostbite and hypothermia at a hospital.

Confession and media statements

Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel stated that Grant made a confession to investigators after being captured.

Stephen Grant also made statements during his interviews and to reporters.

Stephen Grant said: "I was the perfect mom -- not Tara."

Stephen Grant described his feelings and interactions with his wife in multiple interview statements, including:

• "I gave up."
• "She left the house angry."
• "My biggest concern was that I was going to have to explain to the kids the next day why their mother wasn't going to be there like she said she would."
• "Before she left, the last words she said to me were, 'don't forget to take my truck in on Monday' (for repairs),"
• "That really took the wind out of my sails. She was telling me that's all I was; it was like, 'You be the valet and take my car in.'"
• "All I could do was close the garage door."
• "I was done I was tired of bickering about the travel, and I gave up."
• "She left the house angry,"
• "I watched her leave through the garage and get into a dark car."
• "That's the last time I saw her."
• "I wouldn't do it."
• "I was a better mom than Tara was. There's no other way to put it. I was the mom in the house -- she was gone all the time. If the kids needed someone to take them to swimming, or school, or soccer practice, I took them."
• "I can't recall one time when she did that."
• There's no other way to put it."
• "Some of her family has said in the media how much she loved her kids, and how she would try to fly back in order to attend their functions,"
• "But that's not true.

During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors and the judge made remarks described in the record.

Prosecutor Eric Smith said: "Stephen Grant is evil personified."

Judge Diane Druzinski called his actions "demonic, manipulative, barbaric and dishonest."

Stephen Grant, on the advice of his lawyer, did not speak during sentencing.

Conflicting public narratives described in trial context

During interviews and public statements referenced in the record, Stephen Grant said he was not involved in his wife's disappearance and described being offended that people thought he killed her.

Stephen Grant said: "That's what I would think when I watched cases like this." He also said: "When Laci Peterson came up missing (in 2002), I was sure her husband (Scott) did it." He said: "But now I'm on the other side of it." He said: "I know people think I had something to do with why Tara is missing,"

He said: "But I didn't do it".

Sentencing

Stephen Grant was sentenced to 50 years in prison on February 21, 2008.

Macomb County Circuit Judge Diane Druzinski agreed with the prosecution recommendation of a sentence of 50 to 80 years for the killing. The judge called Grant's actions "demonic, manipulative, barbaric and dishonest."

Stephen Grant also received six to 10 years for mutilating the body, to run concurrently with the longer sentence.

The judge's remarks included calling Grant's actions “demonic, manipulative, barbaric and dishonest.”

At the sentencing hearing, Stephen Grant showed little emotion.

Alicia Standerfer, Tara Grant's sister, described how the couple's two young children were struggling with the loss of their mother. Standerfer said: "He's so much of a coward, he doesn't even look me in the eye in the courtroom," after the hearing.

Appeals

No appeal information was included in the provided case summary.

Outcome

Stephen Grant was found guilty of second degree murder on December 21, 2007 of his wife.

He was sentenced to 50 years in prison on February 21, 2008.

Because he was found guilty of second degree murder, and not the first degree murder charge prosecutors had originally sought, he was eligible for parole.

Other details

Arrest timing and interaction with law enforcement during the search

Grant contacted the Macomb County sheriff's department on February 14, 2007 and said he had not seen his wife since they argued February 9 about her frequent business trips overseas.

On March 2, after allowing deputies with a search warrant inside his home, Grant borrowed a friend's pickup truck and drove away.

Officers pulled Grant over about one mile from his Washington Township home on Friday afternoon, placed him in the back of a squad car for about 20 minutes, then let him get into his Jeep.

With squad cars following him, Grant drove to his home in Washington Township where several law enforcement officials who were searching his home greeted him. At that time, Grant was not being apprehended and was free to walk his property.

Search details

During the search, a garage window was covered with a tarp and plywood.

Investigators searched a three quarter square mile area and uncovered quite a bit of remains. Hackel said the search would end at dark and start early on Sunday, and that five K-9 dogs would be brought in to assist in finding the rest of the remains.

Authorities reported that officers recovered what they believe to be Tara Grant's torso during a search, and they later recovered more body parts, with investigators not specifying the type of parts.

Medical condition after capture

Officials described hypothermia and frostbite. A hospital representative stated his condition improved from serious to stable and that he was awake, alert, and cooperative with hospital staff.

Charges mentioned outside the conviction

The record described that Stephen Grant was charged with open murder and dismemberment of a corpse in connection with the initial charging described in the reporting.

Family members and relationships

Stephen Grant's wife was named Tara Lynn Grant.

Stephen Grant's sister was Kelly Utykanski.

Tara Grant's sister was Alicia Standerfer.

Brandi Schultz was described as a neighbor who saw Grant almost daily at the bus stop.

The Grants' nanny testified at trial that she had sex with Grant the night before he strangled his wife.

Marriage history and dispute narrative included in interviews

The record included statements about Stephen Grant's frustration with his wife's frequent business trips overseas, and his statements about conflicts over "who was boss" and "who was going to run the household."

Stephen Grant said he and Tara stayed platonic friends for a few months after they met and that she turned him down and said she had a boyfriend from up north where she was from. He said: "that's like kind of being pregnant -- either he's your boyfriend or not." He said he respected that and they were just friends at first.

The record stated that Stephen and Tara married in September 1996.

It stated that in November, 2000, Tara gave birth to a daughter, and in November 2002 she had a son, with Stephen describing the son as a surprise.

Comment about lawyer and police interactions during the investigation described in reporting

Stephen Grant's lawyer was David Griem.

Stephen Grant volunteered to join in a search last week, but the offer was withdrawn when Griem read Hackel's earlier comment that perhaps Grant could point out the body.

Hackel and Griem publicly dueled over turning over evidence, with the sheriff complaining of foot-dragging and Griem saying he would deal only through faxed requests and questions because of the department's attitude and tactics.

Griem denounced the search as legally flimsy media grandstanding and vowed on television to put the warrant "where the sun don't shine."

Lawyer’s account of attempted suicide concerns

The record described that Griem said he took two calls from Grant and believed Grant had killed himself: "I think he's gone."

Griem said Grant turned down repeated pleas to meet in the calls from a pay phone at an unidentified hotel.

Griem said Grant was "increasingly emotionally distraught" and had "a hard time getting sentences out coherently" and was "rambling."

Griem said he was telling Grant the reasons to live, including "a little 4-year-old and a little 6-year-old."

Other interview and quoted statements

Stephen Grant told The News he was offended because Tara treated him like a "valet," and he said she was a bad mother because she didn't spend enough time with their two young children.

Stephen Grant said his life was "surreal like I'm walking around in a dream."

The record included that Tara Grant worked for Washington Group International, described as an Idaho-based construction company, and she was a systems manager whose job often took her overseas.

Prior criminal charge coverage referenced in reporting

The record stated that Stephen Grant was captured after police searched for him following a manhunt.

Capture location, distance, and description

He was arrested in Bliss Township, Michigan at the Wilderness State Park in northern Michigan, some 225 miles from his home.

Specific factual description of his attire when found

He was found hiding under a tree and wearing only a shirt, slacks and socks in 14-degree weather.