A Slaying In The Suburbs by glupita046 on emaze

A Slaying In The Suburbs

The Tara Grant Murder

By; Steve Miller and Andrea Billups

Summary

Steven and Tara Grant appeared to the outside world to be the “perfect” couple, two kids, a dog, an au pair, a nice house in the suburbs. Tara was attractive and vivacious, and Steven is also attractive and up until the murder of his wife, Tara.

On February 9, 2007 Tara Grant was planning on returning home to Michigan from Puerto Rico. She arrived home no later than 10 pm, the kids were asleep when Steve called out to get her attention, but she was distracted as she had her earbuds in listening to music on her iPod. Steve then got her attention as he went down to meet up with her in the family room. Tara sited that she was going to return to Puerto Rico on Sunday morning for a business meeting, Steve replied " No, not okay" that launched another argument which led to a tragic accident. Steve had an assumption that Tara was having an affair with her manager. With this They both insulted each other , then Tara slapped Steve. Steve infuriated hit Tara back pushing her down to the floor. Tara got up and started accusing Grant she was going to leave and tell the cops about his abuse towards her. Tara also threatened Grant of taking the kids away from him and filing divorce papers. Steve wasn't going to let this happen. He grabbed Tara's neck and squeezed begging for her to stop talking. The choke when on for several minutes, and by then, Grant knew she was dead. He had strangled her for too long. After the murder Steve went to the dinning room and wept. Steve had to figure out what he was going to tell everyone about Tara, and most important how he was going to get rid of the body.

Murder

Steve decided to take her body to his workshop USG Babbit, to dismember it.

Grant planned of a lie to tell his and Tara's family about her disappearance.

Cutting her into 13 pieces, Grant placed her body parts in different black plastic bags.

Hid the bags of Tara's dismembered body under the 5 inches of snow in Northern Michigan's Wilderness State Park.

He hid the biggest body part "the torso" in a blue container in his garage, thinking no one would find it.

On February 14, 2007 Steve reported to the Macomb County jail that his wife Tara was missing. Steve was a victim. Search warrants were issued to search Grants home & work office.

Steve fled his home after the search warrants were approved. Scared for his life about what was going to get revealed. He attempted suicide, Steve was found laying on the snow in the woods.

Steve woke up in a hospital handcuffed to his bed. After thinking through the fact that he was going to jail after all, he decided to confess his crime to the officers.

Steve was in jail one year waiting for his sentencing trail which occurred in late February.

Trail

On count one, second degree murder, the judge handed down a sentence of fifty to eighty years, with credit for 354 days, Steve would be eighty eight before he could apply for parole.

On count two, mutilation of a corpse, he received six to ten years with 354 days credit.

Grant was also charged $41,000 to cover the cost of his legal teams. He will not be eligible for a parole hearing until 2058.

His sister Kelly, was the only who would visit him, after the suicide of his father William Al Grant on June 13, 2008 due to stress of coping with his fallout from his son's crime.

To this day Stephen Grant is still serving his sentence for the second degree murder of his wife Tara Lynn Grant.

Alicia, Tara Grant's sister won custody of their two children Lindsey and Ian.

Brief Passage

" Everyone thought the Grant family was living the American dream, everyone was wrong!"

" Tara's letter to Steve also hints at trouble behind the scenes. The long loving relationship that had been so admired by their friends and colleagues was perhaps not all that it could be or seemed to be."

" For almost as long as we had been married, Tara had told me that I was worthless, that no one else would want me, that she was the best thing that ever happened to me. I believed her Steve says." (Tara saw herself as the most important in the relationship)

The Grant family portrayed themselves as a perfect loving and wealthy family. Showing off their lives of a so called " American Dream" With good paying jobs and a good house they both wanted. Steve was jealous of Tara's job, she always traveled and he stayed home babysitting their kids. That grew anger in Steve also the fact that Tara cheated on him with her ex for 2 years. They weren't the perfect family after all. The Grant family never talked or shared their problems with anyone else. There are many families who want to live the "American Dream" without knowing that that can be the cause to their death.

Connections

This book was written by Steve Miller a news reporter for the Dallas Morning News and the Washington Times.

Another author is Andrea Billups, a Midwest based national reporter for the Washington Times.

This is based on a true story. I couldn't find any connections that was inspired by the book. But I believe this was written due to the population that was interested in this murder. Also because this was one of the most gruesome murders in Michigan.

Inspirations

A Slaying in The Suburbs has inspired me a lot not because I like crime books but also because one day I dream to be a detective in homicide. This book really grew my interest in one day becoming one. It really impacted me on how they pretended to live the "American Dream" that turned into a tragic. There are many families who want to live the "American Dream" without knowing that that can cause to their death.

Recommendation

I would recommend this book to families who claim to live the "American dream" because not every american dream is perfect. And for students who are interested in the criminal justice field. This book can give you a look into what a life of a criminal/murderer and a police officer or detective all depend on.