Stephen Grant confesses killing, dismembering his wife

From his hospital bed in Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey, Stephen Grant has reportedly confessed to killing and dismembering his wife, Tara Lynn Grant.

Grant, who repeatedly told reporters he had nothing to do with the disappearance of his 34-year-old spouse (shown), fled to the Mackinac area of Northern Michigan after her dismembered remains were found in and near their house in a house in a suburb of Detroit.

Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel told a news conference today that Grant confessed on videotape to slaying Tara while their two young children, aged four and six, were sleeping in their home.

"He told how he caused her death and dismemberment and that he went to Stony Creek Park and discarded the body itself," said Hackel.

In Petoskey, emergency room physician Dr. John Bednar said there is little probability of permanent injury from the frostbite suffered by Grant.

He said that Grant would likely be released from hospital today, after which he'll be brought back to Macomb County to face charges.

Grant is "awake, alert, calm and cooperative," Bednar said.

Other facts about the case, as compiled by SooToday.com from Michigan news outlets:

- Tara Grant grew up on a small farm in the Upper Peninsula, just outside of Escanaba. (Detroit Free Press).

- The Grant family included a six-year-old daughter and four-year-old son. (Detroit News).

- Grant was found shoeless yesterday morning, trying to hide under a tree in Emmett Township at the northern tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. (Detroit News).

- He had spent eight hours outside; temperatures had fallen to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. (Detroit News).

- Grant did not put up any resistance while cornered, It does not appear that he was in sufficient physical condition to have done so. (Detroit Free Press).

- Although the temperatures were well below freezing, Grant was captured in a shirt, pants and socks - nothing else. (Detroit Free Press)

- Law enforcement had tracked down Grant by tracing a telephone conversation between him and his sister. (ClickOnDetroit.com)

- "I don't think he could have made it much longer," Emmet County Sheriff Pete Wallin Wallin said, adding that "I wouldn't have wanted to be out there." (Detroit News).

- Grant was not carrying any weapons, but had taken out money from his bank account. (Detroit News).

- David Griem, who was Grant's lawyer, told The Detroit News on Saturday that he thought Grant had committed suicide after two telephone conversations earlier that morning. By Sunday, Griem was stating that he had resigned as Grant's lawyer.(Detroit News)

- After being captured and sent to the hospital, Grant told the media that he loves and misses his children. (Detroit News).

- Grant's children are staying with an aunt and uncle. As of yesterday, they had not been told that their mother is dead, according to their uncle, Chris Utykanski. He's the husband of Stephen's sister Kelly. (Detroit Free Press).

- The uncle will tell the children in the presence of family and a professional counselors. (Detroit Free Press).

- Although Tara Grant had been missing for at least three weeks, it wasn't until the discovery of a bloody plastic bag in the woods near the Grant home, that police and prosecutors had enough to obtain a search warrant in the case. (Detroit News)

- Police obtained a search warrant to check out the Grant home after a neighbour discovered a bloody Ziploc bag in a nearby wooded area, containing metal shavings, latex gloves and human blood. (Detroit News)

- Grant works at a tool and die shop owned by his father.(Detroit News)

- Police say that the metal shavings were consistent with what would be found in a tool and die shop, leading to speculation that Tara's body may have been dismembered there.

Earlier SooToday.com coverage of this story

Man wanted for dismembering wife captured at Mackinac Coast Guard statement on dismembering suspect arrest