Suvechha Sarkar
Tara Lynn Grant was an ambitious woman, a dutiful wife, and a loving mother who seemed to have it all. However, she tragically went missing in February 2007, sending shockwaves through the community and leaving her family searching for answers. Investigation soon revealed a darker truth when her remains were found a few days later. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Betrayed: Beware the Au Pair’ explores the events that led to her murder and how the person closest to her was responsible for her untimely demise. It also features interviews with the officials and details on how, ultimately, justice was served.
Tara Grant’s Life Was Defined by Her Devotion to Work and Family
Tara Lynn Destrampe was born on June 28, 1972, in Delta County of Perkins, Michigan, and brought immense joy to the lives of her parents, Mary and Gerald Destrampe. Growing up, she was surrounded by the love of her parents and her sister, Alicia Standerfer. She was always a bright student, immersing herself in activities like basketball, cheerleading, and performing in the school band as a clarinet player. Tara also became interested in 4-H shooting sports and earned a state award. After graduating from Mid Peninsula High School in 1990, Tara pursued higher education at Bay de Noc Community College and then transferred to Michigan State University (MSU). There, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1995.
Tara entered the professional world by joining Washington Group International. Over twelve years, her diligence and professionalism helped her climb the ladder, culminating in her role as an Operations Manager. Tara had also completed the company’s prestigious “Leap Program” for high-potential employees, and her future seemed brighter than ever. Side-by-side, her personal life had also been exceptionally fulfilling. Tara met her partner, Stephen Christopher Grant, at a party, and they quickly became friends. Their relationship blossomed when the latter surprised her at her home when her grandfather passed away. Soon after, they shared their forever vows and welcomed their daughter, Lindsey, and son, Ian, into this world. Tara worked hard to provide for her family, and her world revolved around them.
Tara’s Remains Were Found in Her Garage and a Wooded Area
Everything was going perfectly when Tara’s life turned upside down on February 9, 2007. Her most recent work assignment was in Puerto Rico. Having returned, she called Stephen from the airport, informing him she had to go to work that Sunday. The following day, he called her again, only for it to reach voicemail. On February 14, 2007, he went to the police to file a missing persons report for Tara. He claimed that after she returned home on Friday, February 9, they had allegedly argued about her work. He added that she later placed a call and went away in a dark car. As the officials began searching for her, they came up with dead ends since her cell phone and cards had not been used since she was last seen.
Having nowhere else to look, investigators began searching a wooded and snow-covered Stony Creek Metro Park on February 24, 2007, but to no avail. Shortly after, a woman who was walking her dog near the area reportedly discovered a plastic bag with noticeable blood. Upon inspection, forensic experts found human blood and dog hair inside it. Since the latter matched with Tara’s family dog, they searched her home in Macomb County of Washington, Michigan, on March 2, 2007. To their horror, they discovered her torso in a plastic bag, which was kept in a bin in the garage. They found several of her remains during their second search at the creek on the following day. The autopsy determined her cause of death to be strangulation. It also revealed signs of struggle from the bruises on several parts of her body.
Circumstantial Evidence and a Shocking Confession Brought the Killer to Light
When the investigation began on February 14, 2007, Stephen claimed that he suspected Tara of having an affair with her boss. However, questioning the latter revealed that he had last met her at the airport, following which he returned home and went to sleep. Over the last few months, Tara had several au pairs (young foreign people who provide childcare for boarding and allowance) to help Stephen. Her husband was a stay-at-home dad but wanted to work on his own schedule at his father’s tools and dye shop. Their then au pair, Verena Dierkes, also informed the police that Stephen had told her that Tara had left. On February 16, 2007, a reporter learned from his co-worker that the latter dated a woman, Dina, who used to date Stephen. His acquaintance even shared some of the e-mails that Tara’s husband had sent her.
When Dina was questioned, she denied having any knowledge about Tara. On February 20, police once again reached out to Verena along with other au pairs who had worked at her home previously. One of them, Claudine, revealed that she had met Tara one month prior at a restaurant, where she had asked her to be careful. She added that Stephen had a peephole pointing to her room. Ultimately, the search warrant of their home uncovered Tara’s torso. During the search, Stephen had borrowed a vehicle from a friend and fled the area. On March 3, 2007, he called his sister, stating that he was going to Wilderness State Metropark to commit suicide. Officials found him dehydrated, hypothermic, and under the influence of alcohol and pills, and arrested him on March 4, 2007.
Stephen reportedly gave a confession on how Tara threatened to leave him and take the kids during their argument on February 9. He stated how he strangled Tara and took her remains to his father’s shop for dismemberment. Stephen then reportedly left with the remains for the creek. When the police announced a search in the area, he reportedly brought her torso back home and hid it in the garage. Upon questioning Verena, detectives discovered she and Stephen were having an affair, and on the morning of that fateful day, his daughter walked in. Hence, they believed he ended up killing Tara when she caught him and threatened to leave along with the kids. Stephen was charged with open murder (can be tried as either first-degree or second-degree murder at trial).
Stephen Grant is Serving His Time at a Michigan Correctional Facility Today
Stephen’s jury trial for the murder of Tara began in December 2007, along with an additional charge of disinterment and mutilation of dead bodies. The prosecution reportedly presented the recorded confession that he gave, along with multiple evidence. On the other hand, the defense reportedly argued that the strangulation occurred in the heat of a domestic dispute rather than a calculated murder. Moreover, they reportedly challenged the admissibility of Stephen’s confession, claiming that it was given under duress – hypothermia, frostbite, and the influence of pills and alcohol.
On December 21, 2007, the jury found Stephen guilty of second-degree murder and the mutilation of dead bodies charge. They declined the first-degree murder charge due to insufficient evidence of premeditation. On February 21, 2008, he was sentenced to a combined term of 50 to 80 years for the first charge and 6 to 10 years for the second charge. Although Stephen had appealed his conviction based on the venue, confession admissibility, and wrongful jury damage, all of them were denied, and his convictions were upheld. Currently, Stephen is serving his time at Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee County, Michigan.
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