Convicted killer's father commits suicide

DETROIT, June 15 (UPI) -- The father of convicted killer Stephen Grant has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a medical examiner in Michigan says.

Macomb County Medical Examiner Daniel Spitz said William "Al" Grant, 66, apparently committed suicide at his home in Cupac, Mich., The Detroit News reported Sunday.

Lt. Jim Terpenning of the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office said Grant contacted police to tell them of his suicidal intentions shortly before killing himself Saturday.

"He said he wanted to report a suicide," Terpenning said. "Our deputy pulled up to the house and was starting to check out the location when he heard a single gunshot."

Grant's son, Stephen, was convicted last December of strangling his wife Tara and using a hacksaw to dismember her body, the News reported.

Landscaping company owner Bryan Buero said the elder Grant had been having a tough time dealing with his son's actions and subsequent 50- to 80-year prison sentence.

"His (second) wife died just six months before his son did what he did," Buero told the newspaper.