Voice of the Oakland County Child Killer? − Part I
By Heather Catallo
Web produced by Sarah Morgan
April 30, 2006
It's the case that has haunted southeast Michigan for decades.
Michael
Dean Grant has already been convicted of killing a young child and
now
his own son is asking if he could be the Oakland County Child
Killer.
Action News has uncovered Grant's strange conversation with an
innocent
child that was recorded on tape.
Parts of the audio tape give clues as to when and where the
mysterious
performance was recorded.
The tape was likely made in southeast Michigan − possibly
Southfield.
In the background − you can hear what appears to be a CB
transmission.
It sounds like Michael Dean Grant is talking into the tape recorder
with a three year old boy. The question of when − could be answered
by
this:
Grant: "What do you watch on television?"
Child: "Incredible hulk!"
Re: Voice of the Oakland County MI Child Killer? − Part I
Re: Voice of the Oakland County MI Child Killer? − Part I 1
The Hulk was a hit show in the late 1970's.
Another hint as to when this was recorded is the radio that's
playing
in the background. The radio station, WWJ FM 97, used those call
letters in the Detroit area during the '70's.
So who is the man behind this voice and why does his own son want to
know if he could have been involved in the Oakland County Child
Killings?
Back in 1970, Michael Dean Grant was convicted in Indiana for
savagely
beating his girlfriend's 3−year−old son to death.
Two years before that, prison records show, he was also the prime
suspect in the death of another woman's 18−month−old son.
But Grant later escaped from prison and fled to Michigan with a new
girlfriend. The couple had a son and lived on the run for 24 years.
The now 65−year−old Grant is back behind bars in Indiana and his own
son believes this convicted killer may have murdered other children.
Because of his father's violent past and where they lived during the
mid−1970's, Chip St. Clair says his dad could be the notorious
Oakland
County Child Killer.
"With the Oakland County Child Killings occurring in the exact time
in
the same area where my parents lived...people suggesting that my
father
tried to abduct them during that time period," said St. Clair.
Chip suspects he's the 3−year−old on this tape talking with Grant.
"When I hear his voice, it makes me − makes me cringe. He is the
voice
of absolute cruelty," said St. Clair.
Chip says Grant tried to kill him several times as a child and he
had
to endure decades of beatings.
"He'd grab me from behind and plunge me under water and stand on my
back, hold me under there," said St. Clair.
After the Oakland County Child Killer abducted each of his victims
the
children were held for several days before they were murdered.
Re: Voice of the Oakland County MI Child Killer? − Part I
Re: Voice of the Oakland County MI Child Killer? − Part I 2
That's
why the killer was dubbed "the babysitter."
Chip St. Clair worries that at one point−his father may have had
other
children in his care.
Chip found the audio tape inside a trunk that was left behind in his
father's apartment after Grant was sent back to prison. He also
found
baby teeth, hair, jewelry and photos of other children that he
doesn't
recognize.
As it currently stands, Michael Dean Grant is due to get out of
prison
next year.
Grant did not want to comment on this story.
Detectives say they are planning to question him about the Oakland
County case soon.
As for the audio tape, Monday on Action News at 6 p.m. − you'll hear
even more of this disturbing conversation between this killer and a
child.
Do you have a link to this Anne? I was doing some internet searching
and I can't find this news article. There's a lot of stuff out there.
Chocolic