Ohio man convicted of killing wife, dumping part of body at McDonald's near Ann Arbor to be released
A man convicted of killing his wife, dismembering her body and dumping parts of it at a McDonald's restaurant outside Ann Arbor and at other Washtenaw County locations will be released from prison next month, the Toledo Blade reports.
Prosecutors alleged Thomas Craft killed his wife, Lynnette, in June 1999, dismembered her body and left the parts in several locations, including a McDonald's restaurant Dumpster at the Zeeb Road exit from I-94 in Scio Township.
As the result of a plea deal, Thomas Craft was sentenced in April 2000 to 10 years in prison for murder and one year each for abuse of a corpse and possession of criminal tools.
Upon prison release, Craft will enter a five-year period of supervision at a halfway house in Ohio, the Blade reported.
Craft said that his wife had killed herself and that he dismembered her body and disposed of it to keep his young sons from learning about the suicide.
Comments
CincoDeMayo
Wed, May 18, 2011 : 1:18 a.m.
It doesn't even seem like 10 years ago. And, it was just a fluke the McDonald's employee discovered it. From what I remember they just thought something was fishy with the weight of the garbage bag....
Ann English
Tue, May 17, 2011 : 10:45 p.m.
Sounds like the Craft boys didn't witness their mother's murder. But Stephen Grant's children did watch him kill Tara. Washington Township, where the Grants lived, is in Macomb County. Stephen Grant was sentenced to 50-80 years in prison, and he lost his final appeal.
jns131
Sat, May 21, 2011 : 12:33 p.m.
Now I am wondering if Grant will get out in ten. Even though he has lost his final appeal. Sounds like you need to do the dirty deed in Ohio and do time in Michigan. Although Ohio does have the death penalty. Interesting.
jns131
Tue, May 17, 2011 : 2:01 p.m.
How much time did that other guy get for dismembering her body? The one over in Detroit somewhere? It was highly publicized a few years back. Just wondering if they are letting the worse crime offenders go first.
Ann English
Tue, May 17, 2011 : 10:35 p.m.
That was Stephen Grant, of Washington Township, wherever that is in the Detroit area . I think he got life imprisonment for killing and dismembering Tara Grant.
Lynn Liston
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 6:40 p.m.
I live not too far from that MacD's and remember the shock and fear that entered our neighborhood when the Neighborhood Watch notification went out to members that body parts were being found in our area, and my own personal anxiety about being safe in my own home, followed by the sadness of learning the details of this woman's heinous death. I can't believe that he only got 10 years for her murder and that he is now being released. He took from her far more than 10 years of her life and emotionally scarred their children for the rest of their lives. This is justice?
glimmertwin
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 5:47 p.m.
I remember this as well. Amazing - he kills his wife and spends less time in jail than I have spent in SE Michigan. When criminals have no fear of justice, there is no justice.
EyeHeartA2
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 5:01 p.m.
10 years? That's just crazy. I know some people that go to college for longer than that.
MyOpinion
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 3:55 p.m.
So, if he hadn't cut her body up or had criminal tools, he would have had an even shorter sentence. Seems like a short sentence.
Marshall Applewhite
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 2:42 p.m.
I remember this story. Wasn't it a foot that they found in the trash can at McDonald's?
Michigan Reader
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 10:13 p.m.
@Forever27--There may have been scarce evidence of premeditation, or even scarce evidence of murder, so the prosecutor got what he could regarding prison time. If the prosecutor had gone to trial and lost, Craft could have walked. Remember, "Proof beyond a reasonable doubt."
Forever27
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 3:03 p.m.
they found some part of her body at the McDonald's. They also found parts over at the rest stop between Baker and Zeeb on I-94. This was a pretty big deal, and I'm surprised he only got 10 years. The prosecutor on this trial must really have been terrible at their job. You'd think this would have been a slam dunk for life without parrol.
tom swift jr.
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 2:41 p.m.
Every day I lose more faith in our system.
jns131
Tue, May 17, 2011 : 1:59 p.m.
I already have. Our system continues to fail us and we continue to wonder how we got this far as a society as a whole. Scary.
Grace1
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 1:55 p.m.
How unfair the justice system can be at times. I hope Lynnette's Law will pass for all the victims and families involved in such a despicable, inhumane crime.
Forever27
Mon, May 16, 2011 : 1:45 p.m.
I'm so glad that we're letting this man out of prison to make room for all of those dangerous marijuana dealers. It's great to have our priorities in order as a society.