Police said the woman suffered a severe head injury inside a home near Middlebelt Road.
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — A man was taken into custody Tuesday after police said his grandmother was fatally injured during a domestic violence-related assault inside a Farmington Hills home.
Police said officers were called around 7:30 a.m. June 30 to a home near Middlebelt Road and Northwestern Highway for a report of an assault in progress. The victim, described as a 78-year-old grandmother, was found unconscious with severe injuries to her head.
Farmington Hills Police Chief John Piggott said officers pulled the woman to safety and called for medical aid. She was taken to Corewell Hospital in Farmington Hills, where she later died. “Officers were able to pull the woman to safety and call for medical attention,” Piggott said.
The suspect, identified by police as the woman’s grandson, barricaded himself in a bedroom after officers arrived. Police said he was not armed. Officers tried to get him to surrender before breaking a bedroom window and using less-lethal pepper ball rounds. Piggott said the man surrendered peacefully after the rounds were deployed.
Police said three people were inside the home when the call was made: the grandmother, the suspect and another grandson. The other grandson was not injured. Investigators said early evidence showed the woman may have been struck in the head with a blunt object, but police had not released a final cause of death or a motive.
The case remained under investigation Tuesday as detectives sought search warrants and processed the home. Police said the suspect was being held while investigators worked to determine what happened before officers arrived. The victim’s name had not been released.
Neighbors told reporters the killing shocked the area, which they described as quiet. Jeremy Apczynski said the case was “kind of mind-blowing,” while a resident identified as Michele said, “Nothing happens.”
Police said updates would depend on evidence gathered from the home, witness statements and medical findings. No charging decision had been announced by the latest public reports.
Author note: Last updated July 1, 2026.