Grand Traverse County woman charged with attempted murder after stabbing victim at Meijer

A 57-year-old Traverse City man who staggered into the Garfield Township Meijer after a violent stabbing is now at the center of one of Grand Traverse County’s most serious recent violent-crime prosecutions. Michelle Lee McGrath, 39, has been charged with felony homicide-attempted murder after deputies say the attack left the man with multiple stab wounds and a beating to the face.

The stabbing happened on the evening of April 14 near Red Drive and Silver Lake Road, on Grand Traverse Commons property, according to law enforcement. Deputies said the victim was stabbed at least seven times, with wounds to his chest, ribs and hand. He then made his way to the Meijer store in Garfield Township, where employees called 911 for a man needing medical help just before 10 p.m.

Emergency responders found the man in severe condition and gave immediate aid at the scene, including a chest seal and pressure to the wounds. He was then taken to Munson Medical Center and underwent surgery for his injuries. The rapid response by deputies, troopers, store workers and hospital staff helped keep the case from becoming a fatal assault, even as prosecutors moved quickly to elevate the charge.

Investigators later identified McGrath as the suspect and said a witness helped locate her on East 8th Street in Traverse City. Her arrest came after authorities had already begun searching for her in connection with the stabbing. The case then moved into Grand Traverse County courts, where bond was set at $250,000 cash surety on April 18 and continued at arraignment on April 20 in 86th District Court.

The attempted-murder charge raises the stakes for prosecutors, who must now convince the court that the attack was not just a brutal assault but a deliberate act aimed at killing the victim. For Grand Traverse County residents, the case ties a violent attack to a familiar retail corridor and underscores how quickly a routine stop at a local Meijer became a life-threatening emergency. McGrath remains the named suspect in a case that has already moved from street-level violence to the county’s criminal courts in a matter of days.