A Bloomfield Township man who reportedly lived with his wife’s decomposing body has opted out of trial by pleading to a criminal charge.
At a recent hearing in Oakland County Circuit Court, Dirk-Peter Grunewald, 54, pleaded no contest for concealing the death of an individual — Ariane Grunewald Bluem. Bloomfield Township police said they found her body on a coach in the couple’s home on Hedgewood Drive on Sept. 27, 2025. Bluem had been dead for an extensive period of time and was “severely decomposed,” police said.
Grunewald’s court file lists the date of offense as Aug. 1, 2025.
Dirk-Peter Grunewald booking photo
Officers had been called to the home to conduct a welfare check when they discovered the corpse. After finding the body, police reportedly located Grunewald in an upstairs bedroom of the home.
Due to the cognition of the body, the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office said the cause and manner of Bluem’s death were both “indeterminate.”
Grunewald’s trial had been scheduled to start on Oct. 5. He’s to be sentenced on Oct. 22 by Judge Martha Anderson.
A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. It can also offer some liability protection in civil cases.
Grunewald is out of custody on a $250,000 bond for which he was required to post $25,000 cash or surety.
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