The Ryan Grantham case has taken over the internet after the actor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after killing his own mother. Check the details of his crime via this report.
Riverdale famed actor Ryan Grantham made several headlines after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in British Columbia in March.
Ryan played the role of Rodney James in the 2010 film. He was one of the classmates in the movie and his role was really small.
As many fans already know, the character wasn’t important to the story’s plot, but the film remains one of Ryan’s biggest projects.
Some of his other acting roles apart from the one in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid are Supernatural (2008-2015), Riverdale (2019), Way of the Wicked (2014), iZombie (2015) and Undercover cheerleader (2019).
Who Is Ryan Grantham?
Grantham is a Canadian actor who portrayed Jeffery Augustine on Riverdale, in which his character killed Luke Perry’s character, Fred Andrews, during a hit and run.
In 2020, after rehearsing the murder, Ryan shot his mother, Barbara Waite, in cold blood while she played the piano in their home. The actor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder earlier this year after initially being charged with first-degree murder.
At the sentencing proceedings, prosecutors painted a picture of Ryan’s mental state at the time of his mother’s death.
The 24-year-old actor issued a statement in court on the final day of the sentencing hearing following the murder of his mother, Barbara Waite.
“I cannot explain or justify my actions. I have no excuse,” said the actor. “It hurts me to think about how badly I’ve wasted my life.”
Ryan was originally charged with first-degree murder but pleaded guilty to second-degree in March. The punishment for second-degree murder is an automatic life sentence.
As per CBC reports, the prosecution has referenced psychiatric reports that indicate Ryan suffered an intense period of clinical depression and allegedly decided to kill his mother to spare her from seeing the violence he intended to commit.
Why Did Ryan Grantham Kill His Mother Barbara Waite?
Barbara Waite was the mom of Ryan Grantham, a Candian actor famed for his role in Riverdale.
During the June hearing, the Riverdale actor’s lawyer Chris Johnson argued that mental illness caused his client to commit murder, and later actor confessed “he cannot explain or justify my actions. I have no excuse,” the 24-year-old said of shooting his mother in a statement to the court on Wednesday, June 15, “It hurts me to think about how badly I’ve wasted my life. In the face of something so horrible, saying sorry seems so pointless. But from every fiber of my being, I am sorry.”
“At the time of the offense, this killing was not done out of hatred or animosity,” Johnson said. “It was done in Mr. Grantham’s disordered thinking, to prevent his mother from seeing what he thought he was about to do.”
According to CBC News, the British Columbia court has shown videos of Ryan rehearsing the March 2020 shooting of his mother, including one where he shows his mother’s corpse and confesses to killing her.
Ryan pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March in the killing of his mother. The psychiatric reports showed he was experiencing urges to commit violence and kill himself.
After the murder, the actor allegedly loaded his car with three weapons, ammunition, 12 Molotov cocktails, camping goods, and a map with directions to Rideau Cottage, where Justin Trudeau resides with his family, according to CBC News.
The actor’s lawyer, Chris Johnson, argued that mental illness contributed to his client’s actions and further added, “At the time of the offense, this killing was not done out of hatred or animosity.”
Ryan Grantham’s Parents: Does He Have A Sister?
According to sources, Prosecutor Michaela Donnelly stated that the defendant committed a “heartbreaking breach of trust” by allegedly shooting his mother. Barbara loved her son very much, was an excellent parent who has had no reason to fear him in her mind.”
The Riverdale actor’s prosecutor referenced two psychiatric reports highlighting his struggle with depression leading up to the murder.
According to CBC News, Ryan was experiencing suicidal thoughts and feared about his mother learning, and he tstopped attending classes at Simon Fraser University.
