Ryan Grantham’s sentence was announced in Canada.
Ryan Grantham turned himself in after killing his mother. Netflix
Canadian actor Ryan Grantham is sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his mother.
Grantham (b. 1998) must serve his sentence for 14 years before he can apply for parole, according to Canadian media, among others CBC. Vancouver Superior Court Judge Kathleen Ker described the case as tragic, heartbreaking and “life-shattering.”
Grantham killed his mother By Barbara Waite at their home in Squamish County, Canada in March 2020. He shot his mother from behind while she was playing the piano. Grantham, 21 at the time, filmed his mother’s body on video and also confessed to his actions on video.
The day after the murder, Grantham covered his mother’s body with a sheet, lit candles around the body and left a rosary hanging from the piano. After this, he planned to go to Ottawa to kill Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Apologized
Having loaded his car with weapons, Grantham changed his mind and decided to go do a mass shooting at his university or the Lions Gate Bridge. Finally, he abandoned his plans, drove to the Vancouver police station and turned himself in.
Judge Ker described the young man’s mental health as having been in a sharp decline for months before his mother’s murder. Grantham was reclusive, suicidal and homicidal and spent his time watching violent online videos.
Grantham’s mental health problems were a mitigating factor in the sentence. He has sought psychiatric help while in prison and his behavior has shown improvement. According to the judge, he also seemed genuinely remorseful for his actions.
Speaking in court, Grantham apologized for his actions, praised his mother for being kind-hearted and said she did not deserve her fate.
Grantham started his acting career at the age of 9. He appeared in the TV series Riverdale, Supernatural and iZombie, as well as in films Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010) and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009).