Ryan Grantham

Early life and education

Ryan Grantham was born on November 30, 1998, in Squamish, British Columbia, to Barbara Waite and his father. He practiced acting as a child and enrolled in acting schools to pursue his interest, with his mother and younger sister Lisa supporting his aspirations. In 2020, Grantham enrolled as a student at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, but his academic career immediately faltered due to severe personal struggles. He missed all of his classes, a fact later attributed in court to his heavy drinking and marijuana usage, which were linked to a diagnosed period of clinical depression and suicidal thoughts he was experiencing at the time.

Acting career

Ryan Grantham began his professional acting career at nine years old in 2007 with his debut role as Billy in the television film The Secret of the Nutcracker. Over the next twelve years, he secured a series of small roles in various television series and films produced in British Columbia, building a filmography typical of a working child and young adult actor in the region. His final acting credit was in 2019, playing Jeffery Augustine in an episode of the popular CW series Riverdale. His career primarily involved guest spots and minor parts, with no leading roles, and he worked consistently but without major prominence.

Ryan Grantham made his acting debut in the 2007 television film The Secret of the Nutcracker, playing the role of Billy. He had roles in numerous other TV shows and movies including Supernatural, iZombie, and Becoming Redwood. He also featured in the film Diary of a Wimpy Kid. His final acting role was in 2019 when he played Jeffery Augustine for the television series Riverdale.

• 2007: Played Billy in the television film The Secret of the Nutcracker, marking his acting debut.
• Various years: Guest-starred in episodes of the long-running television series Supernatural.
• Various years: Guest-starred in episodes of the television series iZombie.
• 2019: Played Jeffery Augustine in an episode of Riverdale, which was his last professional acting role.

The murder of Barbara Waite

On March 31, 2020, Ryan Grantham shot his 64-year-old mother, Barbara Waite, in the back of the head with a .22 rifle as she played the piano in their family home. After the killing, he filmed his mother's corpse with a GoPro camera, stating on the recording, "I shot her in the back of the head. In the moments after, she would have known it was me." He then covered her body with a blanket and a rosary, arranging lit candles around it before leaving the scene. In his diary entry for that day, he wrote, "I'm so sorry Mum, I’m so sorry Lisa, I hate myself. There’s a lot of media of me out there, film and TV, hundreds of hours of me that can be viewed and dissected. No one will understand."

Grantham did not immediately report the crime or leave the home. He spent the subsequent hours watching Netflix, drinking beer, and smoking marijuana before finally going to sleep. The crime scene was discovered on April 1, 2020, when his sister Lisa visited the home after failing to receive her daily calls or texts from their mother. Grantham was not present when his sister found the body, as he had already left the residence by that time.

Planned attacks and surrender

On April 2, 2020, the day after the murder was discovered, Ryan Grantham packed his car with an arsenal of weapons and incendiary devices he had prepared. His vehicle contained 12 Molotov cocktails, three guns, ammunition, and camping supplies before he began driving east from the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. According to evidence presented in court, his specific intent was to carry out a further act of violence, having identified several potential targets during his planning. Grantham had considered multiple locations and individuals for this planned attack, which represented a significant escalation from the initial crime committed in his home.

After the murder, Ryan Grantham packed his car with weapons and drove east from Vancouver. He planned to assassinate former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. He also considered going on a rampage at Simon Fraser University. Another potential target he considered was the Lions Gate Bridge.

• Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom he plotted to assassinate.
• Simon Fraser University, his own school in Burnaby, where he considered going on a rampage.
• The Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver, another location identified for a potential violent attack.

Ryan Grantham ultimately canceled his plans for further violence. He drove as far as Hope, British Columbia, before turning his vehicle around. He then drove back to the Vancouver police headquarters to turn himself in. This act ended the immediate threat and initiated his arrest for the murder of his mother.

Legal proceedings and guilty plea

The sentencing hearing for Ryan Grantham began on June 13, 2022, at the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, where the details of the crime and his mental state were examined. His defence lawyer argued that the murder was committed due to severe mental illness, specifically citing an intense period of clinical depression that included suicidal thoughts and was exacerbated by his substance abuse with alcohol and marijuana. Prosecutors countered that the act was a "heartbreaking breach of trust," emphasizing that Barbara Waite was an excellent parent who had no reason to fear her son and that the crime was a calculated act. The court had to weigh these factors, including his surrender to police and his documented mental health struggles, in determining the final sentence for second-degree murder.

On September 23, 2022, Grantham pleaded guilty to the charge of second-degree murder before the British Columbia Supreme Court, accepting full criminal responsibility. In a statement to the court, he said, "In the face of something so horrible, saying sorry seems so pointless. But from every fibre of my being, I am sorry. I cannot explain or justify my actions. I have no excuse. It hurts me to think about how badly I've wasted my life." The presiding justice accepted his guilty plea and delivered the mandatory sentence for second-degree murder under the Canadian Criminal Code, which is life imprisonment with a period of parole ineligibility set by the judge.

Life sentence and incarceration

Following his guilty plea on September 23, 2022, Ryan Grantham was sentenced to life imprisonment, the mandatory sentence for second-degree murder under Canadian law. The judge noted that Grantham would receive psychiatric help while serving his sentence in the federal prison system, a condition directly related to the mental health arguments presented by his defence during the hearing. This sentence concluded the high-profile criminal case, ensuring Grantham will remain in prison for a minimum of 14 years before any potential review for release by the Parole Board of Canada. On September 23, 2022, Ryan Grantham pleaded guilty to second-degree murder at the British Columbia Supreme Court. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. He will not be eligible for parole until 2036. The court also mandated that he receive psychiatric help while in prison.

• Sentence: Life imprisonment for the second-degree murder of Barbara Waite.
• Parole ineligibility: 14 years, making him eligible to apply in the year 2036.
• Psychiatric care: Mandated to receive mental health treatment while incarcerated.
• Court: Sentenced at the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver.
• Charge: Pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on September 23, 2022.
• Surrender: Voluntarily turned himself in at Vancouver police headquarters on April 2, 2020.

Mental health and substance abuse

Court documents from Ryan Grantham's sentencing reveal a documented history of mental health struggles that preceded the murder and were central to his defence. He was diagnosed with clinical depression, a condition that significantly impaired his daily functioning and was linked to the persistent suicidal thoughts he described in his personal writings. In an attempt to self-medicate, Grantham engaged in heavy drinking and frequent marijuana use, which he stated began to dominate his life in 2020 and contributed to his isolation. These issues had concrete consequences beyond the criminal act, as his enrolment at Simon Fraser University in 2020 was effectively nullified because he missed all of his classes due to this cycle of depression and substance abuse.

Grantham's lawyer argued he committed the murder due to his mental illness, including an intense period of clinical depression. Prosecutors stated he committed a heartbreaking breach of trust, saying his mother was an excellent parent. The court sentenced him to life in prison for the murder. The court's decision to mandate psychiatric treatment acknowledged his mental illness while upholding his criminal responsibility.

Questions about Ryan Grantham

What is Ryan Grantham known for?

Ryan Grantham is known for two distinct reasons. First, he was a Canadian actor who appeared in minor roles in films like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and television series including Supernatural, iZombie, and Riverdale. Second, he is infamously known for being convicted of murdering his mother, Barbara Waite, in March 2020. His case gained national notoriety due to the planned secondary attacks on public figures and locations, which he later abandoned before turning himself in to Vancouver police.

What was Ryan Grantham's sentence for killing his mother?

Ryan Grantham was sentenced to life imprisonment for the second-degree murder of his mother. The sentencing occurred on September 23, 2022, at the British Columbia Supreme Court. The life sentence carries a parole ineligibility period of 14 years, which was set by the judge. This means the earliest possible date he can apply for parole is in the year 2036, and he is also mandated to receive psychiatric treatment while in prison.

What did Ryan Grantham plan to do after the murder?

After murdering his mother, Ryan Grantham packed his car with 12 Molotov cocktails, three guns, ammunition, and camping supplies. He then drove east with the intent of committing another violent act. His specific potential targets were former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Simon Fraser University, or the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver. He abandoned these plans in Hope, British Columbia, and turned himself in to the Vancouver police headquarters on April 2, 2020.

What mental health issues did Ryan Grantham have?

During his sentencing, it was established that Ryan Grantham suffered from clinical depression. This condition led to suicidal thoughts and significant functional impairment, causing him to miss all his classes at Simon Fraser University after enrolling in 2020. He used heavy drinking and marijuana smoking as a form of self-medication, which exacerbated his situation. His defence argued this severe mental health crisis was a contributing factor to his actions, though it was not accepted as a legal defence for murder.

Where is Ryan Grantham now?

As of his sentencing in September 2022, Ryan Grantham is serving a life sentence in prison. His parole eligibility date is set for 2036. The court ordered that he receive psychiatric treatment while incarcerated. He remains in custody under his life sentence.

What were Ryan Grantham's last acting roles?

Ryan Grantham's final acting role was in 2019, when he played Jeffery Augustine in an episode of the television series Riverdale. His acting career primarily involved small roles, beginning with his debut in the 2007 television film The Secret of the Nutcracker. Other notable credits from his career include appearances in the film Diary of a Wimpy Kid and guest spots on series like Supernatural and iZombie. He also appeared in the film Becoming Redwood. His last credited role before his imprisonment was for the series Riverdale.

Sources and further reading

• Ryan Grantham (Wikipedia)
• B.C. actor handed 14 years parole ineligibility in life ... (cbc.ca)
• Ryan Grantham: Movies, TV, and Bio (primevideo.com)
• Riverdale actor Ryan Grantham gets life in prison for killing ... (bbc.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-11-06.