A Riverdale actor killed his mother to prevent her from witnessing his plot to assassinate Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
British Columbia prosecutors said during a sentencing hearing Monday that 24-year-old Ryan Grantham fatally shot his 64-year-old mother, Barbara Waite, “to prevent her from seeing his plot to assassinate the Canadian prime minister unfold .
After Grantham shot Waite in the back of the head while playing the piano on March 31, 2020, she covered her body with a sheet and placed rosaries and candles around her, Canadian outlet CBC reported.
He then stored three guns, ammunition and 12 Molotov cocktails in his car and drove to Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, prosecutors claimed.
Grantham had planned to travel more than 50 hours to kill Trudeau before changing his mind and considering committing “an act of mass violence” at Simon Fraser University, which he dropped out.
He contacted Vancouver Police before harming anyone else and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March.
Grantham is best known for playing Jeffery Augustine on Riverdale. His character was written into the show as the hit-and-run killer of Luke Perry’s character after Perry died of a stroke.
Grantham’s sentencing hearings concluded on Wednesday, although a judge has yet to hand down a sentence. Prosecutors have required he serve at least 17 to 18 years before he can be considered for parole.
British Columbia prosecutors said during a sentencing hearing on Monday that 24-year-old Ryan Grantham (pictured) fatally shot his 64-year-old mother, Barbara Waite, “to save her” before witnessing his own death assassination unfolded
After Grantham shot Waite (pictured) in the back of the head while playing the piano on March 31, 2020, she covered her body with a sheet and placed rosaries and candles around it
Grantham stored three guns, ammunition and 12 Molotov cocktails in his car and drove to Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, prosecutors claimed. Grantham had planned to travel more than 50 hours to kill Trudeau
Prosecutors told the court Monday that Grantham’s actions were “something other than altruism.”
‘Mister. Grantham was trying to save his mother from something he would do,” prosecutor Michaela Donnelly said during the sentencing hearing.
The murder was described by Donnelly as a “heartbreaking breach of trust.”
“Barbara Waite loved her son very much, was an excellent mother and, in her opinion, had no reason to fear him,” she said.
Donnelly added that Grantham had many opportunities to change his mind, but ultimately went ahead with his plan to kill his mother.
He reportedly discharged and reloaded his weapon several times before performing the attack.
According to CBC, prior to the March 2020 murder, Grantham recorded a GoPro video of him secretly approaching his mother from behind with a gun.
Grantham is best known for playing Jeffery Augustine on Riverdale. His character was written into the show as the hit-and-run killer of Luke Perry’s character after Perry died of a stroke.
Two psychiatric reports submitted by prosecutors concluded that Grantham committed the crime to spare her mother from witnessing further acts of violence he intended to commit.
Months before the killing, Grantham displayed a cannabis use disorder, depression, self-loathing, and suicidal and homicidal tendencies, according to the assessments.
“I’m so sorry Mom, I’m so sorry Lisa … I hate myself,” read a March diary entry shared by prosecutors.
“There’s a lot of media of mine out there…film and television…hundreds of hours of mine that can be viewed and dissected…nobody’s going to understand.”
According to CBC, Grantham reportedly feared his mother would find out he had stopped taking classes at Simon Fraser University and abusing marijuana.
Waite’s body was found on April 1, 2020 by her daughter Lisa, who arrived after Waite failed to return her calls and texts.
“How can I trust anyone when my only sister chose to execute my mother when her back was turned,” Lisa Grantham told the court.
After the heinous crime happened at Waite’s home in the township of Squamish, Grantham recorded video showing the body and admitting the crime, which was played in court on Monday.
Grantham reportedly feared his mother would find out he had stopped taking classes at Simon Fraser University and abusing marijuana. He briefly considered committing an act of mass violence at the school, prosecutors said
He covered his mother with a sheet and placed candles and rosaries around her.
Grantham planned to travel 50 hours to kill Trudeau and had guns, ammunition and explosives in his car.
He once contemplated committing an act of violence at his former university, but turned himself in to the Vancouver police.
Grantham pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March, which carries a life sentence in Canada.
Prosecutors asked the court not to grant him parole for at least 17 or 18 years.
In addition to his Riverdale performance, Grantham is known for his appearances on Supernatural, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.