He shot his mother in 2020 and even planned to muder Justin Trudeau after the murder.
Trigger warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of violence that some readers may find distressing
Ryan Grantham, the actor in Diary of a Wimpy Kid, has seen sentenced to life in prison for killing his mother. The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of his mother, Barbara Waite. He shot the 64-year-old while she was playing piano in their house in British Columbia, Canada, reports HuffPost. Grantham has portrayed a variety of characters during his career, including a student impersonating a shrub in an on-stage version of The Wizard of Oz in the 2010 film Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He also appears in Riverdale as Jeffery Augustine, a kid who runs over and murders Fred Andrews with his father's vehicle.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid actor Ryan Grantham has been sentenced to life in prison for the shooting death of his mother. pic.twitter.com/wB8RSdJBwr
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) September 23, 2022
According to evidence given in court, Grantham confessed to the crime in a GoPro video and displayed his mother's body. As we reported earlier, He also had plans to kill Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He rehearsed his mother's murder and hours after killing her loaded his car with three guns, ammunition, 12 Molotov cocktails, and camping supplies. He had a map to Rideau Cottage, where Trudeau lives with his family.
'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' and 'Riverdale' actor Ryan Grantham pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, admitting that he shot his mother in the back of her head while playing piano in their townhouse pic.twitter.com/vxgfFCLuyM
— No Jumper (@nojumper) September 23, 2022
Grantham discussed his intention to assassinate Trudeau in a police statement as well as in his private journal, some of which were read in court. Fortunately, instead of heading to Trudeau's house, Grantham went to the Vancouver police station to surrender himself. Before turning himself in, he also admitted to having plans of committing a mass shooting at Simon Fraser University where he was enrolled, or on the Lions Gate Bridge, reports CBC. His crimes had an automatic life sentence and Grantham just waited for the court to declare the time period after which he can apply for parole. He will be ineligible for parole for the first 14 years of his sentence.
Ryan Grantham - 24
— Where Are They Now? (@WATNCelebrity) September 23, 2022
Rodney James - Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeffery Augustine - Riverdale
Today sentenced to life (with no parole potential for 14 years) for 2nd degree murder of his mother. He had then planed to kill Trudeau or commit a mass shooting. He instead turned himself in. pic.twitter.com/Aur6FRSF5Y
In announcing the sentence in the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, Justice Kathleen Ker described the case as terrible and devastating and said victim impact testimonies, particularly from his sister, attested to the "life-shattering" consequences of the murder. She said that Grantham had enough commitment to reality and psychological understanding to refrain from going on a killing spree.
Grantham was in a downward spiral in the months preceding the matricide, she said, spending an increasing amount of time, consuming cannabis and viewing violent movies on the dark web, feeling alienated and plagued by suicidal and murderous desires. Grantham, she claimed, looked genuinely sorry. In June, he apologized to the court, stating his mother was a nice and sympathetic lady who did not deserve what he did to her.
References:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dairy-of-a-wimpy-kid-actor-murder-sentence_n_632d5352e4b09d8701be4b8a
Cover image source: YouTube screenshot | Inside Edition | Riverdale | Warner Bros. Television Distribution
