The Riverdale Actor Who Killed His Mother

The Riverdale Actor Who Killed His Mother

From Crime at Bedtime by Jack Laurence

April 12, 2026 · 24 min · Season 1 · Episode 163

About this episode

The episode discusses the chilling case of Ryan Grantham, a young actor who murdered his mother and planned further violence.

March 31, 2020. Ryan Grantham, 21, a Canadian actor known for roles in Riverdale and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, shot his mother Barbara Waite in the back of the head whilst she played piano in their Squamish, British Columbia home. He'd rehearsed the murder for days, walking up behind her with the rifle before losing his nerve. On the day he finally pulled the trigger, he filmed a GoPro confession: "I shot her in the back of the head. In the moments after, she would have known it was me." Then he drank beer, smoked cannabis, and watched Netflix for two and a half hours. The next morning, Ryan arranged candles around his mother's body and hung a rosary from the piano. He loaded his car with three guns, 12 Molotov cocktails, ammunition, and a map to the Canadian Prime Minister's residence in Ottawa—50 hours away. He planned to assassinate Justin Trudeau. He made it 120 miles before turning around. He then considered a mass shooting at his university or a bridge in Vancouver. Instead, he drove to the police station and confessed. In September 2022, a judge sentenced Ryan to life in prison with 14 years before parole eligibility. His journal read: "I'm so sorry mom... There's hundreds of…

People in this episode

Host: Jack Laurence

Topics covered

  • murder
  • confession
  • mental health
  • crime
  • Canada
  • assassination attempt

Keywords

  • Ryan Grantham
  • murder
  • confession
  • Canada
  • Justin Trudeau
  • Riverdale
  • mental health

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Riverdale, Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Places: British Columbia, Squamish

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