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Last March, Ryan Grantham -actor of the series Riverdale, available on Netflix- pleaded guilty to killing a 64-year-old mother with a shot to the back of the head in 2020, while she was playing the piano at her home in Squamish, Canada. During the murder hearing on Monday, Grantham revealed who would have been his second victim.
During the first hours of the session, the court heard how the actor admitted to having rehearsed the murder. He even claimed to have recorded videos moments later. In those images, which were presented before the British Columbia judge, talks about shooting Barbara White and shows her dead body.
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As if that were not enough, and after killing his mother, the 24-year-old He went looking for a second victim. Armed with three pistols, ammunition, Molotov cocktails, camping supplies and a map with directions, he drove into the Canadian East with the idea of ending the life of the prime minister Justin Trudeau.
He also provided an unusual reason to justify the cold-blooded murder of his mother. “I did not want her to see the act of violence that I was going to commit”said regarding his intentions to assassinate the 50-year-old president who has been in government since 2015.
As CBC was able to reconstruct, Grantham left Squamish the day after his mother’s murder with her body inside the vehicle. Before leaving the crime scene, he tested one of the explosive bombs he had at his disposal. The trip was long. He drove for an estimated 50 hours.
He moved on to Hope County, where he stopped to think. It was there that she made the decision not to continue with his “mission”. That same night he turned himself in to Vancouver police. Authorities later notified him that could reach find him guilty of second-degree murder and give him life in prison.
The psychological expertise on Ryan Grantham
In the middle of the hearing a few days ago, prosecutor Michaela Donnelly presented two psychiatric reports on the mental state of the young man, who played Jeffrey Augustine in Riverdale. Both reports agreed that Grantham was going through an intense period of clinical depression.
The possibility was considered that the 24-year-old experienced urges to commit violent acts prior to the homicidealong with constants suicidal thoughts. also identified a possible marijuana use disorder.
“Ryan’s motives for killing his mother could seem altruistic,” Donnelly pointed out, later making it clear that Barbara White had cancer. “However, Mr. Grantham was seeking to save his mother from something he was going to do… That’s something other than altruism”, he considered next.
Along these lines, he insisted that what the young man committed was nothing more than a “heartbreaking breach of trust” since “it was about a mother who loved her son very much and who had no reason to be afraid of him.” It wasn’t until Wednesday Ryan revealed what he felt for his mother, on the last day of hearing.
“I cannot explain or justify my actions. I have no excuse. It hurts me to think how much I wasted my life. In the face of something so horrible, asking for forgiveness seems so useless. But from every fiber of my being, I feel it. Someday, if I ever get out of prison, I hope to continue on this path of improvement“, he claimed.
Grantham was originally charged with first degree murder, but pleaded guilty to second degree 4 months ago. Still, Judge Kathleen Ker reserved the final verdict for a future date. Meanwhile, his defense tries to seek a reduced sentence..
Source: Elcomercio
I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.
