'Riverdale' Star Who Shot Mom To Death, Plotted Justin Trudeau Assisination Slapped With Life Sentence

A child actor who appeared in "Riverdale" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" was slapped with a life sentence on Wednesday for the shocking murder of his own mother in March 2020, reportedly caused by mental health problems that exarcerbated over time.

Ryan Grantham, the 24-year-old former actor, was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of second-degree murder for the death of his mother Barbara Waite, with him being ineligible for parole for at least 14 years, according to People Magazine.

Grantham had shot his mother in the back of the head while she was playing the piano, and the following day, put candles around the piano before loading up his car with guns, ammunition, and other weapons in a plot to kill Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the New York Post reported.

Grantham reportedly changed his mind on the way to Trudeau’s house, and after contemplating committing mass murder at Lions Gate Bridge or Simon Fraser University, he instead turned himself in to Vancouver police authorities.

The former actor is currently getting psychiatric services due to his mental health issues, and had been struggling with his health for weeks before he shot his mother, reportedly watching violent material online as he plunged deeper into his head.

“I think he anticipated what the judge gave him as a sentence,” Chris Johnson, Grantham’s lawyer, said. “I think he's pretty apprehensive about the whole thing. He's a fairly tiny person, and to go to the prison system, I'm sure it's a daunting and scary thought for him.”

While Grantham battled with suicidal ideation and the need to inflict violence upon others, Lisa Grantham, his sister, gave witness to the loss that she felt when she found her mother dead in the room on April 1, 2020.

“She was vulnerable and Ryan gave her no chance to defend herself. It pains me to know he was a danger to her life,” she said, expressing fear for when Grantham is released from prison in fourteen or more years.