Barbara Waite, described as an amazing mother, sister, and daughter, was killed by her actor son Ryan Grantham. Her family members described her as “a selfless person whose kind and generous spirit shone brightly throughout her entire life”. Ryan in June 2022, pleaded guilty to murdering his mom.
So, learn more about Barabara Waite’s age, husband, and why she was murdered. Delve into this Barbara Waite bio to learn more about her.
Meet Barbara Waite, Ryan Grantham Mother
British Columbia actor Ryan Grantham pleaded guilty on 9 March 2022 to the 2nd-degree murder of his mother Babara Waite in 2020 in their Squamish townhouse. The sentencing hearing for Ryan Grantham continued Tuesday in B.C. Supreme Court with submissions from the Crown about the young actor’s mental state and behavior before and after killing his mother.
In late of March 2020, the actor shot his mother Barbara Waite in the back of the head while she was playing the piano. After being charged with first-degree murder, he pled guilty to second-degree murder in March.
Ryan had rehearsed the murder and had shot videos on a GoPro camera, which were displayed in court on June 13, 2022. The video included a four-minute portion in which he confesses to the murder and displays his mother’s body, which was captured in the hours following the death.
“I shot her in the back of the head,” he says. “In the moments after, she would have known it was me.”
The actor loaded his car with three firearms, ammunition, 12 Molotov cocktails, camping gear, and a map with directions to Rideau Cottage in Ottawa the day after murdering his mother. He then began driving east, intending to assassinate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Before he left, Ryan tested a Molotov cocktail in a remote area, while Barbara still lay in the pool of blood. He drove as far as Hope before turning around with thoughts he would instead commit an act of mass violence at SFU or other locations. That night he turned himself into Vancouver police.
Ryan started his acting career when he was nine. TV shows like Riverdale, Supernatural, and iZombie, and films such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus are among his notable works to date.
Why Did Ryan Grantham Kill His Mother, Barbara Waite?
Ryan Grantham killed his mother, according to the initial report, to keep her from witnessing the brutality he planned to conduct.
Michaela Donnelly, the crown prosecutor, cited psychiatric assessments and told the court that there was a consensus that Ryan was suffering from clinical depression in the months leading up to the murder. She insisted that he kept up the illusion of being in good health on the outside.
Ryan was reportedly having suicidal thoughts, as well as rising sentiments of self-hatred and remorse over his mother, and it was possible that he had ceased attending lectures at Simon Fraser University. He had a cannabis use disorder, according to both reports.
“Mr. Grantham was seeking to save his mother from something he was going to do … That is something different than altruism,” Michaela told the court. “Barbara Waite loved her son very much, was an excellent parent and in her mind had no reason to fear him”.
In presenting aggravating circumstances, Michaela claimed that Ryan committed a “heartbreaking breach of trust” by killing his mother.
Ryan had also maintained a journal. The March 31 entry in his journal reads in part, “I’m so sorry mom, I’m so sorry Lisa … I hate myself. “There’s a lot of media of me out there … film and TV … hundreds of hours of me that can be viewed and dissected … No one will understand,” the journal reads.
Moreover, Barbara’s body was discovered by Ryan’s sister Lisa. After Barabara failed to return calls and messages, Lisa went the home to find her mom drown in a pool of blood. Lisa said in the victim impact statement that her life and career have been devastated by the murder. She said there is no doubt in her mind that her brother is a dangerous person.
“How can I trust anybody when my only sibling chose to execute my mom when her back was turned,” she told the court.
Barbara Waite Age At The Time Of Her Death
Barbara Waite, at the time of her death, was 64 years old. She died on 31 March 2020.
Barbara Waite Husband
Barbara Waite never mentioned her husband, and neither did Ryan Grantham talk about his father. So, we believe that he was out of the family picture for a long time. Her obituary didn’t mention her having a husband.
But some of the family members from Barbara’s husband’s side of the family are Riley Grantham, Bill Grantham, Tess Grantham, Mar Grantham, Shannon Grantham, Ela Grantham, and Kathy Grantham.
Once interviewing with The Province newspaper in 2013, Grantham talked about a role. In the scene of a film, he had to cry after he got a letter from his jailed dad. He added he managed the emotion by remembering a dead pet. “That was a lot harder than the other scenes,” the then-14-year-old told the newspaper.
Related FAQs
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Is There An Obituary For Barbara Waite?
Yes, there is an obituary for Barbara Waite. Click the link to find it.
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Where Was Barbara Waite Born?
In her last days, Barbara Waite was living in the Squamish townhouse complex. She was originally from and likely born in Castlegar, British Columbia.
