FORMER CHILD AKTOR PINATAY ANG SARILING INA

FORMER CHILD AKTOR PINATAY ANG SARILING INA. FORMER CHILD AKTOR PINATAY ANG SARILING INA

Former B.C. child actor pleads guilty to murdering his mother

Ryan Grantham, 23, entered the plea to the March 31, 2020 second-degree murder of Barbara Waite, 64.

Author of the article:Keith Fraser

A former B.C. child actor pleaded guilty Wednesday to murdering his mother at their Squamish home nearly two years ago.

During a brief court appearance in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, Ryan Grantham, 23, entered the plea to the March 31, 2020 second-degree murder of Barbara Waite, 64.

Grantham was initially charged with one count of first-degree murder. His mother was found dead by a relative inside her home in a townhouse complex on Government Road in Squamish. The cause of death has not been released.

Chris Johnson, a lawyer for Grantham, who was appearing by video link from prison, told Justice Kathleen Ker that the accused’s plea was made voluntarily.

The judge said she would nevertheless have to conduct an inquiry to ensure that the plea was voluntary and asked Grantham a number of questions, including whether he was aware that a plea to second-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence of between 10 and 25 years of parole ineligibility.

“I understand, your honour,” Grantham said to the question about the sentence he faces for a murder conviction.

Grantham agreed that he was not under any pressure or coercion to enter the plea and was aware that the judge was not bound by any sentencing recommendations from the Crown or defence.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 13.

Court heard that at the sentencing hearing the Crown may play some videos taken by the accused and that the contents may be disturbing.

“It’s a tragic situation,” Johnson said in brief remarks outside the courthouse.

Grantham began his acting career while still in elementary school, appearing in a fried chicken commercial before landing roles in TV shows and movies.

A film industry website says that he was in three TV roles in 2019, including an episode of Riverdale.

Grantham was nominated for a Leo Award as best actor in the 2012 movie Becoming Redwood about a young golfer with hippie parents, whose dad goes to jail for selling pot.

After Redwood, he went on to the horror feature Barricade, about a widower played by Vancouver actor Eric McCormack trapped in a cabin with his children.

In all, Grantham had more than 30 acting credits to his name dating from 2007 to 2019. He had no prior criminal record.