‘Riverdale’: 1 Former Actor Is Facing Murder Charges in Real Life
Five seasons into Riverdale and the show isn’t letting up with its shocking plots and odd twists.
While season 4 turned out to be stacked with tragic, tear-jerking moments, there were parts that also reflected the real world. Riverdale gave Archie’s dad Fred Andrews an amazing send-off on the popular series, which also served as a beautiful tribute to the late Luke Perry.
In a sad turn of irony, one of the actors involved with that storyline is caught up in a murder case.
On that ‘Riverdale’ scene with Archie and the Augustines
When Riverdale writers gracefully handled Luke Perry’s death with a heartbreaking story for Fred Andrews, they followed Archie’s stages of grief. He was already gutted over losing his father to a hit and run accident, and when FP told him the driver’s name and that he was out on bail, that set him off.
Filled with rage, Archie took a trip to confront George Augustine to his face. He grabbed the man up and punched the wall, all while asking questions about why he left his father to die. It’s where Archie learned that it was George’s son Jeffery who was responsible for Fred’s death.
The entire scene was emotional with Jeffery tearfully admitting and apologizing for his actions. George cried and Archie realized his father would’ve covered for him in the same way. The Augustines clearly felt remorse for Fred’s death and Archie’s pain.
Toward the end of season 4, George Augustine asked Archie to write a letter asking the judge for leniency for his jailed son. Archie wrestled with the idea of helping Jeffery, but ended up writing the letter, noting Fred’s character and the meaning of forgiveness.
Outside of the show, the actor who played Jeffery is accused of an awful crime.
Ryan Grantham was arrested for murdering his mother
Ryan Grantham played Jeffery in that poignant Riverdale episode, and as a child actor, he had roles in Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Supernatural, Becoming Redwood, and more. Savvy social media users pointed out the Riverdale guest star is involved in a real-life matricide case in Vancouver, Canada.
According to the Vancouver Sun, Grantham was arrested in April 2020 for murdering his mother, Barbara Waite. A family member found the 64-year-old woman dead in the Squamish home she shared with her son. Grantham, 21, was taken into to custody a short time later and charged with second-degree murder.
At the time of his arrest, the case was still under investigation. It is unclear whether he’s appeared gone to trial in Provincial Court, but case rattled the community.
A spokesperson for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police issued a statement when the news first made its rounds. “We are grateful for the assistance of the Vancouver Police Department and the hard work of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team alongside our investigators,” said Sergeant Sascha Banks.
“It has been a tough few months for the community of Squamish and today is one of those days where we will need to come together to support each other and the family and friends of Barbara Waite.”
Some Riverdale fans are still learning about this news and are in shock given the types of plots showcased in the CW series.
