Crossbow killer’s mom, brothers ID’d as victims
• When he came before a parole board in 2010, supported by his father William, his mother Susan and one of his three brothers, the accused crossbow killer Brett Ryan had an optimistic story of reconciliation.
Admittedly, he was a serial bank robber with a history of depression, crippling debt and disastrous romantic relationships. But he told the board that, for the first time in years, he was “actually communicating” with his family and had spent significant time re-establishing those lost ties.
He also laid part of the blame for his predicament on two previous girlfriends, pleading he “invested everything” in those relationships and was “let down on both occasions,” which led to depression, money troubles and, eventually, bank robbery.
Today, Ryan, 35, is accused of murdering his mother by strangling her with a ligature, and killing his brothers Christopher and Alexander Ryan with crossbow bolts — one fired from a crossbow, the other used as a stabbing weapon.
Both men were wounded in the neck; all three victims were left to die where they fell, on the driveway and in the garage of the Ryan family home in Scarborough.
Their identities had been covered by a publication ban, which was lifted Tuesday.
The Toronto Transit Commission said Christopher Ryan, 42, was a 12- year employee, who worked the ticket booth at subway stations.
Brett Ryan’s third brother, now a key witness whose identity remains protected, fled the carnage to seek shelter from a neighbour. He was also injured and police said further charges may be laid.
Neighbours on the suburban street described a commotion that lasted only a few minutes, just before 1 p. m. last Thursday, ending soon after with Brett Ryan’s arrest.
William Ryan died last year of complications from gastric surgery. Although no motive has been offered for the killings of his widow and sons, Brett Ryan was reportedly angry at his mother about this.
Police believe all three murders were planned and deliberate, meaning the man faces a minimum of 25 years in prison if convicted.
Back before the parole board, though, his future was looking bright. Ryan was personally bankrupt, but said he planned to work in home renovations and take summer courses until he was financially stable enough to return to university, where he hoped to study biophysics.
Six months later, he had a part- time restaurant job, and his parole officer found him “eager and motivated.”
As the parole board put it, in granting his day release: “You fell into a depression that you failed to recognize and instead of seeking help you started to rob banks to pay your debt and maintain your lifestyle. You report relief at being arrested at the scene of the 14th robbery ... You admit some excitement in the early robberies but towards the end of the robbery spree you became more remorseful and apprehensive.”
The nine- month spree of the Fake Beard Bandit, as he was known in 2008 for his disguises, which also sometimes involved wearing facial bandages and walking with a limp, “appears to be an aberration.” He stole about $ 28,000, $ 2,000 or $ 3,000 at a time, little of which was recovered.
He would claim to tellers he had a hidden gun, but denied actually having one, and none was ever found. A weapons charge over a can of pepper spray was dropped in a plea deal.
Brett Ryan had no prior major mental illness, nor substance abuse disorder, personality disorder or any psychopathic traits. A psychiatrist found he was at higher risk of more serious depression, as it runs in his family, but he was being treated with counselling, rather than medication.
He had no record of criminality or violence, and his reintegration potential was judged to be high, and his level of risk to re-offend low.
Some of what Ryan told t he parole board seems to have come true. For example, Det. Sgt. Mike Carbone, lead investigator in the murders, appealed for information this week from anyone who might have known Ryan recently, either at his place of work or at a local university.
Ryan also appeared to have a stable love life and was engaged to be married next month to a physiotherapist at a Toronto hospital. They shared a condo downtown, which she owns, and was the site of a false alarm bomb scare soon after the murders. Her identity is also protected by court order.
“It appears that you are also aware of the danger of unhealthy i ntimate rela- tionships,” the parole board noted in 2010.
It ordered him to continue his psychological counselling, and to report to his parole officer “all relationships with females and any changes occurring within those relationships.”
Soon after his release on day parole, a psychiatric report found Ryan had profited from counselling, was openly discussing his depression and had “a new l evel of honesty in your family relationships.” He was reported to typically spend his time studying.
Soon after that, in November 2010, he was granted full parole, and his bank robbery case was closed for good.
YOU FELL INTO A DEPRESSION THAT YOU FAILED TO RECOGNIZE.