Ryan Waller is the latest victim of a Christmas Day burglary and shooting incident that also killed his girlfriend. Walter’s story is one of tragedy and accusations of injustice. Instead of being labeled a victim, Walter ended up being one of the main suspects in the tragic incident in which he and his girlfriend were murdered.
He is also famous on the internet as the one who was questioned for hours by police while he struggled after being shot twice in the head. His case was also ultimately a case of civil rights violations and police misconduct, from the police not treating him immediately to ignoring his severe brain injuries for hours. This case is also notorious for a lot of misinformation. In subsequent interviews with Ryan’s family and friends, conducted by many random people and the media, a series of conspiracies and claims were made that Ryan had not been treated fairly by the police and that there was more to the story.
Even the chief detectives and the entire police department were in the hot seat. Read the full account of what really happened, including all the gruesome details, and the aftermath, as well as articles that talk about Walter’s life; his birth, his girlfriend, and more.
A Few Details On Ryan Waller Early Life
Ryan Waller was born Ryan Thomas Waller on 12 February 1988, according to his obituary.
Not much has been said about Waller’s background, but when he was younger, the victim-turned-suspect was interested in playing the guitar. His father, Donald Thomas Waller, or Don, once revealed that Waller was the kind of boy who could rhyme a new tune within moments of hearing it.
He was also a gadget lover. Although he was from Knoxville, Tennessee, at the time of his death, and perhaps even before, he was living in Phoenix, Arizona.
What Really Happened To Ryan Waller And His Girlfriend Heather Quan on The Day Of The Shooting?
It happened on the afternoon of 23 December 2006. Ryan and his girlfriend were sitting in the living room or in their room when Larry Carver and his son Richie showed up at Walter’s door to retaliate for what they believed was a past argument.
Heather and Ryan lived in a house they shared with another roommate, Alicia. Although Alicia left her home that day. Ryan and Heather had rented the house and it was at an impasse.
The couple had now only lived in the house for about a month and a half.
When they arrived at Walter’s door, they rang the bell, whereupon Ryan came to see who it was. He knew who they were and hesitated to open the door. Carver and his son, however, broke into Walter’s house, and when the Knoxville native tried to close the door, Richie stuck his hand inside and shot Ryan twice in the head.
He then went to the room where Ryan’s girlfriend, Heather, was sitting on the couch and shot her to death. Richie apparently killed her because the father-son duo did not want any witnesses. Richie and his father also stole some guns and a computer from the scene after the couple was shot.
However, there are several narratives to the actuality of the event from here.
The Most Talked About Story Of Ryan Goes As:
Sometime after the incident, the Phoenix Police Department arrived at Ryan’s residence and found Walter, who, despite being shot twice in the head, was still alive.
To his surprise, he was also able to report who the culprit was. The police reported that Ryan had extremely swollen black eyes and some wounds on his nose and cheeks.
The Other Stories Of Waller Go As:
The shootings actually took place on the afternoon of Christmas Day 2006, according to police. According to Ryan’s father, Don, he had called his son and his girlfriend several times to remind them about Christmas dinner.
After receiving no reply from his son, Don and his wife (Walter’s mother) went to his son’s house. They looked outside and rang the doorbell, but no one was in the house. Later they called the police.
Interestingly, Alicia had reached the house before the police found the bodies of Ryan and Heather, but she had not entered their room. And strangely, she had never got hold of Don and his wife, even when they searched the house beforehand. Even though Ryan’s parents had stopped by the house when it was still daylight.
Alicia had returned home late that very day, and sometime later the police arrived. Police knocked on Ryan and Heather’s room, but there was no response.
The police eventually saw the sleeping bodies through the vertical blinds. They soon handcuffed the injured Ryan and escorted him to their car. The police prevented Don and his wife from seeing their son. Nor did he take his son to the hospital.
Ryan Went Through A Horrible Interrogation Phase
After his detention, Ryan sat in patrol cars for four hours without medical assistance. The next day, at around 5 am, Ryan was taken to an interrogation point.
Inspector Paul Dalton interrogated Waller, who was injured and in pain.. Ryan did not say much during the interview, other than that he wanted to go to bed.
The officers then asked about Richie and other things. The detective apparently also tried to get Ryan to say that it was he who had killed Hetter, but he never admitted it.
Ryan Was Rushed To The Hospital Pretty Late Despite Enduring Grave Injuries On His Face
It was only after several hours of questioning that Ryan received help in the hospital. And sometime later, the police informed Don that his son Valer was in critical condition.
Doctors allegedly told Don that due to the lack of immediate medical attention, Ryan had developed a severe infection.
It took 35 days for Valer to recover in the hospital. During his recovery, Ryan lost part of his brain. He permanently lost his left eye, and even after his discharge from the hospital, Ryan continued to have seizures for several years.
What Happened To The People Who Shot Ryan And His Girlfriend?
Almost a week after Ryan Waller left the hospital, the police arrested Richie. The following week, Richie’s mother handed over his father, Larry. Larry’s son Richie was convicted first.
Carver’s son Richie Lee was convicted five years before his father was convicted in 2008. He received life imprisonment without parole.
Richie was convicted by the police of aggravated murder, burglary, assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, and misuse of weapons.
Initially, the court could not charge Larry because his wife refused to testify against him, exercising her right to marry. Later, Heather’s family got a new rule passed that revoked the privilege, after which Richie’s mother had to appear in court. In November 2011, the court re-indicted Larry for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, burglary, and grievous bodily harm.
The case reached its final point when, in December 2012, Maricopa County jurors found Larry Lloyd Carver guilty on more than one count of the indictment related to the 2006 murder of Heather M. Quan. The jury also found Carver guilty of the attempted murder of her boyfriend, Ryan T Waller.
After a ten-day trial, Carver was sentenced on 25 January 2013 to a sentence that carries the possibility of spending the rest of her life in prison. Some report that it was without parole.
Ryan Waller’s Parents Are Reportedly Still Seeking For Justice
A few years after Richie and Larry’s convictions, Ryan and Don filed a lawsuit against the Phoenix Police Department in Arizona. Don claimed that the police had given false information about the date of the shootings.
Detective Dalton, who interviewed Ryan, was also accused of fabricating evidence and making up his own stories about the case.
Dalton apparently had a controversial professional history, particularly in the way he handled his previous cases.
He had put blinders on the wrong person in the past and had not played by the rules to close the case. Supposedly, the Phoenix police are still investigating how they handled Ryan and his case.
Even the United States Department of Justice contacted the authorities involved in questioning Ryan.
The Reason Ryan And Heather Quan Were Shot
There are several speculations as to why Larry and his son attempted to murder Walter and his girlfriend, Heather. One reason, as mentioned above, was that Ryan and Richie had previously been involved in a conflict.
Valer and Larry’s son were previously roommates and had been at odds with each other for some time. Some suggest that Richie had been harassing Heather, which was not pleasant for Ryan.
On the other hand, there were stories that Richie and Valerie had fights involving guns. Richie apparently also had a conflict with Eric, who was a previous occupant of the house where Ryan and Heather lived and also a former associate of Richie.
Some claim that Richie was just jealous of the fact that Ryan had nice things.
Ryan Waller Died In In The Mid 2010s
According to obituaries by Dignity Memorial and Legacy, Ryan would lose his life nearly a decade after the event on January 20, 2016.
The Arizona State resident died after suffering a seizure that caused a brain rupture, resulting in a fatal hemorrhage.
Ryan’s father chose not to charge Larry and Richie with his son’s murder because he believed they were already in prison for life without parole.
Where Are Ryan Waller Parents Today?
Since his death, Ryan’s father Don, and his wife have largely stayed out of the media. However, the father of the deceased Valera often appears for one or two q and a.
Don often speaks on various podcasts and gives interviews about his son; about his childhood, about what really happened that day, and how he and his family are still seeking justice for their son. His last interview is said to have been in September 2021.
