The Crossbow of the Man Who Pretended to Be Another

The Crossbow of the Man Who Pretended to Be Another: The Serial Murder of Brett Ryan in Toronto A man builds a false life for years: technology employee, perfect fiancé, university student in rehabilitation. On August 25, 2017, when his lie is about to crumble before his girlfriend, he buys a crossbow and kills three people in his mother's house. The crime escalates chaotically, as if improvising in front of unexpected witnesses - although his preparations reveal chilling premeditation. In this episode, we explore the central contradiction: how does a hospital volunteer with homemade devices planned weeks in advance end up executing disorganized murders with four different weapons? We analyze the job rejection letter that triggered it all, the maternal ultimatum that sealed fates, and how a judge who called him a "promising young man" in 2008 could not have imagined the three corpses of 2017. Victim: AJ (brother), Chris Ryan (brother), mother Date: August 25, 2017 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Status: Sentenced to three consecutive life sentences - Homemade alibi devices (fans, pulleys, brooms simulating activity) built weeks in advance, revealing calculated premeditation. - Crossbow hidden in mother's garage because he could not buy firearms - improvised escalation to stabbing when the crossbow proved unmanageable. - First bank robbery in 2007 due to financial pressure; the same criminal pattern in the face of imminent social control repeats in 2017. - Spontaneous statement upon arrest: "I should have taken AJ to the hospital; the ones in the garage are dead, it was me" - admission before formal interrogation. Brett Ryan, Toronto crossbow murder 2017, serial killer, criminal intrigue, criminal minds, forensics, homicide, true crime, investigation, mystery, true crime SpanishIf you'd like to listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, we invite you to try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 Created with OBOMEDIA technology. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and associated materials) are the property of their respective creator and are distributed under the OBOMEDIA name on platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or total or partial commercial use is prohibited without prior written authorization. For permissions, licenses, and commercial inquiries: [email protected] episode includes AI-generated content.