Ryan Waller and Heather Quan had been dating for nearly eight months and had recently moved in together. While Waller had just finished high school, Quan was in college working on her degree. They shared an apartment in Phoenix, Arizona with another roommate named Alicia.

Waller used to live in Phoenix with his girlfriend, Heather Quan, in an apartment they shared with an absent roommate. After only a few months in the house, Ryan Waller and Heather Quan were subjected to a break-in on December 25, 2006, by Ritchie Carver, who used to live in the apartment, and his father, Larry Carver.

Ritchie Carver shot Ryan in the head twice. Carver then went to another room and shot Heather Quan, who was lying on the couch, killing her instantly. She was only 21 years old at the time of the incident.

The Carvers then robbed the establishment, taking some electronic items and a guitar that were never found. Waller had survived the attack, unbeknownst to the perpetrators.

The Police At The Crime Scene

Ryan’s parents became concerned when he did not show up for the Christmas dinner because it was getting close to Christmas. They went to his house and knocked on the door, but no one answered.

When Ryan’s parents didn’t get a response at his house, they called the cops. When the cops arrived on the scene, they discovered Heather’s lifeless body. When they arrived, Ryan was still alive and moving around the apartment.

When questioned by police, Ryan claimed he had no recollection of the incident due to the trauma and severity of his injuries. Unfortunately, instead of providing the necessary medical attention, the police interrogated him about the incident. Despite his condition, Ryan recognized Ritchie Carver and his father as the people who had attacked him and Heather.

Before she was killed, the police assumed he and Quan had a domestic dispute. They viewed the murder as an example of domestic abuse gone wrong.

Despite suffering a traumatic brain injury from the gunshot, Waller was detained for four hours and then interrogated for two hours. The infamous interrogation video shows Waller disoriented and responding incoherently to simple questions posed by the lead detective, Paul Dalton.

Waller, ideally, should have received medical attention as soon as possible. However, it took Detective Dalton more than six hours to notice the wound and finally allow paramedics to examine Waller.

Ryan Waller was hospitalized for 35 days, but he suffered significant physical and neurological damage. He lost some of his brain function and his left eye as a result of the gunshot wound. Furthermore, he had seizures for several years after the incident. Seizures eventually proved to be the cause of his untimely death in 2007.

Ryan Waller had his final seizure on January 20, 2016, which resulted in his untimely death. He bled out after falling and hitting his head in a grocery store. Ryan was only 27 years old at the time of his death.

Finally, the actual perpetrators of the crime were apprehended. Ritchie Carver was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and Larry Carver was sentenced to life in prison in 2013 after a lengthy process.

The Waller family sued the Phoenix Police Department and the City of Phoenix for $15 million for their handling of Ryan Waller’s case. The family prepared the lawsuit for four years, seeking justice for their son’s mistreatment during the investigation. Unfortunately, the lawsuit was abruptly dismissed just three weeks before the trial, leaving the family with no legal recourse against those responsible for their son’s mistreatment.