Ryan James Hoyt was born on August 10, 1979, in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in a city known for its vibrant culture and opportunities. Not much is widely known about his early family life. As he grew up, Ryan faced challenges that may have affected his life choices later on.

During his teenage years, Hoyt became involved in a group influenced by crime and drugs. This environment likely played a role in shaping his future decisions. He struggled to find stability and success in his life, facing issues like trouble finding a job and maintaining personal relationships. Hoyt reportedly experienced feelings of depression and had a personality marked by dependent and avoidant traits.

Despite these challenges, he had dreams like many young people. However, as he entered adulthood, these dreams became harder to achieve. At the age of 22, he became associated with Jesse James Hollywood, a figure known for his ties to criminal activity. 

On August 6, 2000, Nicholas Markowitz, a 15-year-old boy, was kidnapped in Santa Barbara, California. For three days, he was held for ransom by Jesse James Hollywood and his associates. They demanded money from Nicholas's older half-brother to pay off a debt. Eventually, Hollywood decided to kill Nicholas because he feared a lengthy prison sentence for his actions.

Ryan James Hoyt, who was also in debt to Hollywood, agreed to help in the murder to eliminate his own debts. On August 9, 2000, after Nicholas was taken to a remote location in the Santa Ynez Mountains, Hoyt pushed him into a shallow grave that had been dug earlier that day. He then shot Nicholas nine times with a TEC-9 handgun that Hollywood had provided.

Hoyt was arrested a few days later. During his arrest, he gave a videotaped confession, admitting to the crime. However, in court, Hoyt claimed he could not remember confessing and insisted that his only involvement was accidentally giving a duffel bag containing the gun to another accomplice.

In November 2001, a jury found Hoyt guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death in February 2003. The judge noted that Hoyt had multiple chances to walk away from the crime but chose to go ahead with it.

Hoyt remained on death row at San Quentin State Prison until January 2024. His sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A judge allowed this change after considering the arguments that Hoyt's earlier defense was inadequate and that he had mental health issues. Hoyt was then moved to the California Men's Colony to serve his life sentence.