Vermont Man Charged in Mother's Shooting Death Waives Extradition to Massachusetts
Ryan Hanafin, 22, appeared in court in Vermont after allegedly killing his 49-year-old mother in Reading, MA. He waived extradition Friday.
Vermont Arrest After Massachusetts Mother Shooting: Hanafin in Court
Ryan Hanafin, 22, appeared virtually before a Washington County court in Vermont on Friday, waiving extradition to Massachusetts where he faces charges in connection with the shooting death of his 49-year-old mother, Andria, according to wcax.com.
Andria Hanafin was found dead in the kitchen of her Reading, Massachusetts home just after midnight on Thursday, when her husband returned from work and discovered her body. Police say a dispute over rescue cats — dozens of which roamed freely inside the home — had recently put mother and son at odds. On the day of the killing, Andria told Ryan to move out. Her husband also told investigators he had been frustrated with his son for being unemployed.
Vermont State Police arrested Hanafin later that same Thursday afternoon after troopers spotted him driving a black Dodge Charger on the Sugarbush Access Road near Warren, Vermont. Authorities had issued a lookout for the vehicle after he fled north following the killing.
"Vermont did its part and Vermont State Police took him into custody yesterday," Washington County State's Attorney Michelle Donnelly told WCAX News in a one-on-one interview after the hearing.
Donnelly explained that Hanafin was processed as a fugitive from justice. "He had warrants for him in the state of Massachusetts, and so he was processed today as what's called a fugitive from justice," she said.
Inside Hanafin's bedroom — which police described as being in hoarding condition — investigators found 19 firearms. Only 10 were registered, and police believe some were 3D printed. Authorities initially sought Hanafin on gun charges while naming him a person of interest in his mother's death.
Neighbours recalled Andria Hanafin as a well-known figure in the community for her work rescuing cats. "A nice lady, she used to adopt cats, I used to call her the cat lady," one neighbour said.
Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan addressed the broader toll of the case. "We have two children now that have lost their mother. We have another child who's at least a person of interest at this point, so this is first and foremost a terrible tragedy," Ryan said. In addition to her husband and son Ryan, Andria leaves behind a 13-year-old son and a daughter currently away at college.
It remains unclear why Hanafin fled specifically to Vermont, though police believe he had a prior connection to the Warren area. With his extradition waiver filed Friday, Massachusetts authorities will now retrieve him from Vermont to face charges in his home state.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)