READING, Mass. — A 22-year-old man arrested in Vermont in connection with his mother’s death in Reading voluntarily waived extradition Friday, paving the way for his return to Massachusetts.
“You are charged with felony crimes in the state of Massachusetts, and they would like to have you returned,” a Vermont Superior Court judge presiding over the virtual hearing explained before ordering Ryan Hanafin held without bail on a fugitive-from-justice charge.
Hanafin’s arrest came more than 12 hours after his mother, 49-year-old Andria Hanafin, was found shot to death inside the family’s home on Center Street. Vermont State Police captured him around 2:30 p.m. Thursday in Warren during a traffic stop on Route 100.
The arrest came after Hanafin’s father returned home from work early Thursday and discovered his wife, setting off a massive manhunt for their son, who was labeled a “person of interest” in the homicide investigation.
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Neighbors remembered Andria as kind and caring, with a passion for helping cats, and she often fostered animals in her home.
During Friday’s hearing, Hanafin’s attorney told the judge that Massachusetts authorities plan to travel to Vermont “pretty quickly” to bring him back to the state.
It wasn’t immediately clear what charges Hanafin will face when he returns. A court date in Middlesex County has not yet been set.
On Thursday, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said Hanafin had multiple registered firearms and that the shooting death of his mother likely stemmed from a domestic dispute.
“We have an individual who did have a license to carry, who does have some guns that were registered to him,” Ryan said. “It’s a moment of reflection on the presence of guns in a home during an alleged dispute.”
Ryan also called the incident “shocking and tragic,” noting the family also has a daughter and a 13-year-old son.
An investigation remains ongoing.
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