Man wanted in connection with mother’s death in Reading found in Vermont, taken into custody – Boston News, Weather, Sports

READING, MASS. (WHDH) – A 22-year-old man wanted in connection with the death of his mother in Reading was located and taken into custody in Vermont Thursday afternoon, officials said.

Hours after Reading Police Chief David Clark identified Ryan Hanafin as a person of interest who should be considered armed and dangerous, he was arrested by Vermont State Police in connection with the death of his mother Andria Hanafin.

“At approximately 12:38 a.m., Reading Police received a 911 call that the body of a 49-year-old woman had been found in a home on Center Avenue,” the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. “When police arrived on scene, they located the victim with an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.”

Police said Andria was last seen around 5 p.m. Wednesday evening by her 13-year-old son, who went out and returned home around 9 p.m. before retiring to his room for the night. Andria’s daughter is at university.

Her husband came home from work later and found her dead in the kitchen, authorities said.

Vermont State Police said they were notified around 12:15 a.m. Thursday by Massachusetts State Police that they believed Hanafin was in Vermont. Vermont State Police troopers then went to the Warren, Vermont area where Hanafin was believed to be attending and began searching for him.

Around 2:30 p.m., officers said they located Hanafin driving on Vermont Route 100. They conducted a motor vehicle stop and, with the assistance of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, arrested him without incident.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Marian Ryan and Clark confirmed the investigation was an apparent homicide. Ryan said they have yet to locate the murder weapon.

“It’s shocking, it’s tragic. This is obviously a domestic violence situation, well it’s being claimed that it would be domestic violence at this point, even though it’s not the traditional domestic violence situation that we think of,” Ryan said. “We now have two children who have lost their mother, and another child who is at least a person of interest at this point. So first and foremost it’s a terrible tragedy.”

Residents who live near the Hanafins said they were relieved to learn of the arrest, but it is a distressing situation for an otherwise calm neighborhood.

“You see all the police cars and everything. It was very surprising and shocking,” said neighbor Grant Barton. “We’re just very relieved, because there was a lot of apprehension and anxiety that he was still, sort of, out there.”

Ryan said Hanafin had a license to carry, but that license was revoked by Clark Thursday morning.

Hanafin is currently being held as a fugitive in the Northeast Regional Correctional Facility in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. He is expected to be arraigned Friday afternoon in the Vermont Superior Court Criminal Division in Barre. Officials said charges against him in Massachusetts were being finalized.

Vermont State Police said they are in communication with Massachusetts State Police as the investigation continues.

(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)