Fugitive Ryan Hanafin, wanted after mother found dead in kitchen, waives extradition
BARRE, Vt. — The 22-year-old Massachusetts man arrested in Vermont Thursday hours after his mother was found shot dead in her kitchen has waived extradition and agreed to be returned to his home state.
Ryan Hanafin was the subject of an interstate manhunt Thursday after his 48-year-old father Matthew Hanafin arrived home around 12:38 a.m. and found his wife, 49-year-old Andria Hanafin, shot dead in their kitchen in Reading, Massachusetts, according to Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan.
The local prosecutor said in court that she had spoken with Massachusetts State Police and expected them to be able to retrieve Ryan Hanafin "pretty quickly" in a brief hearing Friday afternoon.
RYAN HANAFIN ARRESTED IN VERMONT AFTER MOM ANDRIA FOUND DEAD OF GUNSHOT WOUND IN MASSACHUSETTS HOME
In a hearing where both the judge and defendant appeared virtually, with only the lawyers and media in the courtroom, Hanafin answered "Yes sir," when asked if he could hear the judge.
Hanafin was wearing a blue protective covering over his chest and shoulders as he appeared remotely.
"You are charged with crimes, felony crimes, in the state of Massachusetts, and they would like to have you returned," the judge said. "You have the right to go through what is called the formal governor's warrant process, and that's where the governor of Massachusetts formally asks the governor of Vermont to surrender you, and that takes some time, and they have to make sure that their paperwork is correct, then they would send you back."
The judge added that he could file a habeas petition and challenge the state's authority to hold him in the meantime.
"The most common basis for that might be that you were the wrong Ryan Hanafin," the judge said. "By waiving extradition, you're giving up your opportunity to go through the governor's warrant process and file any habeas petition. Do you understand that?"
"Yes sir," Hanafin replied.
The judge asked if he had taken any drugs or had any mental conditions that would affect his judgment or make it difficult to understand the proceedings.
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"No sir," Hanafin replied to each question.
He said he had spoken with his attorney and understood his advice.
"All right," the judge continued, "is it your voluntary choice to waive extradition and return to Massachusetts?"
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"Yes, that's what I'd like to do," Hanafin replied.
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Timing for his return to Massachusetts to face charges in Reading, where his mother was shot to death, was not immediately clear.
The judge set a status conference for next Thursday to make sure Hanafin's transfer had been completed.
"We'll set it for status next Thursday just to make sure Massachusetts has retrieved him, and if they haven't yet, we'll ask for some status report on that," he said.
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The entire hearing lasted roughly four minutes.
Reading police have so far called him a person of interest and not a suspect, and authorities have not publicly identified the Massachusetts felony charges referenced during Friday's extradition hearing.
Vermont state troopers were on the lookout for his black Dodge Charger in Warren, Vermont, where he had known ties. About two hours into their search, they found him, and he was arrested without incident, authorities said.