Mass. man arrested in Vt. after his mother was found dead

October 12, 2026  |  By Eric Blaisdell  |  The Times Argus

BARRE — A Massachusetts man who police say is a person of interest in his mother’s killing has been arrested in Warren.

Ryan M. Hanafin, 22, faces in Massachusetts court 15 felony counts of improper storage of large-capacity firearms near a minor and a felony count of receiving an untraceable firearm. Hanafin was reportedly arrested in Warren.

A hearing was held Friday in Washington County criminal court, where Hanafin waived extradition and is expected to be transported soon back to Massachusetts to face the charges. He will remain held without bail until he’s picked up by law enforcement from that state, with a status conference set for next week in case he hasn’t been retrieved yet.

Trooper David Lambert, of the Vermont State Police, said in his affidavit police received a “be on the lookout” notification Thursday stating Hanafin was a person of interest in a homicide investigation in Reading, Massachusetts. Lambert said police in Massachusetts reported Hanafin may be driving a black 2010 Dodge Charger with a Massachusetts license plate. He said police in Vermont were told Hanafin had a prior connection to Powderhound Road in Warren, though the affidavit didn’t state what that connection was.

Lambert said police responded to the area to look for Hanafin and the trooper spotted a black Dodge Charger with a Massachusetts license plate driving on Route 100.

Lambert said because Hanafin was considered armed and dangerous, he conducted a “high-risk traffic stop” and took Hanafin into custody without incident.

The trooper said Hanafin was then ordered held without bail until his hearing Friday. Detective Derek Holmes, of the Reading Police Department, said in his affidavit an unattended death was reported a bit after midnight Thursday. Holmes said the caller reported finding his wife dead, with blood all over the floor. Holmes said the caller reported there were obvious signs of death and their son, Hanafin, was not home.

He said the victim, Andria Hanafin, 49, sustained an apparent significant head injury.

The detective said Ryan Hanafin’s father and younger brother were identified outside the home and no one else was located inside.

Holmes said while clearing the home, an officer saw a gun safe in what appeared to be Ryan Hanafin’s room. He said family members reported communicating with Andria Hanafin Wednesday evening and nothing seemed unusual.

The detective said a single silver shell casing was found on the floor near the victim’s feet. He said a small hole was observed in the kitchen wall.

Holmes said no guns were seen in plain sight at the scene.

He said the father reported returning home and noticing Ryan Hanafin’s Dodge Charger wasn’t there. The father reported that was strange because his son hadn’t left home in several days, according to court records. Holmes said the father reported finding his wife’s body and waking up his other son to check on him before calling 911.

Holmes noted there were between 20 to 30 cats and kittens inside the home. He said the victim was a rescuer who fosters cats and worked as a veterinary technician.

The detective said the father reported his wife told him Wednesday that she and Ryan Hanafin had been arguing about the cats. He said the father reported Ryan Hanafin had been getting into arguments about the cats and the victim said she wanted Ryan Hanafin to move out hours before she was found dead.

Holmes said the father reported Ryan Hanafin is unemployed but had been working at a gun shop. The father reported Ryan Hanafin always carries a gun concealed on himself.

The detective said the brother, who is a minor teenager, reported he returned home and also noticed Ryan Hanafin’s vehicle wasn’t there, but the brother went straight to his room and did not see the victim.

Holmes said a neighbor reported hearing a “popping” sound but thought it was fireworks. The detective said a records check showed Ryan Hanafin has 10 guns registered in his name.

Holmes said he obtained a search warrant for the home. He said in Ryan Hanafin’s room, investigators found numerous unsecured guns in unlocked cases, without any lock or safety device to prevent someone other than the owner from accessing them.

He said 19 guns were recovered, with 15 of them found unsecured and four found in the safe.

Holmes said nine of the guns registered to Ryan Hanafin were located, but the tenth was missing. In the gun safe, he said investigators located a gun with no serial number. He said it appeared this gun had been 3D printed and a printer was found next to the safe.