A man who was a person of interest in the death of his mother in Reading, Massachusetts, has been taken into custody by state police in Vermont, officials said Thursday.
Reading police shared this statement afternoon: “Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Reading Police Chief David J. Clark have confirmed that Ryan Hanafin has been located and taken into custody by Vermont State Police. There is no further risk to public safety. More information to follow regarding apprehension and any court appearances.”
Hanafin, 22, had been sought as a person of interest in the death of his mother, 49-year-old Andria Hanafin, at her home.
Vermont State Police said Ryan Hanafin was pulled over and arrested on Vermont Route 100 near the Sugarbush Access Road about 2:30 p.m. Their counterparts in Massachusetts had shared that Hanafin was believed to be in Vermont.
Troopers were sent to the town of Warren, where he’s been known to frequent, to search for him, and he was detained within about two hours. Police said Thursday night that he was ordered held without bail on a charge of being a fugitive from justice, with a hearing scheduled at Vermont Superior Court in Barre for 12:30 p.m. Friday.
Suspects in crimes that took place in other states typically face extradition hearings before they can be sent back to face charges in the court where they’ve been brought. Hanafin has not been named as a suspect in the death of his mother; NBC10 Boston has reached out to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office on whether charges have been filed against Hanafin; it wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney.
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Police outside the home in Reading, Massachusetts, where Andria Hanafin was found dead early on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said earlier that police were first called to the home on Center Avenue around 12:38 a.m. The caller reported that he’d found his wife dead inside the kitchen of the home. The couple’s 13-year-old son was home and unharmed. The couple’s older son, who lives in the home, was missing.
A woman was found dead in her home in Reading, Massachusetts, on Thursday morning, and investigators are searching for her son as a person of interest in the case.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was conducting an autopsy, but the cause of death is believed to be a gunshot wound, officials said.
Police sought Hanafin and his vehicle, a black 2010 Dodge Charger. He was consistently referred to as a person of interest.
Reading police said Ryan Hanafin has a license to carry a gun that was suspended Thursday morning. He was considered armed and dangerous, and officials urged people not to approach him if they saw him, but instead call 911.
Ryan Hanafin’s car was last seen driving on I-93 toward Tewksbury, around 7:25 p.m. on Wednesday.
The DA said they believe this is a case of domestic violence, though the exact circumstances are under investigation.
“This is, first and foremost, a terrible tragedy,” Ryan said.
Police have no significant history at the house or with the family, the DA said.
The husband reported that he left for work around 11 a.m. that day and returned around 11 p.m. The younger son last saw his mother alive around 5 p.m. when he left home with friends. When he returned home around 9 a.m., he went straight to his room and did not see his mother.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
Aerial video showed a heavy police presence outside a residence, with yellow crime scene tape cordoning off the area.
Classes at Reading Public Schools continued as normal on Thursday, but with increased patrols and police presence at schools, Superintendent Henry Turner said in a statement.
“We are working closely with the police and will alert you promptly if any changes become necessary. Elementary schools have decided to hold an indoor recess today,” Turner wrote. “We will remain in close communication with the Reading Police Department and will share additional information if circumstances change.”