Prosecutors say investigators found 19 firearms in Ryan Hanafin’s bedroom after his mother was found dead in the family’s Reading home.
WOBURN, Mass. — A 22-year-old Massachusetts man has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder after prosecutors accused him of fatally shooting his mother following growing tensions inside their Reading home, including arguments over the large number of cats she fostered.
Ryan Hanafin was ordered held without bail after his Oct. 15 arraignment in Woburn District Court in the death of his mother, 49-year-old Andria Hanafin. Prosecutors also brought an assault and battery charge involving a dangerous weapon and multiple firearms-related charges. Authorities say Hanafin left Massachusetts after the shooting and was arrested in Vermont on Oct. 8. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 10.
According to prosecutors, Andria Hanafin and her eldest son had been in an ongoing dispute over conditions in the family home. She worked at a veterinary clinic and fostered cats, and authorities later found more than 80 cats at the property. Her husband told investigators that she had said during a telephone conversation on the evening of Oct. 7 that she had been arguing with Ryan Hanafin and wanted him to move out of the house.
Prosecutors said surveillance footage showed Hanafin’s Dodge Charger leaving the neighborhood shortly after that conversation. Andria Hanafin’s husband returned from work after midnight and called 911 at about 12:38 a.m. Oct. 8 after finding his wife dead in the kitchen. The couple’s younger son was also at the home and was not injured. Authorities initially identified Ryan Hanafin as a person of interest before he was located later that day in Vermont.
The case also drew scrutiny because of the number of firearms investigators said they recovered. Prosecutors told the court that Hanafin had a license to carry firearms and had 10 legally registered guns, but police found 19 firearms in his bedroom. Authorities also allege that many were stored improperly and that investigators recovered an untraceable firearm without a serial number. Separate firearms charges include allegations involving improper storage near a minor.
Prosecutors said Hanafin had traveled north after leaving the Reading area. When Vermont authorities took him into custody, investigators said they found a rifle and a large quantity of ammunition in his vehicle. Prosecutors also described electronic messages they say Hanafin sent to a cousin and a friend around the time of his mother’s death. The messages were presented in court as part of the prosecution’s case but have not been tested at trial.
Assistant District Attorney Carrie Spiros argued that Hanafin should remain jailed, citing the murder charge, the firearms investigators recovered and his alleged travel to Vermont after the killing. His public defender did not seek bail at the arraignment. A not-guilty plea was entered on Hanafin’s behalf, and the allegations against him remain unproven unless established in court.
Investigators said the dispute over cats was one source of tension in the household, but court proceedings have also described broader disagreements within the family. Hanafin’s father had told investigators that he had pushed his son to find work, while prosecutors said Andria Hanafin had expressed concerns to a friend about her son and his access to guns. Authorities have not established in court that any single dispute was the sole motive for the killing.
The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said 84 cats were removed from the Reading home and taken into its care. The animals had varying medical needs, the organization said. The criminal case now moves toward Hanafin’s next scheduled court appearance on Nov. 10 as prosecutors continue pursuing the first-degree murder and related charges.
Author note: Last updated October 19, 2026.