Another disturbing story unfolds today as sixteen year old American student Ryan Mangan was shot dead by friend and fellow classmate Maxwell Morton also sixteen, in the city of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, last Wednesday.
The shooter, Maxwell Morton was a classmate of Mangan before going to the family home and shooting him once in the face killing the teenager instantly.
Mr. Morton then allegedly took a selfie with the dead body of his friend before sending the picture to his snapchat contacts. Snapchat is an app which allows users to send pictures to each other for a set amount of seconds and cannot be regained unless the photograph is saved.
In this case, the photograph Morton sent was saved by a contact of Morton’s and the mother of the boy contacted the police immediately.
It’s a first for county District Attorney John Peck, who has said “I’ve never seen it before, but it was a key piece of evidence that led investigators to the defendant.”
Morton was arrested today and confessed to killing Mangan after police searched his home and found a 9mm handgun hidden under the basement steps, according to the Tribune. Morton has been charged with first-degree murder, homicide and possession of a firearm by a minor.
The victim’s funeral is due to be held today, while a preliminary court hearing for the defendant is due to take place on February 19.