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16-year-old charged in shooting death of Jeannette teen took selfie with body

JEANNETTE, Pa. — A selfie photograph led police to charge a teenager in connection with the Wednesday shooting death of another teen in Jeannette, according to authorities.

Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck confirmed late Friday night that Maxwell Morton, 16, was charged as an adult in the shooting death of Ryan Mangan.

The alleged selfie obtained by police showed Morton posing in front of Mangan's body. A woman contacted police Thursday after her son received the Snapchat photo from Morton, police said.

Morton is charged with criminal homicide and murder in the first degree, in addition to one count of possession of a firearm by a minor, according to court documents. He was denied bail Friday night.

Authorities said Mangan, 16, was found shot to death inside his mother's Rankin Avenue home around 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Sources told Channel 11's Joe Holden that Mangan, a junior at Jeannette High School, was shot once in the head.

The selfie "depicted the victim sitting in the chair with a gunshot wound to the face," according to a police affidavit. "It also depicts a black male taking the selfie with his face facing the camera and the victim behind the actor. The photo had the name 'Maxwell' across the top."

The black male was identified by police as Morton and a search warrant was served Friday, the affidavit stated. During the search a 9 mm handgun was recovered and Morton confessed that he used it to shoot Mangan

The affidavit further stated that the son of the woman who contacted police about the selfie received messages from Morton. The messages stated, "Told you I cleaned up the shells" and "Ryan was not the last one."

Family and friends filled Sacred Heart Church in Jeannette Monday for Mangan's funeral.

Brianna Kelly, Mangan’s girlfriend, called him a “funny and loving” person.

“He had a big heart,” she said.

According to those who knew Mangan and Morton, the two were friends.

"Why would you want to do something like that, and why would you then brag about it?" said Jocelyn Elias, a friend of Mangan's. "For him to be killed the way he was killed, there's no reason for that. It's hard, very hard for all of us to wrap our heads around."

A GoFundMe account has been established to help Mangan's family with funeral expenses. Anyone wishing to make donations can click HERE.