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Teen accused of killing 16-year-old, taking selfie with body headed to trial

JEANETTE, Pa. — Extra security was in place at the Westmoreland County Courthouse Wednesday due to threats made against a teen murder suspect who’s accused of murdering a 16-year-old and taking a photo of himself with the body.

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Sources told Channel 11’s Joe Holden that the hearing for Maxwell Morton, 16, who is charged as an adult in the shooting death of Ryan Mangan, was moved to the courthouse after law enforcement learned of death threats made against Morton.

Patrick Thomassey, Morton’s attorney, argued during the hearing that there is no evidence that indicates Mangan’s death was first-degree murder. Thomassey said the two teens were friends with no bad blood between them.

“The deceased brought the gun into the whole thing, reloaded it for my client, and I personally think it was an accident,” he said. “He was taking a picture down the barrel of the gun and the gun went off. That's going to be the issue for a jury to decide, whether that's malice or intentional or reckless conduct.”

Morton’s mother also told Holden outside the courtroom that the incident “was an accident.”

However, prosecutors said Morton had intent.

Morton was arrested early last month after police obtained a selfie of him posing in front of Mangan’s body.

Authorities said a woman contacted them after her son received the Snapchat photo from Morton.

An 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."

A detective also testified in court Wednesday that Morton had transmitted the selfie over an XBox to a gaming friend in Wisconsin. The detective said Mornton allegedly stated that he “got his first body.”

While serving a search warrant, authorities recovered a 9 mm handgun, and Morton confessed that he used it to shoot Mangan, according to police.

Authorities said when detectives interviewed Morton a day after the shooting he said, “I just shot him. It didn’t matter, and I don’t care.”

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.A judge Wednesday held over all the charges for trial.

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