A Pennsylvanian teen has been charged with the murder of a classmate after sending a photo of himself with the victim’s body to a friend via Snapchat.
As reported by The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 16-year-old Maxwell Marion Morton is currently being held without bail in the Westmoreland County juvenile detention center in Pittsburgh.
Morton has been detained on charges of first-degree murder, homicide and possession of a firearm by a minor in connection with the death of Ryan Mangan, who was found shot dead by his mother last Wednesday (4 February).
Using Snapchat, users can take photos that are viewable for just a few seconds before being deleted from the recipient’s phone and Snapchat’s servers. According to police, Morton sent the picture of the body via the app, but the boy who received the message managed to save it before deletion.
Morton confessed to killing Mangan after police found a 9mm handgun hidden under the basement steps, according to the Tribune-Review.
“I’ve never seen it before but it was a key piece of evidence that led investigators to the defendant,” said county district attorney John Peck speaking about the selfie.
Morton was arraigned last Friday and has been charged as an adult.
Snapchat image via Shutterstock
