Maxwell Morton (Photo : www.triblive.com)
Authorities have arrested and charged 16-year-old Maxwell Marion Morton with first degree murder after a "selfie" showing him with the dead body of victim Ryan Mangan surfaced.
According to the Trib Live, Marion allegedly sent the photos through Snapchat, a popular messaging app where one can send photos and messages that disappear after the recipient reads them. Marion allegedly messaged a classmate with the photo, together with the message, "Ryan was not the last one."
The classmate, whose name is being withheld, was able to take a screenshot of the photo before it disappeared. The recipient's mother then contacted Westmoreland County 911 and forwarded the photo. Attempts to contact the mother were unsuccessful.
"...it was a key piece of evidence that led investigators to the defendant.", declared County District Attorney John Peck.
The screenshot allegedly shows Morton facing the camera with the body of the victim behind him. The victim was sitting in a chair and had a gunshot wound to the face. The screenshot also had the name "Maxwell" across the top.
The motive has yet to been determined by the police, CNet reported.
Authorities worldwide have been able to use social media to find suspects in various crimes. There have been reports of suspects taking selfies with stolen phones, not knowing that the photos automatically synced with the owners' computers.
Morton has been charged with first-degree murder, homicide and possession of firearms and is being held in the Westmoreland County juvenile detention center. He will be facing the charges as an adult.
