Jul 9, 2008 5:20 pm US/Eastern
Police: Drug Transfer Involved In Mansfield Murder
MANSFIELD (WBZ) ―
Mansfield police say the murder of a young man Monday night was over a marijuana deal gone bad and that the victim was selling drugs at the time of his murder.
Mark Hayden, 19, of Mansfield, is charged with shooting Andrew Colwell, 18, of Mansfield, in the head, killing him.
Hayden was picked up for questioning by MBTA police at South Station in Boston Tuesday. Investigators say he was planning to take a train to Kentucky. He was later arrested at the Mansfield police station.
Police say Colwell was selling pot to Hayden when there was a disagreement that led to the shooting.
Colwell was found wounded behind the wheel of a running Jeep at the Edgewood Condominiums near Route 106. He was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital where he died a short time later.
Heavily armed Mansfield and State Police searched the area near Erick Road for several hours after the shooting.
Hayden is charged with murder, possession of marijuana, armed robbery, firearm-armed assault to rob, carrying a firearm without a license, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building. He will be arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Attleboro District Court.
Police are still looking for one other person.
Colwell was an honor student and tennis player at Mansfield High School, where he graduated just last month. He was planning to attend the University of New Hampshire, according to a friend.
His family released a brief statement Wednesday.
"We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the heath care professionals and law enforcement agencies for their relentless efforts in assisting Andrew and our family during this very difficult time.
We ask that the media respects our need for privacy as we begin to grieve the loss of our son Andrew."
Hayden did not finish high school.
The last murder in Mansfield was 17 years ago when a high school student was killed. His killer was never found.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
