Teacher Colleen Ritzer (24) found murdered in woods behind high school by 14 yr old student

[HockeyGirl]

A 24-year-old Danvers High School teacher has been found dead, and a 14-year-old boy is facing a murder charge in the case, Essex County prosecutors said this morning.

Colleen Ritzer's body was found in the woods behind the school, said Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett. Citing state law, Blodgett did not name the suspect.

The suspect had been reported missing Tuesday after he did not return home from school. Ritzer was reported missing at about 11:20 p.m. Tuesday when she did not return home and did not answer her cellphone.

Blood was found in a second-floor bathroom of the school. Ritzer's body was found later behind the school, Blodgett said.

Teacher killed in Danvers "She was a very, very, respected, loved teacher. It?s a terrible tragedy for the entire Danvers community," Blodgett said.

The juvenile was found by Topsfield police at 12:30 a.m. today walking north on the southbound side of Route 1. He is to be arraigned today in juvenile court.

Asked if the juvenile would be charged as an adult, Blodgett said, "We are going to take a hard look at that, obviously."

He said authorities had no reason to believe there were any other suspects.

Citing state law protecting the records of juvenile offenders, he released few further details of the investigation, declining to comment on whether the suspect knew Ritzer and on how Ritzer died.

All classes in Danvers public schools were canceled this morning due to the investigation. The academic wing of the school is blocked off with crime scene tape.

Town officials called parents at about 4:45 a.m. today, saying only that there was a police presence at the school and schools were canceled.

Sitting in a car parked across from the school, two students said they were stunned and terrified to hear what had happened.

"We are all terrified. It's very scary," said Caitlin McBride, a junior. "No one will ever look at this school the same way anymore."

McBride said she received a text this morning, saying the school was closed.

"I didn't know what to do," said Kendall Meehan. "It's all very scary. It's not something you see around here."

Both students said they didn't know the 14-year-old who was reported missing.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/201...8qJ/story.html

[*crickets*]

Holy shit..

[beli]

14-year-old Philip Chism was reported missing hours before investigators found the body of Colleen Ritzer, 24, behind Danvers High School late Tuesday. He was later charged with her murder.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1493769

[Seraphim]

What. The. Hell.

[debk589]

Jesus. Teaching is slowly becoming one of the most dangerous career choices, and that gives me the sads.

[g r ee n ey e s]

I wonder what kind of weapon he had?

[HockeyGirl]

14-year-old Philip Chism was reported missing hours before investigators found the body of Colleen Ritzer, 24, behind Danvers High School late Tuesday. He was later charged with her murder.

So much for holding back the identity of a minor

little psychopath

[of_corpse_not]

Colleen's FB
https://www.facebook.com/colleen.ritzer589

[MostStephanitley]

I can't believe this is happening in my hometown of Danvers. I graduated from this high school back in 2009 before it was torn down and rebuilt. The woods behind the high school were a notorious spot to go when skip class, not kill your teacher. The house I grew up in is located in the surrounding neighborhood behind the high school, a few of my neighbors received calls last night around the time Philip went missing, from the DPD warning them to lock their doors and stay inside.

There is a pathway located fairly close to the school called the Danvers Rail Trail that leads from Danvers to RT1 in Topsfield. Pretty sure thats the route he took after fleeing the woods.

Sorry i'm brand spanking new to this forum and posting so forgive me plus i'm really shook up about this all of this. This is the second murder in two years here in Danvers, both located within a mile of each other.

[debk589]

Welcome MostSteph! It sounds like she may have been killed inside the school then moved to the woods?

They haven't said for sure that he was a student of hers, but I'm assuming that's the case?

[HockeyGirl]

Welcome MostSteph! It sounds like she may have been killed inside the school then moved to the woods?

It seems he killed her in the upstairs bathroom so Im surprised he was able to get her downstairs, out of the school and to the woods with no one noticing

[biggie]

This is soooo fucked up. This little POS moves there and kills. Unbelievable.

[MostStephanitley]

Thanks for the greetin' Debk! Yes, she was killed in the second floor bathrooms. Blood was found on the floor after she was reported not coming home from work.Her body was then moved to the woods behind the high school, so sorry for the misunderstanding! :)

Apparently there were cheerleading and basketballs camps going on at DHS as well as the Fall Festival Kick Off Event of Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society which was taken place a floor below where she as murdered. Colleens father came into the fundraiser last night asking people if they had seen his daughter, she wasn't answering but her car was still parked in the schools parking lot.

[MostStephanitley]

It seems he killed her in the upstairs bathroom so Im surprised he was able to get her downstairs, out of the school and to the woods with no one noticing

Yes, the school is fairly large but i personally have yet gone into the school after they renovated it so i'm completely unfamiliar with the layout, but I do know that the pathways into the woods are literally feet from a few schools field house doors.

[HockeyGirl]

This is how he did it

A Massachusetts high school student has been charged today with killing a teacher after he was reportedly seen in surveillance footage dragging her body from a blood-spatted bathroom in the school to then nearby woods.
Authorities say the 14-year-old boy apparently stuffed Colleen Ritzer's body in a recycling bin to move it out of Danvers High School outside of Boston, ABC News reports.

[sarabei]

Edited cause HG answered my question...now as to motive....

[sarabei]

This is how he did it

Same time post..lol!

[HockeyGirl]

Same time post..lol!

I can read your mind Sara

[g r ee n ey e s]

But what did he do to kill her??

[HockeyGirl]

But what did he do to kill her??

There's this:

Chism appeared in court Wednesday afternoon, where he was charged as an adult and formally accused of beating Ritzer to death Tuesday night.
The boy's attorney requested a mental health evaluation for the teen and suggested she would argue that he was not mentally competent to stand trial.

He was held without bail.

[Shins]

So much for holding back the identity of a minor

little psychopath

It's interesting.

When speaking on terms of financial maturity, and living independently, a 18yr old is socially seen as a child and is usually still dependent on their parents.

When speaking in terms of criminal intent and activity, "minors" are being looked at as adults more and more.


Yet another sign that the movie "idiocracy" is on to something...

[Ron_NYC]

It's interesting.

When speaking on terms of financial maturity, and living independently, a 18yr old is socially seen as a child and is usually still dependent on their parents.

When speaking in terms of criminal intent and activity, "minors" are being looked at as adults more and more.


Yet another sign that the movie "idiocracy" is on to something...

Not just that, but look at all the morons who crank out kids by the dozen.


Also, this sounds like one rough break up.

[HockeyGirl]

I look at charging him as an "adult" not so much where they stand socially but if they knew what they were doing was right or wrong.
All though if this kid is claiming he's mentally incompetant than it doesnt matter

[Shins]

Not just that, but look at all the morons who crank out kids by the dozen.


Also, this sounds like one rough break up.

That's the obvious sign. But what I mentioned sheds light on how it's literally effecting society.

[Ron_NYC]

That's the obvious sign. But what I mentioned sheds light on how it's literally effecting society.

So does the rise of Libertarianism.