14-Year-Old Charged As Adult In Murder Of Danvers (Massachusetts) Teacher
October 23, 2013
Philip Chism
Colleen Ritzer
A beloved Danvers High math teacher was found murdered in the woods near the school and a 14-year-old is being charged in the slaying, the DA announced today.
The news comes after Danvers public schools were closed down as police investigated the slaying of teacher Colleen Ritzer, District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said.
"She was a very, very respected, loved teacher. At 24 years of age ... it's a terrible tragedy for the entire Danvers community," said Blodgett, adding "there is no reason to believe other suspects are involved."
Philip Chism was charged as an adult and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Salem District Court today. He was held without bail and the judge approved his defense lawyer's motion for a mental evaluation. Chism's next court date is Nov. 22.
The case took a dramatic turn when the teen was found wandering north on the southbound side of Route 1 at 12:30 a.m. today in Topsfield, the DA said. Local police earlier yesterday put out a bulletin asking for the public's help in finding Chism. Police added Chism had recently moved to town from Tennessee.
The DA said they also received a missing persons report an hour earlier for the teacher who had not come home from school and wasn't answering her cell phone. She was later found dead in the woods near the high school. The DA said police also found blood in a second-floor bathroom at the high school when they went looking for the teacher at 11:20 p.m. yesterday.
The DA would not say how the teacher was killed. They have yet to divulge any evidence linking the teen to the murder.
Police said Chism was last seen about 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Hollywood Hits movie theater in Danvers. Theater manager Scott Przybcien told the Herald that Chism saw the 4:30 p.m. screening of the Woody Allen film “Blue Jasmine.”
“All we know is, he bought a ticket, saw a movie and left. It was a fairly busy day. He blended right in,” Przybcien said. “I think he just was wandering, looking for a place to hide. A movie theater is a perfect place for that. That’s what we do for a living -- forget about life for two hours.”
A high school student told the Herald today the school superintendent alerted families via a robo telephone call earlier this morning that school was canceled due to "an ongoing investigation."
"It's just terrifying," said Danvers High senior Kendall Meehan, 17. "Nothing like this ever happens in Danvers."
Mary Duffy, who lives next door to the Ritzer family in Danvers, said she knew Colleen basically her whole life.
"If every family had a daughter like Colleen Ritzer, it would be a wonderful world.
"She always wanted to teach math. Her mother, I believe, is probably a math whiz," Duffy told the Herald. "She was a quiet, pleasant girl with many friends. She was just like the ideal daughter. She is. This family is a family of America, They are the ideal family, they are friendly, they are loving, close."
The 24-year-old Ritzer often used Twitter to stay in touch with her students, last tweeting two days ago geometry homework links. She also wrote on her profile: "Math teacher often too excited about the topics I'm teaching." She also shared personal thoughts, tweeting she loved the fall, coffee, ice cream and the movie "Home Alone." She would send out uplifting messages, including "find something good in every day
."
She also offered her students emotional help after the Boston Marathon bombings tweeting: "This world is a crazy place. Love who you love and live every day. Thoughts and prayers to those affected at the Boston Marathon."
Christian Veatch, 17, a senior, was in Ritzer’s math class last year.
“She’d just joke around. I loved her class,” said Veatch. “I hate math ... But she made it fun.”
He said one day she noticed he was having a bad day, and pulled him out into the hall and talked him through it.
“We ended up talking out in the hall for like 20 minutes. I walked in the class feeling a lot better, more happy. I was ready to do my work. In 20 minutes, she totally changed my attitude. It was amazing.”
Gail Wade, 49, whose son, Spencer, is a freshman at the school, said when they heard someone had been killed, at first they thought it was Chism. Of freshman Spencer Wade:
“We thought it was him,” she said. “Then they said it was a teacher. It was a big shock.”
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