14-year-old student held without bail in slaying of Danvers High teacher (Massachusetts)

Boston Globe ^ | October 23, 2013 | John R. Ellement, Kathy McCabe, Peter Schworm and Martin Finucane

[Zakeet]

A 24-year-old Danvers High School teacher has been found dead, and a 14-year-old boy is being held without bail on a charge of murdering her.

Math teacher Colleen Ritzer’s body was found in the woods behind the school, said Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett.

Philip D. Chism was ordered held without bail at his arraignment this afternoon in Salem District Court. Judge Matthew Nestor approved funds for a mental competency evaluation. Chism is to be tried as an adult; a probable cause hearing was slated for Nov. 22.

Chism 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.

Police searched the school and found blood in a second-floor bathroom. Ritzer’s body was found later behind the school, Blodgett said in a news conference this morning at the high school.

[kcvl]

Little is known about a possible motive, though some details of Chism’s life are starting to emerge.

He has moved around the country several times in his young life — including attending fourth-grade at a Clarksville, Tennessee, elementary school before moving on to fifth grade in Boca Raton, Florida, said Clarksville-Montgomery County, Tennessee, school system spokeswoman Elise Shelton.

Chism spent three sixth, seventh and eighth grades at Rossville Middle School in Clarksville, according to Shelton, before heading about 1,150 miles northeast to Massachusetts.

The connection between Ritzer and the boy was not clear. In a news conference held before the boy’s arraignment, Blodgett declined to discuss details of any connection between the teacher and the boy, citing his status as a juvenile. He did not say whether the boy is a student at the school.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/23/justice/massachusetts-danvers-schools-closed/index.html

[IwaCornDogs]

Danvers is the quintessential, homespun, lovely New England coastal town, north of Boston, rooted in history (it is actually Old Salem Village, where the original Witch Trials were conducted, and renamed Danvers to cover it’s sordid past).

Born & raised in this Northshore community, I played in and frequented the haunts of the Rebecca Nurse cemetery, The General Isreal Putnam House, The Glenn Magna Estate, Minutemen Training Common and actually lived directly across the street from The First Congregational Church of Old Salem Village where the witch trials were held.

The names Weeks, Hutchinson, Perkins, Endicott were and are prevalent among the town fathers.

Although many years removed, social media keeps me in contact with people and news .... To say the town is reeling in shock & horror is an understatement.
It is possible that this transient family may quite possibly be the only family of color to reside in Danvers.

Just thought I could offer a little insight for those that may be interested.

[Batman11]

“Why is it that some freepers never read the article provided in the link but rather just willy nilly post some nonsense>
THE MURDER WEAPON WAS A KNIFE NOT A GUN!!!!!!!”

I know, I’m with you. It’s bad enough the SRM will take every opportunity to push their anti-2A agenda, we don’t need to help them!

[KeyLargo]

Thanks! I’m feeling alone out here...

[who knows what evil?]

British media said she was slashed to death...the perp used a box cutter. British media also mentioned the perp attended a Woody Allen movie after the murder. Typical movie fare in Assachusetts...

[x]

[BunnySlippers]

Dauky Mail is now saying he slashed her to death with a box cutter:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2473210/Danvers-High-school-boy-charged-murder-teacher.html

[IwaCornDogs]

LOL ... Oh, the stories I could tell!

Scary funny stuff there ~ too funny!

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Photos at Mail On Line show the mother. She is bending over to hide her face. I see this as strange. From her hand, it looks like she is white. All the comments on news sources seem to avoid pointing out the kid is black, well half black. He is a replica of Obama.

We have had a generation indoctrinated to believe that whites oppress blacks. So blacks are now targeting whites for revenge and kicks. Whites are hiding with guilt. So much for personal responsibility and a society that relies on moral truth.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Zakeet.

> Philip Chism, 14, was seen on surveillance footage dragging a recycling bin with Colleen Ritzer’s body through the halls of Danvers High School in Massachusetts on Tuesday night then dumping her remains in the woods near campus, according to police sources.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2473210/Danvers-High-school-boy-charged-murder-teacher.html

[SunkenCiv]

Philip Chism, 14, Was Charged With The Murder Of A Danvers High School Teacher Colleen Ritzer - YouTube

[MichaelCorleone]

Thanks for pointing out that no firearm was involved. I’ll read more carefully next time.

[ladyjane]

I’ve read it was a box cutter.

[pax_et_bonum]

I didn’t see a weapon mentioned in this article, but had read an earlier posted article.

:-)

[PA Engineer]

Thanks. Saw that. They have further updates now. Words fail me. It appears to have been premeditated.

[Darksheare]

Welcome, no prob!

[Nifster]

most recent news is that he used a box cutter