Gruesome new details have emerged about the death of Colleen Ritzer, the young teacher allegedly murdered at Danvers High School Wednesday night by 14-year-old Philip Chism.
According to ABC News and Boston's Fox 25, Chism told police that he followed Ritzer into the woman's restroom, punched her in the face, slashed her throat with a box cutter and put her body into a recycling bin, which he then dragged into woods near the school.
As for what Chism was doing in the hours between the crime and his arrest, the teenager was reportedly taking in Blue Jasmine, the new Woody Allen movie, at a nearby movie theater, according to ABC News.
Chism was arraigned on a murder charge yesterday afternoon and is being held without bail. He will be charged as an adult. Police still haven't released a motive for the crime or any information about the relationship between Chism and Ritzer.
Recycling bin makes sense. How he can move fast. But, still bad security:
1) A woman gets killed during school hours (when there barely is anyone there, the doors are usually locked sometimes gated, unless this school isn't with the times - which then raises the question of how the kid got in if it wasn't school hours)
2) A kid drags a recycle bin through the halls, down the stairs, then into the woods -- how often do you see middle schoolers dragging recycling bins around plus then into the woods at a school?
It's suspicious seeing that. If my kid was there, I would be afraid that any adult could just walk in and take a kid.
Basically I'd say it's good that they had security cameras, but:
DURING SCHOOL HOURS: How come no red flags went off? They didn't hear her scream? See the blood in the bathroom? Think a kid bringing a recycle bin into the woods is suspicious?
AFTER SCHOOL HOURS (BARELY ANYONE THERE, BUT A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE): How did a student get in?
I think it might have been one of those indie theaters close by that only show one movie. Just a guess though.
Police have released more information about the tragic murder of Danvers High School math teacher Colleen Ritzer: According to several witnesses, Ritzer caught Philip Chism, the 14-year-old student accused of murdering her, drawing in her class and asked him to stay after school.
From the Boston Globe:
“He just gave a nod,” said Rania Rhaedaoui, a freshman who sat near Chism. “There was a test coming up, and she wanted to know if he had any questions.”
After Ritzer first noticed the sketching, she remarked matter of factly, “I didn’t know you could draw,” Rhaedaoui said.
Another student saw the tall, lanky teenager still in Ritzer’s classroom more than an hour after the class, the last of the day, ended shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday.
“She was standing at her computer, and he was just sitting there,” said Cambria Cloutier. “It just looked normal, like any other day.”
Not long after, surveillance cameras caught Chism following Ritzer into the woman's restroom and leaving several minutes later, covered in blood. Chism then dragged Ritzer's body to the woods, covered it with leaves, and changed out of his bloody clothes, according to WHDH.
Later that afternoon, Chism reportedly told his soccer teammates that he would miss practice and walked to a movie theater, where he was the only customer for a 4:15 showing of Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine. After the movie, Chism ate at a nearby Wendy's, where, according to WHDH, he paid for his meal with Ritzer's credit card. Approximately five hours later, police arrested him as he walked alongside a highway.
Police still haven't released a motive for the crime.
“This is an active and very fluid investigation, and it is inappropriate for me to make any comments about the possible findings of that investigation while it is ongoing,’’ Carrie Kimball Monahan, a spokeswoman for Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett, told the Boston Globe.
On Thursday, a grand jury in Essex County, Massachusetts indicted 14-year-old Philip Chism on charges first-degree murder, aggravated rape and armed robbery. Last month, Chism allegedly raped and murdered Colleen Ritzer, his math teacher, in the second floor bathroom of Danvers High School before dragging her body into nearby woods.
“The indictments returned today detail horrific and unspeakable acts,” Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said in a statement, according to the Boston Globe. “This is the first step in a long process to secure justice for Ms. Ritzer and her family.”
Chism was indicted as an adult for the murder charge and as a juvenile on the aggravated rape and armed robbery charges.
There is no hope for humanity. We dont deserve this planet and the sooner we're off it, the better.
Call it one of many strings leading to loss of hopeSad to see one incident can destory a person's hope in humanity in the face of all the countless other acts of decency performed every day.
I'm with you on that oneStrings of dispair against the rope people use to help others out... I'll take the rope.
Mary Duffy, Colleen, Danvers
I look at these names and think Marvel Comics characters, except Duffy, that's the name of writer Mary Jo Duffy. Maybe related
6' tall, 14 years old(giant?) student, athletic, polite, friendly
Nice friendly teacher
Hidden agenda or something?
Blood on the floor, no one mentioned a trail of blood? Is there a chance someone had her period there?
How do they know HE raped her
I don't want to be a jerk, but is this a real story? Are there missing or dishonest details?
Call it one of many strings leading to loss of hope
Update, he has been officially charged:
Sorry but that set high school teacher on fire thread reminded me of this one, I had no idea rape and robbery had been added to the motive and charges.Chism was indicted as an adult for the murder charge and as a juvenile on the aggravated rape and armed robbery charges.
Mary Duffy, Colleen, Danvers
I look at these names and think Marvel Comics characters, except Duffy, that's the name of writer Mary Jo Duffy. Maybe related
6' tall, 14 years old(giant?) student, athletic, polite, friendly
Nice friendly teacher
Hidden agenda or something?
Blood on the floor, no one mentioned a trail of blood? Is there a chance someone had her period there?
How do they know HE raped her
I don't want to be a jerk, but is this a real story?