For the second time in 24 hours, a teacher has lost his or her life while at school. Last night, an algebra and geomoetry teacher at Danvers High School in Danvers, Massachusetts--just north of Salem, and about half an hour north of Boston--was found dead in a forest behind the school. Now a 14-year-old boy stands charged with her murder.
The teen, whose name was not disclosed because he is a juvenile, faces arraignment in Essex County Juvenile Court where he is charged with killing math teacher Colleen Ritzer.
"She was a very respected, loved teacher," said Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett. "At 24 years of age it's a terrible tragedy for the entire Danvers community."
Police discovered Ritzer's blood in a second floor bathroom late Tuesday night before her body was later found behind the school, Blodgett said. He declined to say how the teacher was killed or what the motive might have been.
"The teacher was reported missing and as a result of that, and her not answering her cell phone, police instituted a search and found blood," Blodgett said.
Law enforcement sources told ABC News there is surveillance video inside the high school that shows the student dragging Ritzer's body from the bathroom toward the woods in what appeared to be a recycle bin.
All seven schools in the town are closed for the day--not only out of respect for Reitzer, but because the high school is very much an active crime scene.
Reitzer was a very popular teacher. According to the Boston Globe, she often took to Twitter and Facebook to help her students with homework.
There's reportedly a candlelight vigil at the high school set for 8 pm tonight.
I normally don't do a diary when I already have one on the rec list, but this definitely calls for an exception.