Student accused in murder of teacher in Massachusetts

Police on Wednesday arrested a 14yearold student and accused him of killing a teacher whose body was found in some woods near a Massachusetts high school where she taught.

Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett announced Wednesday at a press conference the opening of an investigation into the death of Colleen Ritzer, a 24yearold mathematics teacher at Danvers High School.

The investigation began on Tuesday evening when Philip Chism, a student at Danvers, did not return home and was reported missing.

Police also received a complaint about the disappearance of the teacher.

Later, the teenager was arrested in connection with Ritzer’s murder while he was walking down a nearby road.

On Wednesday morning, the suspect appeared in court to be formally charged with murder and ordered held without bail.

For the moment, the circumstances of Ritzer’s death and the motive for the crime are not known.

Blodgett did not rule out that Chism could be charged as an adult.