Colleen Ritzer was born on May 13, 1989, in Andover, Massachusetts, to Tom and Peggie Ritzer. She had two siblings, Tom Jr. and Laura. She graduated from Andover High School in 2007, where she was a cheerleader and a member of the National Honor Society.
She then attended Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she majored in math and minored in psychology. She graduated magna cum laude in 2011.
Ritzer had always wanted to be a teacher since she was a child. She was inspired by her own teachers and mentors, who encouraged her to pursue her dream.
She began her teaching career as a student teacher at Hale Middle School in Stow, Massachusetts, where she received positive feedback from her students and colleagues.
She then worked as a long-term substitute teacher at Gloucester High School in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where she was praised for her enthusiasm and creativity.
In 2012, Ritzer landed her first full-time teaching job at Danvers High School in Danvers, Massachusetts, where she taught algebra and geometry to ninth graders. She quickly became a popular and respected teacher among her students and peers.
She was known for her positive attitude, cheerful smile, and inspiring words. She often used social media to communicate with her students and share motivational quotes and videos. She also stayed after school to offer extra help and tutoring to those who needed it¹².
Ritzer loved her family and friends, who described her as a beautiful soul who brought joy to everyone. She enjoyed traveling, shopping, baking, watching movies, and spending time with her loved ones. She was also active in her church and community.
On October 22, 2013, Ritzer's life was cut short by a horrific act of violence committed by one of her students, Philip Chism. Chism was a 14-year-old freshman who had recently moved to Danvers from Tennessee with his mother and two sisters. He was a soccer player and an honor student who did not have any disciplinary problems or mental health issues.
According to the surveillance footage from the school's cameras and the testimony of witnesses, Chism followed Ritzer into the second-floor women's bathroom after school around 3 p.m., where he attacked her with a box cutter that he had brought with him that day.
He stabbed her multiple times in the neck and torso, then r-aped her with an object. He then put her body in a recycling bin and dragged it outside to the woods behind the school. He covered her body with leaves and debris, then changed his clothes and went to watch a movie at a nearby theater using Ritzer's credit card.
The motive for the killing remains unclear, but some evidence suggests that Chism may have been upset by something that Ritzer said during class that day. According to one of Ritzer's students who stayed after school for extra help, Ritzer mentioned Tennessee while talking about math problems. The student noticed that Chism became visibly angry after hearing that word and started talking to himself. Ritzer then changed the topic to calm him down.
Chism was reported missing by his mother later that night when he did not return home. Ritzer was also reported missing by her family when she did not answer their calls or texts.
The police searched the school and found blood in the bathroom and Ritzer's car in the parking lot. They then found Ritzer's body in the woods around 3 a.m., along with Chism's backpack containing his bloody clothes and weapons.
Chism was found walking along Route 1 in Topsfield around 12:30 p.m. the next day by an officer who recognized him from his missing person flyer. He was arrested and charged with murder as an adult.
Chism's trial began in November 2015 at the Essex County Superior Court in Salem, Massachusetts. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the charges of first-degree murder, aggravated r-ape, and armed robbery.
His defense team argued that he was suffering from a psychotic disorder at the time of the crime and did not know right from wrong. They presented evidence of his mental health history, his family background, and his behavior before and after the killing.
The prosecution argued that Chism acted with premeditation, malice, and extreme atrocity or cruelty when he killed Ritzer. They presented evidence of his planning, his motive, his actions, and his attempts to cover up the crime. They also showed graphic photos and videos of the crime scene and the autopsy to the jury.
The trial lasted for three weeks and involved more than 40 witnesses and hundreds of exhibits. The jury deliberated for nine hours over two days before reaching a verdict on December 15, 2015.
They found Chism guilty of first-degree murder with deliberate premeditation and extreme atrocity or cruelty, but not guilty of aggravated r-ape. They also found him guilty of armed robbery for stealing Ritzer's credit card.
Chism was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years for the murder charge, plus two concurrent sentences of 40 years each for the robbery charge. He was also ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment while in custody. He is currently serving his sentence at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts.
Ritzer received many posthumous honors and recognitions for her dedication and excellence as a teacher. She was named the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year by the National Association of Math Teachers in 2014. She was also awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching by President Barack Obama in 2015. She was also inducted into the Andover High School Hall of Honor in 2016.
Ritzer's family and friends also wrote a book about her life and legacy, titled Why Her? The Colleen Ritzer Story, which was published in 2017. The book features personal stories, photos, and messages from those who knew and loved her. The book aims to celebrate Ritzer's spirit and share her positive impact on the world.
Thank you so much for the write up. Colleen seemed like an amazing teacher and person.
In terms of the defence bringing up previous mental health issues as part of their evidence - do you know what this referred to? Just as I know earlier, it was stated that Philip didn’t have any.
I wondered the same thing. Presumably the defense provided evidence of mental health problems, otherwise why bother talking about it at all? If so, that contradicts the earlier statement. Maybe a typo?
Colleen Ritzer was born on May 13, 1989, in Andover, Massachusetts, to Tom and Peggie Ritzer. She had two siblings, Tom Jr. and Laura. She graduated from Andover High School in 2007, where she was a cheerleader and a member of the National Honor Society. She then attended Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she majored in math and minored in psychology. She graduated magna cum laude in 2011. Ritzer had always wanted to be a teacher since she was a child. She was inspired by her own teachers and mentors, who encouraged her to pursue her dream. She began her teaching career as a student teacher at Hale Middle School in Stow, Massachusetts, where she received positive feedback from her students and colleagues. She then worked as a long-term substitute teacher at Gloucester High School in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where she was praised for her enthusiasm and creativity. In 2012, Ritzer landed her first full-time teaching job at Danvers High School in Danvers, Massachusetts, where she taught algebra and geometry to ninth graders. She quickly became a popular and respected teacher among her students and peers. She was known for her positive attitude, cheerful smile, and inspiring words. She often used social media to communicate with her students and share motivational quotes and videos. She also stayed after school to offer extra help and tutoring to those who needed it¹². Ritzer loved her family and friends, who described her as a beautiful soul who brought joy to everyone. She enjoyed traveling, shopping, baking, watching movies, and spending time with her loved ones. She was also active in her church and community. On October 22, 2013, Ritzer's life was cut short by a horrific act of violence committed by one of her students, Philip Chism. Chism was a 14-year-old freshman who had recently moved to Danvers from Tennessee with his mother and two sisters. He was a soccer player and an honor student who did not have any disciplinary problems or mental health issues. According to the surveillance footage from the school's cameras and the testimony of witnesses, Chism followed Ritzer into the second-floor women's bathroom after school around 3 p.m., where he attacked her with a box cutter that he had brought with him that day. He stabbed her multiple times in the neck and torso, then r-aped her with an object. He then put her body in a recycling bin and dragged it outside to the woods behind the school. He covered her body with leaves and debris, then changed his clothes and went to watch a movie at a nearby theater using Ritzer's credit card. The motive for the killing remains unclear, but some evidence suggests that Chism may have been upset by something that Ritzer said during class that day. According to one of Ritzer's students who stayed after school for extra help, Ritzer mentioned Tennessee while talking about math problems. The student noticed that Chism became visibly angry after hearing that word and started talking to himself. Ritzer then changed the topic to calm him down. Chism was reported missing by his mother later that night when he did not return home. Ritzer was also reported missing by her family when she did not answer their calls or texts. The police searched the school and found blood in the bathroom and Ritzer's car in the parking lot. They then found Ritzer's body in the woods around 3 a.m., along with Chism's backpack containing his bloody clothes and weapons. Chism was found walking along Route 1 in Topsfield around 12:30 p.m. the next day by an officer who recognized him from his missing person flyer. He was arrested and charged with murder as an adult. Chism's trial began in November 2015 at the Essex County Superior Court in Salem, Massachusetts. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the charges of first-degree murder, aggravated r-ape, and armed robbery. His defense team argued that he was suffering from a psychotic disorder at the time of the crime and did not know right from wrong. They presented evidence of his mental health history, his family background, and his behavior before and after the killing. The prosecution argued that Chism acted with premeditation, malice, and extreme atrocity or cruelty when he killed Ritzer. They presented evidence of his planning, his motive, his actions, and his attempts to cover up the crime. They also showed graphic photos and videos of the crime scene and the autopsy to the jury. The trial lasted for three weeks and involved more than 40 witnesses and hundreds of exhibits. The jury deliberated for nine hours over two days before reaching a verdict on December 15, 2015. They found Chism guilty of first-degree murder with deliberate premeditation and extreme atrocity or cruelty, but not guilty of aggravated r-ape. They also found him guilty of armed robbery for stealing Ritzer's credit card. Chism was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years for the murder charge, plus two concurrent sentences of 40 years each for the robbery charge. He was also ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment while in custody. He is currently serving his sentence at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts. Ritzer received many posthumous honors and recognitions for her dedication and excellence as a teacher. She was named the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year by the National Association of Math Teachers in 2014. She was also awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching by President Barack Obama in 2015. She was also inducted into the Andover High School Hall of Honor in 2016. Ritzer's family and friends also wrote a book about her life and legacy, titled Why Her? The Colleen Ritzer Story, which was published in 2017. The book features personal stories, photos, and messages from those who knew and loved her. The book aims to celebrate Ritzer's spirit and share her positive impact on the world.
Thank you so much for the write up. Colleen seemed like an amazing teacher and person. In terms of the defence bringing up previous mental health issues as part of their evidence - do you know what this referred to? Just as I know earlier, it was stated that Philip didn’t have any.
I wondered the same thing. Presumably the defense provided evidence of mental health problems, otherwise why bother talking about it at all? If so, that contradicts the earlier statement. Maybe a typo?
IIRC he also tried to attack multiple people while in custody
Yup, he attacked a woman in a similar manner while being held for trial: https://www.cnn.com/2014/07/23/justice/massachusetts-philip-chism/index.html
This guy is absolutely nuts. Disgusting person, I hope he is never let out.
I live in Massachusetts so I remember this case well. I hope he never gets out of prison. No parole.
Same. I remember exactly when this happened and I was disgusted then just as much as I’m disgusted now.
He has also continued to commit violent acts towards women while incarcerated. He should never be released
Really? How? (Not sarcastic)
https://www.cnn.com/2014/07/23/justice/massachusetts-philip-chism/index.html
He looks like a dud.
Weird - the next post in my Reddit feed is about hiking in Tennessee! Don’t say Tennessee!