Teen convicted in teacher rape, killing trial

A16-year-old MA teenager was found guilty Tuesday of murdering and raping his math teacher at Danvers High School in 2013.

Defense attorneys admitted at the outset of the trial two months ago that Chism killed Ritzer, but they said he did so in a psychotic state and argued for his acquittal by reason of insanity.

The jury acquitted Chism of raping Ritzer in the woods where he left her body, apparently finding that either prosecutors failed to prove she was still alive, or that the assault was a continuous act with the rape in the school bathroom.

Jurors in MA have reached a verdict in the trial of a MA teenager who raped and killed his high school math teacher.

Chism was 14 when he followed Ritzer into a school bathroom, strangled her, stabbed her at least 16 times with a box cutter and raped her. Ritzer’s body was found in woods near the school.

Chism was found guilty on three of the four charges brought against him, which included one count of natural rape, one count of armed robbery, and one count of first-degree murder.

Chism was tried as an adult. The Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Scholarship Fund has given out thousands of dollars in educational help to high school students in Danvers and Andover.

“This moment belongs to Colleen Ritzer”, Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said.

Ritzer’s father, Thomas, says the family is “pleased” by the guilty verdict returned Tuesday but say it’s “no cause for celebration”.

But a defense attorney says the then 14-year-old Chism was in “the throes of mental illness” when he killed 24-year-old Colleen Ritzer in 2013. Seconds later, Chism is seen poking his head out of her classroom and looking down the hall. He went back inside and emerged with his hood on. Chism is then shown putting on a pair of gloves as he walks into the bathroom.

Minutes later, he was seen emerging from the bathroom carrying the black trousers the teacher had been wearing.

Later, a bloody box cutter, mask, gloves and a hooded sweatshirt were discovered by the police in his backpack. Prosecutors used the testimony of psychology experts who said Chism’s inconsistency in tests implied he was faking mental illness.

A status hearing to discuss the sentencing has been scheduled for December 22 by Judge David Lowy.

Chism is also being prosecuted for a case with similarities to Ritzer.