Crime & Safety

Classmate Says Ritzer Asked Chism to Stay After Class to Go Over Exam

According to classmates, math teacher Colleen Ritzer asked the student who is now charged with her murder to stay after class to go over any questions he had on an upcoming test.

In the hours immediately leading up to her death, Colleen Ritzer apparently asked Philip Chism to stay after class on Tuesday to talk over any questions he had on an upcoming algebra exam.

A 14-year-old female freshman tells the Boston Globe she was in the same algebra class as Chism. Ritzer was their teacher. It was the 24-year-old Andover resident's second year at Danvers High.

The classmate told the Globe she overheard Ritzer ask Chism to stay after school and if he had any questions on learning equations.

Another female classmate said she walked by the room around 3:15 p.m. about an hour after class ended. She told the Globe Ritzer was standing at her computer and Chism was seated -- nothing appeared unusual.

A manager at Hollywood Hits Cinema says Chism entered the theater and purchased a ticket for the movie "Blue Jasmine" around 4:30 p.m., according to various news reports. 

Authorities have yet to officially shed light on the timeline of events leading up to and after Ritzer's death beyond four basic points -- the time of surveillance footage showing Chism entering a school bathroom (2:45 p.m.), the time he was reported missing (5:34 p.m.), when a call came in saying Ritzer was missing (11:17 p.m.) and when Chism was found in Topsfield (12:30 a.m.).

Authorities do have ample school surveillance footage, however, from which they determined Chism attacked and murdered Ritzer.

Prosecutors have not offered any motive for the killing. Chism is being charged as an adult for first-degree murder.


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