Danvers Schools Closed In Homicide Investigation: Teacher Slain, Student Arrested [Breaking]


Schools in Danvers, Massachusetts are closed today for what was initially described as a “homicide investigation,” and details have begun to leak out of what seems to be a very, very strange and tragic situation in the district.

Initially, it was reported that Danvers schools were closed for a “homicide investigation” only, but CNN said more details were forthcoming:

“Information about the investigation wasn’t immediately available. The district attorney is expected to hold a news conference about the situation Wednesday morning, spokeswoman Carrie Kimball-Monahan said.”

The Danvers school closure appears to be related to the alleged murder of a teacher, and the looming arraignment of a young teen — NBC adds:

“The body of the teacher, identified as Colleen Ritzer, 24, was found just after midnight in the woods near Danvers High School, about a half-hour outside Boston. Blood was found in a bathroom at the school, authorities said… Authorities said their murder investigation was connected to their search for a missing 14-year-old boy the day before, but they did not explicitly say that he was the juvenile charged in the killing.”

Some reports have identified by name the student expected to be charged in Ritzer’s death, but minor suspects are generally not named in media reports, and The Inquisitr will not publish the minor’s identity.

CBS reports that the student will be arraigned later today in Salem Juvenile Court, and says:

“Investigators later found blood in a second floor bathroom at the high school, the D.A. said… About an hour later, Topsfield police found the missing 14-year old walking on Route 1. He was taken to Danvers police and a short time later Ritzer’s body was found in the woods behind the high school.”

Keeping the identity of the minor expected to be arraigned later is going to be a challenge, due to a widely disseminated missing persons’ bulletin from yesterday in Danvers involving the child.

Last night, Twitter pleas to locate the boy were circulated in and around Danvers, before he was found around midnight wandering on Route 1. The circumstances surrounding the suspected homicide have not yet been disclosed by police, and given the alleged involvement of the minor, certain aspects of the investigation may not be made available to the media.

Of the homicide investigation in Danvers and the death of teacher Colleen Ritzer (above), Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett says he believes that there is no reason to believe there are any suspects at large in the case.

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