Raleigh teacher killed during home invasion; suspect had recent commitment motion

Independent.co reports that Zoe Welsh, 57, was found critically injured and later died after calling 911 around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday to report an intruder at her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, and that court records show the man charged in her death faced the possibility of involuntary mental health commitment just weeks earlier.

According to police, Welsh called to report a man inside her home on the 800 block of Clay Street and was attacked while still on the line; a dispatcher is heard on a recording saying at 6:34 a.m., "The complainant was screaming, but I am silent now." Officers arriving for a reported burglary found a smashed front window and a woman with a severe hemorrhage to the left side of her head; Welsh was taken to hospital, where she died.

Officers later located 36-year-old Ryan Camacho, who was taken into custody and charged with murder and felony burglary; police said Camacho and Welsh do not appear to have known each other. Ravenscroft School, where Welsh taught since 2006, said the community is "devastated" and that grief counseling will be available, and Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce called the killing a loss for the community while praising the swift response.

Key Topics

World, Zoe Welsh, Ryan Camacho, Raleigh, Ravenscroft School, Involuntary Commitment