Crime & Safety
Student Used Box Cutter to Kill Teacher
Philip Chism, who is charged with murdering teacher Colleen Ritzer, reportedly went to local theater to see "Blue Jasmine" after dumping body behind school.
By John Castelluccio.
Authorities have not identified a murder weapon and the district attorney's office says an autopsy will determine the cause and manner of Colleen Ritzer's death, but news reports Thursday are shedding more light on those aspects of the case.
The Boston Herald and WCVB both report that law enforcement sources say authorities believe 14-year-old Philip Chism, who is charged with murdering Ritzer, attacked his teacher with a box cutter.
Authorities did say Ritzer was attacked in a second-floor bathroom of the school. Numerous reports Wednesday said authorities believed she was stabbed to death.
Danvers police said in the initial missing person notice that Chism was seen Tuesday evening (around 6:30 p.m.) at Hollywood Hits Cinema, and the Herald also reports authorities believe Chism went to the theater after dumping Ritzer's body in the woods behind the school (around 4:30 p.m.)
Chism wasn't located again until 12:30 a.m. when Topsfield police officers found him walking along Route 1.
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