REUTERS/Patrick Whittemore
Court documents released on Friday reveal more allegations about the death of 24-year-old Colleen Ritzer, a teacher at Danvers High School in
Prosecutors have charged Philip Chism as an adult and reportedly now believe the
Chism allegedly attacked Ritzer in a school bathroom and stuffed her body into a recycling bin before dragging her into the woods near the school. He also allegedly stole her credit cards, iPhone, and money, according to NBC News.
Ritzer was reportedly found with her throat slit, naked from the waist down, according to the Associated Press. Chism allegedly sexually assaulted her with a stick.
Police have not pointed to a motive in the case, but Chism reportedly got upset at school when Ritzer started talking about Tennessee, where Chism had just left after his parents got divorced, The Boston Globe reports.
As his parents were going through the divorce, Chism's mother reportedly claimed that his father was an abusive alcoholic, according to the AP.
Chism's peers at Danvers High School told the Globe that Ritzer had been drawing in class, and that she asked him to stay after school to prepare for a test.
One student said she saw Chism in Ritzer's classroom more than an hour after class ended. He was sitting as Ritzer stood at her computer, the student said.
Chism pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.