32-She Stayed to Help; He Stayed to Murder: The Colleen Ritzer Case

from Criminally Absurd · host Cosy Nasiedlak and Susie Lewis-Peters

Episode 32: She Stayed To Help; He Stayed To Murder: The Colleen Ritzer CaseIn October of 2013, a Massachusetts community was devastated when 24 year old high school teacher, Colleen Ritzer, was found murdered behind her school. The killer? A 14 year old student named Philip Chism. The episode explores the chilling timeline of events, the evidence captured on surveillance footage, the swift and shocking arrest, and the courtroom drama that followed. Colleen Ritzer was more than a teacher-she was a beloved daughter, sister, and friend. Passionate about education, she went above and beyond to help her students thrive. Her legacy lives on through countless lives she touched, her radiant smile, and her beautiful heart. The information presented in this episode is from sources from the most reliable accounts available on the web, including information on BBC:https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-24657401Articles from CNN:https://www.cnn.com/2013/10/23/us/massachusetts-colleen-ritzer-profilehttps://www.cnn.com/2013/11/22/justice/massachusetts-danvers-school-killingAn article from NBC News:https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/teen-suspect-murder-teacher-colleen-ritzer-left-hate-note-documents-flna2d11641586An article from CBS News:https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/philip-chism-appeal-murder-trial-sentence-colleen-ritzer/The Massachusetts Government Website:https://www.mass.gov/info-details/colleen-e-ritzerPhotos include: Two photos of Colleen Ritzer, Bottom left photo is the student who murdered her, Philip Chism

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 29, 2025

Embed this episode

Attribution link and audio player

NOW PLAYING

32-She Stayed to Help; He Stayed to Murder: The Colleen Ritzer Case

0:00 50:30

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

No similar episodes found.

Similar Podcasts

Half-Arsed History Riley Knight Half-Arsed History's first book, History's Strangest Deaths, is now available: https://www.booktopia.com.au/history-s-strangest-deaths-riley-knight/book/9781761472589.htmlWelcome along to Half-Arsed History! It's a weekly podcast highlighting absurd and entertaining stories from history. Twice a week, it helps host Riley Knight feel as though his useless history degree has some kind of real-world relevance.Get in touch: [email protected] the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/halfarsedhistorySubscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/halfarsedhistoryBuy Half-Arsed History merch: https://halfarsedhistory.theprintbar.comIf you've just discovered the show and aren't sure which of the 350+ episodes to start with, here are some suggestions:Episode 139: The History of the Toilet - https://sptfy.com/PK3J • https://apple.co/3Giftt3Episode 75: The Great Emu War - https://sptfy.com/PK3K • https://apple.co WDR 5 Satire am Morgen WDR 5 Das Weltgeschehen ist voller Fallstricke. Und manchmal ist es so absurd, dass wir ihm am besten mit unserem "Wort zum Dienstag" oder unserer politischen Glosse "Der Schrägstrich" begegnen. Lachen ist manchmal eben doch die beste Medizin.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Criminally Absurd?

This episode is 50 minutes long.

When was this Criminally Absurd episode published?

This episode was published on July 29, 2025.

Can I download this Criminally Absurd episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.

URL copied to clipboard!