Police say NC teacher was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher when an intruder broke into her Raleigh home and began attacking her early Saturday morning.
RALEIGH, N.C. – NC teacher Zoe Welsh was killed during a home invasion early Saturday morning while she was on the phone with 911, according to Raleigh police. Investigators say an intruder forced his way into her home and attacked her before officers could arrive.
Raleigh police confirmed Welsh called 911 at approximately 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning after a man allegedly forced his way into her home. While Welsh was speaking with emergency operators, investigators say the suspect began attacking her.
Officers rushed to the scene and found Welsh suffering from life-threatening injuries. First responders attempted lifesaving measures while transporting her to a nearby hospital, but despite their efforts, Welsh later died from her injuries.
Police have not released specific details about the injuries she sustained, and an official cause of death is pending.
SUSPECT ARRESTED NEAR SCENE, CHARGED WITH MURDER
As officers canvassed the neighborhood in the moments following the attack, they reportedly spotted Ryan Camacho, 36, nearby. After stopping him for questioning, detectives charged Camacho with murder and felony burglary.
Authorities have not confirmed whether Camacho and Welsh knew each other.
Camacho is currently being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, January 5.
BELOVED EDUCATOR, NEARLY 20 YEARS IN THE CLASSROOM
According to public records and professional profiles, Welsh was a science teacher at Ravenscroft School, a private K-12 institution in Raleigh, where she taught for nearly two decades.
The school released a statement describing Welsh as a cornerstone of its academic community.
“The Ravenscroft community is devastated by the loss of our beloved colleague and friend,” a spokesperson said. “Zoe was a pillar of our Upper School Science Department, and her impact on students and colleagues will be felt for years to come.”
Court records indicate that Camacho’s involvement with the criminal justice system spans more than ten years across Wake and Durham counties. Documents show he has been taken into custody on more than two dozen occasions over that year-long period, according to publicly available court filings.
Many of those arrests resulted in misdemeanor charges, while several cases were later dismissed.
Records further show Camacho was arrested in 2021 after allegedly escaping from a state correctional facility in Salisbury. In a separate case two years earlier, he entered a guilty plea to firing a weapon into an occupied property.
INVESTIGATION ONGOING
Police say the investigation remains active as they continue reviewing evidence.
