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A beloved Raleigh science teacher called 911 to report an intruder in her home and was brutally attacked while still on the line, later dying from her injuries — a gut-wrenching fact that has shaken the community to its core. The victim, identified as Zoe Welsh, was a longtime educator at Ravenscroft School and was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
Police arrested 36-year-old Ryan Camacho at the scene and charged him with murder and felony breaking and entering after investigators say he assaulted Welsh during the call. Authorities moved quickly to book the suspect, but swift arrest after a heinous act does not erase the preceding failures that allowed him to remain a danger.
This was not a first offense for the accused; court records and local reporting show a long criminal history in North Carolina going back to his teenage years, including multiple breaking-and-entering charges in 2025. For hardworking Americans who pay taxes and demand safety in their neighborhoods, the real outrage is that a career criminal with that track record was still loose and able to prey on an innocent teacher.
Even more disturbing are reports that some recent charges against the suspect were dismissed or entangled in competency questions — the familiar pattern of cases that slip through the cracks of an indulgent system. If prosecutors, judges, or mental health tribunals made decisions that returned a dangerous man to the streets, they must answer for this consequence; grieving families deserve explanations, not platitudes.
Ravenscroft School and former students are mourning, calling Welsh a mentor and cornerstone of her department, and the loss of a dedicated teacher is a loss for every parent who entrusts their child’s future to educators. Communities should not have to choose between compassion and security — we can provide mental health treatment where appropriate while also keeping violent repeat offenders behind bars where they cannot harm others.
Governor Josh Stein and local officials expressed sorrow, and law enforcement has been praised for the rapid arrest, but sympathy without policy change is not enough for the family of a murdered mother and teacher. It’s past time for common-sense reforms: enforce tougher penalties for repeat burglars, fix prosecutorial policies that let dangerous people walk, and give police the tools and support to protect neighborhoods.
Hardworking Americans deserve to live in safe communities where teachers can go home without fear and parents don’t have to worry about violent predators prowling the streets. Let this tragic death be a call to action for lawmakers and prosecutors to put public safety first, hold repeat offenders accountable, and honor Zoe Welsh’s legacy by making our neighborhoods safer for every family.
