RALEIGH, NC – A beloved North Carolina teacher was killed in her home earlier this month by a man with an extensive criminal history who broke through her window with a brick, according to police and court records.
Zoe Welsh called 911 on January 3 to report an intruder had smashed through her window. During the harrowing call, she told the dispatcher she recognized the man as someone she had previously seen at Fred Fletcher Park.
“He hit me with a brick. I am on the floor in my bedroom,” Welsh told the 911 operator in what would be her final moments.
Police arrived at 6:33 a.m. and found Welsh with life-threatening injuries. She was transported to a local hospital where she died despite lifesaving efforts.
Ryan Camacho, 36, was arrested and charged with murder and felony breaking and entering. He is being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on January 26.
Court records reveal Camacho is a repeat offender with more than a decade of criminal history. He had been arrested six times within the past four years, with many cases being dropped or reduced through plea deals.
In 2016, Camacho pleaded guilty to property damage for throwing a rock through a car window. The following year, he was arrested four times on misdemeanor charges. In 2019, he was charged with firing bullets into a woman’s home, facing eight felony charges. Six of those charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement.
Camacho served approximately five and a half years total in prison and was listed as indigent and homeless at the time of his arrest in Welsh’s death.
Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce expressed condolences to Welsh’s loved ones. “I am deeply heartbroken for this mother, friend, and mentor to many in our community,” Boyce said.
Friends remembered Welsh as someone who brought light to those around her. “She brought joy and humor to every room she was in,” said Angie, a close friend.
The case has reignited debate about the criminal justice system’s handling of repeat offenders, with some lawmakers questioning whether more could have been done to prevent the tragedy.
