- Math teacher Colleen Ritzer was 'slashed to death with a box cutter' in the bathroom at Danvers High School Tuesday
Philip Chism, 14, one of her students, is charged with her murder
Classmate says Ritzer made him stay late after class Tuesday because he was doodling in his notebook
Thousands from the town of Danvers, Massachusetts, held a candle-lit vigil for the teacher, where she was remembered as a 'brilliant ray of light'
Chism 'went to see Woody Allen movie after the killing' and was the only one in the theater
Chism's grandmother apologized for the violence alleged committed by her grandson
Investigators are looking into a theory that Philip Chism developed a crush on tragic Colleen, who was incredibly popular with students because of her friendly, approachable manner.
They are trying to determine whether he killed the dedicated math teacher at Danvers High School because she spurned his inappropriate advances.
Chism allegedly followed Colleen into a bathroom in the school then punched her in the face and slashed her throat with a box cutter before stuffing her lifeless body in a recycling bin, it was reported today.
Tragic: Colleen Ritzer, 24, was a popular teacher who was known for her dedication and her kindness to her students at Danvers High School
Charged: Philip Chism, 14, (right) will be charged as an adult in the murder of his teacher
His classmates and family described his as 'nice' and 'quiet'
and were shocked by the charges
Rania Rhaddaoui sat two seats away from Chism in Algebra I class. She says Chism was drawing in a notebook rather than taking notes Tuesday. She says she heard Ritzer ask Chism to stay after class, the last period of the school day.
When she and other students left, she saw Chism still sitting in his chair.
A second classmate told a similar story to Wicked Local. Kara Behen, 14, told the site Chism had been acting strangely lately.
'The last couple weeks he like totally faded out,' she said.
Ritzer was was killed shortly after classes ended Tuesday, police say.
Classmates of Philip Chism, the 14-year student charged as an adult with the Ritzer murder, described him as 'quiet' and 'nice' and were shocked by the brutal violence he is accused of inflicting on a much-loved, dedicated teacher.
His grandmother, Angelia Chism, said she has not seen Philip in years, but was horrified by the charges.
'We very much want to express our sadness and regret for this,' she told ABC News.
Authorities say they are investigating whether that behavior change could have been a result of Chism's romantic feelings for his teacher.
A police source told the MailOnline: 'One of the theories going around is that this boy had a major crush on Colleen.
'She was a very friendly, approachable teacher and it is possible he completely misread her affable nature and made some kind of advance towards her.
'Whether that happened on Tuesday night, or some time before is unclear. Being the professional she was, she would obviously have told him how inappropriate that was. That may have angered him enough to act as some kind of motivation for the attack.
Colleen, left, is the oldest of three children (pictured here). She still lived with her parents in nearby Andover and was going to graduate school to be a school psychologist
After the brutal killing, Chism allegedly stuffed Ritzer's body into a recycling bin. He is seen on school surveillance cameras dragging the big through the halls and out the door, according to ABC News.
CNN reports that he then changed his clothes and went to a movie at the local theater. ABC says he saw the Woody Allen film 'Blue Jasmine.'
His uncle Terrance Chism Blaine in Clarksville, Tennessee, where Philip Chism went to school until this fall, said he was also shocked by the allegations.
'You know, you never imagine something like this could happen. I thought it was a crank call when it first happened... such a good kid,' he told WKRN-TV.
Mr Blaine speculated that his nephew might have 'snapped.'
'He might have been upset. You know teenagers go through that. He's 14, growing up still. That's the only thing that I can imagine. That's the only think that I can imagine because I can't imagine anything else. It's like a story-book kid. Perfect family,' he said.
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