RALEIGH, NC- On January 3, 2026, police officers in Raleigh, N.C. responded to a home after a woman called 911 reporting she heard glass break in her home and saw a man “rifling through the kitchen.” While still on the phone with 911 operators, the suspect, Ryan Camacho, 37, began assaulting the caller, 57-year-old Zoe Welsh, according to police.
When police arrived at the home, they found Welsh with life-threatening injuries. Officers provided medical aid until paramedics arrived and transported her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later, Law & Crime reported.
Police said entry was gained through a front window. A police K9 tracked Camacho to an apartment about a half mile away. Officers found a broken window on the apartment and found Camacho inside with blood on his hands. Police later discovered Camacho had formerly lived in the apartment until he was evicted, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
Camacho was taken into custody and later admitted to killing Welsh.
“Is this about the lady’s head I bashed in with a rock? Camacho asked detectives. “The lady I killed[?]”
It’s not known why Camacho targeted Welsh’s home, however the victim told 911 dispatchers she recognized the suspect after she previously saw him at a park across the street from her home. Police have also not been able to determine a possible motive, but a forensic evaluator told the court the suspect has “a history of diagnosed mental health problems.”
Law & Crime previously reported that the victim was a beloved teacher described as the “cornerstone” at Ravenscroft, a private K-12 school, where, according to her LinkedIn profile, she worked for nearly two decades.
“The Ravenscroft community is devastated by the loss of our beloved colleague and friend Zoe Welsh,” a spokesperson told local ABC affiliate WTVD. “Zoe has been a cornerstone of our Upper School Science Department and the Ravenscroft community for years. Her loss is deeply felt by all of us who had the privilege of working with her and learning in her classroom.”
In a statement, Raleigh Police Chief Ricco Boyce said the following:
“I am deeply heartbroken for this mother, friend, and mentor to many in our community, and for the unimaginable trauma her family must endure. We extend our deepest sympathy to Ms. Welsh’s family during this incredibly difficult time.
“Whenever there is a loss of life in our community, it affects us all. As a department, we share in the sadness of this loss. The arrest of the suspect sends a strong message that criminal acts will not be tolerated in the City of Raleigh.
“I am profoundly grateful for the dedication and professionalism of the responding officers, whose swift and diligent actions led to the quick apprehension of the suspect in this case.”
Camacho is being held without bond at the Wake County Detention Center. His initial court date is scheduled for April 30.
According to the North Carolina Department of Corrections, Camacho has an extensive criminal history and served a prison sentence in excess of five years for illegal discharge of a firearm. He was released last July.
Comments