Surveillance photos shown in court Monday in Philip Chism’s murder trial show the then-14-year-old outside the Danvers, Massachusetts, school, wheeling a recycling bin that prosecutors say held the body of his slain algebra teacher.
The photos, apparently taken from a security camera video, come a week after the prosecution showed school security video of Chism following his teacher into the restroom, where he allegedly killed her.
Prosecutors contend Chism, now 16, followed teacher Colleen Ritzer, 24, into a girl’s bathroom on the second floor of Danvers High School at 3:16 p.m. on October 22, 2013.
The images introduced in court Monday showed him wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans and carrying a red sweatshirt that he was seen wearing later. He left the school with the recycling bin at 3:23 p.m., according to prosecutors.
Photos show Chism outside the girl’s bathroom, barefoot with blood on his hands and jeans. After he’s seen walking outside with the recycling bin, cameras later caught Chism in the school in a black sweatshirt, black shorts, and blue sneakers, and prosecutors allege he changed clothes in a bathroom on the third floor.
Photos showed what prosecutors described as Chism taking the recycling bin into the bathroom with a balaclava around his neck, then subsequently walking out with the balaclava over his face.
One of Chism’s friends, 18-year-old Kevin Hebert, testified that he encountered Chism outside the school that afternoon — an interaction that was also caught on security camera — and recalled the conversation being normal.
Prosecutors say at least one other security video implicates Chism. Footage captured at the AMC Theater in Danvers on the day that Ritzer died shows a person prosecutors identifed as Chism purchasing tickets for “Gravity.” Lida Parsons, the theater’s general manager, testified the name on the credit card receipt was that of Colleen Ritzer.
Several items of clothing were placed into evidence, and Abbey Scott with the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory testified that a black sweatshirt, a pair of jeans, white T-shirt, red sweatshirt, a pair of dark green women’s underwear and a pair of white gloves found in the woods outside the school all tested positive for blood. A reddish-brown stain on Chism’s left hand as well as brown stains on a box cutter also tested positive for blood, Scott said.
Chism has pleaded not guilty to murder, aggravated rape and robbery charges. He is being tried as an adult.
The court adjourned Monday for Thanksgiving, and will resume on November 30
