What search warrants tell us in case of Raleigh teacher killed in her home
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Search warrants say Ryan Camacho allegedly told police he killed teacher Zoe Welsh.
- A brick was found inside Camacho’s jacket after he allegedly assaulted Welsh.
- Camacho had a history of mental issues and cycled through jails, hospitals and shelters.
READ MORE
Teacher slain in Raleigh
Zoe Welsh, a well-known teacher at Raleigh’s Ravenscroft School, was killed in a burglary at her home off of St. Mary’s Street early Jan. 3, 2026. Ryan Camacho has been charged with her murder, with court records showing he has a long history of mental health troubles. Here’s ongoing coverage from The News & Observer.
Expand All
The man accused of fatally attacking teacher Zoe Welsh in her Raleigh home in January allegedly told police he’d “killed a lady,” according to newly released search warrants.
Ryan Camacho, 37, is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree burglary in the Jan. 3 incident, The News & Observer previously reported. Welsh, who taught science at Ravenscroft School, was fatally wounded about 6:30 a.m. that day after she called 911 to report a man had broken into her Clay Street home through the front window.
The killing has raised questions about treatment options for people with mental illnesses who interact with the criminal justice system in North Carolina.
The N&O found Camacho had a lengthy history of break-ins, assaults and trespassing, and had twice been declared incompetent in Wake County. He’d been in court as recently as December, when Judge Louis B. Meyer III denied a motion to have him committed despite finding he was incapable of helping with his own defense in a break-in case.
Welsh reportedly told the dispatcher she recognized Camacho from previously seeing him at Fred Fletcher Park, which bordered her home in a neighborhood off St. Mary’s Street. She was able to describe the suspect’s appearance and outfit before being attacked, according to court documents.
Bricks found in jacket pocket, Welsh’s home
It’s not clear how Camacho allegedly broke the window at Welsh’s home, but a search warrant indicates officers found “blood and human tissue” around the window, and a brick was found in Camacho’s jacket pocket. Investigators also found three bricks inside Welsh’s home, according to the warrants. Welsh said on the 911 call she’d been hit with a brick, The N&O previously reported.
Officers briefly detained another man in the hunt for Camacho after a K-9 track led them to a Cleveland Street apartment a little over half a mile down the road. The apartment had apparently been broken into, and investigators got a warrant to search the apartment and the man inside because he matched the suspect’s physical description, according to the search warrant. The man told police he’d broken into the apartment to get back inside after being evicted.
Camacho was ultimately found at 300 East Whitaker Mill Road, just under two miles away, though it’s not clear how long after the break-in he was found. He had what appeared to be bloodstains on his clothes, and officers later seized a bloodied jacket, pants, socks, shoes and other clothing from Camacho, according to a search warrant.
The warrant also indicates Camacho reportedly asked a detective, “Is this about the lady’s head I bashed in with a rock? The lady I killed?” while on the way to the police station to be questioned.
Camacho remained in the Wake County jail without bail as of Tuesday afternoon. He is set to undergo a forensic psychiatric evaluation in the coming months.
This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 2:58 PM.
