Man charged with murder of Ravenscroft teacher had criminal history: Why wasn't he behind bars?
SMELLY AND DISCOLORED WATER.
>> THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING
A TEACHER AT RAVENSCROFT
SCHOOL, CHARGED WITH MURDER
AND BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND.
HERE HE IS TODAY IN THE
COURTROOM. RYAN CAMACHO SO
INVESTIGATORS SAY HE BROKE INTO
A TEACHER'S HOME.
>> ATTACKED HER WHILE SHE WAS
CALLING 9-1-1. THE TEACHER
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THIS
WOMAN. SO WE WELCH, SHE WAS A
SCIENCE TEACHER AND THE FORMER
CHAIR OF THE SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT. AFTER THE ATTACK,
SHE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE
SHE DIED FROM HER INJURIES.
WRAL'S ERIC MILLER IS COVERING
THIS STORY FOR US TONIGHT.
ERIC WELCH IS DEATH. TRAGIC
ENOUGH, OF COURSE, COMPOUNDED
BY THE LENGTHY CRIMINAL
HISTORY.
>> AND THAT THE SUSPECT
CAMACHO. YOU SPOKE WITH SOMEONE
WHO HAS HAD LENGTHY RUN-INS
WITH THE SKIES. WELL.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. ASHLEY.
WE SAT DOWN WITH WES PHILLIPS.
HE SAYS THE MURDER THAT
HAPPENED HERE ON CLAY STREET
OVER THE WEEKEND HIT FAR TOO
CLOSE TO HOME. THAT'S BECAUSE
NEARLY A DECADE AGO, HE SAYS
THAT CAMACHO HARASSED, STALKED
AND TERRIFIED HIS FAMILY FOR
MORE THAN A YEAR. PHILLIPS TOLD
US THAT HE HAD TO MOVE HIS
FAMILY TWICE AND THAT PLEASE TO
POLICE AND PROSECUTORS THAT
SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT THIS
MAN ULTIMATELY WENT UNANSWERED.
YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO
HERE. PHILLIPS SAYS THIS ALL
STARTED ALL THE WAY BACK IN
2016. HE HAD A NUMBER OF SCARY
INTERACTION WITH CAMACHO.
THAT INCLUDES IN OCTOBER OF
THAT YEAR. HE SAYS HIS WIFE
SPOTTED CAMACHO OUTSIDE WITH AT
OUTSIDE. WHAT AT THE TIME WAS
THEIR HOME AND MORTY SECURITY
VIDEO CAPTURES A MAN THROWING A
ROCK INTO THE WINDSHIELD TO
PHILLIPS CAR AND THEN THROUGH
THE SUNROOF BEFORE KICKING AND
PUNCHING THAT CAR AFTER
PHILLIPS AND HIS FAMILY MOVED
AWAY, HE SAYS CAMACHO LATER
CAME BACK AND THEN FIRED
SEVERAL SHOTS INTO THEIR FORMER
HOME. CAMACHO DID END UP FACING
CHARGES IN THAT CASE. BUT
PHILLIPS SAYS IT WASN'T ENOUGH
IN AUTHORITY SHOULD HAVE DONE
MORE HERE.
AND PART OF REASON HERE IS IT
MAKES ME REALLY ANGRY. MAKES ME
ANGRY THAT IT FEELS LIKE THERE
WAS A COMPLETE INSTITUTIONAL.
>> JUST FAILURE HERE THAT
LEAD TO, YOU KNOW, A WOMAN
BEING KILLED WHO TOUCHED SO
MANY LIVES.
>> PHILLIPS SAYS HE EVEN TRIED
TO GET SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A
NO CONTACT ORDER PUT IN PLACE.
BUT THAT WAS NEVER ABLE TO
HAPPEN. HE SAYS BECAUSE POLICE
COULDN'T FIND CAMACHO TO SERVE
HIM WITH PAPERWORK. NOW CAMACHO
DID HAVE HIS FIRST DAY IN COURT
HERE IN THE ZOE WELSH CASE THIS
MORNING. HE'S DUE BACK IN COURT
ON JANUARY. 26TH. HE'S
CURRENTLY BEING HELD WITHOUT
BOND IN RALEIGH, THEIR KILLER.
WRAL, NEW ERIC, THANK YOU.
ALL OF THESE VERY SAD AND
SHOCKING, OF COURSE. AND IF
NONE OF THIS IS SITTING WELL
WITH YOU, I GET IT. HOW COULD
IT IT FEELS WRONG. IT FEELS
LIKE THE SYSTEM FAILED. THIS
WOMAN FAILED HER FAMILY AND
HER STUDENTS AND HER FRIENDS
AND FAILED THE MEMORY OF OTHER
VICTIMS LIKE ARENAS ROOTS GO.
THERE WAS A VIEWER NAMED GEORGE
EMAILED US THIS THIS MORNING
SAID YOU ONLY DEPRESSED THE
DA ON THE STORY. LAUREN FREEMAN
WAS QUICK TO THROW THE JUDGE
UNDER THE BUS, BUT BUT WHAT
ABOUT ALL THE OTHER ENCOUNTERS
CAMACHO HAD WITH THE JUDICIAL
SYSTEM? THIS BEGS FOR
INVESTIGATIVE TREATMENT RATHER
WE REACHED OUT TO LOCAL
PROSECUTORS AND RECEIVED NO
RESPONSE OR THING. HE SAID.
THANKS AND I SAY THANKS BACK TO
YOU, GEORGE. I KNOW A LOT OF
YOU FEEL THE SAME PASSION FOR
THIS STORY. THE INJUSTICE OF
THIS TRAGEDY AFTER ALL WASN'T
ARENAS LAW SUPPOSED TO DO A
BETTER JOB OF PREVENTING A
CRIME LIKE THIS. AND TO REMIND
YOU THAT THE NEW STATE LAWS
SPURRED BY THE SHOCKING VIDEO
OF A STABBING ON A LIGHT RAIL
TRAIN IN CHARLOTTE, THE KILLING
OF AN INNOCENT WOMAN AT RANDOM
BY A MAN WHO SHE NEVER KNEW A
MAN WITH A HISTORY OF MENTAL
ILLNESS WHO HAD BEEN IN AND
OUT OF JAIL FOR LOTS OF LOW
LEVEL CRIMES. IN FACT, HE WAS
JUST OUT OF JAIL AT THE TIME
WHEN THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT
BEING REQUIRED TO PAY BAIL.
ARENA'S LAW AIMED TO ADDRESS
THAT. SHE REQUIRES JUDGES TO
THE FEW THINGS, BUT IT REQUIRES
THEM TO INITIATE INVOLUNTARY
COMMITMENT PROCEEDINGS WHEN
CONSIDERING PRETRIAL RELEASE IN
SOME CASES. SO BASICALLY THAT
MEANS THE NEW LAW MAKES IT SO
MORE DEFENDANTS GET A MENTAL
EVALUATION BEFORE THE COURT CAN
MAKE A DECISION TO FREE THEM
OR NOT.
>> NOW I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE
ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS,
BUT WE SHOULD SAY THEY DIDN'T
REALLY NEED ARENAS IN THIS
CASE. AND THE CAMACHO CASE.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY DID DO
A MENTAL EVALUATION AND WHAT
HAPPENED NEXT MAY BE HARD FOR
YOU TO UNDERSTAND OR ACCEPT.
SHE CAMACHO HAS THIS LONG RAP
SHEET AND WE'LL GET TO THAT IN
A MOMENT. BUT BUT FOR NOW,
LET'S JUST FOCUS ON HIS MOST
RECENT CRIME. THE ONE THAT LED
TO HIS RECENT MENTAL EVALUATION
BECAUSE IT'S THE MOMENT THAT
COULD HAVE CHANGED EVERYTHING
IN THIS PAST. AUGUST CAMACHO
WAS CHARGED WITH LARCENY
BREAKING AND ENTERING AND
PROPERTY DAMAGE. THOSE ARE THE
CHARGES, THE TECHNICAL CHARGES,
BUT WHAT HE'S ACTUALLY ACCUSED
OF DOING IS STEALING 2 PILLOWS
OFF OF A PORCH OF ONE HOME AND
BREAKING WINDOWS AT ANOTHER
HOME. THESE ARE NONVIOLENT
MISDEMEANORS. AND HERE'S WHERE
IT
GETS TRICKY. YOU SEE WHEN
CAMACHO WENT TO TRIAL FOR THIS.
THEY GAVE HIM THAT MENTAL
EVALUATION AND THEY DETERMINED
AT THE TIME THAT HE WAS UNFIT
TO STAND TRIAL. BASICALLY THEY
WERE SAYING HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT WAS GOING ON. HE COULDN'T
COMMUNICATE WITH HIS LAWYER.
HE COULDN'T DEFEND HIMSELF.
SO THE DA DROPPED THE CHARGES.
BUT NOT BEFORE REQUESTING THE
JUDGE COMMITTEE HIM FOR MENTAL
TREATMENT AND INVOLUNTARY
COMMITMENT AND THE JUDGE SAID
NO.
HOW COULD HE BE UNFIT TO STAND
TRIAL? UNFIT TO BE RESPONSIBLE
FOR THESE ALLEGED CRIMES BUT BE
FIT ENOUGH TO WALK FREE.
HERE'S HOW ATTORNEY DANIEL
MEYER EXPLAINED
>> IN ORDER TO INVOLUNTARILY
COMMIT SOMEBODY YOU HAVE TO
SHOW THAT THEY ARE A DANGER TO
THEMSELVES OR OTHERS. THAT WAS
A REASONABLY LOW LEVEL CHARGE.
EVEN IF HE HAD A HISTORY.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T LOCK PEOPLE
UP IN PRISON OR EVEN THE
HOSPITAL. BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT
OF PROPERTY CRIMES OR LOT OF
LOW-LEVEL CRIMES. OBVIOUSLY,
HE UNFORTUNATELY ESCALATED,
WHICH DOES HAPPEN. BUT THAT'S
JUST THE WAY THE SYSTEM WORKS.
>> SO LET'S LOOK AT THESE
CHARGES. THIS RAP SHEET COURT
RECORDS SHOW CAMACHO HAS BEEN
ARRESTED MORE THAN 20 TIMES
CHARGES, INCLUDING SPEEDING
ASSAULT, STALKING TRESPASSING,
LARCENY PROPERTY DAMAGE AND
BREAKING AND ENTERING IN 2021,
HE TRIED TO ESCAPE STATE
PRISON. HE WAS IN PRISON
BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HE HAD
DONE IN 2018. HE WAS ACCUSED OF
SHOOTING INTO AN OCCUPIED
BUILDING, A BUILDING WITH
PEOPLE INSIDE. HE PLEADED
GUILTY TO THOSE CHARGES AND
SERVED HIS TIME FOR THAT AND
THE ESCAPE ATTEMPT AND YOU
MIGHT SAY LOOKING AT ALL THAT
WELL, THAT SEEMS LIKE ENOUGH.
OF COURSE, IN HINDSIGHT I CAN
UNDERSTAND THAT FEELING AND
WE POSED THAT THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY LORRIN FREEMAN
JUST TO MAKE THE DECISION BASED
ON THE EVIDENCE AVAILABLE TO
THEM AT THAT POINT IN TIME,
THEY DON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT.
THE OF COURSE, OF A CRYSTAL
BALL BEING ABLE TO LOOK AND
SEE.
>> WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
BUT STILL FOR A LOT OF YOU, I'M
SURE YOU'RE THINKING IT'S STILL
FEELS A BIT OFF THIS WHOLE
THING.
IF SOMEONE IS CLEARLY
DETERIORATING, YOU KNOW, THEY
KNOW HE IS MENTALLY UNWELL, BUT
HE HASN'T MADE A DIRECT THREAT.
YOU DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL.
WHAT OPTIONS DO EXIST BEFORE
VIOLENCE HAPPENS THAT IS THE
HARD PART. THAT'S THE PART THAT
IS SO FRUSTRATING WHEN
SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS
BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
TO BALANCE THE TRAGIC AND
UNFAIR MURDER OF A KIND AND
BELOVED EDUCATOR WITH THE
GENERAL RIGHTS OF EVERYONE.
HOW DO WE PUNISH PEOPLE FOR
CRIMES? WE THINK THEY MIGHT
COMMIT.
>> I MEAN, SOCIETY MAKES THE
RULES. I MEAN, IT'S THAT COLD
MAXWELL MEAN, YOU KNOW, DO YOU
WANT TO LOCK UP 100 INNOCENT
PEOPLE? SO ONE GUILTY PERSON
DOESN'T GO FREE.
AND IT'S A SIMILAR SITUATION
HERE. ME MENTAL ILLNESS IS A
PROBLEM, BUT WE CAN'T LOCK
EVERYBODY UP. YOU DO THE BEST
YOU CAN.
>> SO BACK TO THAT EMAIL WE GOT
FROM GEORGE GEORGE. I'M BETTING
YOU'RE STILL NOT QUITE
SATISFIED. AND YOU SHOULDN'T
BE.
THESE GRAY AREAS. THIS IS THIS
IS WHERE WE NEED TO PAY
ATTENTION AND GET INVOLVED.
THESE ARE THE STORIES WE'RE
JOURNALISM AND COMMUNITY INPUT
MATTER. THE MOST JOURNALISTS,
WE GATHERED, THE INFORMATION
WE RECOGNIZE PATTERNS. WE ASK
QUESTIONS TO GET MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE
PATTERNS AND THE COMMUNITY
TAKES THAT INFORMATION AND
DETERMINES WHAT TO DO NEXT.
WHAT ACTION TO TAKE IS IT
ANOTHER NEW LAW? A CHANGE TO AN
EXISTING LAW OR IS IT SOMETHING
ELSE WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU?
SEND US AN E-MAIL. 07:00PM AT
WRAL DOT COM GEORGE'S EMAIL LED
TO TONIGHT'S SEGMENT. YOURS
MIGHT BE THE INSPIRATION BEHIND
THE NEXT. WE HAVE SO MANY
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