57-Year-Old Zoe Welsh Killed While on Phone With 911 During Home Invasion

The fatal home invasion that claimed the life of 57-year-old Zoe Welsh in Raleigh, North Carolina, has sent shockwaves through the local community and raised difficult questions about public safety, mental health interventions, and the criminal justice system. Welsh, a longtime educator and respected science teacher, was attacked inside her home early Saturday morning while she was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher seeking help. ‘

Police arrived minutes later to find her critically injured; she later died at the hospital. Court records now show that the man charged with her murder had faced possible involuntary mental health commitment only weeks earlier, adding another layer of complexity to an already tragic case.

Zoe Welsh’s death has drawn widespread attention because of the harrowing circumstances surrounding her final moments and the background of the suspect, Ryan Camacho, 36, who was taken into custody shortly after the attack. Authorities say there is no indication that the two knew each other. As investigators continue to piece together the events that led to the killing, the case has become a focal point for broader discussions about gaps in mental health oversight, post-release supervision, and community protection.

The Home Invasion and Fatal Attack

According to Raleigh police, the incident unfolded just after dawn on Saturday when Zoe Welsh placed a 911 call from her home on the 800 block of Clay Street. At approximately 6:30 a.m., she told the dispatcher that an unknown man was inside her residence. During the call, the situation rapidly escalated. Police have confirmed that while Welsh was still on the line, the intruder began assaulting her.

Audio from the emergency call captures the sudden shift from a reported burglary to a violent attack. At 6:34 a.m., a dispatcher noted that the caller had been screaming but then went silent. Officers were dispatched immediately to the scene for a reported burglary in progress. Upon arrival, one officer reported a smashed front window, indicating forced entry. Moments later, another officer radioed that a woman was down inside the home with severe head injuries and significant bleeding.

Welsh was found critically injured and was transported to a nearby hospital. Despite emergency medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries. Police later confirmed her death, identifying the attack as a homicide resulting from a home invasion. The brutality of the assault and the short window between the emergency call and officers’ arrival have underscored the speed with which the violence occurred.

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Following the discovery, officers conducted a search of the surrounding neighborhood. Ryan Camacho was located nearby and taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with murder and felony burglary. Investigators have stated that there is no evidence suggesting any prior relationship or acquaintance between Camacho and Welsh, reinforcing the conclusion that the crime was a random act rather than a targeted attack.

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Camacho made his first court appearance on Monday, where a judge ordered him held without bond. His next court date has been scheduled for January 26. The case remains under active investigation as authorities work to establish a complete timeline and determine whether additional charges may be warranted.

Court Records and Mental Health Concerns

As details of the case emerged, newly reported court records revealed that Camacho had faced the possibility of involuntary mental health commitment in early December, just weeks before Zoe Welsh was killed. According to reporting by the Raleigh News & Observer, Camacho’s public defender filed a motion requesting a hearing to determine whether he should be involuntarily committed for mental health treatment following his release from prison earlier in the year.

The outcome of that hearing is not clearly documented in available court records. However, records indicate that on the same day the motion was addressed, charges Camacho faced for larceny and breaking and entering were dismissed. Those charges stemmed from an August incident in which he was accused of stealing a pair of pillows. The dismissal of the charges, coupled with the unresolved status of the mental health commitment request, has prompted scrutiny of how such cases are handled within the legal system.

Further complicating matters, Camacho’s public defenders later filed a motion seeking to have District Court Judge Louis Meyer III recuse himself from the case. The motion alleged that the judge had questioned Camacho, his mother, and a forensic evaluator without attorneys present. That motion was eventually dropped, and the case proceeded without further action on the recusal request.

Camacho’s criminal history spans nearly two decades. Records show prior offenses dating back to 2005, with the most serious being a 2019 conviction for discharging a firearm into an occupied property in Wake County. He was sentenced to prison for that offense and served five years and seven months before being paroled in 2024. During that incarceration, Camacho was charged with escape in Rowan County in 2021 after an unsuccessful attempt to break out of the facility, an incident that added six to 17 months to his sentence.

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Following his release, court records indicate that Camacho described himself as homeless in May. His transient status, combined with unresolved mental health concerns and a lengthy criminal record, has raised questions about whether additional safeguards or interventions might have been possible prior to the fatal incident.

Authorities have not publicly commented on whether mental health issues played a direct role in the attack on Welsh, and the legal process will ultimately determine how such factors are weighed. Nonetheless, the disclosure of the involuntary commitment motion has intensified public discussion about how the justice system balances individual rights, mental health treatment, and public safety, particularly for individuals with histories of violent behavior.

A Community Mourns a Respected Educator

Zoe Welsh was widely known and deeply respected within the Raleigh education community. She was a longtime science teacher at Ravenscroft School in North Raleigh, where she had taught since 2006. Over the years, she also served as chair of the Upper School science department, shaping curriculum and mentoring both students and fellow educators. Before joining Ravenscroft, Welsh worked in the Wake County Public Schools system, further extending her impact on education in the region.

Colleagues and students have described Welsh as a dedicated teacher with a passion for science and a commitment to her students’ growth. She was a mother of two and had spent nearly two decades at Ravenscroft, becoming a central figure in the school’s academic life. In a statement, a school spokesperson said the Ravenscroft community was devastated by her loss, describing her as a cornerstone of the Upper School Science Department whose influence would be felt for years.

In response to the tragedy, Ravenscroft School announced that grief counseling and support resources would be made available to students, faculty, and staff as classes resumed. The school emphasized its focus on supporting those affected by the sudden loss while honoring Welsh’s contributions to the institution.

Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce also addressed the killing, calling it a loss for the entire community. In a statement, he expressed heartbreak for Welsh’s family and acknowledged the trauma caused by the violent crime. Boyce praised officers for their swift response and stated that the arrest sent a clear message that such criminal acts would not be tolerated within the city.

As the investigation continues, Welsh’s death stands as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of violent crime and the profound impact it leaves behind. While the legal process moves forward, the community continues to grapple with the loss of a teacher, mentor, and mother whose life was cut short under terrifying circumstances.