Teacher's Death 'Devastating,' Crisis Team Responds To Wilde Lake

COLUMBIA, MD - A gathering that students planned for Wednesday night in Columbia in hopes of their missing teacher's safe return was abruptly canceled 10 minutes before it was to begin.

Police found the body of missing teacher Laura Elizabeth Wallen, 31, according to Wilde Lake High School Principal Rick Wilson.

"It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that Ms. Laura Wallen was found deceased tonight by Montgomery County Police," Wilde Lake High School Principal Rick Wilson said in a note to parents on Wednesday, Sept. 13.

Wallen's family reported her missing when she did not show up for the first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Police said the teacher from Rolling Meadows Way in Olney was found deceased in Damascus, in a secluded area of a field in a freshly dug shallow grave.

"...I know that our students and staff will be deeply saddened by this devastating news," Wilson wrote. (Get news alerts from Columbia Patch and like us on Facebook.)

Wallen, who taught social studies at Wilde Lake, was voted senior class teacher of the year in 2016 and was popular among her pupils.

In fact, students distributed flyers over the weekend to help search for her, and they had planned to come together for a hope ceremony at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center Wednesday night in Columbia, until news broke of Wallen's death.

After learning the tragic outcome, Wilde Lake students committed to wearing black in honor of Wallen on Thursday.

To help the community cope, the Howard County mobile crisis team will be at Wilde Lake High School Wednesday night and Thursday, according to Wilson.

A support team will also be available at Murray Hill Middle School on Thursday, according to Interim Superintendent of Howard County Public Schools (HCPSS) Michael Martirano.

See letters from Wilson and Martirano regarding Wallen's death at the end of the article.

Police announced that Wallen's body was found and her boyfriend, Tyler Tessier, was arrested at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The motive in the killing was unknown, police said Wednesday evening.

Investigators said they made a break in the case upon learning that Tessier made several trips to an acquaintance's property on Prices Distillery Road in Damascus, where he would occasionally stay.
Armed with a search warrant on Wednesday, officers said they showed up at the property—a home with open fields and woods.

During the search, police said authorities saw tire tracks on a nearby property and followed them "some distance" from the place they had intended to look for Wallen. Her body was in a shallow grave.

Tessier is in Montgomery County Police Department custody and will most likely have a bond review Thursday, police said.

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For parents discussing the situation with their children, Wilson had previously issued this guidance, when Wallen was listed as a missing person:

When speaking with your child(ren) about this situation, please reinforce that adults in their lives are here to provide for their safety and to guide them through difficult situations.

• Listen to your child’s story – Let your child know that you are available to answer any questions. You may not have all the answers to their questions, but they will benefit from your attention. Provide simple, accurate information in response to questions.

• Encourage your child to express his or her feelings – Talk about your own feelings. Don’t be afraid to express how the uncertainty of the situation makes you feel, as this helps to validate and normalize your child’s reaction to this information. Provide your child with time in the coming days to discuss this when he/she is ready to talk.

Letter from Wilde Lake High School Principal Rick Wilson on Wednesday, Sept. 13:

Dear parents,

It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that Ms. Laura Wallen was found deceased tonight by Montgomery County Police. Though we have very few additional details at this time, I know that our students and staff will be deeply saddened by this devastating news.

The Howard County mobile crisis team will be at Wilde Lake High School this evening to provide support to the entire Wilde Lake community. Additionally, I have been in touch with the school system's crisis intervention team and there will be a large team of people available at school tomorrow to support every student and staff member that need somebody to talk to.

The "Gathering of Hope" event scheduled for this evening will be canceled. I will provide more information as it becomes available.

Please keep Ms. Wallen's family in your thoughts and prayers.

Rick Wilson
Principal

Letter from Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Interim Superintendent Michael Martirano:

HCPSS Community,

I am deeply saddened to learn that Ms. Laura Wallen, a teacher at Wilde Lake High School, was found deceased tonight by Montgomery County Police. My heart goes out to the people who prayed so hard for her safe return and are devastated by this news.

We will leverage every available resource to support the Wilde Lake community through this tragic time and I ask you to lend your support to our students and staff members. The Howard County crisis intervention team will provide additional support staff at Wilde Lake High School and Murray Hill Middle School tomorrow.

Please continue to keep Ms. Wallen's family and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you,
Michael Martirano
Interim Superintendent