Mother Of Murdered Danvers Teacher Decries Proposed Parole Bill

DANVERS, MA — Peggie Ritzer, the mother of murdered Danvers High School teacher Colleen Ritzer, was asking for the public's help on Tuesday in opposition to a bill that would make life-without-parole prisoners eligible for parole after they serve 25 years on a first-degree murder conviction.

Colleen Ritzer was killed by a student in 2013. Her body was found near Danvers High.

Peggie Ritzer was set to speak in front of the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday on H.1797 called "An Act To Reduce Mass Incarceration." The bill would eliminate "Life No Parole" sentences in the state and retroactively make inmates who have served 25 years of a no-parole sentence eligible for parole.

"We need your help!" Peggie Ritzer posted on the "Remembering Colleen Ritzer" Facebook page in advance of her testimony. "Massachusetts continues to be a sympathizer for killers, while completely forgetting victims."

Philip Chism was convicted of raping and murdering the teacher. He is currently serving a 40-year sentence and will eventually be eligible for parole.

Though the bill does not apply to Chism, Peggie Ritzer was vehement in her opposition online and urged others to sign a petition against the bill and contact legislators in support of it.

"First-degree murderers deserve life in prison," Ritzer posted. "They planned to take a life so they must lose their life. Help victims' families not have to go through what our family has to go through knowing parole hearings are in our future.

"Parole is not justice!"

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)