Raleigh man says accused killer terrorized his family for years

Accused Raleigh Teacher’s Killer Faces Multiple Charges

Ryan Camacho, 36, is in jail facing multiple charges for the killing of Zoe Welsh, a science teacher at the private Ravencroft School. Police report that Camacho attacked Welsh while she was on the phone with 911 after breaking into her home.

Past Victim Speaks Out

Wes Phillips, a Raleigh resident, feels the killing is personal. He stated, “It’s not like there weren’t signs. We were really adamant about the danger that we felt we were in, and perhaps other people were in, and it just wasn’t taken seriously.”

Phillips claims that nearly ten years ago, Camacho stalked and harassed his family for over a year. This led Phillips’ family to move twice, with their pleas for help going unanswered.

Scary Encounters with Camacho

One frightening incident occurred on October 8, 2016, during Hurricane Matthew. Phillips was with his son at their home in Mordecai when he spotted Camacho outside. “It was like a horror movie,” Phillips recalled, describing Camacho in a black jacket, staring at them.

Phillips had already moved once that year to escape Camacho, who lived next door. This move followed property damage and disturbing behavior from Camacho.

On October 8, Phillips called the police and recorded video on his cell phone. In the video, Camacho can be seen trying to open the car door. “I had locked the car, and he was pulling on the door,” Phillips said.

Camacho eventually left but returned days later. Phillips’ wife saw him grab a large rock. Security footage shows Camacho throwing a rock into the windshield of Phillips’ car and damaging it.

Further Threats and Legal Consequences

Phillips moved his family again to distance themselves from Camacho. Two years later, Camacho returned with a gun and shot into their former home. “He shot into our building where he thought that we lived,” Phillips said. No one was injured in the shooting, but Camacho faced multiple charges and spent two years in prison.

Phillips expressed frustration, stating he called the police several times about Camacho and sought a no-contact order. However, Camacho faced no charges for harassing the family.

Concerns About the Justice System

Phillips is angry about what he sees as a failure of the system that led to Welsh’s death. WRAL has been asking prosecutors and judges why Camacho did not face more serious consequences sooner.

Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman noted that Camacho has spent significant time in custody, mostly for the shooting incident. “He has spent a lot of time bouncing between the prison system and the local jails,” Freeman said.

Freeman mentioned that in December, Camacho faced breaking and entering charges, and prosecutors sought to have him involuntarily committed. This request was denied by Judge Louis Meyer.

WRAL has reached out to Judge Meyer for comment but has not received a reply. Freeman explained that judges must make decisions based on available evidence and cannot predict future events.

Phillips’ Ongoing Concerns

Wes Phillips is left questioning what needs to change to keep dangerous individuals off the streets. He and his wife now wonder, “how close did we come to being that person, and could that have been prevented?”