Retired NC judge gives legal insight into Ryan Camacho's criminal history

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- There's an outcry in the community as people weigh in on a tragedy many say should have never happened.

"Killing an innocent teacher like this in her own home is a horrible outcome, but it's not necessarily predictable," said retired Superior Court Judge Carl Fox.

Beloved Ravenscroft science teacher Zoe Welsh was attacked and killed inside her home on Jan. 3. Ryan Camacho has been charged with murder in the brutal crime.

Online, many people weighed in in response to the shocking crime.

One woman wrote, "I believe this could have been prevented. There were too many chances before now to get this guy help."

Another person posted, "The accused had too many crimes involving interactions with innocent people, but yet free to escalate his crimes."

Another commenter called out the legal system: "Our judicial system is broken beyond repair."

Fox said he's aware of the questions and concerns the community is bringing to the light.

"It's a tragedy. It's really a tragedy. I mean, this is one of the worst things that people can think of," Fox said.

Court records obtained by ABC11 show Camacho had been arrested two dozen times across Wake and Durham counties. He also served time in state prison for shooting in an occupied dwelling nearly 10 years ago.

"What is he charged with now? What has he done now? And if he doesn't, if he doesn't do that, you can't commit him based upon 10 years ago," Fox said.

Now, Camacho is facing a murder charge in the death of Welsh. Some hope this case will lead to a change in the law. But Fox said you can't change the law to help with one case.

"If you're really going to address the problem, you need to get more people together with more expertise over the whole, get input from different sides of the issue to try to resolve the issue in a meaningful way, and not just looking at this one case," he said.

Camacho has a documented history of mental health needs. During a December court hearing, it was determined that Camacho did not meet the standard for involuntary commitment. Fox said that a judge must follow the standards of the law, and there is this caveat to consider.

"When you're looking at someone to determine whether they're dangerous to themselves or others, it's now or in the recent past. It's not in the distance past. It's not collectively like it is for sentencing. Sentencing, everything comes in for sentencing, but to determine whether he's dangerous to himself or others. That is only a recent past," Fox noted.

He also said taxpayers have to consider the cost of trying cases in the criminal justice system.

"Taxpayers would not want to shoulder the burden of changing the system enough to try half the cases that come into the criminal court, because it would be billions of dollars to do that statewide."

Camacho is due back in court Jan. 26.