NC teacher's killing renews call for state mental health funding, policy

Gov. Josh Stein is calling on state lawmakers to focus more on treating people with mental health issues that pose a risk to the public. Stein's comments come days after Zoe Welsh, a long-time science teacher at the private Ravenscroft School, was killed in her home. Ryan Camacho, who is charged in her death, had a history of mental health challenges, according to court records.
Posted 1/7/2026, 12:43:57 AM Updated 1/7/2026, 1:00:08 AM

AROUND THIS TIME. GIVE HIM A

CALL, HEIDI KIRK, WRAL NEWS

LIVE IN FAYETTEVILLE. HEIDI,

THANK YOU. THE MURDER OF A

RALLY TEACHER HAS BROUGHT UP SO

MANY MEMORIES OF A CASE OVER

THE SUMMER.

>> OR WOMAN WAS STABBED BY A

MAN ON A CHARLOTTE LIGHT RAIL

IN BOTH CASES. THE SUSPECTS,

A HOMELESS MAN WITH A LONG RAP

SHEET AND A HISTORY OF MENTAL

ILLNESS. STATE LEADERS CHANGED

STATE LAW BECAUSE OF WHAT WE

SAW IN CHARLOTTE WRAL'S

ACTUALLY ROLL OR FROM LAWMAKERS

TODAY. IF THIS RALLY CASE COULD

LEAD ASHLEY TO ANOTHER CHANGE.

THAT AND THIS STORY IS STRIKING

A NERVE WITH LAWMAKERS AND WITH

GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN, RNC

CAPITAL TEAM HAS BEEN PRESSING

ALL OF THEM ABOUT WHAT CHANGES

IN THE SYSTEM NEED TO BE MADE.

>> GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN AGAIN

SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THE DEATH

OF RAVENSCROFT TEACHER, ZOE

WELSH AND THE MAN ACCUSED OF

KILLING HER RYAN CAMACHO.

THERE'S A LOT MORE WE CAN DO.

I HAD IDEAS THAT THE

LEGISLATURE DID NOT INCORPORATE

INTO A RING AS LONG. I HOPE

THAT THEY DO. ARENAS LAW WENT

INTO EFFECT IN DECEMBER.

THEY MAKES CHANGES TO PRE-TRIAL

RELEASE CONDITIONS FOR CERTAIN

CASES. THE TEACHER'S MURDER

RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER

IT GOES FAR ENOUGH TO TACKLE

MENTAL ILLNESS. GOVERNOR STEIN

HAD A FEW COMPLAINTS WITH THE

RAINES LAW. HIS MAIN COMPLAINT

WAS THAT IT DIDN'T REALLY DO

MUCH TO PREVENT CRIME AND TO

ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE OF

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES SAID

GOVERNMENT REPORTER WILL DOOR

AND SPOKE WITH REPRESENTATIVE

JOHN TORBETT A TOP STATE

REPUBLICAN ABOUT WHAT CAN BE

DONE MOVING FORWARD LOOKING

AND THE GROUP TAKING CARE OF

DIFFERENTLY SHOULD BE ON THE

STREET. YOU THINK THAT'S GOING

COME UP AND JOIN. 26 HERE LOOKS

ABSOLUTELY DO SOMETHING.

SOMETHING POSITIVE COME DOWN

TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL MILLAGE

NOTICED. WE HAVE REPUBLICAN

REPRESENTATIVE AARON A TOP

STATE BUDGET WRITER ALSO

COMMITTING TO DO MORE TO CHANGE

POLICY THAT WILL HOPEFULLY SAVE

LIVES. IS THE STATE.

>> FUNDING MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES ENOUGH RIGHT NOW?

NO, I THINK WE NEED TO DO

BETTER.

>> NOW, REMEMBER, THE STATE

STILL HAS NOT PASSED A BUDGET.

THE GOVERNOR HAS ABOUT

200 MILLION DOLLARS IN

INITIATIVES TO TACKLE MENTAL

HEALTH CHALLENGES IN PUBLIC

SAFETY. NORTH CAROLINA IS THE

ONLY STATE IN THE COUNTRY

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