Advertisement Ritzer family outraged over Chism prison sentence Danvers teen convicted of raping, murdering Colleen Ritzer Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A teenager who raped and killed his high school math teacher was sentenced to 40 years in prison Friday and will be eligible for parole, a decision that has outraged the family of his victim.Watch the reportPhilip Chism was convicted in December in the 2013 death of Danvers High School teacher Colleen Ritzer. He was 14 when he followed her into a school bathroom, strangled her, stabbed her at least 16 times and raped her.Video: Ritzer family disappointedThe judge gave Chism 25 years for the first-degree murder conviction, 40 years for a charge of aggravated rape and 40 years for a charge of robbery -- all to be served concurrently. He is eligible for parole after 40 years.Watch: Judge outlines Chism sentenceChism, 17, faced life in prison for the murder conviction but, under Massachusetts law, is eligible for parole because he was a juvenile at the time of the crime."Today's sentence is unacceptable, and the laws must be changed," Ritzer's mother, Peggie, said after sentencing. "Although we very much appreciate this court's commitment to seeking justice for Colleen, today's sentence did not achieve that goal ... Colleen's family, friends, students and those who admired her have been given a life sentence without parole."A judge in Salem Superior Court announced the sentence after hearing nine victim-impact statements from Ritzer's family and friends. Many of them wore pink, her favorite color.Tom Ritzer described his daughter as "daddy's little girl," who was wise beyond her years."Colleen will never get to have her own life. She will never meet her husband. She will never have her own family and home," he said. "I will never get to walk Colleen down the aisle or give her away. I will never get to have that father-daughter dance at her wedding."Peggie Ritzer showed a photo of Colleen Ritzer and her two siblings. She said most people would recognize it as the photo released the day her daughter was killed, but for her, it's the last picture she will have of her three children together."I will never see her be a mother," Peggie Ritzer said. "Colleen loved babies, loved kids, and Colleen would have been an amazing mother, but evil took all that away."Chism's mother, Diane, released a statement Friday expressing her condolences to Ritzer's family."Words can't express the amount of pain and sorrow these past 2 1/2 years have been," she said. "However, there is no one who has suffered more than the Ritzer family. My utmost esteem, prayers and humble respect is with them today as they continue their journey to heal."At his trial, the defense admitted Chism killed Colleen Ritzer but said he was suffering from severe mental illness and wasn't criminally responsible for his actions. A psychiatrist who testified for the defense said Chism, who had just moved to Massachusetts from Clarksville, Tennessee, was hearing voices and in the throes of a psychotic episode when he killed Colleen Ritzer.Chism was convicted of raping Colleen Ritzer, 24, inside the bathroom but was acquitted of a second rape, committed with a tree branch in woods near the school where Chism put her body.He was also convicted of armed robbery for stealing her credit cards and her underwear.