Teacher Suicide

(Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) The man had big troubles but it's unknown what, exactly, triggered the suicide since no note was reported. Guilt and shame can probably be assumed.

Gregory G. Ritter, the former East Hills Middle School teacher accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy, has committed suicide.

Ritter, 45, who was the Disney American Teacher Award recipient in 2000, fatally shot himself outside his Monroe County apartment, his attorney said.

The property caretaker found him Thursday morning sitting by a picnic area outside the apartment building, dead from an apparent gunshot wound to the head, police said.

A jury was set to be selected today for his sexual assault case.

Ritter was facing charges of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, indecent assault and corruption of minors.

It's worth mentioning that it is not unusual for men accused of child sex crimes to commit suicide. Strangely, it rarely happens with women. In fact, I can't recall even one instance.