Teen Charged With Murder, Home Invasion in Death of 68-Year-Old Danvers Woman

Anthony DeMayo, an 18-year-old senior at Bishop Fenwick High School in Peabody, allegedly confessed to climbing through a window at 17 Amherst St. in Danvers and stabbing 68-year-old Janet Swallow to death as she slept in her bed, according to a statement of facts filed in the case. Essex County prosecutors say investigators found no connection between DeMayo and Swallow and believe the attack was entirely random.

According to court documents, DeMayo told police he entered the single-family home in the early morning hours, checked rooms until he found a woman sleeping, then went into her bedroom and began stabbing her in the neck. When the knife became stuck, he allegedly pulled her off the bed onto the floor. He then drove back to his home in Lynn, changed his clothes, and stayed home for the rest of the evening. His cellphone, investigators noted, remained stationary in a Danvers neighborhood from midnight to 1 a.m. Thursday.

Swallow was found dead inside her home Thursday afternoon. Police encountered DeMayo that same day and described him as erratic; he was transported to Salem Hospital, and investigators secured a search warrant for his Lynn residence. There they found clothing with stains consistent with blood. Additional undisclosed evidence on his phone pointed them to 17 Amherst St., where they discovered Swallow's body.

DeMayo was arraigned in Salem District Court, where a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. He was ordered held without bail. A forensic psychologist who conducted a brief evaluation told the court DeMayo has depressive symptoms and thoughts of suicide, and the court ordered him to undergo further psychological testing at Bridgewater State Hospital. He is due back in court April 1.

Ring camera footage obtained by Boston 25 News, from a camera belonging to neighbor Ashley O'Brien, appears to show DeMayo walking through the neighborhood before his arrest. After arraignment, his family declined to comment.

"Based on the investigation, DeMayo got into her residence by climbing into a window and stabbed Ms. Swallow while she was in bed," prosecutor Erin McAndrew told the court. "It does not appear any items were missing from the home. Investigators believe the defendant acted alone at that time and this was in fact a random attack."

Essex District Attorney Paul Tucker addressed the broader impact of the killing. "This terrible tragedy has struck the Swallow family, the town of Danvers, and the Bishop Fenwick community," Tucker said. "They are all in our thoughts as we continue to investigate."

Bishop Fenwick's president issued a statement confirming the school is cooperating fully with law enforcement and offering condolences to Swallow's family and all those affected by what the statement called a "horrific tragedy." DeMayo faces charges of murder and home invasion, with additional court-ordered psychiatric evaluation still ahead before his April 1 return date.