Victim of Philadelphia murder-suicide identified as Olney High School teacher

Thursday, May 9, 2024
Victim of Philadelphia murder-suicide identified as Olney High School teacher
Victim of Philadelphia murder-suicide identified as Olney High School teacher

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- An Olney High School teacher was the victim killed in a murder-suicide on Monday in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia.

Police said Wednesday that Ondria Glaze, 36, died after being shot at a home in the 1300 block of S. 30th Street.

Ondria Glaze
Ondria Glaze
LinkedIn.com

A man, 42-year-old Richard Harper, was also found dead with what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

A gun was found next to Harper's body, police said.

Olney High School Principal Michael Roth said in a letter to the school community that Glaze was the special education compliance monitor and long-time "beloved" teacher.

He said Glaze could be defined by the school's saying: "Olney Love."

"She embodied this mantra and blessed every student and staff member she came across," Roth wrote. "She will be deeply missed and our condolences go out to her family, students, our staff and the entire school community."

Roth said Glaze was a personal friend.

"I know she would want us to pull together during this time and support one another," Roth continued. "That's what she always did for others."

Glaze spent 10 years at Olney High School, and students and staff say she was like a family member.

"She was honestly, not even a friend, more like a sister to all of us," said junior Joseph Peralta.

"Miss Glaze was like the sweetest person I ever knew. Every time you see her she was always smiling," said senior Kai Sutton.

As her students and co-workers learned of her death, a memorial started to take shape on the doors of her office.

"We didn't organize them. They just did it," said teacher Glorimar Melendez.

"This was known as The Hub. They would come looking for her, and she would always be in there ready to listen," said teacher Kelly Wallace.

"The school truly lost a big part of our community," said teaching assistant Tim Williams.

A vigil for Glaze will be held at 6:15 p.m. on Monday, May 13.

A GoFundMe has been set up with the goal of establishing a scholarship fund in Glaze's honor.

"We are going to give out every year to a graduating senior who also embodies that light and that love here at Olney School community," said Roth.