UPDATE 9/6/24 at 1:30pm – Chad Richards has officially been charged with First Degree Intentional Homicide by Use of a Dangerous Weapon in the death of UW-Whitewater gymnast Kara Welsh.
According to the criminal complaint, Welsh was shot eight times in the neck, torso, and extremities. Detectives say Richards told them upon arrival that Welsh was his girlfriend, and that they had been arguing beforehand leading to Richards punching the door. Richards stated Welsh then grabbed a handgun from a nightstand, which Richards then wrestled away from Welsh before shooting her because “he feared for his life”.
Richards is due back in court for a preliminary hearing October 28th.
WHITEWATER, Wis. – Authorities have identified the suspect accused of shooting and killing 21-year-old UW-Whitewater gymnast, Kara Welsh as a 23-year-old from Loves Park, Illinois named Chad T. Richards. He was a former member of the UW-Whitewater wrestling team.
Whitewater Police confirmed the identity on Tuesday morning and said Richards appeared in Walworth County Court today. Bond was set at $1 million. He is facing charges of first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety using a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed.
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Just before midnight on August 30, 2024, Whitewater Police responded to an apartment on the 100-block of W Whitewater St. for reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found Welsh’s body with several gunshot wounds. Richards was also allegedly in the apartment when they arrived.
Investigators have reason to believe Welsh and Richards were in some kind of an altercation before he allegedly shot her multiple times. Due to the sensitive and ongoing nature of the investigation, there aren’t many further details that have been released to the public at this stage.
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The following message accompanied the campaign, which has raised more than $35,000 at the time this story is being published on Sept. 3:
Kara was a daughter, sister, dear friend and teammate who grew up in Plainfield, Illinois. Kara had a unique ability to bring joy to any person she crossed paths with, always putting a smile on people’s faces with her sense of humor, unwavering support and sweet disposition. Kara, 21 years old, was excited to be in her rising senior year as a gymnast at UW-Whitewater which was abruptly cut short on August 30th, by a heartless act of violence.
We are completely heartbroken for our beloved Welsh family – Nancy, Tom, and Kaeli as they navigate this incredibly difficult time. They will surely have so much to endure in the near future and we would like to help ease the financial burden during this period of grief, planning and travel that will surely be necessary.
If you are interested in contributing to the fund, click here.
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