Illinois Man Pleads Not Guilty in Shooting Death of UW-Whitewater Gymnast Kara Welsh

Chad Richards, the 23-year-old Illinois man standing trial for the August homicide of his girlfriend, Kara Welsh, pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of first-degree intentional homicide in what has emerged as a tragic shaking of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater community, as reported by

FOX6Now

. Welsh, not only a student but also a celebrated gymnast, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in an off-campus apartment.

According to the criminal complaint, uncovered by

FOX11Online

, police responded to a distress call just before midnight on August 30 where Richards, in a state of visible distress, claimed a woman was dying—an account leading into the grim discovery of Welsh’s body, the aftermath limned by the palpable shock and grief that has since wrapped itself like a cold mist around hearts and conversations on campus.

The assailant, described as Welsh’s boyfriend, is accused of inflicting the fatal wounds during an altercation, with Welsh succumbing to injuries that included shots to the neck, shoulder, wrist, and leg; her athletic promise and academic pursuits cut short just as her senior year was set to commence, this account drawing from details specified in court documents as disclosed by

WISN

.

The next court appearance for Richards is scheduled for January where the case will advance as sides lay groundwork, spooling through evidence and testimonies in the pursuit of justice for Welsh.

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