Lily Peters found dead, autopsy confirms strangulation: What we know

Editor’s observe: This report incorporates details about a violent assault that might trigger trauma for some readers. Discretion is suggested.

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. — Regulation enforcement in Wisconsin launched a murder investigation right into a 14-year-old boy after discovering the physique of a 10-year-old lady close to a strolling path Monday.

Police arrested a juvenile suspect who knew Iliana Peters, who glided by the identify Lily, they introduced Tuesday night. 

Preliminary post-mortem outcomes discovered Peters died of strangulation and blunt drive trauma. Chippewa County Coroner Ronald Patten stated the post-mortem confirmed the way of her dying was murder, and he expects outcomes from toxicology assessments inside roughly 4 to 6 weeks. 

The teenager arrested in reference to the dying of Lily appeared by video in court docket  Wednesday the place a choose ordered him held on $1 million bail. The boy was not publicly recognized by identify and has been recognized solely by the initials CPB.

Prosecutors alleged on Wednesday the teen adopted Peters out of her aunt’s residence Sunday night time in Chippewa Falls, then strangled and sexually assaulted her on a strolling path the place her physique was discovered the following morning.

Throughout a Tuesday information convention, Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm did not say whether or not the suspect was associated to Lily or the place the arrest occurred. He stated there was not any hazard to the general public.

“Whereas nothing will carry Lily Peters again or change what occurred, we’re very grateful to have the ability to ship this information for the household and for the group,” Kelm stated.

Peters was reported lacking Sunday night. She was a fourth-grader at Parkview Elementary Faculty in Chippewa Falls. Here’s what we all know concerning the state of affairs:

Lily Peters’ father reported her lacking after she did not return residence from her aunt’s home

Lily’s father reported her lacking 9 p.m. Sunday after the lady didn’t return residence from a go to to her aunt’s home in Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm stated.

A bicycle believed to belong to Lily was discovered late Sunday night time in some woods close to a strolling path. That space is lower than a mile northwest from the place Lily’s aunt lives.

Lily Peters’ physique was discovered close to a strolling path

Lily’s physique was discovered about 9:15 a.m. Monday in a wooded space close to the strolling path, police stated.

Police stated Lily lived within the 50 block of East Birch Avenue, which is a quarter-mile west of the place her aunt lives.

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Police arrested a juvenile suspect Tuesday

At a press convention Tuesday, Kelm introduced {that a} juvenile suspect was arrested earlier that night. He stated the suspect was identified to Lily.

However he declined to supply any additional info, together with the suspect’s age or the place they have been arrested. 

Kelm stated he not believed there was a hazard to the general public, indicating he believes the suspect acted alone.

Kelm did say that officers executed a search warrant on an handle alongside the identical block the place Lily’s aunt lives. However Kelm didn’t say whether or not that search yielded something of worth.

14-year-old boy seems in court docket Wednesday, held on $1 million bail, might face life in jail

A 14-year-old boy arrested in reference to the dying of Lily appeared by video in a Chippewa Falls courtroom Wednesday, the place a choose ordered him held on $1 million bail.

Chippewa County District Lawyer Wade Newell described the circumstances of Peters’ dying: the boy hit her within the abdomen, knocked her to the bottom and strangled her earlier than hitting her with a stick, then, the district lawyer stated, “strangling her to the purpose of dying earlier than he then sexually assaulted her.”

{The teenager} was charged in grownup court docket with first-degree intentional murder, first-degree sexual assault and first-degree sexual assault of a kid. If convicted of the murder cost, the boy may very well be sentenced to life in jail. He’s being held on the Northwest Regional Juvenile Detention Middle in Eau Claire.

The boy, who wasn’t publicly recognized by police previous to the listening to and was recognized solely by his initials in court docket, appeared in court docket at about 1 p.m. the place Choose Benjamin Lane set the boy’s bail whereas agreeing with prosecutors that the character of the crime introduced a risk to the group.

“The suspect was not a stranger,” Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm had stated throughout a information convention Tuesday. “The suspect was identified to the sufferer.”

Was an Amber Alert issued?

Police didn’t situation an Amber Alert after studying Lily was lacking. In a information launch earlier than her physique was discovered, police stated the state of affairs didn’t meet the standards for an alert, however didn’t elaborate additional.

In keeping with the Wisconsin Division of Justice, there are three standards for issuing an Amber Alert: the kid have to be 17 or youthful; the kid have to be in hazard of great bodily hurt or dying; and the initiating company should have a ample quantity of descriptive details about the kid or the suspect.

The police division’s preliminary information launch, earlier than Lily’s physique was discovered, didn’t state she is likely to be at risk of great bodily hurt. 

The place is Chippewa Falls?

Chippewa Falls is positioned inside Chippewa County in northwestern Wisconsin, about 100 miles from Minneapolis. Its inhabitants as of the 2020 U.S. Census is 14,700. Town is probably greatest referred to as the house of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.

Contributing: Related Press