WALWORTH COUNTY — A 23-year-old Illinois man who is accused of killing his University of Wisconsin-Whitewater girlfriend in August 2024 will be heading to trial in June 2026 according to court documents.
Chad Richards is accused of killing his then 21-year-old girlfriend, Kara Welsh, after getting into an argument in an off-campus apartment that he was helping her move in to in August 2024.
At the time of the shooting, Richards and Welsh were dating, according to court documents. Welsh was part of the UW-Whitewater gymnastics team.
Richards is facing a first-degree intentional homicide charge and is pleading not guilty.
Richards was the one who called the police after the shooting occurred and said that a woman was dying. According to police, officers then found him in the hallway on his phone, crying, and escorted him out.
They then went into the apartment and found Welsh on the floor not breathing and had no pulse. According to an autopsy report, she had eight gunshot wounds.
Richards initially appeared in court for the first time in September 2024 where a judge upheld a bond of $1 million. In November 2024, he entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment.
The jury selection will begin on June 8, 2026 and the jury trial is scheduled to begin on June 9, 2026.
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