Former UW-Whitewater student Chad T. Richards faced arraignment for the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Kara Welsh. The week before during a preliminary hearing Richards was found likely to have committed the crime. He was arraigned Friday Nov. 8 and entered a not guilty plea.
ARRAIGNMENT
Richards appeared in person while in custody with his attorney, Gibson Hatch. Hatch acknowledged receipt of the information, waived reading and entered a not guilty plea to the charge on behalf of Richards. A status conference is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2025.
A status conference is a court-ordered meeting where attorneys from all parties involved in a case discuss the status of the case and determine its next steps, sometimes with a judge present. The purpose is to decide on a trial date, discuss plea bargains, resolve any issues that may impact the trial, reach a settlement and ensure that everyone is on the same page before the trial. The number of status conferences vary by case, some may require several or only need one. A status conference is not a trial, it is a part of the process of getting ready for a trial.
PRELIMINARY HEARING
A preliminary hearing was held Oct. 25. Richards, 23, appeared in custody at the Walworth County Jail. Whitewater PD Detective Anthony Heilberger testified in court on examination from Walworth County District Attorney Zeke Wiedenfeld. The court found probable cause that Richards likely committed a felony and determined that he will stand trial on those charges.
Richards faces charges of first degree intentional homicide, a Felony A, with a modifier of use of a dangerous weapon. Defendants convicted of first degree intentional homicide could result in having a sentence of life in prison. He is currently being held in the Walworth County Jail on a $1 million cash bond.
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
The night of Aug. 30, Whitewater police responded to a call around 11:54 p.m. from Richards who stated that a woman was dying. Upon arrival officers found him on his phone, crying hysterically in the hallway and escorted him out.
When officers entered the apartment, they noticed the body of a female lying on the floor with several gunshot wounds to her neck, wrist, abdomen, thighs and lower back. She did not have a pulse and was not breathing. Officers report the door of the bedroom had multiple holes in it, consistent with a person punching or kicking it. There was also a black handgun on the floor of the living room near the bedroom door.
The apartment was identified as Richards’ place of residence and the female was identified as UW-Whitewater senior national champion gymnast Kara Welsh.
While in custody in a Mirandized interview, Richards stated he and Welsh got into an argument, but he states he does not remember what it was about. Richards stated that he had gotten so mad, he punched the door. While they were arguing in the bedroom, Welsh grabbed Richards’ handgun from his nightstand. Richards stated that he wrestled the handgun away from Welsh and shot Welsh because he feared for his life. After shooting Welsh, Richards first called his father and then called 911.
Detective Lieutenant Jacob Hintz from the City of Whitewater Police Department reported finding 11 spent shell casings on the floor of the apartment. An autopsy reflected that Welsh suffered eight gunshot wounds with wounds in her neck, wrist, abdomen, thighs and lower back.
According to the criminal complaint, Hintz reported that based on his training, the injuries to Welsh and evidence at the scene were consistent with the shooter standing over her while she was in the fetal position on the floor.
