Former UW-Whitewater student Chad T. Richards is set to stand trial for the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Kara Welsh, a national champion gymnast at UW-Whitewater. During a preliminary hearing, Richards was found likely to have committed the crime. He entered a plea of not guilty during an arraignment Nov. 8. 

Richards attended a status conference Jan. 23 at the Walworth County Judicial Center in custody via video alongside one of his attorneys, Gibson Hatch. Welsh’s family was also present, but did not make any statements. 

Tracey Wood, Joshua Hargrove and Gibson Hatch are Richards’ attorneys. 

A motion hearing is scheduled for Feb. 18 at 2:30 p.m. A motion hearing is a legal proceeding where one party requests the court to take a specific action or make a decision. Some of these requests include dismissing the case, compelling discovery or granting a summary judgment. The purpose is to resolve legal or procedural issues before the case moves forward. This allows parties to present their arguments or evidence to the court, aiming to persuade the judge to grant or deny their requested actions or decisions. 

A Gymnastic Legacy

The UW-W gymnastics team had a bittersweet ending to their first home meet of the season Jan. 18. T-shirts, pins and banners were worn and hung around the Kris Russell Volleyball Arena to celebrate Kara Welsh’s championship legacy. Head coach Jennifer Regan dedicated the season to Welsh, making the team motto “For Her.”

Welsh’s family attended the meet and were presented a certificate to acknowledge her athletic accomplishments and successes in honor of her memory. The Kara Welsh Legacy Scholarship was also created to help those continuing their academic achievements, and the gymnastics team accepted donations to fund it. In order to become an endowment scholarship, it has to reach a minimum of $25,000 or more. As of Jan. 21, it is halfway to the goal.
More information regarding Richards’ case will come soon. To read previous articles, visit here.