(ProsperNews.net) – Chad Richards, a former member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team, has been charged with the shooting death of his girlfriend, Kara Welsh. Welsh, a 21-year-old student and gymnast at UW-Whitewater, was found dead in Richards’ apartment just before midnight on August 30. Richards, 23, now faces charges of first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct.
According to police, they responded to Richards’ apartment and discovered Welsh’s body, initially reporting she had suffered a gunshot wound. A criminal complaint later revealed Welsh had been shot multiple times. Eleven spent shell casings were found at the scene, and an autopsy confirmed she had been struck by eight bullets in her neck, torso, and other areas.
Richards, who called 911 himself, told investigators that he and Welsh had been arguing. He claimed that Welsh grabbed his gun from a nightstand, and in the ensuing struggle, he wrestled the gun away and shot her, stating that he “feared for his life.”
Welsh, originally from Plainfield, Illinois, was a well-known student at UW-Whitewater, where she was majoring in management and was an active member of the gymnastics team. Just last year, she achieved an individual national title on the vault at the NCAA Division III championships. Her coach, Jen Regan, expressed her grief, saying, “To put into words the impact Kara had on the Warhawk community is impossible… There are no words to describe the void we all feel in our hearts, but Kara’s legacy will live on through Warhawk gymnastics forever.”
Richards, who wrestled for UW-Whitewater from 2020 to 2022, is being held on a $1 million bond. His next court appearance is set for October 26, where a preliminary hearing will take place to determine the next steps in the case.
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