Ex-college wrestler ID’d as suspect in fatal shooting of title-winning gymnast Kara Welsh
The man accused of fatally shooting 21-year-old University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnast Kara Welsh has been identified as a former wrestler at the college, police said.
Chad T. Richards, 23, of Loves Park, Illinois, was arrested Friday night after allegedly shooting the award-winning gymnast multiple times at an apartment about a block from the university’s main campus, the Whitewater Police Department said.
Whitewater police have requested charges from the district attorney’s office of first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed, cops said.
Richards appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon, where a judge upheld a bond of $1 million, citing a significant flight risk, according to WTMJ-TV.
Police believe that Welsh knew the suspect, but it’s unclear what their relationship was.
Richards was listed as a sophomore on the college’s wrestling roster for the 2021-22 season, news station WCLO reported.
Officers were called to the apartment just before midnight Friday and found Welsh dead with multiple gunshot wounds.
Richards was also in the apartment when officers arrived, cops said in a statement.
“Through investigation, it was determined that leading up to the shooting, an altercation had occurred between the two,” police said, adding that their investigation is ongoing.
Welsh was just about to start her senior year at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she was a member of the school’s Warhawk gymnastics team.
Welsh, who won an individual national title on the vault for the gymnastics team last year, was majoring in management.
University chancellor Corey King announced Welsh’s death Saturday in a message to students and faculty.
“We know the news of Kara’s death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community,” he wrote, adding, “It is a time when we are all called upon to support one another, to process, and to grieve.”
Students at UW-Whitewater have left shocked at the loss of a well-known student.
“I can’t even imagine being a freshman coming in and this being your first introduction to life on campus,” student Olivia Roth told WTMJ-TV. “I think it’s really scary.”
“I know gun violence is a huge issue all across America, but you never really think that it’s going to affect somewhere you live until it happens,” she added.
UW-Whitewater Athletic Director Ryan Callahan told the outlet Walsh will be remembered as one of the “greats” to ever put on a Warhawk leotard.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help her parents, Nancy and Tom Welsh, and sister, Kaeli.
“Kara was a daughter, sister, dear friend and teammate who grew up in Plainfield, Illinois,” it read.
“Kara had a unique ability to bring joy to any person she crossed paths with, always putting a smile on people’s faces with her sense of humor, unwavering support and sweet disposition.
“Kara, 21 years old, was excited to be in her rising senior year as a gymnast at UW-Whitewater which was abruptly cut short on August 30th, by a heartless act of violence. We are completely heartbroken for our beloved Welsh family — Nancy, Tom, and Kaeli as they navigate this incredibly difficult time.”
A preliminary hearing for Richards has been scheduled for Friday.
