Wisconsin girl Lily Peters’ accused murderer won’t stand trial for the grisly slaying and rape of his 10-year-old cousin, who was found dead in the Wisconsin woods.
Carson Peters-Berger, 18, was expected to face a jury in November as he faced homicide and sexual assault charges after he allegedly killed his younger relative, Peters, in April 2022.
However, the Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell announced Wednesday that a resolution hearing would be held on Aug. 26, ending the case against Peters-Berger over four years after Peters’ death, WEAU reported.
It was not immediately clear what would be discussed at the hearing, as Chippewa County Judge Steven Gibbs sealed online court records.
Peters-Berger was 14 when he allegedly killed Peters, leaving her abused corpse in the wilderness.
Peters’ father reported his daughter missing after she failed to return home from her aunt’s Chippewa Falls residence at 9 a.m. on April 24, according to Fox9.
Two hours after her expected arrival home, Peters’ father found her abandoned bike near the woods in Chippewa Falls.
A search party of volunteers discovered her partially naked, abused corpse the next morning in the wooded area off a walking trail.
Her death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma and strangulation.
Peters-Berger allegedly told police he had been walking the trail with his younger cousin when he asked her to explore off the path before he allegedly launched into the deadly sexual attack, according to a criminal complaint viewed by the outlet.
The older cousin was carrying his hoverboard while Peters carried her bike.
The teen admitted to police that “when they left the house it was already his intention to rape and kill [Lily],” the complaint stated.
When they were off the trail, Peters-Berger said he punched his cousin in the stomach, knocked her to the ground, hit her three times with a large stick before strangling her to the point of death.
He sexually assaulted his cousin after believing she was dead, he told police.
The teen then allegedly got scared, ran home, changed his clothes and showered.
He returned to Peters’ body the same night after hearing she was reported missing, and dragged her body a few feet further before covering her in leaves.
Peters-Berger was arrested days later and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault and first-degree sexual assault of a child.
The teen has been held in jail on a $1 million cash bond since his arrest.
During his time behind bars, prosecutors successfully sought to try Peters-Berger as an adult and the teen’s identity was made public after it was initially not released because he was a juvenile.
Attorneys for Peters-Berger had requested a change in venue and certain jury selection requirements, arguing they would get an unfair trial in Chippewa County because of the extensive media coverage of Peters’ death.
Judge Gibbs granted the changes, and jury selection was set to be held between October 21 and 22, with the 10-day trial kicking off on Nov. 2.
Peters-Berger faced life in prison if he was found guilty in the trial.
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