A 21-year-old University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student died Aug. 30, the victim of an apparent homicide.
Kara Welsh, a senior majoring in management at the College of Business and Economic, was shot multiple times at an off-campus apartment at the 100 block of Whitewater Street in Whitewater.
A news release from the City of Whitewater police department the following day said a 23-year-old male was at the apartment when they arrived, and that following an investigation, an altercation was found to have occurred.
On Tuesday, the police identified the man as Chad T. Richards of Loves Park, Illinois, and charges of first degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed had been forwarded to the Walworth County District Attorney’s office.
According to news reports, Richards was being held on a $1 million bond and was considered a significant flight risk.
Richards, according to the UW-Whitewater student directory, is a senior majoring in communications.
The news release did state that police were “confident” that there was “no continued threat to the community at this time,” but did not release any further details about the incident.
Welsh had been a member of the UW-Whitewater women’s gymnastics team for the last three years. She competed in two events for the Warhawks all three years, and won the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (which sponsors Division 3 NCAA gymnastics) vault title in 2023.
UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey King issued an announcement following the confirmation of Welsh’s death.
“We know the news of Kara’s death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community,” he wrote. “It is a time when we are all called upon to support one another, to process and to grieve.”
Student counseling services were going to be available through the University Health and Counseling Services office, and for faculty and staff through Acentra, the Employee Assistance Program.
The statement went on to say that the university was in contact with Welsh’s family, working with the gymnastics team to provide them additional support and with the city police department to help with the investigation.
Various Facebook posts throughout the weekend spurred hundreds of comments. Prayers were offered up to Welsh’s family and friends and those on the gymnastics team, while other comments were parents of students at the university.
“My son is in his second year there, so it does hit home close,” one person said.
A GoFundMe page was started Sunday by the Brooks family and other Welsh family friends. Sierra Brooks, a Division 1 gymnast at Michigan, was a former teammate of Welsh’s at the club level.
“Gone far too soon & in an unimaginable way,” Brooks said while posting the link on social media. “Kara touched so many people in and outside of the gymnastics community. Please help us support the Welsh family.”
The GoFundMe page went further.
“We are completely heartbroken for our beloved Welsh family – Nancy, Tom, and Kaeli as they navigate this incredibly difficult time. They will surely have so much to endure in the near future and we would like to help ease the financial burden during this period of grief, planning and travel that will surely be necessary,” the page read.
The initial goal of $25,000 was reached over the holiday weekend, and by Tuesday afternoon, more than $40,000 had been raised. It can be found by searching GoFundMe.com for “Honoring Kara Welsh.”
