The trial for the accused murderer of 10-year-old Lily Peters, whose body was discovered in the woods of Wisconsin, has been called off. Her alleged killer, her cousin, will not face a court trial for the heinous crime.
Carson Peters-Berger, now 18, was slated for a jury trial in November, facing charges of homicide and sexual assault for the brutal killing of Lily Peters in April 2022. This case has drawn significant attention due to the shocking nature of the alleged crime.
On Wednesday, Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell revealed a resolution hearing set for August 26, as reported by WEAU. This hearing is intended to conclude the case against Peters-Berger, more than four years after the tragic events unfolded.
Details regarding the proceedings of the hearing remain unclear, as Judge Steven Gibbs from Chippewa County has ordered the court records to be sealed, limiting public access to information.
Peters-Berger was just 14 years old at the time he allegedly committed the murder, leaving Lily Peters’ violated body abandoned in a wooded area, an act that has haunted the community ever since.
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.