Accused Lily Peters murderer will not go to trial, resolution hearing set
Chippewa Falls girl killed: Police arrest suspect in Lily Peters' death
Chippewa Falls police say they have arrested a suspect in the killing of a 10-year-old girl, a shocking death that has rocked the small Wisconsin town.
CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (FOX 9) - The Chippewa County Attorney's Office will not bring the Lily Peters murder case to trial after a resolution hearing date was set.
The suspect, now 18 years old, was 14 when Lily was found dead in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin in April 2022.
Authorities charged the suspect as an adult at the time.
READ MORE: Killing of Chippewa Falls girl: Charges reveal graphic details of Lily Peters' death
No trial for Lily Peters murder case
Neighbors react as search for Lily Peters homicide suspect continues
FOX 9's Rob Olson remains in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, connecting with neighbors for reaction following the death of 10-year-old Lily Peters.
What we know:
Authorities say the resolution hearing will happen at 9 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2026.
This means that a previously scheduled jury trial will not take place.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not shared any details on the resolution hearing or if an agreement was reached between the parties.
2022 Lily Peters homicide
Teen charged with killing Lily Peters
An arrest of a juvenile has been made in connection with the death of a 10-year-old girl from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.
The backstory:
The redacted criminal complaint describing gruesome details of Peters' murder in 2022 was made public by a judge.
The suspect, who was 14 years old at the time, was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault, and first-degree sexual assault of a child under age 13 resulting in great bodily harm.
WARNING: The following details are graphic and not suitable for young people or sensitive readers. Please use your own discretion.
Around 9 p.m. on April 24, 2022, Lily's dad reported her missing after she didn't come home from her aunt's house. Around two hours later, he went out to look for her and found her bike near a wooded area in Chippewa Falls, not far from the Leinenkugel's brewery. Multiple officers conducted a search but did not find her.
The next morning around 9 a.m., a searcher found Lily's dead body, not far from where her bike was found, according to the complaint. Investigators with the Chippewa Falls Police Department responded and found Lily's partially naked body, noting she had injuries consistent with blunt force trauma to her head.
On April 26, a detective interviewed the teen, who admitted to helping Lily get her bike at her aunt's house. He said he was riding a hoverboard on the trail while Lily rode her bike. He told the detective "when they left the house it was already his intention to rape and kill [Lily]," the complaint states.
The 14-year-old explained he asked Lily to go exploring off the trail. He carried his hoverboard and Lily carried her bike, the complaint alleges. He said once they were off the trail, he punched Lily in the stomach and knocked her to the ground. Then he struck her in the head three times with a large stick and strangled her until she was dead.
Once he believed she was dead, he sexually assaulted her. But then he got scared and fled the area, the complaint said. He went home, showered and put his dirty clothes in the laundry.
When he heard Lily was missing, he went back to her body, "drug her a few feet, and covered her with leaves," the complaint states.
The Source: This story uses information shared by the Chippewa County Attorney's Office.