By Kim McDarison

Chad T. Richards, 23, who was attending the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and living in a downtown apartment building in August, and has been accused of the murder of 21-year-old Kara Welsh, also a student at UW-Whitewater, appeared Friday before Walworth County Circuit Court Commissioner Peter Navis at which time the court set the time and date of the defendant’s arraignment hearing for early next month.

Defendants enter a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest, during an arraignment hearing.

Richards was taken into custody by members of the Whitewater Police Department Saturday, Aug. 31. The department responded to a call in the 100 block of W. Whitewater Street, just before midnight, Friday, Aug. 30, after receiving information that an individual had suffered gunshot wounds. Upon arrival, police found Welsh deceased in the apartment.

Information released in August by Whitewater Police Chief Dan Meyer noted that an investigation led police to believe that prior to the shooting, an altercation occurred between Richards and Welsh.

According to the Walworth County Circuit Court Assess website, Richards, who was in custody, appeared Tuesday, Sept. 3, by video conference. His bail was set at $1 million.

The record additionally shows that the court granted various search warrants ordered to obtain “14 sets of buccal swabs (used to collect DNA samples) taken from right hand, (seven) sets of buccal swabs taken from left hand, (three) sets of buccal swabs taken from Richards’ cheeks, black pants worn by Richards at the time of arrest, socks worn by Richards at the time of arrest, red underwear (worn) by Richards at the time of arrest, fingernail scrapings from left and right fingernails, fingernail clipper.”

An additional warrant was issued to obtain “two (vials) of blood.” 

The defendant returned to court via video conferencing Sept. 6 for an initial appearance. Attorney Gibson Hatch appeared with the defendant and District Attorney Zeke Wiedenfeld appeared, representing the state.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Oct. 28. On Sept. 11, the preliminary hearing date was moved to Oct. 25.

Also in September, additional search warrants were granted by the court, seeking to obtain “phone information” for Richards, and “lotion bottle pieces, purse clip, DNA swabs.”

On Friday, Oct. 25, Richards appeared in court via video conferencing. He was represented by Hatch and attorney Joshua Hargrove. Wiedenfeld appeared in court representing the state.

During the preliminary hearing, the state called to the witness stand Anthony Heilberger, who is a detective within the Whitewater Police Department, who testified Friday on direct examination by Wiedenfeld. According the the criminal complaint against Richards, Heilberger spoke with the defendant on Aug. 30, at which time Richards answered questions after being Mirandized. According to the docket, the witness identified the defendant in court. The court also received information, marked “exhibit 1,” The defendant’s attorney, during discussion, objected to exhibit 1 as “hearsay.” The court overruled the attorney’s objection and received exhibit 1 as evidence.

According to the docket, the court found probable cause that a felony had been committed and that the defendant “likely committed it and binds him over to stand trial on the charges.”

The state requested two weeks to prepare for an arraignment hearing.

The court scheduled the hearing for Nov. 8 at 2 p.m.

Richards faces charges of 1st degree intentional homicide, a Felony A, with a modifier of use of a dangerous weapon.

Defendants convicted of 1st degree intentional homicide face penalties that could result in a sentence of life in prison.

An earlier story, including the criminal complaint as submitted to the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office by the Whitewater Police Department, is here: https://whitewaterwise.com/complaint-richards-called-police-stating-that-a-female-was-dying/.