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Police continue homicide investigation of 10-year-old girl
Police in Chippewa Falls have arrested a juvenile suspect in connection to the murder of 10-year-old Liliana “Lily” Peters.
Chief Matthew Kelm announced the arrest in a press conference on Tuesday evening, where he would not disclose the name, gender or age of the suspect but said they were known to the murdered schoolgirl.
Police executed a search warrant at the home in North Grove Street where the 10-year-old was believed to have last been seen alive.
Following the search, the suspect was taken into custody, the police chief said.
Lily was reported missing around 9pm on Sunday night when she failed to return to her home on nearby East Birch Street from her aunt’s house on North Grove Street.
The schoolgirl’s bike was found close by hours later.
Then, at around 9.15am on Monday morning, Lily’s body was discovered in a nearby wooded area close to a walking trail by the Leinenkugel Brewing Company.
Lily’s cause of death is yet to be confirmed but investigators are treating it as a homicide.
The police chief said that there is no further danger to the public.
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Keypoints Lily Peters was last seen at her aunt’s house Everything we know about the homicide Vigils held for Lily Peters
Show latest update 1651032951 GoFundMe page created for Lily Peters
A GoFundMe page was created for the slain 10-year-old Lily Peters to raise money for her funeral and memorial.
Started by Erin Mc Carthy, a “close family friend of Lily”, the page said “the loss of Lily is devastating” and “although lily is no longer with us her spirit and smiles always will be”.
“This is a very tragic loss and a complete nightmare. All donations will be going to the family of Lily for funeral cost, and memorial also extra expenses that may occur (sic).”
Relatives of Iliana “Lily” Peters comfort each other as they pray together at a vigil for the 10 year-old girl at Valley Vineyard Church in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin on 25 April 2022
(AP)
Namita Singh 27 April 2022 05:15
1651032000 School district offers support to district where Lily Peters was in school
A nearby school district has offered its support to the school district where murdered 10-year-old Lily Peters was a fourth grade student.
In a letter sent to parents on Tuesday, Mike Johnson, the superintendent of the Eau Claire Area School District (ECASD) said he had reached out to the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District (CFAUSD) to offer support “through staffing and other resources”.
Mr Johnson also said that support such as counselling is available for ECASD students and staff who may be affected by Lily’s death “due to our proximity to Chippewa Falls” and urged the community to come together during this time.
“As always, please reach out to me or our staff with concerns and questions. Our students, families, staff, and community need to support each other during this difficult time,” the memo said.
Lily was in the fourth grade at Parkview Elementary School, which is part of CFAUSD.
Rachel Sharp 27 April 2022 05:00
1651029659 Local residents tie purple ribbons around town in Lily’s honour
On Tuesday afternoon, local residents tied purple ribbons around town in honour of murdered 10-year-old Lily Peters.
Several Chippewa Falls community members were seen attaching the ribbons to lampposts all around the downtown area, reported the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Ingrid Sievers, who owns local parlour Olson’s Ice Cream, tied one to the front of the store as she said the community was “all mourning” the death of the young girl.
“It’s a small town that’s pretty tightknit and I think it was just a shock,” she said.
“We’re just here to show solidarity and love to one another and the family and friends who lost her.”
Rachel Sharp 27 April 2022 04:20
1651027510 Public is urged to continue to stay away from crime scene
Police are urging members of the public to continue to stay away from the crime scene as the investigation continues.
Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm said at Tuesday evening’s press conference that law enforcement are continuing to hold the scene which he said was the wooded area around the footpath between the north end of Grove Street and the brewery parking lot.
“This is important to the integrity of the investigation and we would ask you to continue to avoid this area,” said Chief Kelm.
The crime scene had been processed on Monday night and Lily’s body was taken away for an autopsy, he said.
Rachel Sharp 27 April 2022 03:45
1651025710 Full story: Juvenile arrested on suspicion of murder of Lily Peters
A juvenile known to slain 10-year-old Liliana “Lily” Peters has been arrested on suspicion of her murder, according to authorities.
Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm announced in a press conference on Tuesday evening that the suspect was taken into custody earlier that evening and that there is no longer any danger to the public.
The police chief said that the suspect is “not a stranger” but was “known” to the murdered 10-year-old.
The suspect’s name, gender and age was not revealed and Chief Kelm would not confirm if the individual is a relative of Lily’s.
The arrest came after police executed a search warrant at 422 North Grove Street in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and evidence was collected from the property, he said.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the full story:
Juvenile suspect known to 10-year-old Lily Peters is arrested over her murder Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm says there is no longer any danger to the public
Rachel Sharp 27 April 2022 03:15
1651023310 Police tape and heavy law enforcement presence at property
A heavy law enforcement presence was seen at a home in North Grove Street on Tuesday evening, where an execution of a search warrant led police to the suspected killer.
Photos posted online by KARE11 reporter Lou Raguse reveal police tape around the home on North Grove Street and the road blocked off as law enforcement carried items out of the property.
Police Chief Matthew Kelm said at a press conference that a search warrant was executed at 422 North Grove Street and, after finding evidence, a suspect was taken into custody.
Records show that Lily’s relatives live at the address and, when the 10-year-old was first reported missing, police said she vanished after leaving her aunt’s house on North Grove Street to head to her own home on East Birch Street.
Rachel Sharp 27 April 2022 02:35
1651021210 Public sent in over 200 tips during investigation
Members of the public sent in over 200 tips to the police during the hunt for Lily Peters’ killer, said Police Chief Kelm.
The police chief thanked members of the public who had provided “critical” information in the investigation.
“While nothing will bring Lily Peters back or change what happened, we are very grateful to be able to deliver this news for the family and for the community,” he said of the arrest.
He also spoke of the way the community had come together in the tragedy, pointing to the purple ribbons being tied around lampposts across town in honour of the 10-year-old.
Rachel Sharp 27 April 2022 02:00
1651019545 No longer a danger to the public, says police chief
Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm said that there is no longer any danger to the public following the arrest of a juvenile suspect in connection to Lily Peter’s murder.
Police had warned the community to remain vigilant on Monday as the killer remained at large.
Parents were urged not to let their children walk to and from school and there was a heavy police presence at local schools on Tuesday particularly at pick-up and drop-off times.
Following the arrest of the suspect, Chief Kelm said police do not think there is any ongoing danger to the community.
When pressed whether police are looking for anyone else in connection to the murder, he reiterated: “I am confident that there is no danger to the community at this time.”
Rachel Sharp 27 April 2022 01:32
1651017528 Arrest came after search warrant executed at home Lily was last seen alive
The arrest came after police executed a search warrant at 422 North Grove Street in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, said the police chief.
The address is the home of Lily’s aunt where the 10-year-old was believed to have been last seen alive on Sunday.
Prior to the arrest, police said that Lily had vanished after she left her aunt’s house on North Grove Street on Sunday to head home to her address on nearby East Birch Street. The two addresses are a roughly six-minute walk away.
Lily never arrived home and her father reported her missing to police at around 9pm that night.
A search was launched to track down the missing child and her bike was found close by hours later.
The following morning, at around 9.15am, first responders found Lily’s body in a nearby wooded area close to a walking trail by the Leinenkugel Brewing Company.
Rachel Sharp 27 April 2022 00:58
1651016208 Juvenile suspect known to Lily Peters is arrested
A juvenile suspect has been arrested in connection to the murder of Lily Peters.
Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm announced the arrest at a press conference on Tuesday evening.
The police chief said that the suspect is “not a stranger” but was known to the murdered 10-year-old.
Rachel Sharp 27 April 2022 00:36
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