A Wisconsin teenager accused of killing his 10-year-old cousin in 2022 may never face a jury. A resolution hearing, a pre-trial proceeding where parties can reach an agreement to end a criminal case without going to trial, has been set for Aug. 26 in Chippewa County. Carson Peters-Berger, now 18, had been expected to stand trial in November on charges including first-degree intentional homicide and sexual assault.
What the two sides say about the hearing
The Chippewa County District Attorney's Office announced the Aug. 26 date. District Attorney Wade Newell told WEAU that the scheduled resolution hearing means the case will not go to trial and will instead conclude after that proceeding. Defense attorney Michael Cohen offered a different reading to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Cohen said the hearing will "address issues in the case that will determine whether there will be a trial." Court records do not yet indicate what kind of resolution is expected to be presented.
How Lily Peters died
Lily was reported missing by her father on the evening of April 24, 2022, after she did not return home from her aunt's house in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Her father found her bicycle in a wooded area. Police searched that night but did not locate her. Her body was discovered the following morning near where the bicycle had been found, and investigators said her injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma.
What the criminal complaint says Peters-Berger told police
Peters-Berger was 14 at the time. According to the complaint, he allegedly told police he asked Lily to "go exploring off the trail." He allegedly punched her in the stomach, knocking her to the ground, then struck her with a stick. The complaint states he strangled her and attempted to sexually assault her after her death. He allegedly went home, showered, and put his clothes in the laundry. When he learned Lily had been reported missing, he allegedly returned to her body, dragged it several feet, and covered it with leaves.
What Peters-Berger faces
He is 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. He faces a possible life sentence on the homicide count. Whether a jury ever weighs those charges depends on what happens in Chippewa County on Aug. 26, more than four years after Lily's death.