A former wrestler allegedly shot and killed college national gymnastics champion after getting into an altercation with her.
Kara Welsh, 21, was found fatally shot in an apartment complex outside of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Friday night, police said.
Welsh and a fellow student, Chad T Richards, 23, had gotten into a dispute before the shooting and he was arrested at the apartment when cops arrived.
Richards was a former wrestler for the university and knew Welsh, but what type of relationship they had was not immediately known.
Welsh was ‘excited to be in her rising senior year as a gymnast at UW-Whitewater which was abruptly cut short on August 30th, by a heartless act of violence’, states a GoFundMe page to support her family.
‘Kara had a unique ability to bring joy to any person she crossed paths with, always putting a smile on people’s faces with her sense of humor, unwavering support and sweet disposition.’
Welsh, of Plainfield, Wisconsin, was majoring in management at the College of Business and Economics and won an individual national title last year on the vault.
She was a two-time All American and one of the most decorated gymnasts in the university’s history, USA Today reported.
‘We know the news of Kara’s death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community,’ stated university Chancellor Corey King.
The Whitewater Police Department recommended that the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office charge Richards with first-degree intentional homicide, disorderly conduct while armed and endangering safety using a dangerous weapon.
Richards, of Love’s Park, Illinois, appeared in Walworth County court on Tuesday and a judge ordered him to be held on a $1million bond. He is expected to appear again on Friday.
His defense attorney said he is a senior studying communications and that his bond terms prohibit him from going to campus, but that he can attend classes remotely.
The GoFundMe page had raised more than $42,000 as of Tuesday evening.
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