A resolution hearing in the Lily Peters case is set for Aug. 26, raising questions about whether Carson Peters-Berger will still face a November trial.
The Lily Peters case is headed for a new turn in Wisconsin, and Carson Peters-Berger may not end up facing the November trial that had been expected. The 18-year-old is accused in the 2022 killing of his 10-year-old cousin, Lily Peters, and court proceedings now point to a resolution hearing later this month.
The Chippewa County District Attorney’s Office said a resolution hearing is scheduled for Aug. 26, according to WEAU. Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell said the scheduled resolution means the case will not go to trial and will instead be finished after the hearing. Peters-Berger’s defense attorney, Michael Cohen, gave a different account, telling the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the proceeding will address issues in the case that will decide whether there will be a trial. Court records have not yet shown what resolution may be presented.
Peters-Berger had been expected to stand trial in November on multiple charges tied to Lily’s death, including first-degree intentional homicide and sexual assault. He 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. If convicted on the most serious count, he faces life in prison.
Lily was reported missing on the evening of April 24, 2022, after she did not return home from her aunt’s house. Her father later found her bicycle in a wooded area in Chippewa Falls, but police initially did not find her during a search. Authorities were told the next morning that her body had been discovered near the place where the bicycle had been found.
“A resolution hearing in the Lily Peters case is set for Aug. 26, raising questions about whether Carson Peters-Berger will still face a November trial.”
Investigators said Lily’s injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma, according to the criminal complaint. The complaint also says Peters-Berger, who was 14 at the time, told police he asked Lily to go exploring off the trail. It says he allegedly punched her in the stomach, knocked her down and struck her with a stick while they were in the woods.
The complaint further says Peters-Berger allegedly told investigators he strangled Lily and tried to sexually assault her after her death. It also says he returned home, showered and put his dirty clothes in the laundry. After learning Lily had been reported missing, he allegedly decided he needed to hide her better, went back to her body, dragged it several feet and covered it with leaves.
The case has drawn attention because of the age of the victim, the youth of the accused and the gravity of the charges. The upcoming hearing will determine whether the matter moves toward trial or ends in another way, and the next step now sits with the court system in Chippewa County. For American readers, the case is a stark reminder of how a local criminal proceeding can carry lasting pain for a family and a community long after the initial headlines fade.
Frequently asked questions
What is the next court date in the Lily Peters case?
A resolution hearing is scheduled for Aug. 26 in Chippewa County.
Will the November trial still happen?
That is unclear. Prosecutors say the case will not go to trial, while the defense says the hearing will determine whether a trial occurs.
What charges does Carson Peters-Berger face?
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.
What happened to Lily Peters in 2022?
Lily was reported missing on April 24, 2022, and authorities later found her body near where her bicycle had been discovered in Chippewa Falls.
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