WI- Iliana "Lily" Peters, 10, Chippewa Falls, 24 April 2022 **MEDIA ONLY** NO DISCUSSION

[Seattle1]

14-year-old suspect in Lily Peters killing told investigators he strangled and sexually assaulted her, prosecutors say

4/27/22

Prosecutors said Wednesday that the 14-year-old suspect in the death of 10-year-old Iliana "Lily" Peters told investigators he punched, strangled and sexually assaulted her, according to CBS Minnesota. Peters was found dead in Wisconsin on Monday after her family had reported her missing the day before.

Prosecutors said the boy admitted that he'd been planning to rape and kill Peters "from the get-go" on Sunday night, when he began following her down a trail after she left her aunt's home, CBS Minnesota said.

"Protection of (the) community also is necessary in this case given his statements regarding his intentions and his statements regarding that when he did get off the trail, he punched the victim in the stomach, knocked her to the ground, essentially strangled her, hit her with a stick, before strangling her to the point of death — before he then sexually assaulted her," Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell told the judge at the bond hearing, according to the Associated Press.

 

[Seattle1]

Chippewa Falls struggles to comprehend Lily Peters' death | kare11.com

4/27/22

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. — Carl Smiskey struggled to find words when he learned that a 14-year-old suspect had been arrested in the killing of 10-year-old Lily Peters.

“Complete shock,” the longtime Chippewa Falls resident and father of three said. “I started bawling… because… my daughters. I called them immediately and I asked one of them, ‘Have I given you enough hugs?’ It just hits hard because you feel helpless.”

Smiskey, who owns The Chippewa Store with his wife in downtown Chippewa Falls, said almost everybody in this community of 13,000 people has some personal connection to the tragedy.

Not knowing how else to cope, the Smiskey family has started selling buttons, stickers, yard signs, and other apparel at their store, with all proceeds helping Lily’s family pay for memorial services and counseling. On Wednesday, just hours after a court hearing for the juvenile suspect accused of killing Lily, families with young children flocked to The Chippewa Store to support Lily’s family.

 

[Seattle1]

4/26/22 -- Chippewa Falls community in shock after death of "Lily" Peters

 

[Seattle1]

Preliminary autopsy results shed light on Lily Peters' cause of death

4/28/22

Some of what is said in this story may be distressing to some readers.

CHIPPEWA COUNTY (WQOW) - Preliminary results are now known about what caused the death of Lily Peters, a 10-year-old girl from Chippewa Falls.

Related story: Juvenile suspect arrested for allegedly killing Chippewa Falls 10-year-old has bond set at $1M


Related Story: Chippewa Falls community shows support for Lily Peters

According to Chippewa County coroner Ron Patten, the preliminary results show Peters died from blunt force trauma and strangulation, and the manner of death was a homicide.

[..]

Patten said he will not have the completed autopsy results until he receives more information from the state crime lab as well as the toxicology report. He said this can take up to six weeks.

The preliminary results are consistent with what Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell described on Tuesday— saying it was the suspects intent to kill Peters "from the get-go."

 

[Seattle1]

Lily Peters, 10, suffered strangulation and blunt force trauma in Wisconsin homicide, coroner says

4/28/22


CNN)Lily Peters, a 10-year-old girl who prosecutors say was killed by an eighth grader in Wisconsin, suffered strangulation and blunt force trauma, according to the Chippewa County coroner.

The autopsy findings are preliminary, with the cause of death determined to be homicide, county coroner Ron Patten told CNN on Thursday. No other details were released.

The 14-year-old suspect is facing three charges: first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault and first-degree sexual assault of a child under age 13, resulting in great bodily harm, District Attorney Wade Newell said.

 

[Seattle1]

Wisconsin town honors memory of 10-year-old Lily Peters after her killing

4/29/22

Greg Hoffman, the mayor of Chippewa Falls, which is located 90 miles east of Minneapolis-Saint Paul and has a population of roughly 14,000 people, told TODAY Parents that the outpouring of love for Lily has been staggering.

“I’m getting emails and phone calls from people in different states asking, ‘What can we do?’ and sending their prayers,” Hoffman said.

Residents of Chippewa Falls designated Friday “Justice for Lily” day and decked out the town in purple in her honor.

[..]

Chuck Hull, Chippewa Falls City Council president, agreed. “An event like this is something we have not experienced in Chippewa Falls in recent memory, and will be remembered for a long time,” Hull told TODAY Parents. “The community will come together after the grieving, and in time come up with an appropriate memorial to honor Lily.”

One suggestion being discussed is the idea of renaming East Birch Street, where Lily Peters formerly lived, as “Lily Street.” Hoffman said the community initiative has gotten traction over the past two days.

“The idea still needs approval from the City Council and the Public Works Department,” he said. “But I have no issue with it.”

 

[Seattle1]

Lily Peters died of strangulation and blunt force trauma, coroner says

4/29/22

Madison, Wisconsin — Preliminary autopsy results confirmed that a 10-year-old girl found dead in northwestern Wisconsin this week died of strangulation and blunt force trauma, a corner said Thursday.

Chippewa County Coroner Ronald Patten said the autopsy on Illiana "Lily" Peters showed the manner of death was homicide. He expects results from toxicology tests within four to six weeks. He declined further comment.

 

[Seattle1]

Inside shaken community that rallied to help catch 10-year-old's 'killer'

• 7:16 ET, Apr 30 2022
• Updated: 9:11 ET, Apr 30 2022

CHILDREN - as young as six - stop at a slain Lily Peters' purple-themed memorial full of balloons, flowers and stuffed animals outside their school.

Some knew the beloved 10-year-old well; some only saw her around town, but they went to school with her. They saw her riding her bike. They were all part of the small Wisconsin town.

"Lily never let a kid feel unnoticed," Chippewa Falls resident Brittany Rose told The Sun on Friday.

[..]

But Rose's six-year-old son, who is a kindergartener at the same elementary school that Lily attended, "didn't say anything about the police or media, just Lily's memorial."

She said Lily always waved at her little boy and said she "was a child to our community."

 

[Seattle1]

Lily Peters Suspect Arrested, but Police Don’t Name Him | Heavy.com

4/27/22

A family member wrote on Facebook, “Please pray for my sister and her family, Lilly was found deceased this morning at 915am in the wooded area along the trail. Lilly was my nieces and nephew’s little sister and everyone is devastated and heartbroken today. Please pray for Lilly’s parents Alexander Peters and Jennifer Eyerly and Lilly’s brother.”

Another person wrote, “I just handed over the DVR for our security cameras to the Department of Justice. Regardless of what’s on there, it won’t bring the young girl back, but I hope they find something that will bring whoever it was to justice! Hug your loved ones, and if it’s your thing, say a prayer for Lily Peters and her family!”

In a press conference, the chief said, “As you can imagine first responders are tremendously impacted by anything that impacts one of our children, so it is very difficult for them.”

 

[Seattle1]

Mom rips trolls for 'judging her family' after daughter, 10, 'killed by ******'

4/28/22

"What makes zero sense is how quickly you judge my family based on a timeline and assumptions u (sic) can only speculate on since its privy to the investigation that those details not be released," Lily's mother Jennifer Eyerly said in a social media post.

"As Lily's mother, I can only say I am ashamed of you folks out there judging us from behind a screen!

"I hope you never ever endure this kind of heartache! If you cannot offer kindness, don't offer anything. My daughter was kind!

"If you truly want to be part of bringing justice ... you can do right by my daughter and model something she lived by .... kindness!"

___________

“I Wish” by #LilyPeters
I wish to jump so high & touch the stars
I wish there was only Spring & Summer
No Fall No Winter
I wish people were kind to each other
I wish everybody was respectful
I wish that people would stop littering
I wish there was peace in this world





1:52 PM · Apr 30, 2022·

 

[Seattle1]

Police chief extends “thank you” at Chippewa Falls City Council meeting

Published: May. 3, 2022 at 7:50 PM PDT|Updated: 19 hours ago


CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) -Thank you was the message from Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matt Kelm during Tuesday night’s Chippewa Falls City Council meeting.

Chief Kelm thanked the council members and the entire community for their overwhelming support and compassion following the homicide of 10-year-old Lily Peters.

Chief Kelm said more than 100 officers, EMS, investigators and support personnel rushed from our surrounding area to help in the homicide investigation of Lily Peters. He says the whole community was impacted by what happened, and he’s proud to be part of a community that can come together through tragedy.

[..]

Chief Kelm says he’s confident the community will heal as people continue to come together to support one another.