Whitewater police release identity of man charged in shooting death of Plainfield woman

The Whitewater, Wisconsin Police Department has confirming the identity of the suspect arrested in the shooting death of a Plainfield woman on Friday.

Chad T. Richards, 23, of Loves Park, Illinois was scheduled to appear in court Monday at the Walworth County Courthouse in Wisconsin, according to Whitewater police.

Richards is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed, according Whitewater police.

Kara Welsh, 21, of Plainfield, was found shot multiple times in an off-campus apartment, according to the Whitewater police.

Welsh was discovered after police responded to a call about 11:54 p.m. of a person having been shot in an apartment in the 100 block of W. Whitewater Street.

Police also found a 23-year-old male in the apartment – now identified as Richards. An altercation occurred between the two before the shots were fired, according to Whitewater police.

“A powerful athlete, dedicated teammate, and the light in everyone’s dark days, Kara truly lifted each and every one of us up in her time as a Warhawk gymnast.”

—  Jen Regan, UW-Whitewater gymnastics coach

Welsh was majoring in management at the UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics and was a standout member of the Warhawk gymnastics team, winning an individual national title on the vault in 2023, according to the university.

“We know the news of Kara’s death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community. It is a time when we are all called upon to support one another, to process, and to grieve,” University Chancellor Corey King said in a news release from the university. “I have directed that the UW-Whitewater flag fly at half-staff on Tuesday, Sept. 3, in Kara’s memory.”

“To put into words the impact Kara had on the Warhawk community is impossible,” UW-Whitewater gymnastics coach Jen Regan said in a statement posted on the university website. “A powerful athlete, dedicated teammate, and the light in everyone’s dark days, Kara truly lifted each and every one of us up in her time as a Warhawk gymnast. There are no words to describe the void we all feel in our hearts, but Kara’s legacy will live on through Warhawk gymnastics forever.”

“Kara was a true Warhawk – an amazing person, student and athlete,” Athletic Director Ryan Callahan said. “We are all lucky to have spent time with her over the past three years. She was selfless and made everyone around her better. Our hearts go out to her mom, Nancy, and the rest of her family and friends.”

As a freshman, Welsh led the Warhawks to a second-place finish in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships after tying for second on the vault. In her first National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championship appearance, Welsh tied for third on the vault to earn All-America honors, according to the university.

In 2023, Welsh won the vault title at the WIAC Championship meet and qualified for nationals as an individual. She went on to win the national title in the event with a score of 9.825, according to the university.

Welsh was set to begin her senior year at UW-Whitewater on Tuesday.

Welsh graduated from Plainfield Central High School in 2021 and trained at Aspire Gymnastics Academy in Joliet under coach Nick Becker.

On Sunday, Aspire and Becker posted a tribute to Welsh on Facebook.

“Kara Welsh was an integral part of Aspire,” according to the gym’s tribute. “As Kara grew, so did Aspire. She was a constant in a sport that is filled with ups and downs. She was full of life and full of personality. Kara had a way of communicating through facial expressions that was second to none.

“Through the years we had the opportunity to watch Kara become a wonderful woman who pushed herself to succeed at UW-Whitewater in the gym and in the classroom. We’re so thankful we got to see Kara multiple times this summer as she came in to train while back home. Aspire lost a piece of its heart today. Kara, we love you. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family Nancy, Tom, and Kaeli, as well as the rest of her Aspire and Warhawk families.”

Plainfield Community School District 202 also offered its condolences to the Welsh family and the community.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Kara Welsh,” the district said in a statement. “The entire Plainfield 202 community extends its deepest condolences to the Welsh family and friends during this time of unimaginable sorrow.”

“Kara Welsh was not only a great student-athlete but an outstanding person who exemplified the best of Plainfield,” District 202 Superintendent of Schools Dr. Glenn Wood said. “She was a remarkable individual who touched the lives of so many in our community.”