Prosecutor says suspect planned to rape and kill Lily Peters
A preliminary autopsy has found that Liliana “Lily” Peters suffered blunt force trauma and strangulation, confirming the 10-year-old’s death a homicide.
Chippewa County Coroner Ron Patten confirmed the details to The Independent on Thursday, saying that the full report was not expected for several more weeks.
The preliminary findings support the version of events presented in court on Wednesday, where a 14-year-old boy was held on $1m bond on charges of first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault, and first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age 13 resulting in great bodily harm.
Prosecutors said the teenager, who knew his victim, led Lily along a walking trail near her aunt’s house where he allegedly punched her in the stomach, knocked her to the ground, hit her with a stick and strangled her before sexually assaulting her.
The teenager, referred to by his initials C P-B, allegedly confessed to police that “his intention was to rape and kill the victim from the get-go” when they left the house together on Sunday.
Lily’s body was discovered on Monday morning close to the trail, after she was reported missing by her father the night before.
Map of Lily Peters’ route home and where her body was found
The initial search for Lily Peters was launched on Sunday night when she left her aunt’s home on North Grove Street and failed to return to her home on East Birch Street.
Taking the most direct route, the journey is a roughly six-minute walk or two-minute cycle.
Her body was discovered in a wooded area close to the Duncan Creek Trail, near the Leinenkugel’s Brewery, on Monday morning.
Prosecutors said the suspect has admitted to leaving the home with Lily and heading along the walking trail together.
He then allegedly attacked the 10-year-old, strangling her before sexually assaulting her.
Pictured: Map showing Lily’s aunt’s address at North Grove Street, her home at East Birch Street and the Leinenkugel brewery close to where her body was found
Rachel Sharp28 April 2022 18:40
What we know about the suspect
The suspect charged with the murder of Lily Peters is a 14-year-old boy who police said was known to the 10-year-old victim.
Because of his age and the sensitivity of the case, Chippewa County Court on Wednesday ordered that the suspect’s name must not be released and that he cannot be filmed during court appearanaces.
Instead, the suspect is known only by his initials C P-B.
Officials have refused to say if he is related to Lily but have confirmed that they knew each other.
According to prosecutors, the teenager admitted in statements to law enforcement that “his intention was to rape and kill the victim from the get-go” when they left a house together and headed down a nearby walking trail.
Lily was last seen alive at her aunt’s house on North Grove Street on Sunday before she left to return to her home at East Birch Street. Her body was discovered on Monday morning in a wooded area close to a nearby walking trail.
Prosecutors said the suspect told officers he and the victim left the home together and headed along the walking trial.
There, he allegedly punched Lily in the stomach, knocked her to the ground, hit her with a stick, strangled her “to the point of death” and sexually assaulted her.
Police arrested the suspect after carrying out a search warrant at the aunt’s home on Tuesday, where they collected…