Next court date set in Lily Peters homicide case

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - The next court date for the 14-year-old suspect accused of killing and sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl in Chippewa Falls is set.

A status conference in the homicide case will be held on June 24 at 9:30 a.m. in Chippewa County Circuit Court.

The conference will be conducted with the defendant, C. P.-B., and his new representation, Michael Cohen, appearing virtually. The conference is being set to establish future court dates in the case. The date was picked to allow time for Chippewa County DA Wade Newell to deliver materials to the defendant and his representation and for the defense to review all of the case materials.

Newell said in court Thursday that he expects to have all of the materials ready by the end of next week. Cohen said that he has not received much information about the case or had time to review anything beyond the criminal complaint.

8th-grader C. P.-B. is facing charges of 1st-degree intentional homicide, 1st-degree sexual assault resulting in great bodily harm and 1st-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13 in the death of 10-year-old Iliana “Lily” Peters. Two of the three charges carry a maximum lifetime sentence in prison. C. P.-B. is being held at the Eau Claire Juvenile Detention Center awaiting his next court appearance.

Judge Benjamin Lane said that the criminal complaint in the case, which will have redactions to protect the identity of the juvenile victim and suspect, will be released to the public in the coming days. Other documents in the case subject to open records laws, including search warrants, will remain sealed until all parties have had time to review their contents. Newell said that those documents contain identifying information and that some of the warrants are part of active investigation.

The status conference will set future dates for hearings and allow time for all parties, including victims and witnesses, to make arrangements to be in court.

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - The 14-year old boy accused of killing 10-year-old Lily Peters of Chippewa Falls will be making a court appearance Thursday.

Cash bond has been set at $1 million for the homicide suspect, who is currently being held in the Eau Claire Juvenile Detention Center.

After the initial appearance held April 27, 14-year-old C. P.-B. is now facing charges of 1st-degree intentional homicide, 1st-degree sexual assault resulting in great bodily harm and 1st-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.

Thursday’s review hearing will be a status conference to determine his representation in court.

Juvenile C. P.-B. will be tried as an adult in criminal court due to the severity of the case, but it may not stay there. An Eau Claire attorney, not affiliated with the case, says if a judge rules there’s enough evidence to further a preliminary hearing, the defendant’s lawyers can then petition to move the case to juvenile court, a decision that usually takes six to eight weeks.

Chippewa County DA Wade Newell says the timeline will depend on what the newly appointed defense attorneys advise for their client.

Newell said in court last week that the 14-year-old boy told investigators that he intended to rape and kill Peters when they left a house in Chippewa Falls together. Newell said that the suspect told investigators that he hit Peters in the stomach and with a stick before strangling her to death and then sexually assaulting her.

Peters, who went by Lily, was found dead near the Duncan Creek Trail in Chippewa Falls Monday morning after being reported missing Sunday evening.

Peters’ body is being kept in Minnesota for an undetermined amount of time. The final autopsy results could take four to six weeks as medical examiners wait for toxicology reports.

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