New details released in Lily Peters homicide case

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - New details about the homicide investigation into the death of a 10-year-old Chippewa Falls girl were released Friday.

14-year-old 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.

After Chippewa County Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Lane said during Thursday’s review hearing that the redacted criminal complaint for the case could be unsealed, the document was made available publicly on Friday.

Warning: Some of the details about the case that follow are graphic in nature.

The community has set up a memorial for Lily Peters at her elementary school. — The community has set up a memorial for Lily Peters at her elementary school.(WEAU)

According to the criminal complaint filed in the case, the Chippewa Falls Police Department was notified about a missing 10-year-old girl, Peters, at 9 p.m. on April 24, 2022. Peters’ father said that she did not come back from her aunt’s house. At 11 p.m., Peters’ father went to look for her and found her bike near the Duncan Creek Trail in Chippewa Falls near the Leinie’s Lodge. A search that evening with law enforcement turned up empty.

The next morning, at 8:54 a.m. April 25, Peters’ body was found by someone who knew her not far from where her bicycle was located, nearly 12 hours after she had been reported missing. Investigators said that Peters had blunt force trauma injuries to her head and some of her clothes were missing.

A preliminary autopsy was given to investigators with the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office. According to the autopsy, there was evidence of sexual assault and confirmed the blunt force trauma to Peters’ face.

According to the complaint, the charged suspect in the case, C. P.-B., told investigators on April 26 that he helped Peters get her bike at a home in Chippewa Falls and that while she rode her bike, he rode his hoverboard. C. P.-B. also told investigators it was his intention to rape and kill Peters. He told investigators that he asked Peters to leave the trail and go into the woods, where he then physically and sexually assaulted her. At some point, C. P.-B. said he became scared and went home to shower and wash his clothes. When he heard that Peters was missing, he decided he needed to hide her body better, so he returned to move her body and cover it with leaves.

Chippewa County court during the first hearing of the Lily Peters' homicide case April 27. — Chippewa County court during the first hearing of the Lily Peters' homicide case April 27.(weau)

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. Chippewa County DA Wade Newell said that those documents contain identifying information and that some of the warrants are part of an active investigation.

A status conference in the 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 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.

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.

C. P.-B. is being held at the Northwest Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Eau Claire awaiting his next court appearance. Cash bond has been set at $1 million for C. P.-B.

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