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Wisconsin college gymnast Kara Welsh in fetal position when boyfriend allegedly shot her several times: report

Authorities said they found the 21-year-old in a pool of blood inside the apartment of her boyfriend, 23-year-old Chad Richards, just before midnight.

She sustained eight gunshot wounds to the neck, torso and other areas, a medical examiner determined. 

Kara Welsh, who was killed Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in an apartment near campus. (University of Wisconsin-Whitewater via AP)

Whitewater Police Department identified the suspect who killed Kara Welsh as Chad T. Richards, 23, of Loves Park, Illinois. (Whitewater Police Department)

Welsh attended UW-Whitewater, where she was a member of the gymnastics team and was majoring in management in the school’s College of Business and Economics.

"Kara was a daughter, sister, dear friend and teammate," her family wrote in a fundraising page, adding, "Kara had a unique ability to bring joy to any person she crossed paths with, always putting a smile on people's faces with her sense of humor, unwavering support and sweet disposition."

A memorial for Kara Welsh is seen in her hometown of Plainfield, Illinois. (WFLD)

He is facing additional charges of endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct and is being held at the Walworth County Jail on $1 million bond.