Trigger Warning: This article contains references to the alleged child sexual abuse that some readers may find distressing.

It’s been more than four years since 10-year-old Lily Peters was found dead on a walking trail in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. However, it appears the case against her accused killer is headed towards a quiet resolution.

According to Dailymail, the Chippewa County District Attorney’s Office has confirmed that a resolution hearing is scheduled for August 26, meaning that the case may not go to trial at all.

Carson Peters-Berger, now 18, faces charges of first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree s*xual assault causing great bodily harm, and first-degree s*xual assault of a child. Previously, a jury trial had been scheduled for November.

A hike turned into a tragedy on the evening of April 24, 2022, when Lily went missing after leaving her aunt’s home in Chippewa Falls. Her family reported her missing at around 9 p.m. after she failed to return home. The next morning, her partially naked body was found in a wooded area near a walking trail by volunteers who were searching the area.

At a bond hearing, prosecutors explained the timeline of the brutal events that unfolded. District Attorney Wade Newell told the judge that Peters-Berger, then 14, punched the victim in the stomach, knocked her to the ground, and struck her with a stick before strangling her to death and then s*xually assaulting her. According to police, Peters-Berger initially left her abused corpse on the trail, then returned to conceal her body with leaves once he learned about her missing report.

 

Peters-Berger was arrested and held in custody on a $1 million cash bond.

The focus of the legal battle was not guilt or innocence but rather about which court system would handle the case. Peters-Berger’s attorneys attempted to have him tried as a juvenile, arguing a life sentence would serve no purpose. In a court brief, defense attorney Michael Cohen wrote that putting him in adult prison for life “is only punishment for the sake of punishment,” an argument which didn’t succeed.

In January 2024, Judge Steven Gibbs ruled that the case should remain in adult court, and the decision was later affirmed by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Attorney Cohen has told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the August 26 hearing will address the issues in the case and will determine whether there will be a trial at all. It remains unclear whether that means a plea deal, or something else.

One disturbing detail that has been widely circulated since 2022 involves Peters-Berger’s father, Adam Berger. He reportedly served three years in prison after being caught with child p***ography. It is pertinent to mention here that he is not accused of any involvement in Lily Peters’ death.

Disclaimer: Inquisitr could not independently confirm the facts of this incident and is reporting based on the information available within the public record.