Lily Peters' killer sentenced to life in prison

WISCONSIN (FOX 9) - The convicted killer of Lily Peters was sentenced to life in prison four years after she was found dead near a walking trail in Wisconsin. 

Carson Peters-Berger, now 18, pleaded guilty to first-degree intentional homicide at a resolution hearing.

He was 14 years old at the time of the killing but was charged as an adult. 

READ MORE: Accused Lily Peters murderer will not go to trial, resolution hearing set

Guilty plea in the Lily Peters murder case 

Local perspective:

WARNING: The following details are graphic and not suitable for young people or sensitive readers. Please use your own discretion.

Lily was Carson Peters-Berger's cousin, and he told police he was with Lily the night she disappeared. 

The criminal complaint states he admitted to helping Lily get her bike at her aunt's house.

He said he was riding a hoverboard on the trail while Lily rode her bike. He told the detective "when they left the house it was already his intention to rape and kill (Lily)," the complaint states.

Peters-Berger explained he asked Lily to go exploring off the trail. He carried his hoverboard and Lily carried her bike, the complaint alleges. He said once they were off the trail, he punched Lily in the stomach and knocked her to the ground. Then he struck her in the head three times with a large stick and strangled her until she was dead.

Once he believed she was dead, he sexually assaulted her. He then got scared and fled the area, the complaint said. He went home, showered and put his dirty clothes in the laundry. 

READ MORE: Killing of Chippewa Falls girl: Charges reveal graphic details of Lily Peters' death

The Associated Press reports that Chippewa County Judge Steven Gibbs accepted his guilty plea on Wednesday and sentenced him to life in prison. Under a plea deal, two other charges — first-degree sexual assault causing great bodily harm and first-degree child sexual assault involving a child under 13 — were dismissed.

Peters-Berger’s attorneys tried to get the case moved to juvenile court, where proceedings are secret. They argued that Peters-Berger would not receive the mental health treatment he needs in the adult criminal justice system, according to the Associated Press. 

But the judge refused, saying the offenses were too serious to warrant such a move. A state appeals court also kept the case in adult court, Wisconsin records show.

READ MORE: Killing of Chippewa Falls girl: Charges reveal graphic details of Lily Peters' death

The Source: This story uses information gathered from Wisconsin court records.