Loved ones are completely shattered by the “heartbreaking” death of Kara Welsh, a 21-year-old star gymnast, who was shot to death by a man identified by college friends as her boyfriend.
The national champion was found dead in her off-campus apartment on August 30, and a friend of the couple says he “beats” himself up for not sharing “just one more” moment that maybe “could change” what happened.
Keep reading to learn about Welsh’s tragic death.
On Saturday August 31, Sierra Brooks learned Kara Welsh, her best friend and former teammate, was shot to death the night before.
“I can’t even wrap my head around how someone could do this, let alone to such a beautiful person,” she writes in a tribute to the 21-year-old Welsh, a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UWW) student who was majoring in business and economics.
Welsh, a gymnast, also won an individual title on the vault in 2023.
According to a statement, the student, from Plainfield, Illinois, was found dead in an off-campus apartment about 11:54 p.m. on August 30.
She was shot multiple times.
When police arrived, a 23-year-old male who was known to Welsh was also in the home and “it was determined that leading up to the shooting, an altercation had occurred between the two.”
‘Heartbreaking’
“Absolutely heartbreaking to receive a phone call like this one. Kara, you deserved the world and more,” shares Brooks, who in her earlier years trained with Welsh at the Aspire Gymnastics Academy. “Wish I could just see you one more time. Wish I could laugh with you just one more time. Wish I could hug you one more time.”
Aspire also shared several photos of the star gymnast along with a touching tribute for the young woman on their Facebook site.
“As Kara grew, so did Aspire. She was a constant in a sport that is filled with ups and downs. She was full of life and full of personality,” the training center writes. “Kara had a way of communicating through facial expressions that was second to none. Aspire lost a piece of its heart today. Kara, we love you.”
Corey King, chancellor at UWW, released a statement on August 31 and calling Welsh “a standout member of the Warhawk gymnastics team,” he shares that “news of Kara’s death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community.”
“I hate that evil touched this sweet girl’s life,” writes a friend on Facebook, who shares the tribute posted by Aspire. Referring to Welsh’s sister Kaeli, the netizen continues, “The Welsh girls showed us how to be gym sisters but so much more. Kara was all heart. The loss is unfathomable.”
‘I beat myself up’
Police have not yet released the name of the suspect as he has not yet been officially charged.
But friends reveal the pair were dating, and the man, identified as Chad Richards, was helping Welsh move into her apartment.
“Sometimes I beat myself up, if I was able to see them that day maybe…just one more joke one more memory we could make…could change…” says Brayten Wilkerson, a friend of both Welsh and the suspect, who was a member of UWW wrestling team. Speaking with ABC affiliate WISN, Wilkerson continues, “Kara was a sweetheart. She was one of the best people you could meet. Her family did a great job raising her – a wonderful woman.”
I Was Heartbroken When I Accidentally Found Out Why My Husband Stopped Inviting Me to Dinners With His Friends
Mandy and Jack appeared to have the ideal marriage—carefree and childless. Along with many social interactions, they went on adventures together with Jack’s childhood pals. But that was three months ago. Jack began apologising for not include Mandy in activities, saying they were “just for the guys.”
Even though Mandy at first agreed with his logic, a fortuitous meeting with Jack’s buddy Kevin’s wife Marcia exposed a startling untruth. Marcia had learned from Jack that Mandy was undergoing IVF treatments. Confused, Mandy made the decision to look into it more.
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Mandy discovered at home an invitation to a dinner party that Jack had failed to disclose. She sent out a double RSVP, ready to face whatever Jack was concealing. She took Jack by surprise the night of the dinner, showing him where it was without giving it away. As they got there and encountered their friends’ uncomfortable quiet, his uncertainty escalated to shock. Jack kept this information secret since Sasha, his ex-girlfriend, recently got married to one of his best buddies.
Sasha was often talking about Jack at dinner, which made things tense. Mandy started to suspect an affair as her mind raced. Mandy knew all too well that Sasha had insisted on Mandy’s absence from the activities because of past pettiness, as Jack revealed on the trip home. While acknowledging his mistake in concealing Sasha’s involvement, Jack insisted he had no romantic relationship with her.
Jack apologized once more while making tea at home. He was subsequently approached by Mandy over the IVF hoax. Jack shyly said that he had made it up in response to peer pressure because he didn’t want to have to justify their childless lifestyle. They both agreed that it was ridiculous, reaffirmed their choice to not have children, and made plans to improve their communication going forward. Their love for one another endured in the face of chaos.
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