Chippewa Falls homicide suspect receives $1 million bond

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - Cash bond has been set at $1 million for the homicide suspect in the death of 10-year-old Iliana Peters of Chippewa Falls.

14-year-old C. P-B. is charged with 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 resulting in great bodily harm.

As a condition of his bond, C. P.-B. is not allowed any contact with children, cannot possess of dangerous weapons, and can have supervised contact with siblings.

Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell asked for the $1 million bond, which was granted by Judge Benjamin Lane, based on what the suspect told investigators and a need to protect the community. The suspect’s defense requested a $100,000 cash bond. Newell said in court that the statement the suspect made to law enforcement was that he intended to rape and kill the victim from the start when he left the house with her. Newell said that the suspect told investigators he hit Peters with a stick before strangling the victim to death and then sexually assaulting her.

Newell said after the court appearance that he has seen cases like this before and detailed the process of leading to the charges, saying “a lot of people have been involved in this.”

Two of the three charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. The 14-year-old is being tried in adult court.

C. P.-B. will appear in court next on May 5 for a status conference to determine his representation in court. He is being held in the Eau Claire Juvenile Detention Center.

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - The juvenile suspect in a homicide investigation in Chippewa Falls is making their initial court appearance Wednesday.

The suspect is appearing in Chippewa County Circuit Court at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

10-year-old Iliana Peters, who went by Lily, was found dead near the Duncan Creek Trail in Chippewa Falls Monday morning after being reported missing Sunday evening.

After the suspect’s initial court appearance, the Chippewa County District Attorney’s Office will provide an update on the case from the Chippewa County Courthouse.

Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matthew Kelm said the arrest was made in the City of Chippewa Falls Tuesday evening. Kelm said that the suspect was not a stranger to Peters, and was known to her. Kelm said with the suspect in custody, the public is no longer in danger. No other details were given about the suspect, including whether the suspect was related to Peters.

Kelm said over 200 tips were provided to the Police Department, which Kelm said were critical to the investigation. Police executed a search warrant at 422 N. Grove Street, near where Peters’ body was found, on Tuesday, Kelm said.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Department of Criminal Investigation finished processing the crime scene Monday night, and the Chippewa County Coroner’s Office removed Peters’ body to conduct a forensic autopsy. The Medical Examiner’s Office in Ramsey County, Minn. is handling the autopsy.

Chippewa Falls residents are remembering Peters with makeshift memorials in the city, while churches held vigils Monday night. Several businesses are contributing purple ribbons, lights, stickers and signs as community members wait for answers from the investigation. The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District, where Peters attended Parkview Elementary as a 4th-grader, lifted its recommendation that parents and guardians pick up and drop off students at their schools, citing the suspect now being in custody.

Anyone with information about the case can call the Chippewa Falls Police Department’s non-emergency line at 715-726-7701 and select Option 1.

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