An online campaign to honor the life of Kara Welsh, a beloved Wisconsin gymnast tragically killed last week, has shattered its fundraising goal, offering a powerful testament to the impact she had on those around her, even as her accused killer, Chad T. Richards, remains in custody facing charges of first-degree intentional homicide.
Initially set to a goal of $40,000, the fund has now raised $47,450 courtesy of 808 donations made thus far.
The 21-year-old gymnast and college senior was allegedly shot to death Friday in her off-campus apartment in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
Responding officers found Kara, a national title-winning athlete, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Chad T. Richards, 23, has been charged in connection with her death and currently faces first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct while armed.
Friends and family describe Kara as having had the ability to bring joy to any person she crossed paths with, always putting a smile on people's faces with her sense of humor and her unwavering support and sweet disposition.
Richards appeared at the Walworth County Courthouse on Tuesday, where a judge upheld his bail of $1 million after calling him as a "significant flight risk," according to Bleacher Report.
