A Wisconsin teenager accused of raping, beating, and strangling his 10-year-old cousin to death in 2022 may avoid a trial, according to recent court filings. Carson Peters-Berger, who was 14 at the time of the alleged crime, faces charges of first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault, and first-degree sexual assault of a child under 13.
A resolution hearing is scheduled for August 26, a development that would mean Peters-Berger's trial, previously slated for November, will not proceed. A resolution hearing allows parties in a case to negotiate an agreement and potentially settle the case before it goes to trial.
Prosecutors have alleged that Peters-Berger planned to rape and kill his cousin, Lily Peters, from the outset of their outing on a hiking trail in Chippewa Falls. Peters-Berger is accused of punching Lily Peters in the stomach, knocking her to the ground, striking her with a stick, and strangling her before raping her. He was charged in adult court, where he could have faced a life sentence.
However, Peters-Berger's defense attorneys have argued for him to be tried in juvenile court, citing the potential for more comprehensive mental health treatment and a less severe punishment. They contended that a life sentence in adult court would be "punishment for the sake of punishment, which is not what the law permits for juveniles." They also argued that a juvenile sentence would involve 10 years of confinement, registration as a sex offender, and potential vulnerability in the adult system, which they deemed sufficient.
Chippewa County Judge Steven Gibbs initially rejected the defense's bid to move the case to juvenile court, stating that a 10-year confinement would not be adequate punishment. The defense's subsequent appeal of this ruling was also denied.
Peters-Berger was arrested in 2022 and has been held on a $1 million cash bond. Court records related to the resolution hearing have been sealed by Judge Gibbs, and it remains unclear if Peters-Berger will enter a plea or what specific matters will be discussed. His defense attorney stated that the hearing will address issues that will determine whether a trial will occur.
According to charging documents, Peters-Berger admitted to police that he strangled his cousin, left her body, and later returned to move and cover her remains after she was reported missing. A volunteer search party discovered Lily Peters' partially naked body the following morning.
Peters-Berger is the son of Adam Berger, who has a criminal history including a conviction for possessing child pornography. Adam Berger served three years in jail and was on supervised probation at the time of his son's arrest. He had previously expressed a desire for unsupervised contact with his son, whom he referred to as "the best part of me."
In April 2025, Peters-Berger's attorneys successfully argued that the high-profile nature of the case might make it difficult to find an impartial jury in Chippewa County. If the case does proceed to trial, it would occur in a different county.