Ex-college wrestler accused of killing gymnast Kara Welsh claims he shot her 8 times in self defense

The former college wrestler who competed in 197-pound matches claimed he fatally shot his girlfriend eight times in self defense because he “feared for his life” in the presence of the 5-foot-6 gymnast, officials said.

Chad Richards, 23, of Loves Park, Illinois, claimed he was in a heated argument with Kara Welsh, 21, on Aug. 30 when he allegedly felt threatened and ripped his girlfriend’s gun away from her to protect himself, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

“The defendant stated that he shot (the victim) with the handgun because he feared for his life,” the recently filed criminal complaint reads.

During the altercation, Richards claimed Welsh grabbed a gun from her bedroom nightstand, forcing him to wrestle the weapons away from her and use it against the accomplished University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnast.

The complaint, however, shows that Richards fired some of the eight shots against Welsh while she was in the fetal position.

Following the fatal shooting, Whitewater Police said they found Richards crying outside the halls of the off-campus apartment as Welsh was “lying on the floor in a pool of blood.”

The former wrestler, who placed fifth in the NCAA Upper Midwest Regionals during his sophomore year, fired a total of 11 shots inside the apartment, with Welsh hit eight times in the torso and neck, officials said.

Richards, who called the police about the fatal shooting, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, disorderly conduct while armed, and endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon. 

He is being held at the Walworth County Jail after being slapped with a $1 million bond on Friday.

Welsh was set to start her senior year at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she was a member of the school’s Warhawk gymnastics team. 

Welsh, who won an individual national title on the vault at the NCAA Division III championships last year, was majoring in management. 

A GoFundMe set up to help her parents, Nancy and Tom Welsh, and sister, Kaeli, has raised more than $51,000 as of Tuesday morning.

Richards is set to appear back in court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 28.