Mystery death of Lily Peters, 10, has chilling similarities to cold case that inspired AMBER Alert, ex-FBI agent says

THE heartbreaking death of a young Wisconsin girl is eerily similar to a 26-year-old cold case that inspired the Amber Alert, according to a former FBI agent.

The body of Iliana "Lily" Peters, 10, was discovered in a wooded area not far from her bike on Monday morning outside the Lienenkugel's Brewery in Chippewa Falls, which is a few blocks north of her home.

In January 1996, nine-year-old Amber Hagerman's body was found near a stream a couple days after she was snatched off her bicycle more than 1,000 miles away in Arlington Texas.

No arrests were ever made in the case, but it inspired the Amber Alert, which is a message distributed by a child abduction alert system that asks the public for help in finding kids.

Amber was the first person former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer thought of after learning about Lily's tragic death.

Both girls were about the same age when they were found dead after riding their bicycles.

Their bodies were also dumped in secluded wooded areas, Coffindaffer said.

"The killer's modus operendi were the same in both cases," she said.

Although the MO was similar, it's "highly unlikely" both girls were murdered by the same person because of the length of time and distance between cases, Coffindaffer told The Sun.

But the similarities suggest there's "likely" a predator hunting in the small Wisconsin town of Chippewa Falls, the former FBI agent said.

Local police said, "There could be danger to the public," which typically means the suspect was a stranger to Lily and not known to police, according to Coffindaffer.

However, it was eventually announced that a suspect was arrested in connection with Lily's death and that the person "wasn't a stranger" to the little girl.

Chippewa Falls Police Chief Matt Kelm revealed that had a "juvenile suspect" in custody at a press conference Tuesday evening.

Kelm said the suspect was arrested "earlier this evening", however, would not provide any more information about them, including their age. Lily's family has been made aware of the arrest.

He also added that police do not believe there is any danger to the community.

"While nothing will bring Lily Peters back, or change what happened, we are very grateful to be able to deliver this news for the family and for the community," said Kelm.

The crime scene is still being held by the security team and people are being asked to continue to avoid the area. The coroner’s office has removed Lily’s body and an autopsy is being conducted.

Kelm said the investigation is still active and tips can be called in at 1-800-263-5906 through noon tomorrow

AMERICA'S MISSING: BROADCAST EMERGENCY RESPONSE

The AMBER - America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response - alert was put in place the same year Amber went missing.

It's now used throughout the US, DC, Puerto Rico, Virgin Island and nearly 30 other countries and activated in the most serious child-abduction cases.

The alert is most notably sent out as an ear-splitting noise on cell phones - as well as radio, TV and road signs - to grab the attention of people near the suspected abduction and the local media.

As of December 31, 2021, 1,111 children have been recovered because of the AMBER alert, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Ironically, the AMBER alert wasn't sounded when Lily's dad reported her missing Sunday night after she didn't come home from her four-block bike ride between her aunt's house and her house.

"That should've been activated immediately," said Coffindaffer, alluding to the AMBER alert. "Cell phones should've been lighting up.

"All police needed was a description of the missing girl. Once they found her bike, they knew it was foul play and the AMBER alert should've been sounded," she said.

AMBER HAGERMAN'S CASE

Amber's case remains open, and leads still come in but have continously led to dead ends.

The case gets some media attention around the anniversary of her disappearance and from some local outlets, but otherwise rarely grabs the spotlight.

That's why internet sleuth groups for specific cases have become a vital tool in finding missing persons or solving cases like Lily's, Coffindaffer said.

There are a few Facebook groups like Justice for Lily Peters that have already been created and have been active.

"Generally speaking, (social media sleuths) can be positive," Coffindaffer said.

"So many people have given up on the news, and the way they get their information is on social media, so it’s become vital that these cases are represented on social media," the former FBI agent said.

"You raise awareness and keep cases hot, and that’s crucial to keep police involved."

She used the example of the YouTuber who spotted Gabby Petito's van, which was a major break in the case.

"I don't know if they find Gabby's body without that clue," Coffindaffer said.

"There are some negatives, like when sleuths call in tips or hypotheses that aren't good and waste detectives' time. But getting the info out there and making everyone aware of what's going on is important."

WARNING TO PARENTS

A warning was issued by Lily's school, Parkview Elementary, with the administration recommending that parents refrain from letting their children walk to school alone.

"By now, you have most likely heard about the tragic incident that occurred last night into today, claiming the life of a CFAUSD student," the school's superintendent Jeff Holmes said in a Monday statement to parents.

"We do not plan to formally announce what happened, as we are not privy to those details - we believe that law enforcement needs to be the ones to decide what or how much to share in that regard."

The administration went on to say that counseling services would be made available to students as they deal with the tragedy.