Suspect pleads guilty to murder in deaths of UW professor, husband at Arboretum

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - One of the two men accused of killing of a University of Wisconsin professor and her husband a little more than a year ago pleaded guilty Tuesday in their deaths, court records indicated.

Alijah Larrue pleaded guilty to two counts of felony murder kidnapping for the deaths of Dr. Beth Potter and Robin Carre in March 2020. In exchange for the plea, the two counts of party to the crime of first-degree homicide against him were dropped. A sentencing date for Larrue has not been set.

Khari Sanford (left) and Elijah Larue (Source: Dane Co. Sheriff's Office)(NBC15)

Larrue is accused of helping Khari Sanford kill Potter and Carre, who were the adoptive parents of Sanford’s girlfriend.

Joggers discovered the victims in the UW Arboretum on March 31. Carre, 57, was pronounced dead at the scene, while Potter, 52, was taken to a local hospital where she later died.

Autopsies indicated they had been shot in the back of the head, apparently the night before they were found. At the time UW Police Dept. Chief Kristen Roman described the crime as “calculated, cold-blooded, and senseless.”

Beth Potter, MD, and Robin Carre, PhD(UW Department of Family Medicine and Community Health)

Prosecutors argued Potter and Carre were killed of a dispute over social distancing restrictions caused by COVID-19 pandemic. A friend of Potter told detectives Sanford and the daughter were moved out of their home into an AirBnB because they were not following social distancing rules due to COVID-19 concerns, according to the criminal complaint.

Additionally, the complaint reported a friend of Sanford’s told detectives about hearing the daughter tell Sanford her parents were rich and she knew how they could get money.

Sanford, who is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, has a jury trial slated for early October.