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A man was charged Thursday (July 15) in the murder of a West Bend (near Milwaukee) teenager. According to the charges, 18-year-old Katie Gensmer was killed so she wouldn’t talk about a past relationship. David Brace, 20, showed little emotion as he was led into court, 12 News Nick Bohr said. Now charged with homicide, Brace faces a possible life sentence. Gensmer was found stabbed to death with her throat slashed two weeks ago at a Fond du Lac County hiking trail.

Family members wept as they learned Brace told investigators he lured Gensmer to the area with the intention of killing her. He said he was concerned that she might tell others about a sexual relationship she’d had with his cousin.

"He did not know her before that evening. He went over there. They knew each other by face. He asked the victim if she would come out with him for a short time. She agreed to do that," Fond du Lac County District Attorney Tom Storm said.

Following Brace’s initial court appearance at the Fond du Lac County courthouse, Storm admitted this isn’t the first case he’s prosecuted where the motive didn’t make any sense, Bohr reported.

"It’s hard to understand the motivations for anybody who engages in this sort of activity. When you ask about a motive, and he explains to you and I the motive, it doesn’t make any sense to us," Storm said.

In a confession detailed in the complaint, Brace expressed little remorse. He told detectives, "I felt that, ya know, maybe if I had known her it would have had an impact on me maybe a little bit more. There was no sadness. There was no, anything."

Investigators don’t believe Brace’s cousin had any knowledge of his plans.

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