A Wisconsin man faces a James Radford reckless homicide charge after investigators determined that his wife, Sabrina Radford, could not have shot herself, contradicting the account he gave police in 2016. The case is now proceeding to trial in Shawano County.
What James Radford Told Police in 2016
According to a criminal complaint reported by the Green Bay Press Gazette, Radford called 911 at 3:54 a.m. on 11 April 2016 from a residence on County Road J, outside the Tigerton area in the Town of Fairbanks, Shawano County. He told the dispatcher, ‘she has been shot real bad,’ and said he was performing CPR on his wife.
Radford, now 40, told responding deputies that he and Sabrina, 25, had argued at the home after he confronted her about an alleged affair and threatened to file for divorce. He claimed Sabrina then held a gun with both hands, said ‘I am not going to live without you,’ and fired a fatal shot into her own chest, with the gun at or touching her chest when it discharged.
The couple had a young daughter together. In the days that followed, Radford started a GoFundMe to help cover his wife’s funeral expenses. He wrote, ahead of her funeral, ‘One can NEVER be prepared when someone we LOVE is taken from us so tragically.’
The James Radford Reckless Homicide Case: How the Evidence Unravelled
When law enforcement arrived at the scene in April 2016, investigators observed a substantial amount of blood on and around Sabrina’s body. Radford, who claimed to have been administering CPR, had little blood on him. Prosecutors also noted there was no blood on Sabrina’s chest area, which the complaint states contradicted his account of performing chest compressions.
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that, with the aid of advanced investigative tools, evolving forensic technology, and expert witnesses, investigators concluded that Sabrina Radford’s death was not the result of suicide.
Radford was arrested on 15 April 2025, four days after charges were formally filed on 11 April 2025, exactly nine years to the day after the original 911 call. He was taken into custody in Waukesha County before being transferred to Shawano County Jail, according to WBAY Action 2 News.
The full charge, as reported by the Green Bay Press Gazette citing the criminal complaint, is first-degree reckless homicide with the use of a dangerous weapon, a felony under Wisconsin law.
A cash bond of $800,000 was set, according to FOX 11 (WLUK).
Court Proceedings and Plea
Radford made his initial court appearance on 16 April 2025 and returned for a status conference on 5 May 2025, according to WAOW. He subsequently entered a not guilty plea to the first-degree reckless homicide charge and the associated weapons allegation.
Subject to any further pre-trial applications, the case is now set to proceed to trial. The prosecution will be required to establish beyond reasonable doubt that Sabrina Radford’s death resulted from Radford’s conduct rather than suicide, with forensic evidence forming the core of its case.
