James Radford (Shawano Co. Jail)
SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – James Radford now faces an intentional homicide charge for the 2016 death of his wife, after prosecutors increased the count from a reckless homicide charge.
Radford, 40, was charged in April 2025 for the April 11, 2016, death of Sabrina Radford at a town of Fairbanks home. He pleaded not guilty last month, but no trial date had been set.
But last week, prosecutors filed a new criminal complaint, changing the charge to first-degree intentional homicide. A preliminary hearing is set for Friday, court records show.
With the increased count, the maximum penalty for Radford goes from 40 years in prison to life.
The new criminal complaint repeats the same allegations as in the original complaint.
After the charges were filed in 2025, Sheriff George Lenzner said when investigators were first notified of the death, they were unable to conclusively determine the cause of death. Radford’s husband, James, reported the death and said his wife had shot herself.
Over the next nine years, investigators “dedicated significant time and effort” to the case, the sheriff said. The investigation included interviews with James Radford and other people connected to the case. Previously collected evidence was reexamined. It took what the sheriff called advances in investigative tools and forensic technology, along with expert witnesses to determine that Sabrina Radford’s death was not the result of a suicide.
One example of the evidence not matching James Radford’s account:
“Complainant further alleges that the defendant in his interviews with law enforcement indicated that the gun was near or touching the chest of SR when it was fired. In examining the gun, the Wisconsin Crime Lab found there was no blood or blowback material on the barrel or muzzle of the gun. Complainant alleges based on his training and experience, blood and blowback material should be on the muzzle of the gun if it was touching or close to the victim when the gun was fired at her chest,” the complaint states.
In the news release, Lenzner said: “We recognize that this press release does not include all details of the investigation. However, as this case is now under the jurisdiction of the Shawano County District Attorney’s Office, we are committed to protecting its integrity to ensure that justice is served.”
Sabrina Radford’s family issued a statement, thanking police for continuing to work on the case.
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