James C. Radford, who has been charged with first-degree homicide in connection with the shooting death of his wife nearly 10 years ago, finally has counsel to represent him, but it will take a little time for the attorneys to get up to speed.
John Swimmer and James Schoenecker represented Radford in a March 9 status conference and asked for time to get caught up with the details of the case. Another status conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 31 in Branch II of the Shawano County Courthouse, where it’s expected that the court will set a date for a preliminary hearing. The preliminary hearing determines if a case has enough evidence to warrant going to trial.
Radford had previously reported during multiple court hearings, including one held Jan. 20, that he needed more time to hire an attorney. Originally, online court records indicated Radford did not qualify for public defender services. Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr., however, said he did, as the defendant — who has been incarcerated since May 2025 at the Shawano County Jail — is not employed and does not have any property to put up as collateral to hire an attorney himself.
According to the criminal complaint, deputies responded April 11, 2016, to a residence on County Road J in the Town of Fairbanks for a report of a woman who had sustained a gunshot wound. The caller, identified as her husband, reported that his wife, Sabrina Radford, had shot herself.
At the time of the initial response, investigators were unable to conclusively determine the cause of death. However, due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident, a formal investigation was initiated.
Over the course of nine years, investigators dedicated significant time and effort to this case, according to a sheriff’s department press release. Numerous interviews were conducted with James Radford and other individuals connected to the case, and previously collected evidence was reexamined. With the aid of advanced investigative tools, evolving forensic technology and the involvement of expert witnesses, investigators determined the death of Sabrina Radford was not the result of suicide.
James Radford was taken into custody in 2025 in Waukesha County. He was subsequently transported to Shawano County, where he was booked into the jail and has since been held on a cash bond of $800,000.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
