James Radford will be bound over for trial in the homicide of his wife, Sabrina Radford, and pleaded not guilty to the first-degree charge during a hearing July 15.
The court chambers was filled with family members of Sabrina Radford and many supporters for James Radford. At times during the preliminary hearing, there were outbursts that prompted Marathon County Circuit Court Judge Lamont Jacobson, who took over the case after the recusal of the Shawano County judges, to threaten expulsion from chambers if any more occurred.
Before that, defense attorney John Swimmer tried to delay the proceedings, believing that Shawano County Sheriff’s Detective Richard Wright was only going to read from the criminal complaint, making the testimony hearsay.
“This is a homicide, and we would ask for an investigating officer or an officer who has some knowledge of this,” Swimmer said, asking for the hearing to be rescheduled.
Jacobson reminded Swimmer that preliminary hearings can have hearsay, as long as there’s enough presented to prove that there’s evidence to proceed with a trial. He denied the scheduling request.
However, Wright, the lead detective in the 10-year-old case, did not read from the report and instead answered questions from both Swimmer and Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Assistant District Attorney Laura Nelson about the case and what lead the sheriff’s department to determine James Radford was the lead suspect in his wife’s death. Wright has been with the sheriff’s department for 37 years, 25 of those as a detective.
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.
Wright said that the 911 call James Radford made said he had attempted CPR on Sabrina Radford, but with the wounds she had when the first deputy arrived, it was discovered that any attempt at chest compressions would have pumped out her blood via her wounds.
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. Numerous interviews were conducted with James Radford and other individuals connected to the case, and previously collected evidence was reexamined.
Wright testified to inconsistencies in James Radford’s story. The detective said he originally claimed Sabrina Radford used a .44 Magnum to shoot herself with two hands, and then he switched and claimed she only used one hand when the act occurred. The gun has a six-shot barrel, but one bullet was missing, Wright said.
Wright also said that there were claims that Sabrina Radford was cheating in the marriage, but that she had shown her husband her phone messages to prove otherwise.
Under cross examination, Swimmer pressed Wright on notes found at the scene that seemed to be suicide notes indicating that Sabrina Radford wrote that she “cannot live without you,” indicating her husband. Swimmer also noted there are no indications that James Radford’s fingerprints were found on the gun.
Wright said the notes appeared to be in Sabrina Radford’s handwriting, but the analysis on the gun, which found a minimum amount of blood on the outside and in the barrel were not consistent with a suicide.
Swimmer also questioned Wright on the audio from James Radford’s interview, particularly an inaudible area that starts with “I can’t believe” and ends with “shot her,” with no ability to translate what was in the middle.
In his closing argument, Swimmer said that the prosecution can’t prove the gun was in the defendant’s hands, and the notes written by the victim clearly indicate suicide, not homicide.
“The state has not shown any evidence Mr. Radford held the gun, shot the gun or had anything to do with this,” Swimmer said.
Nelson said in her closing argument that she has met the burden of proof, claiming there was no indication anyone else was in the room when the gun was fired. The changes in James Radford’s story with detectives, along with forensic evidence indicating he did not perform CPR, solidify that proof, she said.
James Radford was taken into custody earlier in 2025 in Waukesha County. He was subsequently transported to Shawano County, where he was booked into the jail and has been held since April 15, 2025, on a cash bond of $800,000.
The case will next hold a scheduling conference Aug. 5 by phone, as Jacobson’s term as judge ends July 31. His successor will continue to preside over the case.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
Shawano County Sheriff’s Detective Richard Wright testifies July 15 to how James Radford tried to explain how Sabrina Radford allegedly positioned the gun and fired, but that it was inconsistent with the forensic evidence and how he claimed later that she used one hand to fire the gun after saying it was two hands originally. (Lee Pulaski | NEW Media)
