SHAWANO (NBC 26) — A man accused of killing his wife in Shawano County has pleaded not guilty and is set to go on trial, court records show.
James Radford, 40, is accused of killing his wife, Sabrina Radford, in Shawano County in 2016. He was first charged with first-degree reckless homicide in April 2025 — exactly nine years after Sabrina Radford's death — but a new charge of first-degree intentional homicide was filed Aug. 19.
In court Thursday, Shawano County Circuit Court Judge Michael Hughes found probable cause and ordered Radford to stand trial. His attorney then entered not guilty pleas on his behalf.
Sabrina Radford, 25, was found dead April 11, 2016, in the Town of Fairbanks. Investigators said James Radford initially claimed his wife shot herself following an argument about infidelity.
According to the earlier criminal complaint, evidence collected by the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory contradicted that account, including findings that Sabrina Radford was holding her cellphone when she died and that the firearm lacked blood or blowback material that investigators said would be expected if she had fired the gun herself at close range.
A judicial pretrial hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20, according to court records.
