SHAWANO COUNTY (NBC 26) — NBC 26 spoke with the mother of accused killer James Radford's child while the family of his alleged victim, Sabrina Radford, release a statement to the public after law enforcement revealed they don't believe she died by suicide.
- Meet the woman who had a child with James years after Sabrina's death
- NBC 26 reached out to some of James' family members for comment, they either declined or have yet to reply
- James is next expected in court June 9
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Prosecutors say Sabrina Radford was just 25 years old when she was shot and killed here in the small town of Fairbanks in 2016. I'm Pari Apostolakos and now I'm hearing from her family and people who knew the man who's accused of killing her.
Watch the full broadcast story here:
When Sabrina Radford died in April 2016, law enforcement reported that her husband at the time, James Radford, said she shot herself, taking her own life.
Now, Radford is facing a charge of first degree reckless homicide with prosecutors accusing him of killing Sabrina.
"With the aid of advanced investigative tools, evolving forensic technology, and the involvement of expert witnesses, investigators determined that the death of Sabrina Radford was not the result of suicide," Shawano County Sheriff George Lenzener writes in a news release Tuesday.
In a statement on behalf of Sabrina's family, her aunt, Deb Bell, tells me they are "grateful for the continued efforts of the investigators who have remained committed to uncovering the truth and seeking justice."
"We understand the past nine years have been long and difficult, but please know that this case was never forgotten," the Sheriff's Office wrote Tuesday.
"None of it added up," Ashley Schroeder, who shares a child with James Radford, told me over Zoom Tuesday.
Schroeder says she met James years after Sabrina's death.
"When he first told me the story, immediately I knew. I looked at him and I said 'That doesn't sound right,'" Schroeder said.
I've reached out to members of James Radford's family, who either have not responded or declined to comment.
I've also reached out to his attorney and have not yet heard back.
The Shawano County District Attorney's office declined multiple requests for comment.
James Radford is next scheduled to appear in court on June 9.
