Authorities in Virginia have charged a man with fatally shooting his wife after he stated that the impending dissolution of their marriage was “too much to bear.” Roger Bradford, 60, faces charges of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with the death of 54-year-old Lisa Bradford, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) announced this week.
The incident occurred at the couple’s residence on the 24000 block of Quimby Oaks Place in Aldie, Virginia, an unincorporated community located roughly 40 miles west of Washington, D.C. By the afternoon of that day, Lisa Bradford had died.
According to court records obtained by Washington, D.C., NBC affiliate WRC, Roger Bradford allegedly shot his wife and subsequently contacted a relative to apologize. During the conversation, he stated that “he was going to kill himself” and asked whether the relative could “pick up his juvenile daughter so that she would not” return home to discover her mother’s body. Authorities confirm that the suspect told the relative, “he was going to kill himself.”
The relative promptly notified law enforcement, and LCSO deputies arrived at the residence at approximately 12:10 p.m., where they found Lisa Bradford deceased. The suspect was not present at the scene.
Investigators determined that Roger Bradford had driven approximately 2 1/2 hours north to Pennsylvania using a rental vehicle. Pennsylvania State Police took him into custody at approximately 3:15 p.m.
Court records reviewed by Law&Crime provide additional context regarding the couple’s recent circumstances. Roger Bradford previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a kickback scheme in Iowa dating back to 2019. After serving a prison sentence, he pursued an appeal in January, during which he asserted that his “pre-existing mental health conditions worsened” during his incarceration.
“I was suicidal many nights,” he stated, adding, “I have had my professional reputation and relationships destroyed as a result of my felony conviction.”
In a particularly revealing statement addressing his personal circumstances, Bradford acknowledged the strain on his marriage.
“My marriage with my wife Lisa is now headed to divorce as the pressures and injustice of this nightmare took its toll on our marriage and our life together,” he wrote in a January filing. “The fact that my X-year marriage to this incredible woman is likely coming to an end is too much to bear.”
Lisa Bradford held membership in the Dulles Area Association of Realtors, which honored her memory by describing her as “a valued member of our community” whose “presence and kindness will be deeply missed.”
“On behalf of our entire association and the real estate community, we extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew her,” the organization stated. “May she rest in peace, and may her memory continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.”
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