Authorities say Roger Bradford documented other potential targets as investigators examine marital strain and fallout from his earlier federal fraud conviction.
LEESBURG, VA — Investigators examining the killing of Loudoun County real estate agent Lisa Bradford are focusing on evidence that her husband planned the attack and may have intended violence against other people, while court records offer possible clues about what drove him.
Roger Paul Bradford, 60, is accused of killing his 54-year-old wife Sept. 22 at their home in Aldie. A search warrant affidavit says investigators found a journal in the rental car Bradford was driving when Pennsylvania State Police arrested him hours later. The journal contained what authorities described as a list of people Bradford planned to kill, including Lisa Bradford. Prosecutors have cited the journal and other evidence in arguing that the killing showed signs of premeditation.
Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman initially described the shooting as domestic in nature. Records reviewed during the investigation show that Bradford had written months earlier that his marriage was headed toward divorce after his federal criminal case, prison sentence and financial problems placed heavy pressure on his family. Those circumstances have emerged as one possible explanation investigators are examining, but authorities have not announced a definitive motive for Lisa Bradford’s killing.
Bradford pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud in connection with a construction-related kickback scheme in Iowa and served 20 months in prison. In a declaration filed as part of his efforts to challenge the conviction, Bradford said the case depleted his savings, hurt his family and strained his marriage. He wrote that the prospect of his marriage ending was difficult for him to accept. The filing reflects Bradford’s own account and does not establish why Lisa Bradford was killed.
The Iowa case also may be relevant to the other names investigators say appeared in Bradford’s journal. Prosecutors said federal authorities are examining potential targets identified in the writings and whether some have connections to his earlier fraud case. Authorities have not publicly identified those people, and no evidence released so far establishes that Bradford attacked any of them. Officials have also indicated that potential conduct involving people outside Virginia could fall under federal jurisdiction or be investigated in Iowa.
Court filings describe actions on the morning of Sept. 22 that prosecutors say support their claim of planning. Investigators allege Bradford retrieved .45-caliber ammunition from a storage facility and bought long zip ties before returning to the family’s Aldie home. Deputies later found Lisa Bradford dead there, and investigators recovered zip ties at the scene. The affidavit says she had been restrained. Those allegations have not been tested at trial.
Authorities learned of the killing after Bradford contacted family members, according to law enforcement records and court filings. A relative notified the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, and deputies arrived at the home in the 24000 block of Quimby Oaks Place at about 12:10 p.m. Bradford had already left in a rental vehicle. Investigators tracked the vehicle north through Maryland into Pennsylvania, where state police arrested him in Bedford several hours later.
The sheriff’s office announced on the day of the killing that Bradford had been charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. After his extradition to Virginia, however, Bradford was arraigned Oct. 7 on a second-degree murder charge and a firearm charge. Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Jason Faw said prosecutors believe there is clear evidence of premeditation and indicated the murder charge could be elevated to first degree as the case proceeds.
During the Oct. 7 hearing, Bradford said he wanted to represent himself and declined a bond hearing. The judge cautioned him against making statements about the case in court. Bradford remains in custody as the prosecution moves forward. A preliminary hearing was set for Nov. 18, while investigators continue examining the journal, the additional potential targets and other evidence connected to the case.
Lisa Bradford was a longtime Northern Virginia real estate agent and mother of three who was widely remembered by colleagues and neighbors for her community involvement and kindness. The Dulles Area Association of Realtors said her death devastated people across the region. Investigators have said they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the Loudoun County public, but the circumstances surrounding the alleged target list remain under investigation.
Author note: Last updated October 9, 2026.