Aldie, Virginia — A 54-year-old woman was found fatally shot inside her home, and her husband was arrested hours later in Pennsylvania following a multistate search, authorities said.
Lisa Bradford was discovered inside her Aldie residence on Sept. 22 after deputies with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting at about 12:10 p.m. local time.
Her husband, Roger Bradford, 60, was no longer at the home when deputies arrived. Authorities later charged him with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Husband Allegedly Fled After Shooting
The Bradfords had lived at their home on Quimby Oaks Place since 2015, according to land records cited by Loudoun Now.
Investigators said Roger Bradford left the residence in a rental vehicle after the shooting. His departure triggered a search that eventually stretched across Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania as authorities worked to locate him.
According to court filings cited by Loudoun Now, Roger allegedly contacted a relative in the hours after the shooting and said that he had killed his wife and intended to kill himself. The relative then contacted the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, according to the report.
The information helped authorities continue their search as investigators worked to determine where Roger had gone after leaving the Virginia home.
Pennsylvania Police Take Husband Into Custody
The search ended several hours later in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania State Police located Roger Bradford in Bedford, Pennsylvania, and took him into custody at approximately 3:15 p.m.
Authorities said he remains in Pennsylvania while awaiting extradition to Virginia, where he is expected to face the charges filed in connection with Lisa’s death.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation as authorities continue working to establish a complete timeline of what happened inside the Aldie home.
No Documented Domestic Violence History
The sheriff’s office said there was no documented history of domestic violence at the residence.
Leah Paul, a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, told Loudoun Now that there was also no evidence of previous calls to law enforcement from the home.
The absence of documented prior calls has added another element to the investigation as authorities examine the events leading up to Lisa’s death.
Officials have not indicated that previous domestic violence complaints were known to law enforcement at the residence.
Friends Gather for Candlelight Vigil
Five days after Lisa was found dead, her friends and family gathered on Sept. 27 for a candlelight vigil in her memory. Those who knew Lisa described her as a warm and deeply valued member of her community.
Her friend Christy Stuart told:
“Of all the people that I know in this profession, I had no idea what was going on in her family,” Lisa’s friend Christy Stuart told. “Lisa is, was, such a ray of sunshine, just an absolute light.”
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The gathering gave friends an opportunity to remember Lisa beyond the circumstances surrounding her death.
Friends Remember Lisa’s Love of Music
Lisa’s friend Jerien Okoh-Tisch played the cello during the vigil in her honor. The two had previously discussed the possibility of Lisa learning to play the instrument.
“We actually had talked about her taking cello lessons from me,” Okoh-Tisch told NBC Washington. “I’ve had many adult cello students, and she was intrigued, and she said she would like to learn ‘Ave Maria’ on the cello; she’d like to play that one day.”
Okoh-Tisch also remembered Lisa for her role within the community and her devotion to her family.
“She was such a light in our lives and such a light in this world,” she said. “Such an amazing pillar of the community in so many ways, and just such a loving mother to her children. She loved her children so much.”
Family Thanks Community for Support
Lisa’s father, Robert Arquette, also spoke during the remembrance and thanked those who came to honor his daughter.
“The rest of our extended family want to thank you all — her friends, her coworkers, colleagues — for your tribute to Lisa,” Arquette said. “Thank you.”
The investigation remains ongoing as Roger Bradford awaits extradition to Virginia.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provides confidential support in more than 170 languages.
What do you think about the community coming together to remember Lisa during such a difficult time? Share your thoughts and condolences in the comments.
